Hebrews 3:7-11 - Don’t harden your heart

These five verses are quoted from Psalm 95. The intention of the writer was again to discourage them from backsliding into Judaism, their former religion. Taken from Psalm 95:7b-11, these verses narrated a part of the history of the children of Israel. In that account, we know that the Jews were redeemed from their bondage by Moses. They were led out of Egypt and were heading toward the Promised Land, but while traveling through the wilderness they constantly tested the patience of God. Their unbelief was demonstrated each time they came across some difficulties. Instead of trusting God’s ability to see them through; they would murmur, grumble and complain. They would talk about returning to the land of bondage. With almost all of them, God was not pleased and they all died in the wilderness. Using the story, the author warned them against hardening their heart, thus missing out on the blessings of God’s promised rest. Here, the author identified four areas to guard against developing hardness of one’s heart.

Firstly, he called on the readers not to ignore the voice of God. For us today, the voice of God can be heard throughout His Word. When God speaks one must not resist through willful disobedience. By not submitting to His voice, one can provoke the Lord. The word “today” in verse 7 tells us that God’s voice is still speaking to us through His Word today. It would do us well not to resist when God speaks.

Secondly, in verse 8, the author was suggesting that to prevent a hardened heart, there is a need to maintain a heart that is in a right relationship with God. A hardened heart is indicative of a relationship that has gone amiss. Furthermore, verse 10 tells us that a harden heart has a straying tendency. Since our heart – the will, emotion and mind, is the wellspring of life, we need to guard it with all diligence.

Verse 10 suggests the third thing that people need to do to prevent a hardened heart. The people here were described as ignorant of God’s way. To prevent a hardened heart, the writer knew that one must learn to discern God’s ways and submit to them. For forty years those Israelites saw the miracles of God yet they did not submit to His ways. They continued to test His patience. When confronted by difficulties in life, they chose to grumble and wish they were back in the land of bondage, instead of believing God to see them through. There is a need to recognize what God is saying through tough times and then submit to it. Fourthly, when we refuse to submit to God, we miss out in entering His rest. This is clearly the idea of verse 11. When a believer trusts and obeys the Lord and acknowledges His ways, rest is assured.

We cannot neglect the Word of God and then expect God to speak to us. Remember to do our devotion regularly, study the Word systematically and apply the Word diligently. Let’s meditate, memorize and assimilate and apply what we have discovered. And then let’s serve Him with an attitude of gratitude. Tell yourself constantly: where He leads me I will follow. I’ll go with Him all the way.