Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Hearing God's voice means refusing to harden the heart as Israel did in the provocation at Meribah and Massah in the day of temptation in the wilderness. Their fathers tempted and tested Him though they saw His work and His care for forty years, always erring in heart and not knowing His ways, distrusting and refusing His guidance until He grieved over them and swore in wrath that they should not enter His rest. Today is the day of visitation while mercy is offered, when the heart must be kept tender and obeyed at once without waiting for a more convenient season, because delay may be one day too late. Every rejected ray of light and unheeded call hardens against greater light, making less impression and less inclination to break from the world until impressions are forgotten and the soul is left in darkness. Heaven's gates stand open now with the free offer of life, but that today will end at the boundary of eternity when the decree fixes every character and the invitation ceases, so sure work must be made now with no postponement until there is no cleansing blood. God's promised blessings depend on obeying His voice, and the same failure will be repeated in the last years with intensified perils, for sin hardens through yielding even when it appears good, so faith and obedience must be maintained daily with mutual exhortation while it is called Today.
Wilderness Provocation Recalled
The warning is addressed to those who hear God's voice, not to harden the heart as the ancestors did in the provocation and day of temptation in the wilderness, at Meribah and Massah. The fathers tempted, proved, tested and challenged God even after they saw His work. That testing continued amid repeated evidence of His care, with His works before them for forty years.
That generation always erred in heart and went astray, and did not know God's ways. Despite repeated evidence of His care they distrusted Him and refused to be guided by Him. Their stubborn resistance grieved Him.
Their rebellion, unbelief and stubborn resistance led Him to swear in His wrath that they would not enter His rest. Continued faith and obedience are therefore required instead of repeating their failure. Only the two who wholly followed Him were spared from that exclusion. Their failure shows that God required His people to trust Him alone rather than seek help from those who did not serve Him.
Hearing His Voice Today
Today is the day of visitation, while His voice is heard and mercy is offered, and hearing it requires keeping the heart tender and seeking God with the whole heart at once without delay. That immediate obedience includes heeding a mother's counsel rather than hardening the heart as Israel did in the provocation and day of temptation in the wilderness when the fathers tempted and proved God though they saw His work. Today is the time to hear and respond while the Spirit invites, and readiness for Christ's appearing belongs to this today of mercy.
The command forbids looking to a future, more convenient season when the cross to be lifted will be less heavy and the inclinations of the carnal heart will be subdued with less effort. The work is to be done today, for delay may be one day too late. Impressions felt today will not be as strong tomorrow.
Every added ray of mercy rejected hardens the heart against increased light, so each unheeded call of the Holy Spirit leaves less impression and is soon forgotten, with less inclination to break from worldly interests and make the needed change. If hardening continues, Satan's snare may close about the soul, and the candlestick may be removed out of its place, leaving the one who hardens the heart in darkness.
Heaven's wide gates stand open now with the free offer of the water of life, so sure work for eternity must be made now by laying hold on the hope set before in the gospel and striving to enter the strait gate. That today will end at the boundary line between time and eternity when the righteous Judge declares it is too late, the decree fixing the unjust, filthy, righteous and holy in their state goes forth, the heavenly gate closes, the invitation of salvation ceases, and it is done. That closing is not far distant. Readiness cannot be postponed until Christ appears, when there will be no atoning blood to cleanse sin.
Hearing that voice means recognizing the call to work for God and responding without needless delay. Students who feel led to prepare for service should not let unnecessary extension of education keep them from entering the work, because the time available is limited.
Faithfulness and Last-Day Warning
The promised blessings are conditional upon obeying the voice when heard, and giving way to satanic temptation forfeits what was designed to be given, as the leaders of Israel disobeyed and lost what was intended for them. That ancient failure stands as a warning that honored leaders among God's people may repeat it.
The same experience will be repeated in the last years of the history of the people established by grace and power, with perils intensified. Men greatly honored will follow the pattern of ancient Israel and will be imperiled by sophistries from beneath that unsettle faith in past experience bearing Heaven's signature and in the testimonies. Israel's rebellion and unbelief kept that generation from entering the rest, so continued faith and obedience are required instead of repeating their failure.
Sin is deceitful, for yielding to temptation even when it appears good hardens the heart, and repeating acts of dishonesty dulls the conscience. Therefore heed must be taken lest there be an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, and believers must encourage and exhort one another daily while it is called Today lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. The psalm with its command not to harden the heart is to be read with Psalms 91, 92, and 96 in connection with the woe upon those who call evil good and good evil, put darkness for light, justify the wicked, cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despise the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Hearing God's voice means refusing to harden the heart as Israel did in the provocation at Meribah and Massah in the day of temptation in the wilderness. Their fathers tempted and tested Him though they saw His work and His care for forty years, always erring in heart and not knowing His ways, distrusting and refusing His guidance until He grieved over them and swore in wrath that they should not enter His rest. Today is the day of visitation while mercy is offered, when the heart must be kept tender and obeyed at once without waiting for a more convenient season, because delay may be one day too late. Every rejected ray of light and unheeded call hardens against greater light, making less impression and less inclination to break from the world until impressions are forgotten and the soul is left in darkness. Heaven's gates stand open now with the free offer of life, but that today will end at the boundary of eternity when the decree fixes every character and the invitation ceases, so sure work must be made now with no postponement until there is no cleansing blood. God's promised blessings depend on obeying His voice, and the same failure will be repeated in the last years with intensified perils, for sin hardens through yielding even when it appears good, so faith and obedience must be maintained daily with mutual exhortation while it is called Today.
Wilderness Provocation Recalled
The warning is addressed to those who hear God's voice, not to harden the heart as the ancestors did in the provocation and day of temptation in the wilderness, at Meribah and Massah. The fathers tempted, proved, tested and challenged God even after they saw His work. That testing continued amid repeated evidence of His care, with His works before them for forty years.
That generation always erred in heart and went astray, and did not know God's ways. Despite repeated evidence of His care they distrusted Him and refused to be guided by Him. Their stubborn resistance grieved Him.
Their rebellion, unbelief and stubborn resistance led Him to swear in His wrath that they would not enter His rest. Continued faith and obedience are therefore required instead of repeating their failure. Only the two who wholly followed Him were spared from that exclusion. Their failure shows that God required His people to trust Him alone rather than seek help from those who did not serve Him.
Hearing His Voice Today
Today is the day of visitation, while His voice is heard and mercy is offered, and hearing it requires keeping the heart tender and seeking God with the whole heart at once without delay. That immediate obedience includes heeding a mother's counsel rather than hardening the heart as Israel did in the provocation and day of temptation in the wilderness when the fathers tempted and proved God though they saw His work. Today is the time to hear and respond while the Spirit invites, and readiness for Christ's appearing belongs to this today of mercy.
The command forbids looking to a future, more convenient season when the cross to be lifted will be less heavy and the inclinations of the carnal heart will be subdued with less effort. The work is to be done today, for delay may be one day too late. Impressions felt today will not be as strong tomorrow.
Every added ray of mercy rejected hardens the heart against increased light, so each unheeded call of the Holy Spirit leaves less impression and is soon forgotten, with less inclination to break from worldly interests and make the needed change. If hardening continues, Satan's snare may close about the soul, and the candlestick may be removed out of its place, leaving the one who hardens the heart in darkness.
Heaven's wide gates stand open now with the free offer of the water of life, so sure work for eternity must be made now by laying hold on the hope set before in the gospel and striving to enter the strait gate. That today will end at the boundary line between time and eternity when the righteous Judge declares it is too late, the decree fixing the unjust, filthy, righteous and holy in their state goes forth, the heavenly gate closes, the invitation of salvation ceases, and it is done. That closing is not far distant. Readiness cannot be postponed until Christ appears, when there will be no atoning blood to cleanse sin.
Hearing that voice means recognizing the call to work for God and responding without needless delay. Students who feel led to prepare for service should not let unnecessary extension of education keep them from entering the work, because the time available is limited.
Faithfulness and Last-Day Warning
The promised blessings are conditional upon obeying the voice when heard, and giving way to satanic temptation forfeits what was designed to be given, as the leaders of Israel disobeyed and lost what was intended for them. That ancient failure stands as a warning that honored leaders among God's people may repeat it.
The same experience will be repeated in the last years of the history of the people established by grace and power, with perils intensified. Men greatly honored will follow the pattern of ancient Israel and will be imperiled by sophistries from beneath that unsettle faith in past experience bearing Heaven's signature and in the testimonies. Israel's rebellion and unbelief kept that generation from entering the rest, so continued faith and obedience are required instead of repeating their failure.
Sin is deceitful, for yielding to temptation even when it appears good hardens the heart, and repeating acts of dishonesty dulls the conscience. Therefore heed must be taken lest there be an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, and believers must encourage and exhort one another daily while it is called Today lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. The psalm with its command not to harden the heart is to be read with Psalms 91, 92, and 96 in connection with the woe upon those who call evil good and good evil, put darkness for light, justify the wicked, cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despise the word of the Holy One of Israel.