THE DANGER OF A HARDENED HEART (and how to soften it!)
A Bible Study Written for Women with a Vision by Cheryl Skid
Psalm 95: 8-11
“Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness
When your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.”
Therefore I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’”
Taking a look at ourselves
Can you pinpoint a specific time when you wanted to—or maybe you did—shake your fist at God saying, “OK God! If you’re really there then why____________________________________________________________”
Can you look back at your life and say, “Yes, at that time I knew God was there; in fact if it weren’t for God I would have ________________________________________”
Were there, or are there times in your life where you seemed to have no rest in your spirit….constantly anxious, on edge, worried, never at peace?_________________________________________________________ Did you journal during that time? __________What was/is going on? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Were there, are there, times that you seem to be at odds with everyone—someone’s always mad, feelings are constantly being hurt, the least little thing provokes a major blow up? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Let’s look at Language
Here are some words from our text. I’ve gone back to the original language to give us a better understanding of the passage.
Loathed קןט (koot) some versions say grieve, but the big, huge, fat Hebrew dictionary that I have says loathe or to be disgusted with. Can’t get much plainer than that!
Meribah מר'בה quarrel, strife, contention
massah) מסה melt down! Frighten, discourage,
Rest מנוחה (menukhah) resting place, repose, sanctuary, quiet, ease
Let’s look at other places in the Bible
What’s this talk about Meribah and Massah? Let’s read Exodus 17: 2-7.
In simple words, what happened? (I’m going to suggest something that some people may argue about. I suggest you get a copy of an easy-to-read Bible along with whatever you usually read and can’t understand. The New Living Translation is one that just makes the hard words easy. It unravels difficult passages so that at least you can wrap your brain around them) ___________________________________________________________________
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What kind of environment were the people in before Moses led them out of Egypt?
Let’s read Ex 1:8-14 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
So they had a life that was horrible. They were slaves, treated like beasts, forced to build the huge cities of Egypt with the pyramids and monuments one brick at a time—and they had to make the bricks! They were beaten, not fed well, and tormented because of hatred. So what happened? Moses led the people out of Egypt, across the Red Sea, and ended up in the Wilderness. The people were mad as wet hens at Moses because they were thirsty and there was no water. Moses listened to God, did what it took to get the folks water and then threw up his hands to God because of the stubborn, rebellious HUGE GROUP of grumblers he spent every day trying to lead.
Ex 17:2 says that ONCE MORE the people grumbled—so this was not an isolated incident. So why did God get mad? What do you think? They weren’t mad at God. They were mad at Moses, so why did God take it personally? ___________________________________________________________________
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Meaning for Today
Consider the actions and attitudes of the people that were angering God. Describe them. _______________________________________________________
Moses was the chosen leader. Chosen. As in elected? ________________
No? Chosen by God? ____ Do you remember when that happened? What was the situation when God tapped Moses and gave him this daunting task of schlepping this ungrateful group of former exhausted, worn out, hungry, hopeless people out of Egypt? ___________________ Read Exodus 3. It was a long time from the bush to the desert. Moses never asked for that leadership position. He even fought it. So for people to argue against Moses ‘ leadership they were really doing what? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Take a Look Inside
There are many ways in which our hearts can get hard and all are painful. We may feel unjustly treated, embarrassed, unappreciated. We may have been passed up at work, humiliated in front of a crowd of people. Prayers may have seemed to be unanswered. Mega-disasters may be sweeping the world. And we allow our heart to be hard.
But today’s lesson is on ONE hardening agent: disrespect and grumbling against God-ordained leadership.
Check yourself. Is it you? If so, how can we soften our hearts? How quickly are we able to repent? Once we repent how fast does God forgive? Let’s look at 1 John 1:9 and 10. We confess our sins AND He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from that ugly ME inside us that knows better. He not only wraps His arms around us but He cleanses that ugly place in our hearts. Watch out! Look at 10. Are you saying, ‘Not me! I’m fine! Nothing wrong me me!’ Well that is exactly what IS wrong with you! NO ONE IS EXEMPT. We are all under leadership that God has ordained and a sure way to keep our hearts soft and yielded is to recognize that it was God who set him or her in authority over us!
Let God Search Your Heart
And write your prayer here: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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