Disobedience (543) (apeitheia from a = without + peÃtho = persuade, the stem peith- = basic meaning of trust) is literally an unwillingness to be persuaded, and thus describes the condition of being unpersuadable. Apeitheia denotes intentional and obstinate refusal to believe, acknowledge, or obey. Disbelief. Obstinate rejection of God’s will. In the NT apeitheia always speaks of disobedience to God and is often shown as the result of or with the connotation of unbelief (apistia). In Ephesians 2:2-note and in Ep 5:6-note unbelievers (unrepentant sinners) are referred to as sons of disobedience or those who are the "offspring" (as it were) of disobedience. The active expression of unbelief is manifested in disobedience (cp "disobedient" [apeitheo] in He 3:18-note parallels "unbelief" [apistia] in He 3:19-note). Apeitheia thus denotes a willful unbelief and obstinate opposition to God's will. Note that apeitheia is not ignorance but obstinance. Apeitheia is the third of the vices personified as virgins in black in Hermas Similitudes 9.15.3. Apeitheia is pictured in our English words obstinate (which means stubborn, perversely adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion, fixed and unyielding in opinion, attitude, purpose, course of action, self willed, headstrong, difficult to subdue, stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or chosen course of action) and obstinacy, (the quality or state of being difficult to remedy, relieve, or subdue). Leon Morris... The word apeitheia ("disobedience") is always used in the NT of disobeying God, often with the thought of the gospel in mind; so it comes close to the meaning disbelief (cf. He 4:11-note; Ro 11:30-note). Because the first generation had passed the opportunity by, God set another day. The idea that the wilderness generation was finally rejected was one the rabbis found hard to accept. In their writings we find statements such as the following: "Into this resting-place they will not enter, but they will enter into another resting-place" (Mid Qoheleth 10.20.1). The rabbis also had a parable of a king who swore in anger that his son would not enter his palace. But when he calmed down, he pulled down his palace and built another, so fulfilling his oath and at the same time retaining his son (ibid.). Thus the rabbis expressed their conviction that somehow those Israelites would be saved. The author, however, has no such reservations about the wilderness generation. They disobeyed God and forfeited their place (Ed: I agree with Leon Morris' assessment that not only were the majority of the wilderness generation unable to enter the "rest" in the promised land but also most failed to enter the "rest" in the promised life of the Messiah. In fact the more one studies the OT, the more one is convinced that most of the so-called "chosen people", chose to rebel instead in faith obey Jehovah, the exception of course being the believing, saved Jewish remnant). (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New Testament. Zondervan Publishing or Pradis = computer version) Other words in this word group... Apeithes [word study] (adjective) - 6x in 6v - Luke 1:17; Acts 26:19; Ro 1:30; 2Ti 3:2; Titus 1:16; 3:3. = one who will not be persuaded to obey authority Apeitheo [word study] (verb) - 14x in 14v - John 3:36; Acts 14:2; 19:9; Ro 2:8; 10:21; 11:30, 31; 15:31; Heb 3:18; 11:31; 1Pet 2:8; 3:1, 20; 4:17 Ray Stedman observes that... Delay hardens the heart, especially when we are fully aware that we have heard the voice of God in the inner soul. Every shrug of the shoulder that puts off acting on God’s urging for change, every toss of the head that says, “I know I should, but I don’t care,” every attempt at outward conformity without inner commitment produces a hardening of the heart that makes repentance harder and harder to do. The witness of the Spirit must not be ignored, for the opportunity to believe does not last forever. Playing games with the living God is not only impertinent, but also dangerous. There is a line, by us unseen, That crosses every path. The hidden boundary between God’s patience and His wrath. Apeitheia is not found in the Septuagint (LXX) and is used only 7 times in the NT (cp 6 uses of related adjective apeithes - Lk 1:17, Acts 26:19 Ro 1:30, 2Ti 3:2, Titus 1:16, 3:3 and 16 uses of apeitheo - Jn 3:36, Ac14:2, 17:5, 19:9, Ro2:8, 10:21, 11:30, 31, 15:31 Heb 3:18, 11:31, 1Pe 2:7, 2:8, 3:1, 3:20, 4:17)... Romans 11:30 (note) For just as you (Gentiles) once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their (Israel's) disobedience Romans 11:32 (note) For God has shut up all (Jew and Gentile) in disobedience that He might show mercy to all. (Here disobedience is virtually the equivalent of the word sin). Comment: Apeitheia in this context describes the fallen condition of all mankind. Ephesians 2:2 (note) in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 5:6 (note) Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Colossians 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience (Note that this use of apeitheia is found only in the Greek Textus Receptus from which the KJV is translated) Hebrews 4:6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, Hebrews 4:11 (note) Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience. Comment: The Israelites’ unbelief was a choice that led to their refusal to obey God by trusting Him (cp apeitheia) and the leaders He had appointed. One fruit of unbelief is rebellion either in the form of passive resistance or blatant defiance of His will. Notice that the failure of the Israelites to enter did not mean God's promise was no longer effective. ><> ><> ><> Today in the Word (click here) has the following devotional... If you saw a notice in the newspaper listing you among potential heirs being sought for a great inheritance, would you make contact with the people placing the ad? Probably so. And if you checked things out and discovered you were a legitimate heir, would you be motivated to show up at the time and place designated to claim your inheritance? You'd be foolish not to go! That's similar to the situation facing the readers of Hebrews--and us as believers today. God has a promised inheritance for His people called His rest. This rest was offered to the generation that Moses led out of Egypt, but they failed to claim it because they lacked the one prerequisite: faith. The opening verses of Hebrews 4 continue the writer's train of thought. Having previously described the generation that angered God by its unbelief, he now applies the lessons of that generation to the believers of his day. And, as always, believers in every generation need to learn the same lessons. The good news of this passage is that God's offer of a rest, a Sabbath rest, still stands. Even though Moses' generation missed it, God's promise remains. His rest has been available since the dawn of creation. God rested from His work (Gen. 2:2) and decided it was such a good idea that He commanded a rest for His creatures. Notice that God's rest includes the cessation of work (Hebrews 4:10). In God's case, He rested because He was finished with creation--His was a rest of completion and satisfaction. If we are to enter God's rest today, what work must we cease doing? Part of the answer is that we are to rest from or give up our own efforts to save ourselves, since God's rest includes our salvation. The ""rest"" of salvation is entered only by faith. The writer urges the Hebrews, ""Make every effort to enter that rest"" (Hebrews 4:11). So the rest must go beyond salvation, since they were already believers. It seems clear that God's rest extends to the entirety of our lives, as we give up our attempts to live the Christian life in our own strength and rest in His promises. TODAY ALONG THE WAY - The principle of Sabbath rest--one day in seven set aside for rest and worship--stands out in this passage. This is a rest God wants us to enjoy today. For us as Christians this special day is the Lord's day. But sadly, for many of us, this day is as hectic and noisy as the rest of the week. If your day of worship seems like every other day, except for church services, make a commitment to turn off the noise, unplug some of the activities, and spend more time in contemplation of God's goodness. (See Moody Bible Institute's Today in the Word) Hebrews 4:7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before , "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." (NASB: Lockman) Greek: palin tina orizei (3SPAI) hemeran, Semeron, en Dauid legon (PAPMSN) meta tosouton chronon, kathos proeiretai, (3SRPI) Semeron ean tes phones autou akousete, (2PAAS) me sklerunete (2PAAS) tas kardias humon. Amplified: Again He sets a definite day, [a new] Today, [and gives another opportunity of securing that rest] saying through David after so long a time in the words already quoted, Today, if you would hear His voice and when you hear it, do not harden your hearts. (Amplified Bible - Lockman) Barclay: He again defines a day, when in David, after so long a lapse of time, he says, “Today,” just as he had said before, “Today if you will hear my voice do not harden your hearts.” (Westminster Press) NLT: So God set another time for entering his place of rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David a long time later in the words already quoted: "Today you must listen to his voice. Don't harden your hearts against him." (NLT - Tyndale House) Phillips: he proclaims a further opportunity when he says through David, many years later, "today", just as he had said "today" before. 'Today, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts'. (Phillips: Touchstone) Wuest: again, a certain day He designates, Today, speaking by means of David after such a long time, just as it has been said before and is still on record, Today, if His voice you will hear, stop hardening your hearts. (Eerdmans) Young's Literal: He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." HE AGAIN FIXES A CERTAIN DAY, "TODAY," SAYING THROUGH DAVID AFTER SO LONG A TIME JUST AS HAS BEEN SAID BEFORE: palin tina horizei (3SPAI) hemeran Semeron en David legon (PAPMSN) meta tosouton chronon kathos (as) proeiretai (3SRPI) : (Heb 3:7,8; 2 Samuel 23:1,2; Matthew 22:43; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42; Acts 2:29,31; 28:25) He again - used chiefly in two senses, (a) with reference to repeated action; (b) rhetorically, in the sense of "moreover" or "further," indicating a statement to be added in the course of an argument, e.g. Mt 5:33 Fixes (3724) (horizo) means to mark out definitely and so to set a limit (think of our English word = horizon). In a sense God places a boundary on the day. - "He limited a certain day, 'Today'". The meaning is, He gives another opportunity of securing the rest, and calls the period in which the opportunity is offered today. A certain day - John MacArthur comments that.. Opportunity for God’s rest remains, but it will not remain indefinitely. For each individual it will end before or with death; and for all mankind it will end in the Last Day. The age of grace is not forever. This is why immediate action is a basis of entering God’s rest, of being saved. (MacArthur, John: Hebrews. Moody Press or Logos) Through David - Attributing the Psalm to David. “Through David” is not in the Hebrew text of Psalm 95:7-8, but the Septuagint (LXX) inserts the traditional author of the Psalm (in verse 1 "The praise of a Song by David"). As the OT promise points beyond Moses to Christ, so the rest of God in Genesis 2:2 points beyond Joshua and David (Hebrews 4:7-8) to the final rest to which believers in Christ will attain if they hold fast to their faith. Remember that although the larger context of chapter 4 reflects the sad events of Israel's disobedience as recorded in Numbers 13-14, the specific Scriptural reference the writer refers to now is from Psalms 95:7-11, which relates to Israel’s experience at Meribah. After so long a time - The time between Joshua and David. This phrase is not part of the original psalm, but refers to the fact that God, approximately five hundred years after His offer of rest to the generation under Moses, makes another offer of rest. This offer is accompanied by the warning that the people should not harden their hearts. The Nelson Study Bible adds that.. By merely entering the Promised Land, the Israelites had not entered God’s rest, for David (years after Joshua had led the Israelites into the land) had warned his generation to not harden their hearts, so that they could enter God’s rest (see Hebrews 3:7-11). Like David, the author of Hebrews called the present generation to respond to God today (see note Hebrews 3:13), which is the day of repentance. (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. The Nelson Study Bible: NKJV. Nashville: Thomas Nelson) Said before (Proeipon) only used here. The perfect tense pictures past completed action with continuing effect or result and thus means “as it has before been said, and is still on record”. TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS: Semeron ean tes phones autou akousete (2PAAS) : (Heb 3:7,15; Psalms 95:7) (1Kings 6:1; Acts 13:20, 21, 22, 23) Remember that in the NAS, verses in capital letters indicate a direct quotation from the Old Testament in this case of Ps 95:7. Today - What does he mean by "today"? Today meant “now” in the time of his readers and that is what it means by way of application in our time - Now is the day of salvation! (cp 2Co 6:2) The only way the rest is through a hardened, disbelieving heart that shows its unbelief in a person's disobedience. The writer's tone speaks of a sense of urgency. Today is now and now is the day of salvation! Leon Morris... The voice of God still called because the invitation of "Today" was still available 500 years after Joshua took the children of the first generation into Israel. The author has already used the quotation in 3:7 ff.. But its point this time is the word "Today." There is still a day of opportunity, even though the fate of the wilderness generation stands as an impressive witness to the possibility of spiritual disaster Utley observes that... Psalm 95:7-11 has been quoted several times in the context of chapters 3 and 4. Each time a different part of the OT passage is emphasized (like a sermon): 1. Hebrews 3:7-11 emphasizes “do not harden your hearts” of Ps. 95:8; 2. Hebrews 3:15 emphasizes “when they provoked Me” of Ps. 95:9; 3. Hebrews 4:3, 5 emphasizes “they shall not enter My rest” of Ps. 95:11; 4. Hebrews 4:7 emphasizes “today” of Ps. 95:7. (Hebrews Commentary) In Psalm 95 David wrote... For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness (Psalm 95:7-8) Spurgeon commenting on Psalm 95:7b writes... what is this warning which follows? Alas, it was sorrowfully needed by the Lord's ancient people, and is not one whir the less required by ourselves. The favoured nation grew deaf to their Lord's command, and proved not to be truly His sheep, of whom it is written, "My sheep hear my voice": Will this turn out to be our character also? God forbid. To day if ye will hear his voice. Dreadful "if." Many would not hear, they put off the claims of love, and provoked their God." Today," in the hour of grace, in the day of mercy, we are tried as to whether we have an ear for the voice of our Creator. Nothing is said of tomorrow, "He limiteth a certain day," He presses for immediate attention, for our own sakes he asks instantaneous obedience. Shall we yield it? The Holy Ghost saith "Today," will we grieve him by delay? If we put of repentance another day, we have a day more to repent of, and a day less to repent in. --W. Mason He that hath promised pardon on our repentance hath not promised to preserve our lives till we repent. --Francis Quarles And yet, as S. Bernard tells us, there is no difficulty at all in hearing it; on the contrary, the difficulty is to stop our ears effectually against it, so clear is it in enunciation, so constant in appeal. Yet there are many who do not hear, from divers causes; because they are far off; because they are deaf; because they sleep; because they turn their heads aside; because they stop their ears; because they hurry away to avoid hearing; because they are dead; all of them topics of various forms and degrees of unbelief. --Bernard and Hugo Cardinalis, in Neale and Littledale. It will be as difficult, nay, more difficult, to come to Christ tomorrow, than it is today: therefore today hear his voice, and harden not your heart. Break the ice now, and by faith venture upon your present duty, wherever it lies; do what you are now called to. You will never know how easy the yoke of Christ is, till it is bound about your necks, nor how light his burden is, till you have taken it up. While you judge of holiness at a distance, as a thing without you and contrary to you, you will never like it. Come a little nearer to it; do but take it in, actually engage in it, and you will find religion carries meat in its mouth; it is of a reviving, nourishing, strengthening nature. It brings that along with it, that enables the soul cheerfully to go through with it. --Thomas Cole (1627-1697) in the "Morning Exercises HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS Verse 7: The entreaty of the Holy Ghost. 1 The special voice -- "the Holy Ghost saith" -- a). In Scripture. b). In the hearts of his people. c). In the awakened. d). By his deeds of grace. 2 A special duty, "hear his voice", instructing, commanding, inviting, promising, threatening. 3 A special time -- "today." While God speaks, after so long a time, in the day of grace, now, in your present state. 4 The special danger -- "harden not your hearts", by indifference, unbelief, asking for signs, presumption, worldly pleasures, etc. Verse 7. Sinners entreated to hear God's voice. "Hear his voice", because -- 1. Life is short and uncertain; 2. You cannot properly or lawfully promise to give what is not your own; 3. If you defer, though but till tomorrow, you must harden your hearts; 4. There is great reason to fear that, if you defer it today, you will never commence; 5. After a time God ceases to strive with sinners; 6. There is nothing irksome or disagreeable in a religious life, that you should wish to defer its commencement. --Edward Payson. Verse 7. The Difference of Times with respect to Religion. -- Upon a spiritual account there is great difference of time. To make this out, I will shew you, 1. That sooner and later are not alike, in respect of eternity. 2. That times of ignorance and of knowledge are not alike. 3. That before and after voluntary commission of known iniquity, are not alike. 4. That before and after contracted naughty habits, are not alike. 5. That the time of God's gracious and particular visitation and the time when God withdraws his gracious presence and assistance, are not alike. 6. The flourishing time of our health and strength, and the hour of sickness, weakness, and approach of death, are not alike. 7. Now and hereafter, present and future, this world and the world to come, are not alike. --Benjamin Whichcot. Verse 7. This supposition, If ye will hear, and the consequence inferred thereupon, harden not your hearts, doth evidently demonstrate that a right hearing will prevent hardness of heart; especially hearing of Christ's voice, that is, the gospel. It is the gospel that maketh and keepeth a soft heart. --William Gouge. Spurgeon commenting on Psalm 95:8 writes... Verse 8. Harden not your heart. If ye will hear, learn to fear also. The sea and the land obey him, do not prove more obstinate than they! "Yield to his love who round you now The bands of a man would east." We cannot soften our hearts, but we can harden them, and the consequences will be fatal. Today is too good a day to be profaned by the hardening of our hearts against our own mercies. While mercy reigns let not obduracy rebel. "As in the provocations, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness" (or, "like Meribah, like the day of Massah in the wilderness"). Be not wilfully, wantonly, repeatedly, obstinately rebellious. Let the example of that unhappy generation serve as a beacon to you; do not repeat the offences which have already more than enough provoked the Lord. God remembers men's sins, and the more memorably so when they are committed by a favoured people, against frequent warnings, in defiance of terrible judgments, and in the midst of superlative mercies; such sins write their record in marble. Reader, this verse is for you, for you even if you can say, "He is our God, and we are the people of his pasture." Do not seek to turn aside the edge of the warning; thou hast good need of it, give good heed to it. Verse 8. Harden not your hearts. An old man, one day taking a child on his knee, entreated him to seek God now -- to pray to him, and to love him; when the child, looking up at him, asked, "But why do not you seek God?" The old man, deeply affected, answered, "I would, child; but my heart is hard -- my heart is hard." -- Arvine's Anecdotes. Verse 8. Harden not your heart. -- Heart is ascribed to reasonable creatures, to signify sometimes the whole soul, and sometimes the several faculties appertaining to the soul. 1. It is frequently put for the whole soul, and that for the most part when it is set alone; as where it is said, "Serve the Lord with all your heart", 1 Samuel 7:20. 2. For that principal part of the soul which is called the mind or understanding. "I gave my heart to know wisdom", Ecclesiastes 1:17. In this respect darkness and blindness are attributed to the heart, Ephesians 6:18, Romans 1:21. 3. For the will: as when heart and soul are joined together, the two essential faculties of the soul are meant, namely, the mind and will: soul put for the mind, heart for the will "Serve the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul", Deuteronomy 6:13. 4. For the memory. "I have hid thy word in my heart", saith the prophet, Psalms 119:11. The memory is that faculty wherein matters are laid up and hid. 5. For the conscience. It is said that "David's heart smote him", that is, his conscience, 1 Samuel 24:5 2 Samuel 24:10. Thus is heart taken, 1 John 3:20-21. 6. For the affections: as where it is said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind", Matthew 22:37. By the mind is meant the understanding faculty; by the soul, the will; by the heart, the affections. Here in this text the heart is put for the whole soul, even for mind, will, and affections. For blindness of mind, stubbornness of will, and stupidity of affections go together. -- William Gouge. Verse 8. Let us not fail to notice, that while it is the flock who speak in Psalms 95:1-7, it is the Shepherd who takes up their expostulating words, and urges them home himself at Psalms 95:8, to the end, using the argument which by the Holy Ghost is addressed to us also in Hebrews 3:7-19. There is something very powerful in this expostulation, when connected with the circumstances that give rise to it. In themselves, the burst of adoring love, and the full out pouring of affection in Psalms 95:1-7 are irresistibly persuasive; but when (Psalms 95:8) the voice of the Lord himself is heard (such a voice, using terms of vehement entreaty!) we cannot imagine expostulation carried further. Unbelief alone could resist this voice; blind, malignant unbelief alone could repel The flock, and then the Shepherd, inviting men now to enter the fold. --Andrew A. Bonar. Hear (akouo) in the present context means to hear with attention, to hear effectually so as to perform or grant what is spoken Hearing is a key word in Hebrews... Hebrews 2:1 (note) For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. Hebrews 3:7 (note) Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, 8 DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS Hebrews 3:15 (note) while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME." Hebrews 4:7 (note) He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." Hebrews 5:9 (note) And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey (literally "hear under", listen attentively hupakouo = hupo + akouo) Him the source of eternal salvation, Hebrews 5:11 (note) Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. Hebrews 11:8 (note) By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed (literally "hear under", listen attentively hupakouo = hupo + akouo) by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. Do not harden - This is a prohibition for the hearers (plural verb) to not willfully make the choice (active voice = the hearers' volitional choice) to not yield to God's invitation to enter His rest. Harden (4645) (skleruno from skleros = dry, hard, rough) means first to make dry, stiff or hard. In the active skleruno means to harden and in the passive sense, to grow hard. The NT uses are only figurative (metaphorical) and mean to cause one to become unyielding, obstinate or stubborn (carried on in an unyielding or persistent manner) Skleruno was a medical technical term (first attested by Hippocrates) in Greek writings describing something becoming hardened or thickened. Our English word "hardening" of the arteries is known as "arteriosclerosis". This is a serious, potentially fatal physical condition, but here in Hebrews the danger is even more ominous, for spiritual hardening can lead to eternal death and damnation of one's soul, not just loss of their physical life! From the uses of skleruno in Exodus (see below), one observes two important aspects of hardening: (1) Man can repeatedly harden his heart, until finally God does the hardening, with the implication that the latter is irrevocable. (2) One effect when one's heart is hardened is not listening to God. Regarding Romans 9:18 note that in Exodus Moses speaks of God’s hardening Pharaoh's heart (see Exodus 4:21; 7:3, 9:12; 10:20, 27; 11:10) and also records that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (see this "self produced" hardening in Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34), the obstinate ruler confirming God’s act of hardening by his own act of hardening. Such passages point out the humanly irreconcilable tension between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. A similar tension is found with Esau who was rejected before he was born (and who later chose to reject the inheritance for a pot of stew). Judas Iscariot, in a similar way, before he was born, was appointed to betray Christ (Acts 1:16; John 6:70,71). Both Esau and Judas chose to follow sin and unbelief. In Acts 19:9 skleruno is linked with unbelief and disobedience. Remember the axiom that The same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay. If your heart is not melted in faith, it will be hardened in unbelief! Skleruno is used 6 times in the NT... Acts 19:9 But when some were becoming hardened (passive voice) and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. (Comment: Some of the Jews in Ephesus were “hardened” at Paul’s preaching in the synagogue. Notice that here we see hardening associated with disobedience to the Truth.) Romans 9:18 (note) So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens (active voice) whom He desires. (Comment: This verse speaks of God's judicial action. He causes this person's hardening, which is manifest by them becoming stubborn or refusing to listen. Compare a parallel truth in Romans 1 where God gave the intractable sinners over to the power of Sin - see notes Romans 1:24; 26; 28). Hebrews 3:8 (note) Do not harden (active voice) your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, (Comment: Don't make a volitional choice or a choice of your will to harden your heart). Hebrews 3:13 (note) But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened (passive voice) by the deceitfulness of sin. (Comment: The deception of sin - promises one thing, gives another - produces hardening of one's heart.) (See Related Discussion: The Deceitfulness of Sin) Hebrews 3:15 (note) while it is said, "Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden (active voice) your hearts, as when they provoked Me." (Comment: Don't make a volitional choice or a choice of your will to harden your heart). Hebrews 4:7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden (active voice) your hearts." (Comment: Don't make a volitional choice or a choice of your will to harden your heart). Skleruno is used 33 times in the Septuagint (LXX) (Gen. 49:7; Exod. 4:21; 7:3, 22; 8:19; 9:12, 35; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 13:15; 14:4, 8, 17; Deut. 2:30; 10:16; Jdg. 4:24; 2 Sam. 19:43; 2 Ki. 2:10; 17:14; 2 Chr. 10:4; 30:8; 36:13; Neh. 9:16f, 29; Ps. 90:6; 95:8; Isa. 63:17; Jer. 7:26; 17:23; 19:15) Exodus 7:3 "But I will harden (Lxx = skleruno in the active voice = by a judicial act God will harden it) Pharaoh's heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. Exodus 7:22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened (Lxx = skleruno in the passive voice) , and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said. (Other uses of skleruno are in the passive voice - Ex 8:19). Regarding the numerous uses of skleruno (and skleros) in the LXX, NIDNTT writes that... Hardening, according to the OT understanding, results from the fact that men persist in shutting themselves to God’s call and command. A state then arises in which a man is no longer able to hear and in which he is irretrievably enslaved. Alternatively, God makes the hardening final, so that the people affected by it cannot escape from it. (Brown, Colin, Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology. 1986. Zondervan) As noted above, hardening of one's heart is associated with not listening to God and not obeying God. Listening to God and obeying Him are matters of the will. So is hardening the heart as indicated by the use of the active voice in Hebrews 3:8, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 3:15, as Israel did. In first Timothy Paul warns that our hearts, or consciences, can become seared and insensitive, as skin does when it is badly burned and scars over. The scar tissue that replaces the skin has very little feeling. Something very much like this happens to a conscience that is repeatedly disregarded. Today lasts only as long as there is opportunity to decide and as long as the conscience is sensitive to God. When a person’s today is over, it is too late. His heart gets harder every time he says "No" to the good news of Jesus. When the heart is soft, the conscience sensitive and the intellect is convinced about Christ, that is the time to decide, while the heart is still pliable and responsive. The danger that the writer of Hebrews is warning about is that one will eventually become spiritually hardened, stubborn, and insensitive and the gospel will no longer have any appeal. Illustration of the significance of the word "Today"- In his earlier ministry D. L. Moody often would end his message with, “Go home and think about what I’ve said.” One night in Chicago he told the people to do this and to come back the next night ready to make a decision. That night the Chicago fire broke out, and some who had been in his congregation died. That was the last time he told anyone to think over the claims of Christ and make a decision later. No one knows if he will have a tomorrow in which to decide. Today signifies the present time of grace. Men today, as in the time of Moody and in the time of Hebrews and in the time of David and in the time of Moses, never know how long that time of grace for them will be.