0728 IT IS ALWAYS TODAY

JULY 28 = HEBREWS 3

IT IS ALWAYS TODAY

In chapter 1, the writer opens by saying that Jesus is superior to angels, for he is the Son and heir of all things. In chapter 2, we see that he was made a little lower than the angels for a little while (as he lived on earth), in order to be the brother of all who are in his family. And through his suffering and death, he provided a way to bring help to us.

Here in chapter 3, we find the author telling us that Jesus is also greater than Moses. Moses, after all, was faithful as a servant IN all God’s house But Jesus is the Son who is OVER God’s house.

And so we come to the first practical application:

“So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 

When do we obey? Today. Always today. God has only made one time, and called it today. We cannot change tomorrow, for we have no control over that day. We cannot change yesterday, for it is always in the past. But God has set a day aside, always calling it today. And today is the day of salvation.

And what are we to do today? Hear his voice. He is the God who speaks, as the writer opened the letter by saying. And he has spoken in these last days through Jesus. Let us hear him.

And what are we NOT to do today? Harden our hearts. When we hear God speak and he calls for repentance, don’t say, “I don’t need that.” Or don’t say, “I will, but tomorrow.” Soften your heart today, while you can.

The writer goes on to talk about this some more:

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”

There is something else that we are to do today. Encourage one another daily. Help each other to not become hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Sin deceives us into thinking that we are not so bad, that God is not so right, that we can put things off. These are like the lies that the serpent told the original sinners. You won’t surely die. You’ll become like God. This will be good for you, not bad. God is the liar, not me. Well, we know how that turned out, don’t we?

The people of Israel were not able to enter God’s rest, which he had offered through Moses. The promised land was kept from them for forty years, until an entire generation of Israelites had died, never having entered. Their unbelief kept them from entering. They saw the size of the people, they saw their armies, and in spite of God’s deliverance and promise, they voted to turn around and stay in the wilderness until they died, rather than to enter into his rest. 

I will enter his rest

I will enter his peace

What the law could never do the cross completes

Today I can hear his voice call me by name

The voice of Adonai

And he says, “Rest!” And He speaks peace.

The law is dead. 

Your strivings cease

By a new and living way 

Come gather here

Come boldly now

Come enter near

Into His rest.

Into His rest.

Come into His rest.

Let us enter his rest! Amen.