Learning from the past
Let us, then, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience. Hebrews 4:11 CSB
From the text, the author shares on how the Word of God is the tool to evaluate how one is doing in their spiritual walk. In verse 11, in light of how Israel acted, the author, including themselves in this statement, challenges the readers to a lifestyle of obedience in order to “enter that rest, so that no will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.” The Israelites who were in their unbelief and disobedience perished in the desert became an example to their descendants. They became the object lesson of how not to live in the presence of God. This is why Fathers were commanded to teach their children what the consequences of disobedience were for the rebellious Israelites on the way to the land of Canaan. “He established a testimony in Jacob and set up a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children so that a future generation—children yet to be born—might know. They were to rise and tell their children so that they might put their confidence in God and not forget God’s works, but keep his commands. Then they would not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not loyal and whose spirit was not faithful to God” (Psalm 78:5–8). And they would warn them not to follow this example. This is also what the writer of Hebrews is telling his readers. They themselves should warn others and will set an example to their contemporaries, as well as to the next generation so that they too will not commit the same sin. True believers must do everything by the grace of God and by their willing submission to the Holy Spirit’s working within, to walk the pathway God had set before them, thus, providing encouragement and example to others. “Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:6). Unbelief results to willful disobedience which leads to inability to recognize need of God’s forgiveness. Thus, resulting to not entering God’s rest. Let us make every effort to learn from God’s Word and realize that what was written in the past was to provide us lessons so we can have hope that will help us persevere anticipating the time where we fully experience God’s rest. “For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures” (Romans 15:4).
Blessings,
Isaac De Guzman
