LEARN FROM THE PAST. Hebrews 3:15-19 TODAY. Hebrews 3:15 In contrast, some people have hard hearts. The example in this part of Chapter Three refers to the children of Israel, who were freed from Egyptian slavery by God's great power. They had seen and experienced the miracles God performed to deliver and support them. Even though they knew firsthand about God's work in their past, when they reached the edge of the promised land, their hardened hearts made them believe that God couldn't save them from the giants in the land.
Five times, the Hebrew believers are urged to pay immediate attention and take swift action regarding the matters being addressed. Blessing depends on “holding fast" to their faith, with endurance and hope until the end. Then they are encouraged to “hold fast” their confidence just as they did at first. They are to regularly encourage each other "today” because of the risk of falling away and becoming hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
“Today,” also refers to all the time when the Holy Spirit is guiding people to faith in Christ through the scriptures of truth. This day will conclude with the rapture of the church. It is a day of grace when sinners are welcomed into God's family by responding to the Gospel and placing their faith in Christ. “Whosoever will may come!”