Hebrews 3 says that it was their unbelief that stopped them from entering the Promise Land.  God did the saving and brought them out of sin and slavery under the Egyptians. This is mirrored with Jesus saving us from our sin and death. They did nothing when God did this, and we did nothing when Jesus saved us. But when they were baptized in the Jordon, God put a sword in their hands and said, “you do it.” God would empower them, but they had to step out in faith and do it themselves. God promised them milk and honey, or health and wealth, but they would have to use their hands to grab it. These good promises are just a continuation of the blessing of Abraham, which God promised. God promised fruitfulness, power, health and wealth, among other things to Abraham and his descendants. However, this became a choking point for the Israelites’ faith. They refused to believe God was able to strengthen them to conquer the Promise Land. Hebrews said they did not mix faith with God’s promise. God cursed them and let their bodies litter the desert for 40 years.

They had enough faith to cross over the red sea on dry land. They had enough faith, if just barely, to let God save them from slavery and let His wrath pass over them, as it destroyed their slave masters. This is like having some faith that Jesus forgives and delivers. However, when God wanted to empower them to be blessed with the riches of milk and honey from the Promise Land, they had no faith. Being empowered and receiving good things was a choke point for them, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb. It is this unbelief in God empowering them to receive good things, like health and wealth and military power, that Hebrews 3 says because of unbelief they did not enter God’s rest. It was not unbelief in God saving them from slavery, which disallowed them from entering God’s rest. No. Not until they could believe God would empower them and enrich them with health and wealth, would it qualify them to enter God’s rest. Hebrews said God was “angry” against them and so He killed them. We are warned not to repeat their mistake.

The same is today. Their baptism into the Jordon is mirrored with us being baptized in the Spirit for power. (See Vincent Cheung, “The Edge of Glory,” who helped me understand this.) The preacher of Hebrews is using Israels’ example in connection to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Having some faith that Jesus forgives is not enough, if you disbelieve God empowers you to expand His kingdom and empowers you with things such as health and wealth, which are part of the blessing of Abraham. As with the ancient Israelites, their faith in God to save them, was proven to be half-baked, when they could not believe God would empower them to receive good material blessings. God was angry with them and disregarded them by not allowing them to enter His rest. The same is for “Today.” People expose their faith as half-baked if they refuse the baptism of the Spirit and refuse to believe God for material good things. God will not allow such people to enter His rest.  

The warning about “not mixed with faith,” was about faith for God to empower “them” with strength and material blessings. It is this connection the writer of Hebrews warns us is the type of unbelief that will keep you from Gods rest. Most would not preach the gospel in this way, but it is scripture. It does not say, “they did not have faith in God’s promise to pass His wrath over them, so they refused to put the blood on the door. Thus they are not saved, and will not enter God’s rest.” This is true as far as it goes, but it is not the gospel which Hebrews is preaching. It says they did not enter God’s rest because they disbelieved God’s promises of power and blessings. This is the gospel which Hebrews preaches.

They did not enter God’s rest because they did not believe God’s promise of health and wealth. This is precisely the warning from Hebrews chapter 3. We are warned that “Today,” the promise still stands to enter God’s rest, therefore, do not disbelieve God’s promises for power, health and wealth.  

Children of Abraham act like their father, and imposters lack the faith to do so. It is not as though Abraham believed God declared him righteous, but disbelieved God to make him famous, give him miracle health and excessive wealth. Yet, this is the so-called gospel that some preach; a gospel of only believing you are righteous, without the miracles of power, health and wealth. This half gospel caused the Israelites to be discarded by God by rejecting them from entering His rest. This half-gospel was not preached to Abraham, not preached by the prophets (Isaiah 53:4-5), not preached by the Apostles (James 5:15, Acts 2), and not preached by Jesus Christ (Matthew 21:21). Those who are children of Abraham have faith to believe the gospel preached to Abraham, not just the righteousness part. Either you have Abraham’s faith or you do not.  By not believing in God’s promise for power, health and wealth, the Israelites exposed themselves not to be children of Abraham, and people today are also exposing themselves as the same.

Because faith is what kept the Israelites out, guess what Satan is focused on attacking? He attacks faith to believe God’s good promises of power, health and wealth, which is what will cause them to enter God’s rest. Guess who is attacking such doctrine today? Whose side are they on? If they fight to keep people from entering God’s rest, how are they not servants of the Faithless One?