Hebrews 3:7-11 – 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.’ ”
Consider this paraphrase – Today if you hear HIS voice (when you remember all HE has done), do not harden your hearts (do not cling to this world’s way of solving a problem) as when they provoked Me … where they tried Me by testing Me when they were in their trials – they saw My works and they always went astray as if they did not know My ways – and so I swore that they shall not enter My rest – they are not able to enter because of their unbelief…. they cling to their own ideas of how to remedy their situations.
This passage is talking about how we are not able to enter HIS rest at the same time that we are seeking remedies in this world – not that our LORD never uses the resources of this world, but HE is our Great Source – HE is the One with the remedy! And HE is the One we are meant to seek FIRST. Verse 19 – So don’t fall short of the promise to enter HIS rest by panicking and reaching for other sources that are not THE SOURCE.
Hebrews 4 goes on to say GOD rested on the seventh day from all HIS works – and we are invited into this rest, but HE swore that we will not enter HIS rest when we are seeking other remedies to our discomfort in this wilderness.
There has been a tendency in Christian circles to live for the great future promise of heaven and forget that we have been given a great promise for “TODAY” – here on earth. The broken situations we find ourselves in on this shattered earth tend to dampen our faith – but we are being challenged to test GOD and see if HE will not come through! Malachi 3:7 – (The LORD speaking) Return to Me and I will return to you.
Will HE not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes (losing your produce), says the LORD of hosts. “All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the LORD of hosts. … Malachi 3:10-11. Many sermons have centered on the law of tithing for this passage, so the framework of these thoughts could be seen as out of context, but the whole of chapter 3 in Malachi is GOD entreating us to trust HIM alone and that opens the door for HIM to give attention and hear those who fear HIM – who pay attention to HIM.
The brokenness on this earth does bring stress, causes anxiety, hurt, and discomfort. How will we respond?
JESUS was moved with compassion over and over when HE saw brokenness hurting HIS beloved people – take Mark 1:40 for instance. A leper approaches JESUS …and falling on his knees before HIM, he says, “If YOU are willing, YOU can make me clean.” Moved with compassion, JESUS stretched out His hand and touched him saying, “I Am willing; be cleansed.” JESUS was moved with compassion – this means that HE felt feelings that were deep. And isn’t that interesting … leprosy is a disease that numbs the nerves – a condition where you can’t feel anymore. Instead of becoming numb to the condition of people around HIM, JESUS let Himself feel deeply.
The Greek word that is translated in our English translations as “compassion” is the word splagchnizomai. Some translators seem to disagree on how to translate this word because it could mean indignation. The New International Version decided to use the word “indignant” in Mark 1:41 – “JESUS was indignant. HE reached out His hand and touched the man. “I Am willing, ” He said. “Be clean!“
Why is this inconsistency important? Because in our human state, we have choices of how to respond around our fellow humans. In our indignation (let’s consider that JESUS may have been indignant and angry at the disease that was crippling this man – not the man), we must choose to respond according to the fruits of the Spirit. Reach out in Love. Cover in kindness. And REAP righteousness, reap mercy, reap goodness. Let our LORD lead you in tender compassion so you can choose relationship with HIM – connecting heaven to earth in the middle of the negative feelings this world stirs up. Trying to “fix” your situation the world’s way will do you harm, but choosing JESUS’ way will bring peace and cause you to enter HIS rest.
We humans are going to feel – we are called to feel – JESUS came to show us how to feel things deeply … AND … THEN … how to make choices to respond in FAITH – in compassion and love – respond in ways that bring the kingdom of heaven down to this earth and enter our LORD’s rest for you TODAY.
Last modified: October 26, 2025
