“Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. [f] Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. 14 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ" Heb 3:12-14
If they ask you now who harden his heart in the Bible your answer will correctly be Pharaoh. But is he the only one? No, majority of the people of Israel, particularly during the wilderness journey from Egypt to the promised land did so with great consequences. Learn!
Heb 3:11- "So in my anger I took an oath:'They will never enter my place of rest." What the Holy Spirit is teaching us today is that you are on a spiritual journey from Egypt (this earth) to the promised land(heaven) and if you harden your heart you will not enter your place of rest.
The question you are asking is what does it mean to harden my heart? Am Ilike Pharaoh, controlling Israelites and forbidding them to go? Yes and no. There are three definitions of hardening ones heart from Heb 3:
1. Rebellion against God: "Today when you hear his voice don't harden your heartsa s Israel did when they rebelled,& when they tested me in the wilderness.There your ancestors tested and tried my patience,even though they saw my miracles for forty years. “ Heb 3:8. Check your hearts today, where are you daily receiving miracles and yet rebelling against God? Rebellion is an act of violent or open resistance to an established government. Refusal to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour is rebellion against your creator. It is hardness of heart when you continue to sin. When you know the right thing to do in your house, church and office and you deliberately refuse to change. For instance you are committing adultery with another church member and against the church intervention you refuse to change. No matter your argument you can never enter your rest! Another example is when God has blessed you miraculously,financially and you refuse to support God's work. It is hardness of heart.
2. Turning away from God: "So I was angry with them, and Isaid, Their hearts always turn away from me. Heb 3:10a To turn away from God is to backslide it means hardening someones heart . Any argument that makes you go into unbelief, after you've confessed Jesus is Christ and Lord is hardness of heart. Such people can never enter into their rest. I know there are schools of thought that say once you are born again you cannot backslide! If you turn away from God you are endangering your place in eternity with God. Many arguments by philosophers, your pastors, GOs, Bishop, will be too late at the pearly gate of heaven unfortunately.
3. Disobedience: "They refuse to do what I tell them.Heb 3:10b. To disobey is refusal to obey God's direct commandment. Failure to do God's assignment is hardening of one’s heart. God did not save you to go and be window shopping in the body of Christ or generally on earth or to warm the pew in church. No. You are saved for a purpose. Find the specific assignment God has for you and do it. Failure to do that is hardening your heart. Are you sent to preach in a particular place, nation or region? do so. Are you empowered to finance a church project? do it. Are you sent to mentor some people and raise a generation? do so willingly. Are you sent to use your talent, (play instruments)in a particular ministry? do so. Are you sent to pastor a church? don't disobey because of location or salaries or remunerations. Are you sent to work in a particular office, so that God can have some coverts? don't disobey. Has God commanded you to give tithes and offering? don't disobey.
Conclusion: Which way or area are you hardening your heart, in unbelief against Jesus Christ? Unforgiveness of your family member, church member, your colleagues in the office, your spouse or against yourself? refusing to make the change that can help you? Check your heart. Soften your heart. The Bible is for everyone to read, understand and obey. It is God's manual for your navigation on this spiritual journey. If God warned you against hardness of heart, all you need to do is check if your heart is hardened in any area and repent. God is not only a God of love and mercy. He is a God of justice. All those who hardened their hearts in the wilderness, starting from Pharaoh representing unbelievers, and Israelites representing Christians, died without reaching their promised land . Don't take God for granted, don't harden your heart. May we all enter into our rest in Jesus name. Shalom.
Zonal Superintendent Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Canada Zone
Chairman, CAC Men's Association, North America
Dean, Christ Apostolic Church North America Bible Institute
