Stay Focused…Even During the Pain

Stay Focused…Even During the Pain

Romans 5:3-4; 1 Timothy 4:15; Hebrews 5:14; Colossians 1:28-29; James 1:2-4

 

Theme: The chances of being sidetracked increase with trouble and pain, but we must remain focused on learning of the Lord and drawing closer to Him.

Relevance:

By the grace of God, we can stay focused during pain by fixing our eyes on Jesus, trusting God’s permanent presence instead of temporary suffering, and casting our worries on Him through prayer. Remember clarity frequently follows the act of following His guidance rather than preceding it. Scripture frames pain as a brief test that builds endurance, spiritual strength, and eternal hope.

Introduction:

The idea of maturing in Christ is a subject we have given substantial thought to and have even taught this on a regular basis.  As a missionary-pastor, I routinely encouraged, instructed, and coached others through the various stages of personal spiritual development. You see, spiritually we mature with diet and exercise much like we do physically. The word of God provides our meat, bread, milk, honey, water, and ‘green pastures.’ The encouraging and directing words of a spiritually minded coach help tremendously.

As we obey God we begin to understand and appreciate more of Him and His Word. Obedience acts as a pathway to spiritual growth. By putting our faith into practice, we often gain clarity, build a deeper trust, and experience a closer relationship with God. Obedience shows our love, trust, and faith in Him. Insight frequently arises from the act of following His guidance rather than preceding it. This trend of obedience will also feed our souls deeply as more clarity comes with our compliance; thus, our experiences of God’s truth teaches and trains us further (Luk. 11:28; Jn. 13:17; Prov. 2:9).

Still the possibility of distraction exists, especially during painful experiences; we must focus ourselves on spiritual growth still. The following thoughts help us do just that.

Lesson:

God Continually Recommends Incredible Spiritual Self-control to Overcome Serious Challenges to our Development.

A. Cooperate with God’s Work in You. Philippians 2:12-13, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

·        We are to live out and show the reality of our salvation with deep respect and seriousness before God. Christ’s followers are responsible for actively living out and expressing the inner change God has already given us. It does not mean earning salvation by good performances; rather, it shows our efforts in obedience cooperates with God’s inner power, which supplies both the desire and the ability to please Him.

·        The verb “work out” carries the meaning of “work to full completion,” such as working out a problem in mathematics. In Paul’s day it was also used for “working a mine,” that is, getting out of the mine all the valuable ore possible; or “working a field” so as to get the greatest harvest possible. The purpose God wants us to achieve is Christlikeness, “to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). There are problems in life, but God will help us to “work them out.” Our lives have tremendous potential, like a mine or a field, and He wants to help us fulfill that potential.^[1]

o   Just as you unpack a box or exercise a muscle to display what is already inside, believers are called to let their internal faith manifest visibly in daily obedience and character.

o   “Both to will and to do of his good pleasure”: God changes our inner desires ("to will") and then gives us the strength and opportunity to carry them out ("to do").

     B.  Dedicate Yourself to Growth to Influence Others Likewise.  1 Timothy 4:15, “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all") indicates a Christian leader must deeply focus on spiritual truths, fully dedicate their life to practicing them, and let their ongoing personal growth be clearly seen by everyone.

·        “Meditate upon these things” that is spend time thinking deeply about and practicing sound spiritual teachings and our God-given duties rather than just knowing them.

·        “Give thyself wholly to them” literally dedicate our whole heart, time, and energy to these godly tasks without holding back or getting distracted.

·        “That thy profiting may appear to all” we must ensure our spiritual maturity and progress move forward visibly so other people can see the real, positive impact of our faith.

·        Paul is encouraging Timothy to give himself undividedly and undistractedly to the work of the Lord. He should be all-out in his efforts. In this way, his progress will be evident to all. Paul does not want Timothy to hit a plateau in his Christian service and then settle down into a comfortable rut. Rather, he wants him to be always advancing in the things of the Lord.^[2]

     C.  Keep Maturing and Developing Discernment Daily. Hebrews 5:14, “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil”) shows that deep spiritual truth is for mature believers. True maturity comes from regular practice and using God's word to tell right from wrong.

·       “Strong meat” refers to deep and advanced teachings of the faith, unlike “milk” or basic beginner instructions.

·       “Of full age” indicates spiritually mature people who have grown past their early stages as new believers.

·       “By reason of use” means learning and growing through ongoing, daily practice of our faith.

·       “Exercised to discern both good and evil” that is training your mind and heart over time to spot the difference between right and wrong, or truth and false teaching.

·       Once more the writer betrayed his concern about his readers’ ability to reject the false ideas which confronted them. Had they been sufficiently mature they would be able to “distinguish” those ideas as “evil” over against the truths they should have known were “good.” But he feared that this capability was not yet really theirs, though he would make every effort to instill it in them.^[3]

D. Remain Focused and On Mission to Continue Developing Believers. Paul notes his toil and struggle, energized by Christ’s power, to present everyone fully mature in Christ. 

Colossians 1:28-29 states: “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.” The great Apostle viewed his core mission as boldly proclaiming Jesus Christ, correcting and instructing all believers with godly wisdom to help them grow spiritually mature, while relying entirely on Christ’s powerful energy working inside him to do the hard work.

·       “Perfect in Christ Jesus” points to mature, complete, and fully grown in the faith, rather than completely sinless.

·       “Labour and striving” indicates ministry takes intense, hard work and personal sweat (“striving” is an athletic word for competing in a contest).

·       “His working in me mightily” Paul did not rely on his own strength; he depended on God’s power actively moving through him to accomplish spiritual results.

·       Spiritual adults in Christ, no longer babes in Christ (Heb. 5:14), mature and ripened Christians (4:12), the full-grown man in Christ (Eph. 4:13). The relatively perfect (Phil. 3:15) will on that day of the presentation be fully developed as here (Col. 4:12; Eph. 4:13).^[4]

The Word of God presents pain as a brief test that builds endurance, spiritual strength, and eternal hope. Still the possibility exists for distractions, especially during difficult experiences; we must focus ourselves even more tenaciously on spiritual growth during these seasons. Remember, obedience is our pathway to upward growth in Christ. We often gain clarity, build a deeper trust, and experience a closer relationship with God when we are compliant. Obedience to truth is an active choice turning basic facts into deep, everyday nuts and bolts understanding.

Matthew Henry noted, “We must continue in the faith grounded and settled, and not be moved away from the hope of the gospel; that is, we must be so well fixed in our minds as not to be moved from it by any temptations. We must be stedfast and immovable (1 Co. 15:58) and hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, Heb. 10:23.”^[5]

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^[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 77.

^[2] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 2094.

^[3] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 793.

^[4] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Col 1:28.

^[5] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 2332.

Choosing Truth Over Facts

Choosing Truth Over Facts

John 8:32; 14:6; 17:17; 2 Cor. 5:7; Hebrews 11:1

Theme: Authentic facts point to God’s truth; we must live by God’s truth and not mere facts…by faith and not by sight.

Relevance:

John 8:32, says, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Accepting and actively living by Christ’s teachings provides a deep spiritual awakening (salvation) that breaks the heavy chains of sin, fear, and spiritual blindness. God also delivers us from spiritual confusion when we believe Him instead of our circumstances. Facts are subject to misleading manipulation leading to greater sin, darkness, and bondage, but embracing God’s truth is freeing, liberating, and life transforming!  

So, choosing God’s reality over the visible or empirical world is defined as faith. Hebrews 11:1 states: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Rather than relying strictly on physical observation or human scientific measurement, biblical faith treats God, His word, and unseen spiritual truths as the ultimate foundation of reality.

Introduction:

The Jews did not know the truth, and they were in a terrible form of bondage. They were in the bondage of ignorance, error, sin, law, and superstition. Those who truly know the Lord Jesus are delivered from sin, they walk in the light, and are led by the Holy Spirit of God.^[1]

Jews who had believed Him indicates that some paid attention to Jesus’ words without necessarily committing themselves to Him personally (cf. 6:53). It was possible to “believe” in the message of repentance and the coming kingdom without being born again. Continuing in the truth is the sign of true followers and learners (disciples). If they really grasped His message, they would find salvation truth. Knowing this salvation truth would liberate them from their bondage in sin.^[2]

The idea of ‘truth over facts’ entails prioritizing God’s statements, a deeper, overarching Bible principle, or a divine reality over objective, verifiable data. While facts are strict, measurable bits of information, we view God’s truth, a Bible-based experiences, or an essential takeaway as having higher significance; we know these realities transcend individual data points.

Please Note these Core Differences:

• Facts: Objective, provable, and independent of personal feelings (things like statistical data, IDs, digital driver’s licenses, diplomas—university degrees, or documented events).
• Truth: Personal value placed on God, Jesus Christ, revelation—His statements/promises, core Bible messages, or God’s higher purpose.

Truth is absolute, unchanging reality rooted in God’s perfect character. He does not merely speak the truth; He literally embodies it. It is revealed through His unchanging nature, the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ, who stated, “I am the way and the truth and the life”.

The distinctions can be summarized by noting the differences between Scripture and Modern Science. Believers should always base their lives on truth and only on ‘science’ where it agrees with ‘truth.’

But not everyone agrees, “Critics argue that dismissing data in favor of a preferred narrative contributes to Truth Decay, undermines shared objective reality, and opens the door to misinformation and bias.” (The Dangerous Mindset of My Truth)

However, I would much rather disagree with mere people, than to be at odds with God!

Again, it has been noted, “Generally, truth decay is a cultural condition marked by a shrinking reliance on objective facts, data, and analysis in public life. The term describes how opinions and personal beliefs increasingly overshadow verifiable facts.” (The News Literacy Project, Jennifer Kavanagh)

While I do not advocate in any way adopting a ‘My Truth’ mentality, I must insist that we believe an honest God regarding anything He says…especially when God’s Truth contradicts human data, research, or credentials.  

Lesson:

First Note Key Bible Passages on Faith and God’s Unseen Reality!

1. Hebrews 11:1: Defines faith itself as the solid proof (substance) and conviction (evidence) of realities that human eyes cannot detect.

·       Faith is confidence in the trustworthiness of God. It is the conviction that what God says is true and that what He promises will come to pass.

·       Faith must have some revelation from God, some promise of God as its foundation. It is not a leap in the dark. It demands the surest evidence in the universe, and finds it in the word of God. It is not limited to possibilities but invades the realm of the impossible. Someone has said, “Faith begins where possibilities end. If it’s possible, then there’s no glory for God in it.”^[3]

2. Hebrews 11:3: Account for creation in this respect: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” This establishes that the spiritual and spoken power of God preceded and produced the physical universe.

·       Faith is also a way of viewing all experience since it is the way in which believers see the universe (tous aiōnas, lit., “the ages,” also rendered “the universe” in 1:2) for what it is—a creation by God.^[4]

·       [B]elievers accept by faith that God created the physical universe out of nothing using His spoken command, originating visible reality from the invisible. (Bible Reference)

·       Things which are seen were not made of things which do appear means the material, visible world came into existence from an invisible source (ex nihilo, or out of nothing), rather than being formed from pre-existing physical matter. (Bible Reference)

3. 2 Corinthians 5:7: States the daily walk of a believer: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

·       Christ’s followers are called to conduct our daily lives and make decisions by trusting in God’s unseen promises and eternal realities, rather than relying solely on physical circumstances, temporary hardships, or human senses. The three Hebrew boys understood this perfectly in Daniel 3. The average ‘worlding’ will not appreciate thinking this way!

·       Not by “sight”: Refusing to let temporary physical obstacles, fears, or what is immediately visible dictate hope or obedience. Remember the temporary nature of our earthly bodies and the absolute certainty of an eternal heavenly home. Keep going because our ultimate hope is anchored in Christ and future resurrection, not what we can physically touch or see right now.

4. 2 Corinthians 4:18: Directs our attention past temporary physical metrics to eternal invisible truths: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

·       Believers must fix our focus on spiritual, everlasting realities rather than temporary, physical troubles. Visible, earthly things—including pain and material life—are temporary (temporal), while invisible spiritual truths like God's glory and heaven last forever (eternal). We must not give up despite intense suffering. Eternal glory makes present trials feel small and short-lived.

·       Paul compared the sufferings he had experienced, severe as they were (2 Cor. 11:23–29), to light and momentary troubles (thlipseōs, “pressures, hardships”; cf. 1:4). They were nothing in view of the eternal glory that would be his when he would be in Jesus’ “presence” (4:14) and would be like Him (1 Cor. 15:49; Phil 3:21; 1 John 3:2). This is amazing: all of his heavy, continuous burdens were, he said, “light” (the Gr. elaphron means “light in weight, easy to bear”; used in the NT only twice: here and in Matt. 11:30) and “momentary” (the Gr. parautika means “brief, for the slight moment, on the spot”). Though, as he wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:8, his hardships were “far beyond” (hyperbolēn) his ability to endure, he said his coming glory … far outweighs them all (hyperbolēn eis hyperbolēn is lit., “extraordinary unto the extraordinary”).^[5]

5. The Perspective of Faith (Truth) vs. Empirical Science Evidence (Modern Scientific Facts)

·        Separate Fields of Consideration: Scripture positions God as the Creator not as a hypothesis to be tested by the scientific method! He must be approached purely through trust and reverence (“without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”) Hebrews 11:6. Beloved, trusting God’s reality and goodness is the absolute requirement for any real relationship with Him.

o   The entire Christian walk is something that cannot function or start without reliance on the unseen.

o   Seeking God requires intentional, continuous effort through prayer, obedience, and looking to His promises rather than just passive agreement is a must.

·        The Source of Absolute Truth: Where empirical science relies on what can be measured, weighed, and seen, biblical reality instructs the believer to accept divine revelation as more certain than changing physical circumstances or human reasoning.

o   God’s Character and Word Define Ultimate Reality. Truth is not merely a changing human idea. It is a permanent standard rooted in God’s unchanging nature, meaning what God says is always real, right, and faithful.

o   God as Truth: Scripture describes God as a “God of truth” (Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 31:5, and Isaiah 65:16), He cannot lie, His essence defines what is real, and He cannot break promises (Hebrews 6:18, Titus 1:2). God is the ultimate source of reliability and absolute truth!

o   Jesus as Truth: Jesus states in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” showing that truth is embodied in a person rather than just abstract rules. Jesus is the exclusive path to God, the ultimate source of divine truth, and the giver of eternal life, asserting that relationship with God is found only through Him. Jesus embodies the absolute and final revelation of God’s character and word.

o   Spirit as Truth: The Holy Spirit is explicitly called the “Spirit of truth” by Jesus Christ. He is promised as a helper who dwells with believers, teaches us, and guides us into all truth. As the Witness he confirms and testifies to the reality of Jesus Christ. As the Teacher he speaks only what He hears from the Father and the Son, leading people away from error deeper into Jesus, the Truth. (Jn 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1 Jn. 5:6)

o   The Word as Truth: Psalm 119:160 states, “Thy word is true from the beginning,” establishing the Bible as an absolute, error-free standard for everyone. Beloved, God’s word is entirely true from start to finish, and His fair laws last forever. He does not lie or make mistakes. Everything He says is pure fact, from the first book of the Bible to the last. His word is absolute truth.

o   Truth is Immutable: God’s truth does not shift with time, culture, or personal feelings. It remains constant for all people.

Clearly, a believer must choose truth over mere facts. Facts should point to truth, but unfortunately facts can be manipulated or ‘cherry picked’ causing confusion and enhancing the darkness, lies, deceptions, and bondage. Truth has the power to make us free of sin and its influences upon our lives. Where the facts cannot be verified by the Scriptures we must go with Bible evidence or God’s statements—truth. For us God’s facts are the ‘alternative facts’ we must appeal to for authority. Though facts may enjoy a certain level of rigor and alignment with Modern Science, we still choose the Word of God first and foremost. Quote the Bible and let them fact check that!

 

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^[1] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1517.

^[2] Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 304–305.

^[3] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 2195.

^[4] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 807.

^[5] David K. Lowery, “2 Corinthians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 565.

The Warning (Keep the Faith, Part 3)

 

Lesson Four

The Warning

Hebrews 3:7-11

 

Theme: Christ Jesus, the Son of God, is our Model of fidelity and is infinitely Superior to Moses. Therefore, hold firmly to your faith in Christ, God’s faithful Apostle and High Priest.

 

Reflection

Begin your study by sharing thoughts on this question.

 Think of a time when a Christian friend encouraged your faith. What did this person do to help you?

 

Bible Reading

Read carefully and thoughtfully Hebrews 3:1–19.

5.  What is the overall scope of this warning section in the chapter? (Heb. 3:7-19)

 

I.                 In the first exhortation (Heb. 2:1–4), the writer pointed out the danger of drifting from the Word because of neglect. In this exhortation, he explains the danger of doubting and disbelieving the Word because of hardness of heart. It is important that we understand the background of this section, which is the Exodus of Israel from Egypt and their experiences of unbelief in the wilderness.

II.               To begin with, we must understand that there are spiritual lessons in the geography of Israel’s experiences. The nation’s bondage in Egypt is an illustration of a sinner’s bondage in this world. Much as Israel was delivered from Egypt by the blood of lambs and the power of God, so a sinner who believes on Christ is delivered from the bondage of sin (Col. 1:13–14). Jesus Christ is “the Lamb of God” whose death and resurrection have made our deliverance from sin a reality.

III.             It was not God’s will that Israel remain either in Egypt or in the wilderness. His desire was that the people enter their glorious inheritance in the land of Canaan. But when Israel got to the border of their inheritance, they delayed because they doubted the promise of God (Num. 13–14). “We are not able” wept the ten spies and the people. “We are able with God’s help!” said Moses, Joshua, and Caleb. Because the people went backward in unbelief instead of forward by faith, they missed their inheritance and died in the wilderness. It was the new generation that possessed the land and entered into their rest.

IV.            What does Canaan represent to us as Christians today? It represents our spiritual inheritance in Christ (Eph. 1:3, 11, 15–23). It is unfortunate that some of our hymns and Gospel songs use Canaan as a picture of heaven, and “crossing the Jordan” as a picture of death. Since Canaan was a place of battles, and even of defeats, it is not a good illustration of heaven! Israel had to cross the river by faith (a picture of the believer as he dies to self and the world, Rom. 6) and claim the inheritance by faith. They had to “step out by faith” (Josh. 1:3) and claim the land for themselves, just as believers today must do.

V.              Now we can understand what the wilderness wanderings represent: the experiences of believers who will not claim their spiritual inheritance in Christ, who doubt God’s Word and live in restless unbelief. To be sure, God is with them, as He was with Israel; but they do not enjoy the fullness of God’s blessing. They are “out of Egypt” but they are not yet “in Canaan.”

6.  What warning does the Holy Spirit give to us? (Heb. 3:7-11)

To drive home God’s call to faithfulness and to warn of the consequences of stubborn disbelief, the classic failure of Israel at Kadesh Barnea which led to their 40-year detour in the wilderness is presented. That generation of Israel that came out of Egypt doubted God; therefore, they never entered the land of Canaan. Paul quotes from Psalm 95:7–11, which records God’s response to Israel’s tragic spiritual condition.

 

I.                 The Spirit’s Warning Issues a Command (3:7-8a).

a.      “Hear His Voice,” whenever God speaks, we should be swift to hear. To doubt His word is to call Him a liar and to incur His wrath.

b.      Israel put God to the test—“temptation in the wilderness”—by asking, “Is the Lord among us, or not?” (Ex. 17:7)  Instead of trusting God in the midst of adverse circumstances, they demanded that He show His hand in order to demonstrate to them that He was in their midst to help them.

c.      The phrase “harden not your hearts,” forbids the continuance of an action already going on. These Hebrews were already hardening their hearts. Paul exhorts them to stop doing so.

d.      In view of the fact that Messiah is better than the prophets, the angels, and Moses, the warning is, not to harden their hearts in renouncing their professed faith in Messiah and returning to the sacrifices. —Wuest, Kenneth S.

II.               The Spirit’s Warning Illustrates a Calamity (3:8b-9).

a.      The “provocation in the day of temptation” refers to the murmuring of Israel against the Lord at Rephidim because of the lack of water (Ex 17:1–7).

b.      God had delivered His people from Egypt and had cared for them, revealing His power in many signs and wonders (Heb. 3:9). Israel saw all of this and benefited from it!

c.      But the experience did not bring them closer to God or make them trust Him more. This is an extraordinary calamity! All that God did for them did not benefit them spiritually. In fact, just the opposite took place: they hardened their hearts against God! They put God to the test—“proved”—and He did not fail them; yet they failed Him.

III.             The Spirit’s Warning Illuminates a Condition (3:10).

God’s keen displeasure with Israel in the wilderness brought forth this stern denunciation. He accused them of a perpetual proneness to wander away from Him, and of a willful ignorance of His ways. —MacDonald, William; Farstad, Arthur: Believer's Bible Commentary

a.      They Consistently Erred in Heart (Heb. 3:10).

                                                    i.     The heart of every problem is a problem in the heart. The people of Israel (except Moses, Joshua, and Caleb) erred in their hearts (Heb. 3:10).

1.      Their hearts wandered from God and His Word.

2.      They also had evil hearts of unbelief (Heb. 3:12); they did not believe that God would give them victory in Canaan. They had seen God perform great signs in Egypt. Yet they doubted He was adequate for the challenge of Canaan.

                                                  ii.     When a person has an erring heart and a disbelieving heart, the result will also be a hard heart. (Wiersbe, W. W. 1996, c1989. The Bible Exposition Commentary)

1.      This is a heart that is insensitive to the Word and work of God. So hard was the heart of Israel that the people even wanted to return to Egypt! Imagine wanting to exchange their freedom under God for slavery in Egypt!

2.      Of course, all this history spoke to the hearts of the readers of this letter because they were in danger of “going back” themselves.

                                                 iii.     Why was God grieved? (Heb. 3:10, 17)

1.      God was grieved according to Hebrews 3:9, which says, “When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.” But, why was He grieved? The two words “tempted” and “prove” hold the reason why God was so grieved with Israel. According to Wuest, “tempted” means “to put to the test to see what good or evil may be in a person.”  The nation of Israel was in affect saying ‘Can He provide and protect as He said?’  The people kept ‘testing’ God!  Then the word “prove” means “to put to the test for the purpose of approving the person if he meets the test.”  Israel was saying, ‘Is He really God?’ They were demanding more proof while ignoring a mountain of evidence. This is continuous unbelief. This is what grieved the heart of Jehovah. But note also what Carson said, Those who left Egypt with Moses had God’s words of promise and warning ringing in their ears, but they hardened their hearts and would not respond with faith and obedience. Rebellion and testing are translations of the Hebrew names Meribah and Massah (Ex. 17:1–7; cf. Nu. 20:1–13). At the beginning and end of their desert wanderings, the Israelites showed themselves to be particularly unbelieving at these places. They tested and tried God in the sense that they went as far as they could in provoking him to judge them (9). –Carson, D. A.1994. New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition

2.      The latter phrase of verse 9 says, “and saw my works forty years.”  This affords us the third reason why God was grieved with Israel. The forty-year period in the wilderness was an expression of God’s anger with that generation, but it was also an opportunity for them to experience his gracious ways, again and again (10). Since they refused to repent and trust him, he declared on oath in his anger that such people could not enter his rest in the land that he had promised to their forefathers as an inheritance (11; cf. Nu. 14). That privilege would only be extended to their children. –Carson, D. A.1994. New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition

3.      Israel’s behavior can only be described as continuous rebellion and unbelief. This grieved God greatly because He had given them so much evidence to persuade them to trust and obey Him implicitly. Although God had miraculously rescued them from Egypt and had demonstrated his power and care over his people, the people disobeyed God, complained against him, and refused to take possession of the land God had given them. They tested him, tried him, and saw him work both for and against them during their forty years of wandering. They tested his patience and challenged his authority. Despite seeing God's works for forty years, the people continually rebelled against him. –The Life Application Commentary Series copyright (C) 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000

4.      God’s keen displeasure with Israel in the wilderness brought forth this stern denunciation. He accused them of a perpetual proneness to wander away from Him, and of a willful ignorance of His ways. –MacDonald, W. 1997, c1995. Believer's Bible Commentary

5.      Wuest highlights the fact that their proneness to was due to their general ignorance of God—they had little experience with Him and His ways because they neglected Him.

6.      God was offended at the actions of Israel. … Israel was led astray with respect to the heart, the seat of one’s personal character and of one’s moral and spiritual life. The Hebrew has it, “They are a people of wanderers in heart.” … Israel’s ignorance of the ways of Jehovah preceded and was the cause of their being led astray. Their ignorance was due to their neglect of Jehovah, for the knowledge they lacked was experiential knowledge which was to be acquired through experience with the ways and character of God. –Wuest, K. S. 1997, c1984. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament

b.      They were Ignorant of God’s Way (Heb. 3:10b).

                                                    i.     In spite of God’s works and loving patience the Israelites failed to understand the ways He would have had them go to reach His Canaan rest (Ex 18:20).

1.      Yes, the forty-year period in the wilderness was an expression of God’s anger with that generation, but it was also an opportunity for them to experience his gracious ways, again and again.

2.      Instead they challenged God’s sovereign authority by their rebellion in the wilderness (Num 20).They cared not to take God’s road! 

                                                  ii.     Are we any better? Obedience from the heart goes beyond merely receiving instructions. One must respond to God’s wisdom with complete surrender and compliance.  That generation of Israelites perished because they willfully rebelled in spite of a full revelation at Mount Sinai.

                                                 iii.     When one despises the preachers of the gospel they are at the same time despising the message of Christ. Christ continued to speak through his apostles, and buy his Spirit. The general rule is that we should diligently attend unto him, and we are not to refuse any who speak unto us in the name and authority of Christ. This may be applied to all the faithful preachers of the gospel, but they may be despised in this world.

IV.            The Spirit’s Warning Issues a Condemnation (3:11).

a.      God’s judgment fell on Israel in the wilderness at Kadesh Barnea. That entire generation was condemned to die, and only the new generation would enter the land.

b.      God said, “They shall not enter into My rest” (Heb. 3:11).

c.      Dr. Newell made the following observations regarding this same matter.

                                                    i.     The wicked say to God, “We desire not the knowledge of Thy ways” (Job 21:14). The angel said to Daniel, “The people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”  Since not knowing God’s ways is shown as the vital lack in Israel of old, and assured their failing to enter God’s rest, let us ask How shall we know the ways of God?  Mark it well: do as Moses did.  Ask and seek to have His ways shown to you.  Or, with David, plead Psalm 27:11, and the like. We must know our God and His ways. Otherwise, we shall be mere “professing” Christians.

                                                  ii.     From all of these observations regarding the text, it can be concluded men dislike the ways of God because of ignorance, like of experience, spiritual laziness, and they simply did not pursue a knowledge of Jehovah and His ways.  Therefore, despite the abundance of evidence presented by God, Israel still did not know His ways.

Response 

Use these questions to share more deeply with each other.

 

 

11.  Why should believers distinguish between faith and feelings?

 

 

Question 7. Be careful to maintain balance here. It's easy to get into a gender-related discussion about emotions. Because a person is emotional doesn't mean his/her faith is not real. Faith can lead to emotion. It just can't be based on emotion.

 

 

 

12.  How can you determine if your faith is real?

 

 

Question 8. Read James 2:14–17 (read through verse 26 if you don't mind a longer passage). Discuss current examples of faith without works.

 

 

 

13.  What can you do to ensure that your faith will endure?

 

Prayer

 

Father, we ask you to deepen our faith in you. Give us the strength to withstand temptation, overcome doubt, and remain loyal to you. At the end of our lives, may we hear your words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

 

Journaling

 

Take a few moments to record your personal insights from this lesson.

 

 

What steps can I take this week to strengthen my faith in God?

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Questions

 

 

14.  How can you avoid hardening your heart against God?

 

 

 

15.  What is the danger for Christians who neglect the fellowship of other believers?

 

 

Question 11. If you can, offer some examples of how your own life is different in proportion to the time you spend in fellowship with believers.

 

 

 

16.  What Christian friend can you encourage in spiritual matters? How?

 

For more Bible passages about remaining faithful, see Deuteronomy 11:13–18; 1 Samuel 12:24; 2 Samuel 22:26; 1 Kings 2:3,4; 2 Chronicles 19:9; Psalm 97:10; Proverbs 28:20; Matthew 25:19–23; 1 Corinthians 4:2; 10:12, 13; 3 John 3–5; Revelation 2:10; 17:14.

To complete the book of Hebrews during this twelve-part study, read Hebrews 3:1–19.