One Year Journey Through the New Testament
Hebrews 3
Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!
The Son Was Faithful
1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
(Hebrews 3:1–6, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Paul continued his letter to the Hebrews by reminding the Hebrews of their heavenly calling in light of their Apostle and High Priest, Jesus Christ.
- Jesus superseded Moses, the presumed father of the Jewish faith, but all men are superseded by God. We are of the house of Christ, and are confident in our hope in Him.
Be Faithful
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’
11 So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
12 Beware, 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 “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
(Hebrews 3:7–15, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Paul here quoted Psalm 95 and warned the Israelites not to be rebellious toward God. The Hebrew fathers had rebelled against God in the wilderness, and they did not enter the promised land.
- He called the Christian Hebrews to belief and obedience to God. Hear the voice of God and keep your heart soft before the Lord.
Failure of the Wilderness Wanderers
16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
(Hebrews 3:16–19, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Those who hear the voice of God do not rebel. To hear God is to know His will and do it.
- Just like the unbelieving Israelites wandered for forty years and did not enter their rest, so we will not enter our rest if we do not believe in the will and plan of Christ for our lives.
- Be sure your unbelief does not keep you out of the promised land.
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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.
Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.
Devoted To You 