But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.”
"That 'To-day' (v. 13) was then very near its close. This was God's last prophetic message to His ancient people. It was written just before the Apostle's violent death, and just as the Romans as God's instruments of judgment were being prepared to march against Jerusalem. That day of God's patience then closed for Israel as a nation; but grace reigned embracing both Jews and Gentiles, gathering out of them a people to Messiah's Name; and this action still continues. Verse 14 may be thus, paraphrased: 'For we shall be made partakers with Christ (in His millennial kingdom) if we hold' etc. The aim of the Epistle was to bring on those Hebrews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah and were at the same time zealous of the Law — to bring them on to the end, i.e., to true conversion, to the New Birth, into a spiritual Canaan — the 'rest' of verse 18. They were invited to share that rest with Christ immediately, (Matt 11:28-30) and at His appearing to share also His millennial rest." (G Williams)
"The inspired writer warns against hardening the heart in verse 13, and now in this verse exhorts against it. He uses the unbelieving generation in the wilderness as an example, which at the borders of Canaan refused to follow Caleb and Joshua into the Promised Land, but chose to take the advice of the others. In the last analysis it was lack of faith in God and His power to give them victory over the giants. This is the provocation spoken of." (Kenneth S Wuest)
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