Hard Hearts
-
Israel had been delivered from Egypt by God. They had seen the miracles that Moses had done by the power of God. They had seen each of the 10 plagues. They had seen God part the waters at the Red Sea. They had seen God provide food and water for them throughout their journey in the wilderness. Then when they came to the promised land, they were too afraid to go in and conquer the land. Their lack of faith stopped them dead in their tracks, and God therefore caused them to wander another 40 years in the wilderness. Of all of the people that left Egypt (about 200,000), only two adults entered the promised land. The rest died in the wilderness because of their lack of faith.
Hebrews 3 discusses this exact event and tells us not to act like Israel did.
Hebrews 3:7-8 says, "Therefore as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness."
God called their actions "rebellion" and they failed to enter the rest because their lack of faith was rebellion against God. If our faith does not lead to following God, then it is a rebellious faith. If our faith does not lead to following God, then it will keep us from heaven just as it kept Israel from Canaan.
