For who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it really all who came out of Egypt under Moses? And who was He provoked with for 40 years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And who did He swear to that they would not enter His rest, if not those who disobeyed? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. Hebrews 3:16-19 HCSB
Matt Slick reports in Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry: “The statement ‘I lack belief in a god’ is a common position of atheists. In discussions with them, they tell me they lack belief in God the way they lack belief in invisible pink unicorns. In other words, they have no position, take no intellectual action, and have no belief or unbelief on the matter concerning God.”
The Israelites lacked belief in God and wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. But I would not classify the Israelites as atheists. They believed in God but they did not believe in His power and ability to safely bring them into the land that God had promised to give them. Due to their lack of belief, they were not allowed to enter His rest. Instead, they died in the wilderness and never entered the Promised Land.
Challenge: Do you lack belief in God and His ability to take care of you? God loves you and wants you to enter into His rest. The ultimate “rest” or Promised Land, is when we enter heaven and stand in the presence of our Lord and Savior. Only believe and you will see great things happen. You will then be allowed to enter His rest.