Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts

The title of this blog is found in my scripture reading for today in Hebrews 4:7 in reference to King David's Psalm 95:8. Thank you Lord! I think this is your answer to my question this week. I will explain.

This morning I was also reading from Jeremiah 40-42. The context of this story was that the Babylonians had invaded the kingdom of Judah and had destroyed Jerusalem entirely. They carried off the majority of the Jews to captivity leaving just a remnant of the poorest of the land to stay behind, presumably that they wouldn't have survived the journey anyways. They also left behind a few solders and appointed Gedaliah to govern the land, keeping the land productive, presumably to pay taxes to Babylon over time. Now there were also remnants of Jewish fighting men who had escaped to the open country. These chapters were about these men - some (represented by Ishmael) were reckless, murdering Gedaliah for power, but others (represented by Johanan) appeared to be genuine to the Jewish faith. Johanan and his army officers came to Jeremiah the prophet to seek advice whether to remain in the land (of Judah), or to immigrate to Egypt. These choices were not always clear to make. To remain meant hard work and uncertainty of getting reprisal from the Babylonians. Egypt appeared safer - food was plentiful, even though they would return to slavery, from which God had previously delivered them. Jeremiah received a clear instruction from God - He wanted these men to stay. But they would eventually disobey. It was in this context that Jeremiah declared:
“Remnant of Judah, the Lord has told you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Be sure of this: I warn you today that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the Lord your God and said, ‘Pray to the Lord our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’ I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the Lord your God in all he sent me to tell you. So now, be sure of this: You will die by the sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go to settle.” (Jeremiah 42:19-22)

In Psalms 95 King David reminded his people that the story of God's great deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt but subsequently perished in the Sinai desert served to warn us that we must not be disobedient to God's guidance:
Today, if you will hear His voice:
“Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion,
As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
When your fathers tested Me;
They tried Me, though they saw My work.
For forty years I was grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
And they do not know My ways.’
So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’” (Psalms 95:8-11)

The writer of Hebrews uses the concept of the sabbath rest to remind us that the gospel of Jesus Christ tells us that we no longer need to labor/work (by obeying the laws of Moses) for our salvation, but to rest/believe in Christ's saving work on the cross:
Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:6-11)

Working out our faith in God isn't easy. The New Covenant relationship is supposed to replace the Old - faith in Christ should replace strict obedience to the laws of Moses (including the Ten Commandments). Love and sibling friendship with Christ should replace fear and work. But our true love for Christ should manifest itself in our obedience to His command (which is to love God and our neighbor as ourselves). This love relationship is complex. He is not like someone we physically see day to day and interact with in every activity we do. But this love relationship is growing. By understanding more of His character (from the Bible - both the Old and the New Testament), and by experiencing Him in my service to others, I learn to trust Him more and more. Today I learn not to harden my heart when I hear his voice. I have heard Him today!