An evil heart produces unbelief. Unbelief reasons according to the natural concept, not according to God’s principle. Consider the reasoning of the children of Israel in Numbers 13:31-33. Their reasonings included some lies, for they said that “the land through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof.” That was a lie. Joshua and Caleb said, “Rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not” (Num. 14:9). Joshua and Caleb spoke the truth. However, the children of Israel did not reason according to the truth but according to the lie, not counting on the ways of God. In the beginning, God had promised Moses that He would bring the Israelites into the good land. That one word should have been sufficient for them. Suppose a millionaire would give you a check for $10,000 with his signature on it. If you did not believe it, it would be an insult to that millionaire. You should not say, “I don’t believe I have $10,000. I don’t even have enough money to buy a pair of shoes.” This kind of reasoning is an insult to the millionaire. God had spoken to Moses, saying, “Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt into the land of the Canaanites...unto a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exo. 3:16-17). This one word was more reliable than a check signed by a millionaire. The children of Israel should have believed this word and known God’s ways, saying, “God, You should not let us die here in the wilderness. If You do this, how can Your word stand? We don’t care how many giants are in the good land, or even if the good land is filled with evil angels. We will eat them up because You have promised to bring us into the land.” This is proper reasoning, the reasoning that is according to God’s ways, principles, faithfulness, and power. But the Israelites did not reason in this way. Instead, the Israelites said, “There are giants in the land, and we are like grasshoppers in their sight. They will eat us up.” This is the logic of unbelief, the logic of reasoning according to the natural concept and not counting on the ways of God or trusting in the faithfulness of God. Joshua and Caleb stood against that kind of reasoning, declaring that the people were well able to take the land. Joshua and Caleb honored God, and God, in turn, honored them for honoring Him. Nothing honors God more than our belief, and nothing dishonors and insults Him more than our unbelief.
Unbelief issues in disobedience, obstinacy, and rebellion (3:18) and provokes God (3:8, 16). Because of their unbelief, the Israelites withdrew from the living God. The Greek word translated “withdrawing” in 3:12 may also be rendered as turning away, deserting, departing, standing aloof. Although God is living and faithful, unbelief causes us to turn away from Him. Once we turn away, what then can He do for us? Because of their unbelief, the Israelites missed the rest and fell in the wilderness (3:18-19). The Lord swore that they would not enter into His rest, and their “carcasses fell in the wilderness” (3:17). How serious is an evil heart of unbelief! God was forced into not doing anything for the Israelites because He could not do anything against Himself or against His principles. Never offend God to the extent that He is unable to do anything for you. That is terrible.
After a certain length of time, the psalmist, being inspired by God, prophesied, saying, “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness” (Psa. 95:7-8). The writer of the book of Hebrews was fully in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and understood what was written in Psalm 95. The little word “today” opens the wide window of the sky. Due to the provocation that took place in the wilderness, the window of blessing in heaven was closed. The children of Israel had provoked God to such an extent that He was unable to do anything for them. After waiting, in His mercy He came in to prophesy and advise through the psalmist, telling His people to hear His voice and not to harden their hearts, and prophesying of that day when the heavenly window would be reopened. That day arrived when the church came into being. The blessing of the Sabbath which was withheld due to the hardening of their hearts was opened again on the day the church came into being. Hebrews 4:7 says, “He again designates a certain day, Today, saying in David after so long a time, as He has said before, Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” This was written to the Hebrew believers, the descendants of those who had provoked God in the wilderness by hardening their heart. The writer seemed to be saying to them, “Brothers, do not harden your hearts as your fathers did. We are living in another day, a day which in Psalm 95 is called ‘Today.’ Take today as the opportunity to soften your heart and listen to His voice. His voice is saying that Christ is better than the angels, Moses, and Aaron, and that Christ’s new covenant is much better than the old covenant given through Moses. Be diligent to enter into this promised day, the Sabbath in the church life.” If in the day of the church, we hear His voice and do not harden our heart, we shall never provoke and desert the living God. We shall trust in Him and enter into the rest.