Lessons from History
Intro:
(slide)
Imagine for a moment, every living human being forgot the Holocost. All of the books/articles and movies that ever documented the horrors of the Holocost were totally lost and completely forgotten by every living being.
What might the ramifications be?
Remember: all of this falls under the main point of
Heb 3:1` Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus;
The Parallel and the Reason for this Quotation:
Heb 3:7-11
7 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today if you hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me,
As on the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers put Me to the test,
And saw My works for forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with this generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they did not know My ways’;
11 As I swore in My anger,
‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’”
This is a rough quote of Psalm 95:7-11
7 For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Today, you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah,
As on the day of Massah in the wilderness,
9 “When your fathers put Me to the test,
They tested Me, though they had seen My work.
10 “For forty years I was disgusted with that generation,
And said they are a people who err in their heart,
And they do not know My ways.
11 “Therefore I swore in My anger,
They certainly shall not enter My rest.”
Show the loop of 40 years in the wilderness Slide
Meribah and Massah
Meribah means quarreling
Massah means testing
Pslam 95:8 Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah,
As on the day of Massah in the wilderness,
The incident at Meribah: The 40 years Wilderness Journey Begins
At Meribah the Israelites were extremely thirsty and quarreled with Moses about the lack of water (Exodus 17:2).
Because of their thirst, they grumbled against Moses and asked, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” (Exodus 17:3).
Moses brought this problem to the Lord, and the Lord enabled Moses to strike the rock so that the Israelites would have water and know that God was with them (Exodus 17:4–7).
Because of their grumbling and testing of God, Moses called the place Meribah, which means “quarrelling.”
Not only did the Israelites demonstrate doubt in God’s provision, but they also tested Him because of their complaints and distrust.
The incident at Massah: The 40 years Wilderness Journey Ends
Toward the end of the Israelites’ forty years of wandering, a similar situation occurred at Massah.
Complaining about a lack of water for their livestock and themselves, the “people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. They quarreled with Moses and said, ‘If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!’” (Numbers 20:2–5).
Appealing to the Lord at the tent of meeting, Aaron and Moses were told by God to speak to the rock, which would bring forth water (Numbers 20:6–7).
Instead of demonstrating God’s glory and provision in speaking to the rock as the Lord had instructed, Moses struck the rock and claimed he and Aaron would bring forth water for the Israelites (Numbers 20:10–11).
The Lord still kept His promise in providing water but told Aaron and Moses that they would not enter the Promised Land because of their failure to obey Him (Numbers 20:12).
Application:
The Author of Hebrews is imploring his audience:
Remember the lessons of our people’s history, don’t make the same mistake again.
Guzik:
If those who followed Moses were responsible to surrender unto, to trust in, and to persevere in following God’s leader, we are much more responsible to do the same with a greater leader, Jesus the Messiah.
The point is clear: As the Holy Spirit speaks, we must hear His voice and not allow our hearts to become hardened. We hear the Spirit speak in the Scriptures, in the heart of His people, in those He draws to salvation, and by His works.
Today, what are the various ways we harden our hearts against God?
Some harden their hearts by relapsing into their old indifference.
Some harden their hearts by unbelief.
Some harden their hearts by asking for more signs.
Some harden their hearts by presuming upon the mercy of God.
Closing:
When God puts us through trials, we have a choice: Harden or Humble
Harden our hearts and repeat the mistake.
OR
Humble our hearts, trust in God, and do not make the same mistake.
Q/A