Therefore Do Not Harden Your Hearts As Israel Once Did
Hebrews 3:7-19
- When lost on a trip, what do you do: Stop and ask directions? Check the map? Wander around until you find the way?
- Are you usually early or late getting to places? Why?
Scripture Graphics
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your fathers put me to the test
and saw my works for forty years.
10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation,
and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;
they have not known my ways.’
11 As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest.’”
12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose 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 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- What new warnings (vv. 8,12)? How does this compare with verse 6 and 2:1-4?
- To what incident does the quotation from Psalms refer (vv. 7-11; Numbers 14)? How did the people of Israel harden their hearts? With what results (10-11)? What does it mean to turn away from the living God (v. 12)?
- What role does the Christian community play in keeping each other true to God (v. 13)? What will be the outcome of faithfulness (vv. 14-18)?
- What does it mean to "enter God's rest" (vv. 11, 18-19; see 4:1-11; Matthew 11:28-30)?
- What are some ways you and your church or small group could put verse 13 into practice? How can that help you? What apprehensions does it cause?
- What was one of the most rebellious times in your spiritual life? What resulted from it? Who (or what) helped to bring you back?
- How would you describe your heart now: Soft? Hard? Cold? Warm? Why is that?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
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