Matthew Henry Commentary Hebrews 3:7-13

"Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit saith, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, Like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tried [me] by proving [me,] And saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was displeased with this generation, And said, They do always err in their heart: But they did not know my ways; As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest. Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin:" — Hebrews 3:7-13 (ASV)

Days of temptation are often days of provocation. But to provoke God, when He is showing us that we entirely depend and live upon Him, is a provocation indeed. The hardening of the heart is the source of all other sins. The sins of others, especially of our relatives, should be warnings to us.

All sin, especially sin committed by God's professing, privileged people, not only provokes God, but it grieves Him. God is reluctant to destroy anyone in sin, or for their sin; He waits long to be gracious to them. But sin, long persisted in, will cause God's wrath to reveal itself in destroying the impenitent; there is no resting under the wrath of God. “Take heed:” all who would get safely to heaven must be vigilant; if we once allow ourselves to distrust God, we may soon desert Him.

Let those who think they stand take heed lest they fall. Since tomorrow is not ours, we must make the best use of today. And there are none, even the strongest of the flock, who do not need the help of other Christians. Nor is anyone so lowly or despised that the care for their standing in the faith, and for their safety, does not belong to all.

Sin has so many ways and disguises that we need more eyes than our own. Sin appears attractive, but is vile; it appears pleasant, but is destructive; it promises much, but performs nothing. The deceitfulness of sin hardens the soul; one sin allowed makes way for another; and every act of sin confirms the habit. Let everyone beware of sin.