Bible Commentaries

1. My Christian brothers. The usual New Testament meaning of this is "fellow Christians," including both men and women. Who also. God calls us through the message of the Good News (John 6:44-45). The Jews were called to a promised land here on earth; Christians are called by God to Eternity! Think of Jesus. "Think what these great truths about Jesus mean. He is the 1 John 4:14. To be the High Priest. Jesus both brought the message from God and is also High Priest. The faith we profess. "Our belief in Christ (compare Matthew 16:16), which sets us apart from non-Christian Jews."

He was faithful. He completed the mission which God sent him to do. See John 17:4. Just as Moses. This is the language of Numbers 12:7. MacKnight says the point is: "As Moses was faithful in forming all parts of the Jewish church (God's house at that time); just so Christ was faithful in forming the gospel church to SUPERSEDE the Jewish church."

3. A man who builds a house. Even though Jesus is similar to Moses in being faithful, still he receives more honor and glory than Moses. The next verses explain this. [Note that God's house is built out of living stones (Ephesians 2:20-22; Matthew 16:18).]

Every house. MacKnight words this: "Besides, every religious society is formed by someone; But he who hath formed all righteous communities and religious societies, is God; Who having delegated his authority to his Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1 Peter 2:5. If we keep. Again the human element is stressed! Even though Jesus paid it all, God requires us to live a new life. See Matthew 7:21-23; and notes on law at the end of Romans 3:31. It would be possible to forfeit our salvation (Hebrews 6:4-6).

So then. "Be warned by the example of Israel!" As the Holy Spirit says. The Spirit speaks to us through the written Word. This quotation is from Psalm 95:7-11 Septuagint. If you hear. (1) The fact that the Jewish church has been superseded does not terminate God's offer of salvation. (2) The two great turning-points in salvation are: the giving of the Old Covenant; the giving of the New Covenant. Don't make the same mistake which Israel did when the Old Covenant was given!

Do not be stubborn. Compare Exodus 16:3; Exodus 17:1-7. "After seeing the hand of God in Egypt, they still were stubborn and rebelled against God. Don't you make that same mistake!"

There your ancestors. They annoyed God by their rebellion. Even though he gave them food and water by supernormal means, they still would not love Him.

For that reason. God was angry and disgusted with the very people He had saved! Their attitude (heart) was bad.

I was angry. In scripture, human body-parts and human emotions are used as figures-of-speech to communicate to us His way of doing things, in a form which we can understand. GOD IS SPIRIT! They shall never! The whole generation (except Joshua and Caleb) was refused entrance into Canaan! To get an idea of how many people this represented, see Numbers 1:1-3; Numbers 1:46. There were 603,550 men over age twenty, who could fight in an army.

Be careful. "This example of sin and punishment should teach you a lesson. You will be sinning just as they did if you reject the gospel, or if having once accepted it, then renounce it."

Instead. "Instead of trying to turn each other away from Christ, you must help one another to believe!" Today. While it is "Today," God's offer of salvation is in effect. But it also implies that it may be withdrawn at any time. Sin makes a man blind to the attractiveness of God's offer! (Remember this is written to Christians. See Hebrews 3:14.)

Partners with Christ. Compare notes on Hebrews 3:6 At the beginning. See Hebrews 6:4-6; Hebrews 11:1; Romans 5:1-2.

This is what. Psalm 95:7-8 Septuagint. See notes on Hebrews 3:7.

Who heard? The answer is: all the people. But see notes on next verse.

With whom. Note that these people continued to rebel against God during the whole forty year's time. Who fell down dead. The whole generation who escaped from Egypt in the Numbers 34:17 and Joshua 24:33 show Eleazar and perhaps some or even all of the Levites were allowed in.]

When God made his solemn promise. Numbers 14:22-23; Psalm 95:11. "To show you the sin of rebellion, I ask you to whom did God make this solemn promise: ‘They shall never come in and rest with me'? It was those who had seen his miracles, but because they did not believe, they refused to go into the land of Canaan."

They were not able to go in. If unbelief made it impossible for the Israelites to go into the land of Canaan, then unbelief will close the gates of heaven to those who have already started on their way! They did not believe God could bring them into the promised land in spite of the fierce opposition they would face; and so they would not attempt to conquer it when God told them to go forward. These Hebrew Christians were in danger of dropping out of the battle, and so losing all they had won!