"THE HOLIEST OF ALL" part XXVIII

THE REST IN CANAAN.
Hebrews  3: 16-19  For who, when they heard, did provoke? Nay, did not all they that came out of Egypt by Moses?  And with whom was He (Yehovah) displeased forty years? Was it not with them that sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom swore He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that were disobedient? And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

The Continuing of THE SECOND WARNING
Hebrews 3: 7- 4: 13
Not to come short of the promised Rest.

By Rev. Andrew Murray.

In the opening verses of the Epistle we saw that God has two dispensations, or ways of dealing with man, and that these find their counterpart in the Christian life. There are believers who always walk in the twilight and bondage of the Old Testament; there are others, who truly know the joy and the power of the New Testament, and have fellowship in intimacy with God, not as through the prophets, but truly and directly in the Son Himself.

In the words we are now to meditate on we have the same Truth in another aspect. The writer had spoken of Christ as more than Moses. This gives him occasion to speak, in the tone of solemn warning, of the people of Israel who came out of Egypt. They did not all enter Canaan. There came a separation among those that God had redeemed out of Egypt; some perished in the wilderness; others did indeed enter and possess the promised land. The cause of this failure to enter Canaan was, we are told, disobedience, arising out of unbelief. When God commanded them to go up and possess the land, they gave way to fear. They believed not God's promise, and were disobedient. Unbelief is ever the cause of disobedience; they could not enter in because of unbelief and disobedience.

The story has a deep spiritual significance, and teaches a lesson of great solemnity. In our chapter we have twice heard already that it is not enough to begin well; we must hold fast to the end. Of the people of Israel we read, "By faith they kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood; by faith they passed through the Red Sea." There was the initial faith to go up out of Egypt. But when they were tested to see "if" they would hold fast the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end, the great majority failed. Their faith was but for a time: they had faith to leave Egypt; they had not faith to enter Canaan.

Among the Hebrews there were Christians who were in the same state. They had begun well, but had been hindered. Some were standing still; some had already turned back. And even so there are many Christians in our churches who never come farther than the initial faith of conversion. They say they know God has saved them from Egypt. They rest content with the thought of having been converted. There is no hearty desire, no earnest purpose to press on to a life of Holiness, no readiness at any sacrifice to go up into the promised land of Rest and of victory.

When Israel was about to enter the land of Canaan, Moses used the words: "He brought us out from thence, that He might bring us in to give us the land." It is to be feared that there are many Christians who put asunder what God has joined together. They would fain be brought out from the land of bondage; they are not ready to go all the length with God, to enter the land and conquer every enemy, they would fain be made happy in being delivered from bondage; they long not to be made Holy in a life of separation and service. To the voice that calls to enter into God's Rest they hearken not, but harden their hearts. It was not in Egypt--- let us note this well--- it was on the very borders of Canaan that the men God had begun to hardened their hearts. It is among Christians who profess conversion, who have not only begun the Christian life, but even made some progress in it, that the hardening of the heart is now still found. The call to Holiness, the call to cease from the life of wandering and murmuring, and enter into the Rest of God, the call to the Life of victory over every enemy and to the Service of God in the land of promise, is not obeyed. They say it is too High and too hard. They do not believe with Caleb, "We are well able to possess the land;" they fear the sacrifice and cling to the carnal (external) life; in not hearkening to God's voice their heart is hardened. God has sworn, they shall not enter into His Rest.

I cannot with too much earnestness urge every Christian reader to learn well the two stages of the Christian. There are the carnal (the dealings of the external), and there are the spiritual (the inward dealings of God); there are those who remain babes, and those who are full-grown men. There are those who come up out of  Egypt, but then remain in the wilderness of a worldly life; there are those who have intimacy with the Lord fully, and enter the Life of Rest and victory. Let each of us find out where we stand, and taking earnest heed to God's warnings, with our whole heart press on to go all the length, breadth, depth and height in fellowship of intimacy with Jesus, in seeking to stand perfect and complete in all the Will of God.

What mean all the warnings in our Epistle, especially dedicated to the unfolding of the Heavenly Life and power or authority, the complete Salvation of our great High Priest? It means this, that no teaching of what Christ is can profit, unless our hearts are longing and ready to follow Him fully. The Epistle will sum up all its teachings in its call to enter into the Holiest of All, into the Rest of God. But it wants us to feel deeply that there can be no entering in, except in the path of faith and full obedience, except with a heart that is ready to forsake all its own will, to follow Him who bore the cross, a heart that will be content with nothing less than all that God is willing to give.

1. They were not able to enter in because of unbelief. Take heed, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief. Everything depends upon faith. At each step in the teaching of our Epistle, let faith be exercised. Faith in the God who speaks to us; faith in the blessed Son, in the Divine power, authority and all-pervading nearness in which He works, in His true humanity, and the Heavenly Life He perfected for us and imparts from Heaven; faith in the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, and is God's power and authority working in us; let faith be the habit of our soul, the every breath of our life.
2. Because of unbelief. Just what Jesus says: Because of your unbelief, in answer to our Why? Let us cultivate the deep conviction that the root of all disobedience and failure, of all weakness and trouble in the spiritual life, is unbelief. Let us not think that there is some inexplicable mystery about our prayers not being heard; it is simply unbelief that will not Trust God, will not yield itself wholly to God, will not allow God to do what He promises. God save us from unbelief!