Do Not Harden Your Hearts

The Christian church has in many ways followed a similar path of errors to the one that led to the destruction of the nation of Israel and their beloved temple. Today there are those who see God’s grace as a license to live unrepentant lives on one extreme, and at the other end of the spectrum there are churches that insist on religion over faith by observing Saturday Sabbaths, Torah keeping as well as dietary laws and Jewish feasts.

Religious enterprise often impedes nearness to God and hardens the heart of the society witnessing its impact. The resulting push back creates even greater distance from God. So, let’s examine the scriptures and ascertain why it is crucial that the Christian church learn from the errors that led to Israel’s destruction and punishment. Let’s look at some historical perspectives.

If it were necessary for Christians to keep the Torah there would be no need for Christ to fulfill it. But God made it necessary for Israel to keep it because of the hardness of their hearts and the stiffness of their necks. The laws designed to keep God from being forgotten brought condemnation upon a nation that habitually and systematically broke them. The very same people that consumed manna in the desert, made and worshipped the golden calf thereby bringing judgement upon themselves. They were not able to enter the promised land because of their unbelief (Hebrews 3:19).

Rather than keeping the Sabbath day and ensuring it remained holy, Israel corrupted it and perverted it with religious traditions that were not of divine origin. Amos 5:21-22 records God’s displeasure: “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to Me. Even though you bring Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.” (See also Micah 6:8 and Isaiah 1:11).

In Psalm 51:16-17 David declares, “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”

Religious Christian zealots committed the same crimes against God, by attempting to hold the Old Covenant over the heads of the children of the New Covenant. At the Council of Jerusalem, Peter declared, “Now then, why do you test God by putting on the necks of the Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?” (Acts 15:10). And Paul proclaims in Galatians 5:1: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.”

The righteous men of old did not observe mosaic laws but were men of faith. Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob never observed a Sabbath, yet they were renowned for their righteousness. The very same God that called these men is the God that punished the house of Israel by taking away their temple and their ability to sacrifice. He now justifies those who trust Him through faith (Romans 4:5).

CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM

It must be concluded then that the Mosaic laws were inherently connected to the people that grumbled against the God that saved them from the Egyptians and were disconnected from those who lived by faith prior to the exodus. And we have no need for them now, since we have become children of Abraham through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:7). And all nations have become blessed through Abraham (Romans 9:6-8; Genesis 22:18).

The prophet Isaiah foretold of this also. “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. To a nation that did not call on My name, I said, ‘Here I am, here I am.’  All day long I held out My hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations – a people who continually provoke me to my very face,” (Isaiah 65:1-3a). And Jesus predicted in Matthew 21:43, “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.”

Those who keep the Torah but fail to see the Spirit of the Torah also fail to recognize that the righteous men that came before the law kept none of these legal ceremonies, yet God accepted their faith. It is believers in Christ – Christians, who now bear the name of God that have gained an inheritance in His kingdom. The ingratitude of Israel and the hardness of their hearts has resulted in their rejection of the very foundation meant to save them. The stone the builders rejected…

REJECTION AND ABANDONMENT

“These people honor Me with their lips but their hearts are far from Me.” (Matthew 15:8). They are without faith. Circumcision is of no benefit unless it is the circumcision of the heart. Israel was called to humble themselves before God with a repentant spirit, however, their persistent obstinance and religious pride resulted in the rejection and abandonment of their Redeemer.

Indeed, they still wait for the Messiah of Daniel 7:13-14 and fail to recognize that he was to first suffer before being raised. Even today Isaiah 53 is not included as part of the Haftarah readings in synagogues (it was before the rise of Christianity) and remains a point of contention for Judaism. However, there will come a time when Israel and all the peoples of the earth will confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). Revelation 1:7 declares, “‘Look, He is coming with the clouds,’ and ‘every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him’; and all peoples on earth ‘will mourn because of Him.'”

With the rejection of Christ came the loss of Jerusalem and everything the Jews held sacred. Their temple, their sacrifices, their system of worship and religious heartbeat were gone. And with the diaspora came a deep disconnect with God. They worship from afar and in vain; their teachings are merely human rules (Matthew 15:10). Moreover, 1 John 2:23 states, “No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”

And Peter declares in Acts 4:11, “Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’” Christ is the foundation of the New Covenant between God and man that replaces the Old Covenant. It is no small coincidence that the laws that were introduced through Moses, the Sabbath, sacrifices, and feasts would become superseded due to the hardness of heart and persistent obstinance of the Jews. They have been replaced by the New Covenant that has been ratified through Jesus Christ. Paul states, “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant – not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6).

This is an everlasting covenant that was spoken of in Jeremiah 31:31, “The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.” This covenant was offered to Israel first and upon their rejection, it was given to the Gentiles. Jesus instructed His disciples to focus their initial ministry only on the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 10:5-6). And Paul writes in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”

JESUS WARNED OF FALSE TEACHERS

The Christian church must be cognizant of Israel’s inappropriate ways and be wary of repeating them. Jesus warned of false teachers who would come in His name and lead many astray. Wolves in sheep’s clothing, having the appearance of Christ followers externally but internally they are ferocious wolves (Matthew 7:15). They will “perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

Today we are witnesses of many leaders that pollute the gospel while performing sensationalized healings and living lives of extravagance and overindulgence. They preach that repentance is a one time only experience. They teach material prosperity and neglect the poor. They seek their own glory and lift themselves up rather than Christ.

Conversely, others teach that Christians must observe the Saturday Sabbath and claim that Constantine and the Catholic Church wrongly changed it to Sunday after the Sunday law was introduced in 321 AD and the Council of Laodicea in 365 AD. However, Acts 20:7 illustrates the early believers met on Sunday, “On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking to midnight.” Additionally, Justyn Martyr wrote in 155 AD that Christians did not keep the Sabbaths (Dialogue with Trypho). Jesus is now our Sabbath rest from the law through faith (Hebrews 4:9-10).

Psalm 24:3-4 declares, “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.” Yet many who identify as Christians today openly disrespect God with their lifestyles and are indistinguishable from nonbelievers. They make idols of materialism, celebrities and sports heroes. Jesus longs for a faithful bride, not a wayward girlfriend playing the field.

The book of Jude warns of deceivers among the followers of Christ. “For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” (verse 4).

The writer goes on to say these people will commune with you at the Lord’s table without the slightest reservation. However, “They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted – twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackest darkness has been reserved forever.” (verses12-13).

In the same way that Israel was punished for rejecting Christ, many who profess the name of Jesus will be pruned away because they fail to produce good fruit. They are false converts and counterfeit Christians, yet, the Lord permits the weeds to grow with the wheat until the time of harvest. “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness. He is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). Ah, repentance.

In 1 Corinthians 10:12, Paul advises, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” And in 2 Corinthians 13:5, He warns, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you fail the test!

This is a call to all those who carry the Christian name. “If God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either.” (Romans 11:21). The Bible is clear that while we are saved by grace, we have an obligation to honor God with the way we live in a world filled with disregard for its Creator. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as Israel did in their rebellion (Hebrews 13).