Hebrews Chapter Three

(Continued from: "Chapter Two: The Son's Message is More Important than that of Angels")

The Old Testament prophets and the angels were vital messengers to the Hebrews. Yet, chapters one and two explain that Jesus superseded the prophets and that He is more important than the angels. Since He is the Son of God, He is the supreme messenger bearing a message of foremost importance. (If you haven't read the explanation of the Vineyard Tenants parable, now would be a good time.)

Let's back up a bit. Prophets are people who tell others what God said to them. Under the Old Testament, God spoke to Moses and Moses told the people what God said –he was a prophet. The same is true for Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, David, John the Baptist and others. However, Jesus was the last prophet to deliver a message from God to the people. "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world." (Hebrews 1:1)

There are New Testament prophets, too. You might ask "But if Jesus is the last One with a message from God –because that's what Hebrews 1:1 said– how can there still be prophets?" The answer is that New Testament prophets don't have new messages from God. They tell what Jesus said and did when He was here!

The Son is More Important than Moses

Chapter three begins with a reminder. Jesus fulfills two roles: He is the "Apostle" and He is the "High Priest."

Apostle:

Jesus met the three qualifications required to be an apostle. 1) He is the One who relates God's message to mankind; 2) He performed miracles as proof of His identity; and 3) He was present with the One who sent Him.

High Priest:

Jesus is also the High Priest. He is the One appointed to be a mediator between God and man –to resolve the conflicts which were brought to light by the Law. (The high priest is a primary topic in Hebrews chapters two through nine.)

The New Testament Hebrews –to whom this letter was written– claimed that Jesus was their Apostle and High Priest. Verse one clearly makes that point. If words alone were required for a person to be a Christian, these Hebrews would definitely qualify! Their religious lives were based on Jesus and His teachings –along with the traditions of their fathers –the Law of Moses.

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.

For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ [Messiah] was faithful as a Son over His house–whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. (Hebrews 3:1-6)

The above passage calls attention to the fact that Moses was in God's house –he was a member of it. However, Jesus is over God's house –He is the builder of it and has command-authority over it.

Moses and Jesus have completely different positions of authority. In human terms this might be compared to a mother who leaves her home for a short while to run an errand. Upon leaving, she puts the oldest child in charge to maintain order. And when she returns, she takes her authority back. The same thing can be said about a military officer who puts a trusted ranking soldier in charge of his troops during his absence. When he returns, all authority is immediately restored to him. In both of these earthly examples, the assignment is for a limited time and with limited authority. Moses had temporary and limited authority as one in God's house. However, Jesus is the ultimate authority for all eternity over God's house.

The Hebrews' Exodus and Entrance

Hebrew names for people and places provide extraordinary spiritual insights. One example comes from the names of the leaders in the story of Moses leading the people out of Egypt –and Joshua leading them into the Promised Land.

Although Moses is known as the "Law-Giver," his name means "to draw out" –like water is drawn from a well. Moses lived up to the meaning of his name when he drew the Hebrews out of Egypt and then again out of the Red Sea. He started his people on their journey.

Joshua's name is Yhowshuwa –typically pronounced Yeshua– and it means "Jehovah-saved." He is the one who took them to their destination –through the Jordan River and into the Promised Land.

Most of the story is told in Numbers chapters 13-14; a shorter summary is found in Deuteronomy chapter one.

The Census:

Shortly after they had crossed through the Sea, God had Moses take a census. He recorded those men who were over the age of twenty and able to serve in the army. The census was a count of men, by family, who were first-hand witnesses to God's faithfulness. It's also what gives the book of Numbers its name.

The Reports:

When the people came to the edge of the Promised Land –promised to them as descendants of Abraham and Sarah– Moses sent in twelve spies to explore it.

After forty days had passed, Joshua and Caleb came back with good news. The land was fertile with great produce and its inhabitants could be overtaken –just as God had said.

The other ten's report doubted God: "The land will devour us and its men are of great size –we are like grasshoppers in our own sight and also in their sight." (Numbers 13:33)

The Rebellion:

God was angry with the men –those recorded in the census– because they trusted the ten spies instead of Him. They didn't believe that it was a land of rest; but, rather a land of continual battles with heavy casualties.

Their refusal-to-enter the Promised Land is referred to as "the rebellion." Such a choice seems unfathomable after what they had just been through.

God led them out of Egypt, through the sea, through the desert, and all the while miraculously meeting all of their needs for food and safety.

He was angry with them because of their unbelief –distrust –disobedience –sin. He promised those rebels that they would never enter the land.

The Consequence:

After the men realized the consequence of their disobedience, they attempted to make amends with God by crossing into the land and battling its inhabitants.

But it was too late –God wasn't leading them. Instead, they relied on their numbers, their strengths, their knowledge– and they were thoroughly defeated.

That was the start of their forty-year wandering in the desert-wilderness. Those forty years were a reminder of the forty days that the twelve spies witnessed the goodness of the Promised Land.

With the exception of Joshua and Caleb, the fighting men of that generation –all 603,550 of them– died in the desert.

Moses Died:

When the punishment was past, Moses led the next generation of Hebrews up to the Promised Land. Although God was pleased with Moses, he was not allowed to enter, his purpose in life was achieved. "The Law-Giver" died and God buried him on the mountain where the Promised Land could be seen in the distance.

Joshua Led:

God chose a new leader to take the people through the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. It was Joshua who led the people into a place where he had already been. He knew the way –and he had personally experienced the goodness that was waiting for them on the other side.

The Allegory:

This story is one of the Bible's allegories –the people, places and events perfectly represent spiritual truths.

(The Exodus)

Here, Egypt and its Pharaoh are symbolic of man's enslavement to sin and death under the tyrant Satan. Moses represents the Law –embodied by the Ten Commandments. The Law "draws out" –brings into view– man's inability to be pleasing to God. If it's used properly, the Law acts like a mirror to show each person his unrighteousness –his rebellious, distrustful, disobedient, sinful nature.

As good as the Law is, it absolutely cannot make a person righteous nor can it bring about eternal life. Likewise, Moses could not make the people obey God and go into the Promised Land –and therefore he, too, was not allowed to enter.

Because of man's fallen nature, the Law gives power to rebellion (1 Corinthians 15:56-57). What's more, sin is powerless without the Law (Romans 7:7-8). Allegorically, it was an obedient Moses who made the people face situations that they didn't like. Moses drew out their grumbling –their rebellious nature– for all to see! (You might want to read the section on Law vs. Grace.)

(The Entrance)

The name "Jesus" is first announced in the gospel of Matthew; however, it's the Greek translation of His Hebrew name, Yhowshuwa. We would pronounce it Yeshua or Joshua –and appropriately, it means Jehovah-saved!

Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament Joshua. He leads His followers into a place where all of their needs are met –into the Promise –into the Kingdom of God. Jesus is the only One who has already been to the other side of this physical life and has reported back what lies ahead.

The first verse in this chapter began with "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession". These Hebrews said that they were followers of Jesus but their lives didn't reflect what they claimed. If Jesus was indeed their Passover Lamb –the new and perfect sacrifice– then they would have stopped trying to gain God's acceptance by continuing the old sacrificial system (Galatians 3:23-25).

Their Sin: They Did Not Enter

For some, the phrase in verse six, "we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope firm until the end" creates doubt in their hearts. (We'll see similar wording in verse 14.) They have been persuaded to think that their salvation is somehow dependent upon their own faithfulness. Wrongly, they believe that as long as they keep trusting in Jesus, they remain saved; but if they falter –or quit "holding fast"– they will lose their salvation. That line of thought is destructive and it's contrary to the message Jesus delivered and died for. Let's put this phrase into its ever-essential context.

So far we've read that the angels and the prophets were God's messengers to the Hebrews in the past, but Jesus brought a new message –one that is immeasurably more important.

Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. "THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, 'THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS'; AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, 'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.'" (Hebrews 3:7-11)

This quote from Psalm 95, ". . . They shall not enter My rest," is referring to entering the Promised Land after the Exodus. God called the Promised Land His "rest" because they could rest from their works like He rested from His work on the seventh day of creation. The land was all prepared for them –making bricks was a thing of the past. The buildings were already built; the wells were already dug; the vineyards were already planted; the soil was already plowed. There would be enemies, but God had also promised to drive them out gradually as the Hebrews grew in number and filled the land. Meanwhile, those "enemies" would be maintaining the land until the time was right. The Old Testament Hebrews were guaranteed victorious and bountiful lives of rest. All they needed to do was enter it by faith.

Before the rebellion, the people witnessed God's awesome power and compassion. They praised Him and boasted about Him. But when it came time to enter the land, they were defeated by their own fears. The sin they committed had nothing to do with leaving the land –which is equivalent to losing or giving up their salvation– it was refusing to enter it in the first place. They didn't enter His rest –when and how He offered it. This message is so important that it bears repeating.

The Hebrews endured harsh slavery and oppression for four hundred years in Egypt before going to the land promised to Abraham just like God said they would in Genesis 15. The Promised Land was intended to be a place of relaxation –rest from dominating foreigners and from scratching out a meager existence. However, admission to the land was limited. God established the time and the way of their access. Over 600,000 of them refused to enter on His conditions –they tried to do it when they wanted and how they wanted– and they died!

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME." (Hebrews 3:12-15)

Physical death was the punishment for the Old Testament Hebrews who disobeyed the message that came through Moses –that's severe. But, the message that came through Jesus has an even greater consequence! The warning in this Hebrews chapter three passage, "Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God" is to pay careful attention to God's final message: follow His Son –Joshua –Yeshua –Jesus –into the promise of eternal life.

Today He offers free entrance into His rest through His Son. ("Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked me.") Enter before it's too late –"as long as it is still called Today." The offer will expire just as it did for those in the desert-wilderness. All who refuse to follow His Son will die the eternal death –a permanent separation from God.

For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:16-19)

Verse 6 ("we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope firm until the end") and verse 15 ("we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end") both state that it isn't sufficient for a person to begin the journey by seeing his sinfulness through the Law. He must also complete the journey –following Jesus by faith and entering into the gift of eternal life. Faith is required in order to be a family member of "God's house."

These passages are not about faltering or giving up or turning away. They are about entering God's rest. Once a person has entered the promise, God will work out the details in each person's heart and life. "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

 

Continue reading: "Chapter Four: God Pleaded for Them to Enter His Rest"

Be Reconciled to God

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:7 - NIV)