Hebrews 3:7-19 - Sermon Bible Commentary

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Hebrews 3:7-19

Unbelief in the Wilderness.

I. The history of the wanderings of the Israelites in the wilderness is most instructive. No Scripture is of private interpretation, but is Catholic and eternal. Israel's history in the wilderness is typical throughout. (1) It is a marvelloushistory from beginning to end. (2) It was a history of solemn and glorious privileges. Is not this a picture of the Christian's life? (3) It is a sad history, full of fearful judgments. Do you understand the parable?

II. Unbelief prevented Israel's entering into the Promised Land. Then it follows that faith enters into the rest. "Believe with thy heart," is the great lesson of the chapter. Only believe, only worship, only harden not your heart, when in the Scripture, and in the Spirit's teaching, and in God's daily dealings you hear God's voice; and, though wild beasts, hunger and privation, weakness and temptation, beset you, you are safe, you are blessed. God is with you; who can be against you? Angels are around you, and you can give thanks, for you are more than conquerors, through Him that loved you and gave Himself for you.

III. Yesterday is the past of sin and misery. To-day is the present of Divine grace and man's faith. To-morrow is eternity, full of joy and glory. To-day is the turning-point, the crisis, the seedtime. To whom can we go but unto Jesus Christ, with the past of our transgression, with the yesterday of the first Adam, with the today of our weakness and need, with the for ever of our endless destiny? He is Jehovah, the Saviour God, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Cleaving to Him, we rest in mercy, which is from everlasting to everlasting.

A. Saphir, Expository Lectures on the Hebrews,vol. i., p. 188.

References: Hebrews 3:7-19. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. i., p. 457. Hebrews 3:12. Clergyman's Magazine,vol. iii., p. 281.Hebrews 3:13. H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xiii., p. 249; Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xi., No. 620. Hebrews 3:14. Ibid.,vol, xviii., No. 1042; Preacher's Monthly,vol. vii., p. 13.

Related Commentaries of Hebrews 3:7

Hebrews 3:7-19

7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.