GREATER THAN (A STUDY IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS) WEEK 08 - THE MESS AT MASSAH

Question Authority. Ever hear that? It was a mantra  of the peaceniks of the 1960s. Free love; peace, love, and dope. Oddly enough - now those people are now in Authority, and how they’ve changed their tune: Don’t Question Us. We know what we’re doing.

But back in the day, rebellion against authority was turned into almost an art form! You can’t tell me what to do. My opinion is right - and you can’t convince me otherwise.

Well what was fashionable in 60’s counter-culture society, if it’s brought into the church, or into the life of someone who is still immature in their faith, can actually kill faith. And there is no one who knows better than the nation of Israel that had come out of bondage in Egypt.

Remember last week - we saw how, though Moses would eventually come to be greatly honored - though it was most likely due to a watering down of the Mosaic Law which took a backseat to the interpretations of the Law by the rabbis of the time - that first generation of Hebrews out of Egypt were a little iffy about Moses’ leadership. They complained, they rebelled. They wanted a re-vote. They even demanded that they return to slavery in Egypt!

And at that point, God had had enough.

Chapter 3 of Hebrews harkens back to that point in Israel’s history - a time of hardening of hearts and fueling of rebellious spirits. And, in fact, the Author is comparing what the Hebrew converts to Christianity were tempted to do (which was to turn away from salvation through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus) to what was happening there in the time of rebellion against Moses’ leadership in the wilderness.