Home

Hebrews 3:1-11

In these six verses the word house or home is used seven times. God says listen I have a house. I’m inviting people to my home. I have a place where you can rest, a place of safety/protection a place where you can be yourself, where you don’t have to pretend. The question is where is it? And what is it? And how do I get there?

First what it’s not. It’s not the temple (at this point is still standing, destroyed in AD 70) The temple was just a symbol in the Old Covenant that God was with Israel. God doesn’t dwell in a building made by human hands. The house of God, the home of God, is the people of God. It’s not about a special place but a special people. 

The writer is saying that for God His home, His house is the church, called out men and woman. 

Jesus is the way to that home, Jesus is the builder and sustainer, and provider of the house. Verse 3. Jesus can lead us into rest, lead us HOME. Something Moses could not do. Something the law could never do. The law couldn’t make a home where the soul could kick back and be at rest with God.

These verses are an invitation from God to now come inside. Come put your feet up.  Come get something to drink. Come and find rest for your weary soul. In God’s home we are accepted, there’s no striving, no pretense we can be recharged and refreshed by the truth of His adoption. Get a taste now of what you will enjoy fully forever. 

It’s a really, really beautiful invitation that’s followed by the key to entering that rest. 

(verses 7-11 refer to Psalm 95, and the rebellion recorded in Numbers 14)

Egypt had kept Israel in slavery. Moses came and led them out. The Egyptian army was destroyed, and they were given a promise of a land where they could rest.

God says, “I’ve got this land of milk and honey.  I’ve got this land of wealth, this land of rest, this land of safety.  And I’m going to give it to you.”  And so they go right up to the river’s edge, they sent in twelve spies.  The twelve spies come back and two said, “It’s beautiful and it’s ours.”  And ten of them said, “I don’t think so. And so God said because of their unbelief  “Ok, No rest then. Wander.” 

These verses come to us as a warning:  “Today if you hear His voice.”  That means today if God says, “Let’s walk away from this, lets get help for this. Let’s walk towards this. Today, if you hear His voice. Today if you hear Him try to lead you, today if you hear that voice, don’t ignore it. Today don’t be like that generation, Don’t harden your heart, don’t disbelieve that He can give grace to overcome the obstacles, run to Him, get across the river, fight some giants and enter His rest.

Has God asked you to walk away, or to walk towards something, and you’ve said, “No.”  It doesn’t matter how small or how big the thing is Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. 

 God’s trying to take you deeper into rest and joy by what He asking you to do. Our souls are at rest to the extent we trust and obey God.