The author of Hebrews speaks of the Israelites’ unbelief as sin (v. 17) and disobedience (v. 18). The Israelites did not enter God’s rest, the Promised Land (v. 11), because they did not believe in God’s promises to them (Num 1:1-34). They failed to possess their inheritance because they did not trust in God (Deut 12:9; Josh 13:7). The Jewish Christians to whom this letter was addressed were in danger of following in their ancestors’ footsteps. They were tempted to doubt the words of Jesus. With the rhetorical questions in these verses, the author of Hebrews was encouraging them to place their faith firmly in Christ (10:26; 12:1, 2).
16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. (NASB)
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Jesus’ sonship shows His superiority to Moses and reminds us that rejecting Him has more serious consequences than rejecting Moses.
- A benefit of obedience includes not only praising and pleasing our Father but also entering His peaceful rest. By believing God, we enter into His rest. By obeying God by faith and surrendering to His will, the peace of God enters into us.
- Honor Jesus and put Him first above all other things vying for your attention. Let Him be your focus and everything else will fall into place
CLOSER LOOK:
Verse 16: Five questions occur in verses 16–18. The second and the fourth question effectively answer the first and the third. The fifth question contains its own answer.
Having alluded again to the passage they wished to expound, the author then began doing so. The first question in verse 16 concerned the extent of the rebellion: Who were they who heard and provoked Him (or rebelled)? The questions in verse 16 seem more naturally read as statements: “For some, when they had heard, did provoke; howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.”[1] The writer is aware of the notable exceptions of Joshua and Caleb, who did not take part in the general failure. The answer, given in the form of another question, pointed out what the readers of Hebrews already knew. The rebellion was total. All the Jews who came out of Egypt joined in the rebellion. The fact that Moses, Joshua, and Caleb were exceptions to this statement did not affect the truth of the application. The entire mass of Jewish people had proved faithless. How unbelievable!
Verse 17: But then the author asked, “with whom was He angry for forty years?” The answer is that He was angry with those in the wilderness congregation who sinned and who died in that wilderness. The third question in verse 17 also showed the extent of the provoking (rebellion) and drew attention to its duration of forty years. The rebellion lasted for the entire period of the Israelites’ wanderings in the wilderness. The answer, also given in the form of a question, showed that God was angry with those who had sinned. Sin was the cause of the rebellion, and persistent sin led to judgment: “Their bodies fell in the wilderness.” They experienced God’s judgment even as they were traveling to the Promised Land.
God’s people had a wonderful beginning. God delivered them from Egypt with a display of majestic power (Exod. 12:31–51). With might God led them through the Red Sea (Exod. 14:10–31). He gave them manna and water as they traveled (Exod. 16:11–36; 17:5–7). Such privileged people still fell miserably into sin. Their good beginning did not keep them from later rebellion. What a tragedy to come to such ruin!
Verses 18-19: The fifth and final question in this passage appears in verse 18. The answer came as a part of the question. Those who were disobedient failed to enter God’s rest. Three important ideas appear in these two verses.
First, God used an oath. This idea appears in Psalm 95:11, and oaths are later mentioned in Hebrews 4:3; 6:13, 16 and 7:21–22. God’s oath showed the complete truthfulness of His word. God used an oath to give undeniable evidence that His people could trust His promise. Their disobedience in refusing to enter the Promised Land caused God to “swear that they would not enter His rest.” This meant of course that the sinful generation in the desert was permanently excluded from taking possession of their inheritance in Canaan. Naturally it had nothing to do with the question of their going to hell, so it would be wrong to allege that the entire Exodus generation was unregenerate.[2] But exclusion from Canaan was a consequence of their lack of faith in the power of God to bring them into it in victory over their enemies, a failure that in principle might be repeated by the readers of Hebrews if they forgot Messiah’s ultimate triumph over His enemies and theirs (cf. 1:13–14). The writer wished their readers to take it to heart that unbelief, meaning lack of confidence in God, was the reason God’s people did not enter the land. Second, God promised rest. In this verse entering God’s rest refers to the entrance into the Promised Land. Those who died in the wilderness failed to enter Canaan. The true rest which God designed for His people involved much more than possessing the land of Canaan. Chapter 4 shows that a true rest involved spiritual benefits.
Third, their failure to enter the Promised Land was caused by their unbelief. In verse 12 the people are warned against having a sinful, unbelieving heart. No reader of these words could escape the realization that the wilderness generation had failed to believe God. Despite the fact that God had given them mercy in the Exodus, the wilderness generation rebelled and died in the Sinai. These people faced the same danger.
The close link between disobedience and unbelief appears in the parallel mention of the two terms. The wilderness generation had disobeyed. They failed to enter, because of their unbelief. The result of unbelief was disobedience. The visible sign of unbelief was disobedience. The author of Hebrews was not so concerned about an intellectual grasp of truths about God as they were more concerned over sinful behavior. What we believe about God will lead us to moral change. If we demonstrate only disobedience, we show that we have unbelief.
The emphasis in Hebrews is that true believers have an eternal salvation because they trust a living Savior who constantly intercedes for them. But the writer is careful to point out that this confidence is no excuse for sin. God disciplines His children. Remember that Canaan is not a picture of heaven, but of the believer’s present spiritual inheritance in Christ.
Chapter 3 Summary and Overview
How do we put first things first in our lives? We give top attention to God’s work. We seek to follow the will of Jesus in all we do. We focus on Jesus and those tasks which we must do in obedience to Christ Jesus. Also, we neglect those things which do not fit in with His will.
Chapter 3 of Hebrews contrasts the attention which we must give to Jesus with that attention which some had offered to Moses. The writer of Hebrews proclaimed, “Jesus is superior to Moses.” Why was Jesus superior to Moses? The writer gave us several reasons, but let’s boil it down to a few.
First, Jesus was superior to Moses because Jesus served as a Son over God’s house while Moses was a servant in God’s house (Heb. 3:5–6). It is more important for us to follow the King who has authority over God’s people than to follow a servant who operates among God’s people. It is more important to follow Jesus than to listen to Moses or any other competitor for our loyalty. One thing to think about with this is what are we pursuing? What is vying for our attention? What seems to rule in our hearts? Is it God or something else? What are we seeking to bring us satisfaction? What are the desires of our heart telling us? Are we desiring money or God? Title or God? Attention/fame or God and His glory? If it seems like we are seeking to be satisfied in anything other than God, then let us re-focus our hearts on God. Let us live in the grace and mercy of God instead of trying to live in works trying to work our way closer to God.
Second, because Jesus was and is so prominent in God’s plan, neglecting Jesus was more serious than neglecting Moses (3:7–19). Those Israelites who wandered for forty years in the wilderness of Sinai had rejected God’s commands (Num. 14:20–38). The same fate was possible for the readers of Hebrews. They were encouraged not to be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness (we see this again in chapter four with the reminder to not harden our hearts).. Unbelief had prevented the wilderness generation from entering God’s rest for them. The same thing could happen to these people.
It is important for us to put Jesus first. He is more important than having fun, getting a promotion, making lots of money, or completing any other personal goal. Nothing can compare with the joy of having him one day say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21).
It is easy to lose perspective in doing life’s work. We can get involved in doing good things instead of the very best things. We can maintain a routine just because we like following routines. We can let second-rate goals consume most of our energy (cue the classic business lesson of the big rocks and small rocks). We can put our own comfort and security ahead of a mission for the sake of Christ. We can let the business of living, doing the necessary chores of life, and making a reputation for ourselves become our goals. We must put first things first and make our chief business that of following Jesus, His glory, and doing His will.
Ask yourself, “What does Jesus really want me to do?” Then follow up with the answer to this question: How can I focus on those things which are God’s will for me?
Responding to the answer of these questions will involve prayer, reflection, and an openness to God’s will. Putting them into practice will cause a new arrangement of your schedules, a change in your daily priorities, and the addition and subtraction of some items from your schedule.
It is eternally important to put Jesus first. Do anything necessary to make that your goal.
Chapter 3 Principles and Applications:
PRINCIPLES
- Jesus was faithful to follow every task which the Father delegated to Him.
- Jesus deserves more honor and attention than any other competitor for our attention.
- Jesus’ commandments and promises in Scripture provide direction for victorious living.
- Jesus provides His blessings only if we endure in our obedience, faithful to the end.
APPLICATIONS
- Honor and focus on Jesus over all competitors for your commitment.
- Be careful not to substitute your own opinions for following the will of God.
- Encourage one another and avoid the deceitfulness of sin.
- Understand the consequences of hardening your hearts and falling into unbelief. Hold God’s Word in the highest regard in your life. Let it have authority in your life.
- Do not live in unbelief or you will miss God’s rest.
[1] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 787.
[2] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 787.
[3] Thomas Lea, “Hebrews” in Holman New Testament Commentary – Hebrews & James, vol 10, edited by Max Anders (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), np.