Hebrews 3:7 - Meaning and Application

Here the apostle goes on to press serious warnings and advice to the end of the chapter, quoting (Psalm 95:7). He first calls them to give quick and present attention to Christ’s voice. “Hear his voice” means to agree with what God says in Christ, approve it, think it over, and apply it to yourself with the right feelings and actions. He wants them to begin at once, because tomorrow may be too late.

He also warns them not to harden their hearts by refusing Christ’s call. When Christ tells us about the evil of sin, the beauty of holiness, and the need to receive him by faith as our Savior, we must not close our ears and hearts against him. A hardened heart is the source of all our other sins. If the heart grows hard, the whole life soon follows.

Then he sets before them the example of the Israelites, their ancestors in the wilderness, especially in the matter of provocation and testing, which points to Massah and Meribah in (Exodus 17:2-7). Days of testing are often days when people provoke God. It is a serious thing to rebel against God when he is proving us and showing that we depend on him every moment. The sins and punishments of others, especially our own relatives, should warn us, so that we do not follow their evil example.

The Israelites were in the wilderness. They had been brought out of Egypt, but they had not yet reached Canaan, and that should have kept them from sin. Their sin was that they tested and provoked God. They distrusted him, complained against Moses, and would not listen to God’s voice. Their guilt was heavier because they sinned in the wilderness, where they had to depend on God more closely, and they sinned while God was testing them. They had also seen his works, his wonders in bringing them out of Egypt and supplying them in the wilderness day by day. Yet they kept on sinning for forty years.

The root of these serious sins was in their hearts. They went astray in their hearts, and those heart-errors produced many sins in their speech and conduct. They also did not know God’s ways, even though he had gone before them. They did not rightly understand either his providences, the way he dealt with them, or his commands, the way they should have walked before him. They failed to pay proper attention to his works and his worship.

God’s response was both just and patient. He was grieved with that generation. All sin grieves God, especially sin in those who profess to belong to him. Yet God is slow to destroy his people for their sin, and he waits long to be gracious. He keeps a careful record of how long people continue in sin and how long they keep grieving him. But if they keep grieving the Spirit of God, their sins will at last become a burden to their own spirits, either through judgment or through mercy that exposes and humbles them.

At last came the fixed sentence. God swore in his wrath that they would not enter his rest, whether that means an earthly Canaan or the heavenly rest it points to. Sin, if it is continued in, will stir up God’s wrath and make it rise against sinners. God’s wrath shows itself in a righteous decision to destroy the unrepentant. He swears in wrath, not carelessly, but justly. And under God’s wrath, there is no rest at all.

The apostle then uses this solemn example to warn the Hebrews. He says, “Take heed,” which means, look closely and stay on guard. Watch both your inward weaknesses and outward dangers. They knew what had kept many of their forefathers out of Canaan and caused their bodies to fall in the wilderness, so they must be careful not to fall into the same sin, the same trap, and the same terrible sentence. Christ is the head of the church, a far greater person than Moses, so to reject Christ would be a greater sin than rejecting Moses. That would also bring a heavier judgment.

The downfall of others should warn us to avoid the rock they struck. Israel’s failure should stay before every later generation, because all these things happened to them as examples (1 Corinthians 10:11). Anyone who wants to reach heaven safely must keep watch.

He adds this warning with a warm appeal: “Brethren.” They are brothers, not only by blood, but in the Lord, people he loves and longs to help. He says, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.” A heart of unbelief is an evil heart. Unbelief is a great sin because it corrupts the whole person. It is also the beginning of turning away from God. If we begin to distrust him, we may soon leave him. Even Christian brothers and sisters need this warning, because those who think they stand must take heed lest they fall.

He then gives a practical remedy. They should encourage one another every day, while it is called today (Hebrews 3:13). We should do all the good we can for one another while we are together, because that time is short and uncertain. Since tomorrow is not ours, we must use today well. If Christians do not encourage one another daily, they are in danger of growing hard through sin’s deceit.

Sin is very deceptive. It looks good, but it is dirty. It seems pleasant, but it brings harm. It promises much, but it delivers little. And sin’s deceit leads to hardness of heart. One allowed sin prepares for another. Every sin makes the habit stronger. Sinning against conscience is the road to a seared conscience. For that reason, everyone should warn himself and others to be careful of sin.

He finishes by comforting those who begin well and continue well to the end. We become partakers of Christ if we hold firm our first confidence to the end (Hebrews 3:14).

Here we should notice the privilege of believers: they are made partakers of Christ. That means they share in his Spirit, his nature, his graces, his righteousness, and his life. They have a part in all that belongs to Christ, all that he is, all that he has done, and all that he can do for them.

We should also notice the condition on which they keep that privilege, namely, their steady perseverance in the bold, open profession and practice of Christ and Christianity to the end. This does not mean they will preserve themselves by their own strength, for they are kept by the mighty power of God through faith for salvation. But being pressed to persevere is one of the ways Christ helps his people continue. It makes them watchful and diligent, and so keeps them from turning away.

The same spirit with which Christians begin the ways of God should stay with them to the end. Those who start with seriousness, lively desire, holy resolve, and humble trust should keep going in the same spirit. Yet many show great courage and confidence at the start of their profession, but do not hold on to the end. Perseverance in faith is the best proof that our faith is sincere.

The apostle then takes up again what he had quoted from Psalm 95:7 and applies it closely to that generation in Hebrews 3:15 and following. The point is as if he were saying, “What was said there was not only for earlier times, but for you now and for all who come after you. Be careful that you do not fall into the same sins, lest you come under the same judgment.” He also says that though some who heard God’s voice provoked him, not all did so.

This shows that although most who heard God’s word provoked him by unbelief, some did believe the message. It also shows that hearing the word is the usual way God saves people, but if people do not listen, that same hearing only increases their guilt and exposes them more to God’s anger. God will always have a remnant, a small faithful group, who obey his voice, and he will care for them and honor them. Even if they are caught in a common disaster, they will share eternal salvation, while disobedient hearers perish forever.

The apostle then asks some questions about what was already said and answers them in Hebrews 3:17-19. He asks, “With whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest?” From this we learn that God is grieved only with those among his people who sin against him and keep on sinning. He is especially provoked by sins done openly by most of a nation, because when sin spreads widely, it is more offensive to him.

Though God bears long with public wickedness, he will at last relieve himself of public offenders by public judgments. Unbelief, along with the rebellion that follows from it, is the great destroying sin of the world, especially for those who have received God’s revealed truth. This sin closes the heart of God against them and shuts the gate of heaven against them. It leaves them under God’s wrath and curse, and in truth and justice he is bound to cast them off forever.