There was something very wrong with the Israelites who were delivered by the miracle-enriched hand of the Almighty from the distressed slavery of Pharaoh to the bountiful plenty of Jehovah, for Scripture tells us they did not enter the Promised Land “because of unbelief” (Heb. 3:19). In the same passage, God equates “unbelief” with “disobedience” (3:16-19; 4:1-11). In God’s eyes, not obeying is the same as not believing (and vice versa). What was their problem?
“The word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” (4:2). They heard God’s Word (and even saw God’s hand), but their knowledge remained unmixed with faith and trust in God, which meant that there was no obedience to be mixed with faith! Therefore, what they knew and what happened to them was of NO profit!
What about you? You have heard the word of God! Has it mixed in your heart with faith? As God sees them as equivalents, has your faith mixed with obedience? How’s your profit?