Gospel Prism

I love the book of Hebrews the more I understand the Gospel.  I used to think of it as an eclectic book meant for those of Jewish descent who could understand all of the Hebrew imagery or a book only for biblical scholars.  But what I failed to see was that the book of Hebrews provides a connecter between the Old and the New Testaments.  What most people don’t realize, especially those who scoff at the God of the OT as a God of war, not peace, is that without the OT, there is no sense behind core doctrines such as atonement and redemption.  Jesus Christ, without the Old Testament, becomes plain, ole Jesus.  The Christ (“Anointed One�) part of Him is stripped away because the Messianic mission of Christ is non-sensical without the OT explaining why God began this mission through His Son in the first place.  And that’s where Hebrews comes in.  Perhaps more than any other book, it explains the Law’s purpose, the priesthood’s purpose, and the Temple and tabernacle’s purpose better than any other NT book.  Read in light of the Gospel, it explains the Bible.  So its place in the NT canon is invaluable.

With that intro, I read Hebrews again with excitement.  In chapter 3, I am struck by the quote from Psalm 95 that the writer refers to in verses 7 and 15: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.�  Verses 12-14 is a text I have preached on before and it is the strong exhortation to believers to be careful not to become hardened in one’s heart, regardless of how one see his own strength and faith in the Lord.  The road to apostasy is horribly slippery, and it can happen all too subtly.  How does this happen?  I think the key is verses 7 and 15.  Psalm 95 is actually a reference to Numbers 14:22 where the Israelites did not listen to God’s Word in the desert and so they abandoned Him by rebelling against Him.  As I read this, I am struck how I did not see this before (the treasure of re-reading and re-reading God’s inexhaustible Word).  God spoke through His Word, His logos, to the people and yet, they failed to listen.  In failing to understand His Word, they grew hard in their hearts.  They became consumed by the pragmatic details of life, such as how would they survive in the wilderness, what would they eat, what would they drink, how long would they be there, etc.  Then they began to complain about what they had left behind in Egypt (Numbers 11:18, by the way, this is the beauty of McCheyne’s Bible reading, to read Numbers and Hebrews simultaneously).  And finally, from such a hardened heart to God’s Word, they begin to rebel, to fall away from believing in God’s promises (cf. Heb. 3:12-14).  And how did this begin?  TODAY, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart.  This assumes you have to hear his voice today.  Obviously, if you’re not even hearing His voice, you will certainly harden your heart to Him.  You can do the religious duties of faith, such as go to church, go on a missions trip, even be in ministry, and yet have a hardened heart (for any pastor who doesn’t believe this could happen to him, read Richard Baxter’s The Reformed Pastor).  How invaluable and critical it is for Christians to hear His voice through the Word regularly.  Without it, you will harden your heart.

Psalm 19:7 links the revival of the soul to an understanding of God’s Word: “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.�  And Psalm 37:31 tells us that those who know God’s Word will not slip, or not harden his heart: “The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.�  For Wellspringers, I hope you do not lose hope in continuing to hear and read God’s Word daily.  It will revive your soul and keep you from hardening your hearts.