Hebrews 3:7-12

Lessons from the Unbelief in the Wilderness

The writer turns to a quotation from Psalms 95:7-11. This Psalm is a call to worship God and a warning against a disobedient heart. The writer was warning the Hebrew people against a hardening of their hearts and rejection of God. Their fathers had rebelled against God in the wilderness and because of that were not allowed to enter into "rest," which in their case was the promised land, or Canaan. The events in the wilderness clearly demonstrate God will not tolerate unbelief after He has shown His power to His people. So, the writer called his readers to worship and asked them to remain receptive so they could enter into God's "rest," which, for the Christian, is heaven (Hebrews 3:7-11).

The writer next issued a warning to his brethren. Notice he said, "in any of you," which indicated he was not only concerned with the church as a whole but with individuals who make up the church. The warning is against the "heart of disbelief" which is one that does not trust God and His promises. A heart such as this can cause one to distrust God so much that he will turn totally away. Remember, the readers of this letter were considering rejection of Christ which would cause them to turn back to Moses' law (Luke 9:62). It is significant to note the writer equates rejection of Christ with rejection of God (Hebrews 3:12).