Hebrews 4:2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.
Most of the people in Numbers 14 followed the way of the 10 spies who said that the Hebrews could not enter the promised land because it was too difficult. They had a form of the good news preached to them but they rejected it. “Good news” here is the same word translated as “gospel.” The good news for them was the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land. Faith is often linked to promise. Paul the Apostle wrote about the promise of Abraham in Galatians 3-4 and how faith is the core requirement to experience God’s promise in the gospel. The passage here in Hebrews shares many of the same themes but put in a different way. The desert generation refused to accept God’s promise to Abraham shown through their lack of faith. They did not step out and claim the rest from slavery and wandering that they had experienced in Egypt and now in the Sinai desert. The choice was up to them. Faith is always a choice we face. God leaves it up to us. The author applies this to his readers who had another form of promise. They had heard the promise of salvation in Jesus but were in danger of turning their back on it. This message has no meaning to us unless we accept it in faith. Many in the world have heard about the gospel of Jesus but have refused to accept it, therefore, it becomes meaningless to them. But for those who believe, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities in fulfillment of God’s promises throughout the Bible. The author also links obedience to faith. Faith is shown by obeying and stepping out and towards the promises. We must act on what we believe or our belief is meaningless. This is the core message of the entire Bible.
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