Beware of unbelief.
Eminent and honored though Moses had been, the generation of Hebrews whom he led out of Egypt became unbelieving and disobedient, and were in consequence overtaken by a dreadful doom. So the writer of this Epistle, realizing the strong temptations to relapse into Judaism which beset the Hebrew Christians, warns them against the still more dreadful consequences of apostasy from discipleship to Jesus Christ.
I. A BESETTING SPIRITUAL DANGER. It is that of losing our participation m God's house; or, more particularly, of—
1. Present unbelief. (Verse 12) Unbelief is distrust of God, want of faith in the Divine promise and providence, and especially refusal personally to confide in the Lord Jesus as "the Apostle and High Priest of our confession." Unbelief may either presume upon God's mercy, or despair of it, or neglect it.
2. Growing hardness of heart. (Verse 8) "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness;" and the heart also is the fountain of sin. Acts of refusal to listen to God's voice petrify into habits, so that the heart becomes the longer the more careless impenitent, and disobedient.
3. Final apostasy. (Verse 12) As acts produce habits, so habits form character. A human heart indurated by unbelief, and confirmed in moral insensibility, will lapse either into atheism, or immorality, or settled worldliness; and, unless Divine grace interpose, will for over "fall away from the living God." This danger easily besets us all—much more easily than many professing Christians suspect. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
II. A STRIKING HISTORICAL WARNING. (Verses 7-11) This the apostle introduces in words borrowed from Psalms 95:1-11, which describe the career of the Israelites of Moses' day, in the wilderness. They had, as a people, been:
1. Highly privileged. (Psalms 95:9) As the result of the ten plagues of Egypt, and by means of their magnificent march through the Red Sea, they had been emancipated from slavery. They "saw God's works forty years," in the falling manna, in the water from the rock that followed them, in their raiment which did not wear out, and in the cloudy pillar which accompanied them on their journeys. Yet they were:
2. Habitually faithless. (Psalms 95:8, Psalms 95:9, 16) They despised these abiding miracles, and demanded other signs as a condition of believing. They doubted and grumbled; they longed to return again to Egypt; they refused at God's command to go up to take possession of Canaan; and at last they fell into the idolatries of the heathen around. Zin, Rephidim, Taberah, Kadesh-barnea, and Shittim are names which remind us how the ransomed Jews did "always err in their heart." They were obstinate and unanimous in their apostasy (verses 16, 17). So they were:
3. Hopelessly doomed. (Psalms 95:11, 17-19) The words of the psalm, "I sware in my wrath," reflect the intensity and depth of the Divine displeasure; and the language borrowed from the history, "whose carcasses fell in the wilderness" (Numbers 14:29, Numbers 14:32), suggests the deep misery of the retribution which fell upon that entire generation. But a ruin still more fearful shall be the portion of all who refuse or despise the gospel spoken by our Lord Jesus, the "Apostle" greater than Moses.
III. AN EARNEST PRACTICAL COUNSEL "Take heed, brethren" (verse 12). This exhortation is, in fact, the key-note of the whole Epistle; it is the chord which rules the strain. While the grace of God does not allow any real Christian to backslide irretrievably, he preserves his people from apostasy by the use of means suited to their rational and moral nature. So, here, the Holy Spirit exhorts every individual believer (verse 12) to "take heed." If we would not "fall away from the living God," we must:
1. "Hear his voice." (Psalms 95:7, 15) That voice speaks to us now in the sweet and glorious gospel, and tells us of far grander "works" than those which were wrought for ancient Israel. "God hath spoken unto us in his Son" (Hebrews 1:2). To obey his voice will at once soften and strengthen our hearts. It will make us large-hearted as well as tenderhearted.
2. "Exhort one another." (Verse 13) Christians are associated in Church fellowship that they may promote one another's welfare. The Church is a spiritual mutual benefit society. Friendly counsel and admonition are a valuable safeguard against apostasy. Two considerations which should stimulate to this duty are mentioned:
3. Continue "firm unto the end." (Verse 14) It is dangerous for a believer to rest satisfied with the consciousness of his original conversion; he ought to be constantly turning from sin to Christ. It is unwise for him to lay stress on past frames and feelings; he must cherish through life an always-fresh and. living "confidence" in the Savior—a faith which more and. more certifies itself by the ripening "fruit of the Spirit." He must remain ever on his guard against unbelief. Only by persevering steadfastness will any one who has accepted the "heavenly calling" finally enter into the heavenly "rest."
HOMILIES BY W. JONES