Hebrews: Intro

The origin and history of the book of Hebrews was a subject of controversy in the second century.

While there is no portion of the New Testament whose writer is so disputed, there is also no book whose inspiration is more secure.

The early church could not settle the issue of whether it was written by Barnabas, by Luke, by Clement, or by Paul.

Sometime around the end of the second century, the early church decided to establish that the book was written by Paul and for almost 1600 years the issue seem settled, if only in tradition. 

While early accepted writers such as Tertullian wrote clearly that the book was written by Barnabas and Origen wrote that it was written by Luke, the Roman church denied for almost 200 years that Paul was the author, and then for 16 centuries, taught that he was the writer.

My grandfather’s KJV, introduces the book as “The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews.”

We cannot begin our study without considering that the book does not include the clear requirements of all other New Testament books that are also called epistles.

An essential feature of all other epistles is that they are distinctly addressed by the writer to some definite individual, or body of individuals, and Hebrews is not so addressed. 

Hebrews further does not include the name of the writer, leaving some doubt as to whether it is indeed an epistle as defined by all other epistles. Yet, on the other hand, it does contain certain considerations which lead us to think of Hebrews as being as close to an epistle as it might get, even though it does not meet some basic requirements.

So even though Hebrews was not specifically addressed to a named person, it clearly was not addressed to the world in general , nor to all Christians, nor not even to all Jewish Christians, but to certain individuals closely and personally connected with the writer.

While we see that the book is clearly intended for the Hebrew Christians, there is no verse in the book which references any other class of converts.

Its readers are assumed to be familiar with the Levitical worship, the temple services, and the rituals of the Law of Moses.

They are not warned against circumcision (like the Galatians), probably because they were already circumcised.

These readers are called to view Christianity as the completion and perfect consummation of Judaism.

They are called to behold in Christ the fulfillment of the Law.

They are called to view his high priesthood as the very different type of new priesthood, superior to all that have come before or ever shall come, and not in line with the ancient & accepted basis of priesthood, being from the tribe of Levi.

It seems the book is sent as a message to one particular church about which we have the following facts:

Its members had endured persecution & loss of property.

They had shown sympathy for their imprisoned brethren 10:32-34 & 6:10.

They were in danger of apostasy & had not yet resisted unto blood 12:3-4 & 6:9.

Their church had existed for some length of time and some of their pastors were dead 13:7.

Their prayers are needed for the restoration to them of the writer 13:19.

They were acquainted with Timothy who was about to visit them. 13:23.

The arguments presented to them seem to suppose they appreciate the Old Testament.

The church addressed seems to likely be inside Palestine because:

No church outside of Palestine would likely have consisted of solely Jewish converts into Christianity.

Only Palestinian Jews would have felt attached to the Levitical process of worship.

Many passages seem to imply readers who had temple services going on before their eyes, as examples the entire 9th & 10th chapters speak of it.

In terms of final consideration of the writer himself :

St. Jerome from the 2nd century:

“That which is called the Epistle to the Hebrews is thought not to be Paul’s because of the difference of style & language, but is thought to have been from Barnabas or Luke. 

If however, it may have been Paul’s writing, he did not sign his name, as in all his other work, as it was addressed to the Hebrews, to whom Paul was not well liked”.

If the author was Barnabas, he was a Levite, which would help in the descriptions given within the book. Barnabas was known to be close to both Mark & Timothy (Acts 13 & 14). Barnabas had been referred to by the apostles as the “Son of Exhortation” , perhaps allowing a hint that he was capable of such writing.

Paul’s epistles always begin with his own name, but not here.

Hebrews 2:3 gives us a view that “so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him”   indicating the author heard the Word from those that had heard it from Jesus, not having heard it direct from the Lord.

But in Galatians 1:12 Paul states:

“For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

And in 1st Corinthians 11:23 Paul tells us:

“For I received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you…”

From these verses, Martin Luther concluded the work was not of Paul’s hand.

Some scholars say that the book is possibly from a sermon Paul gave over time and was transcribed by St. Luke, who would have full command of the Greek language of the time, or perhaps Apollos, whom Luther favored as he was one of the most highly educated writers of the day.

The theology of the book is clearly in line with Paul, who was the strongest proponent of salvation by faith alone and that is one of the strongest messages given in this book.

Finally, only Paul ever mentioned Timothy in his writings in the New Testament, and we see that this book also does so in 13:23.

Perhaps the matter of the author is not as important as 19 centuries of speculation has made it seem.

This wonderful book outlines and defines our faith in the same way that Romans defines Christian living. It closes the chapters of faith alone, and opens the chapters of good works built upon the foundation of faith in God.

For after we study Hebrews we will know that salvation is by faith alone but that after salvation faith itself is not alone in our walk with Christ but is thereafter found to be aligned with the works of our new lives as seen by the fruit of our efforts to spread His Gospel.

Hebrews: Review

IN LUKE 24:45 WE ARE TAUGHT THAT JESUS OPENED THE UNDERSTANDING OF HIS DISCIPLES THAT THEY MIGHT UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES.

IN ACTS 16:14 WE ARE TAUGHT THAT THE LORD OPENED THE HEART OF LYDIA THAT SHE MIGHT UNDERSTAND FULLY THE WORDS OF PAUL, AND THE RESULT WAS HER SALVATION.

IN THE FIRST VERSES OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS WE ARE ALLOWED TO GLIMPSE THE MIND OF GOD WHO HAS MADE HIS MAJESTIC DECISION TO REVEAL TO BELIEVERS THE CHANGE HE MADE IN HOW HE COMMUNICATES WITH ALL WHO SEEK HIS GRACE.

WE ARE TAUGHT IN HEBREWS 3:1 THAT GOD IS NOT ADDRESSING THE JEWISH NATION AT LARGE BUT RATHER THE “HOLY BRETHREN, PARTAKERS OF THE HEAVENLY CALLING” WHO ARE AMONG HIS CHOSEN NATION.

GOD ADDRESSES HIS SAINTS WHO ARE BY NO MEANS YOUNG IN FAITH. THIS IS CLEAR FROM HEBREWS 5:12. THEY SHOULD BY NOW HAVE BEEN TEACHERS THEMSELVES BUT ARE IN NEED OF MORE INSTRUCTION.

IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THE EPISTLE WAS SENT TO THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM WITH COPIES FORWARDED ONWARD TO BELIEVERS ELSEWHERE.

HEBREWS WAS FIRST ADDRESSED TO DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM WHO, BY GRACE, BELIEVED IN THE MESSIAH SENT TO THEM.

THE PURPOSE OF THE LETTER WAS TO INSTRUCT JEWISH BELIEVERS THAT JUDAISM AS RULED BY THE LAW HAD BEEN A SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME AND THE REALITY HAD ARRIVED.

UNLIKE THE GENTILES WHO HAD LONG AGO LOST DIVINE DIRECTION AND TURNED TO IDOLS, THE JEWS HAD A DIVINE RELIGION & A DIVINELY APPOINTED PLACE OF WORSHIP.

THESE JEWISH BELIEVERS WERE CALLED UPON TO FORSAKE THESE THINGS WHICH HAD BEEN HONORED AND TAUGHT FOR OVER 1,000 YEARS.

THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT DEMAND.

ACTS 21:20 REVEALS THAT THERE WERE MANY THOUSANDS OF EARLY JEWISH CHRISTIANS WHO WERE “ZEALOUS OF THE LAW”.

NOW THE JEWISH BELIEVERS HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THE LAW BEHIND AS WELL AS ACCEPT THAT THEY WILL FOREVER FORWARD BE WORSHIPPING ALONG SIDE GENTILES WHO WILL BE EQUAL TO THEM BEFORE GOD.

IN THE DAYS OF THE LAW GENTILES WERE CONSIDERED BY JEWS TO BE LOWER THAN JEWS, LOWER THAN SAMARITANS, AND LOWER THAN EVEN DOGS.

HERE WAS A STRONGLY SEVERE TEST OF THEIR NEW FOUND FAITH AND SOME OF THEM WERE WANDERING BACKWARD TOWARD WHAT THEY PERCEIVED TO BE THE COMFORT OF JUDAISM.

THE NEED FOR AN AUTHORITATIVE AND SYSTEMATIC INSTRUCTION WAS A PRESSING ONE.

SATAN, OF COURSE, USED THIS TROUBLING TIME TO DIVIDE THOSE WAVERING BELIEVERS AWAY FROM THE TRUTH. IF HE CANNOT CAPTURE A SOUL, HE DELIGHTS IN DIMINISHING ANY SOUL THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAVED.

THE THEME OF HEBREWS IS SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL.

IT IS THAT CHRISTIANITY IN EVERY WAY IS FAR MORE EXCELLENT FOR MANKIND TO COMMUNE WITH THE LORD THAN THE WORKS TEACHING OF THE LAW.

THE ENTIRE LETTER PROVIDES THIS BETTER WAY WITH IMMENSE EVIDENCE DIRECTLY FROM SCRIPTURE.

THIS EVIDENCE IS LAID OPENLY AND LEAVES NO MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE WILL OF GOD TO CHANGE HIS PREVIOUS COVENANT, WHICH WAS A SHADOW, INTO THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT HE REVEALED IN JEREMIAH 31.

INTO THIS NEW COVENANT ARRANGEMENT ARRIVED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON 600 YEARS LATER AS PROMISED ORIGINALLY IN GENESIS 3:15.

WITHOUT DELAY, WE ARE TAUGHT THE FOLLOWING:

• HE IS SUPERIOR TO THE PROPHETS (HEBREWS 1:1-3)

• HE IS SUPERIOR TO THE ANGELS (HEBREWS 1:4 TO 2:18)

• HE IS SUPERIOR TO MOSES (HEBREWS 3:1-19)

• HE IS SUPERIOR TO JOSHUA (HEBREWS 4:1-13)

• HE IS SUPERIOR TO AARON (HEBREWS 5:14 – 7:18)

• HE IS SUPERIOR TO THE RITUAL OF JUDAISM (HEBREWS 7-10)

• HE IS SUPERIOR TO ALL OT SAINTS (HEBREWS 11:1 – 12:3)

IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST CHRISTIANS HAVE THE SUBSTANCE AND REALITY OF DIVINE THINGS OF WHICH JUDAISM AND THE LAW WERE ONLY TYPES AND SHADOWS.

WHILE THESE BELIEVERS WHO MAY WAVER ARE CALLED UPON TO GIVE UP MOST OF WHAT THEY AND THEIR FATHERS THOUGHT WAS PERFECT, THEY HAVE GAINED SO MUCH MORE THAN ANYTHING THEY MAY HAVE FORSAKEN.

WHAT WERE THOSE NEWER AND BETTER THINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY GOD?

A GREAT HIGHER PRIEST (HEBREWS 4:14 & 8:1)

AN ANCHOR OF THE SOUL (HEBREWS 6:19)

A BETTER AND MORE ENDURING SUBSTANCE (HEBREWS 10:34)

A BETTER ALTAR (HEBREWS 13:10)

THESE THINGS AND MUCH MORE WERE THE SPIRITUAL ETERNAL REWARDS FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE & DO NOT WAVER AS THEY LOOK FORWARD AND NOT LOOK BACK ANY LONGER.

A WORLD TO COME (HEBREWS 1:6 & 2:5)

AN AGE COMING (HEBREWS 6:5)

A NEW COVENANT (HEBREWS 8:10)

GOOD THINGS TO FOLLOW (HEBREWS 9:11 & 10:1)

A BETTER AND MORE COMPLETE SALVATION (HEBREWS 9:28)

A FINAL AND PERFECT REDEEMER (HEBREWS 10:37)

AN ETERNAL CITY FOR ALL BELIEVERS (HEBREWS 13:14)

ALL THESE THINGS ARE MANIFESTED BECAUSE OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST.

THE CENTER OF JUDAISM WAS THE TABERNACLE & TEMPLE AND ITS PRIESTHOOD ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED IN AARON AND PASSED DOWN FOR GENERATIONS FROM FATHER TO SON.

EACH AND EVERY HIGH PRIEST UNDER THE LAW WAS A SHADOW OF THE FAR GREATER HIGH PRIEST WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST WHO IN HIMSELF WAS A REAL AND SUBSTANTIAL TEMPLE WHO PROVIDED TRUE ACCESS TO THE THRONE OF GOD BY HIS ONCE AND FOREVER SACRIFICE.

HIS PRIESTHOOD ASSUMED THE MANTLE OF THE MYSTERIOUS KING & PRIEST OF SALEM TO WHOM FATHER ABRAHAM PAID TITHES.

THIS WAS MELCHISEDEK. ONLY TWO HELD THAT EXALTED POSITION UNTIL THE KINGDOM TO COME SHOWN IN REVELATION 1:6 WHERE ALL BELIEVERS WILL ALSO HOLD THAT EXALTED OFFICE.

OUR LETTER IS PRESENTED IN TWO DIVISIONS:

• DOCTRINE (HEBREWS 1:1 – 10:18)

• PRACTICAL LIFE (HEBREWS 10:19 TO THE END)

THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRISTIANITY TO JUDAISM IS THE GREAT DOCTRINE TAUGHT AND CONSTANCY IN FAITH IS ITS EXPECTATION.

THE FIRST TIME WE MEET JESUS IN THIS LETTER IS IN 1:3 WHERE HE HAS SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE MAJESTY ON HIGH.

THIS BEGINS OUR TEACHING ON ALL THINGS HEAVENLY WHICH HEBREWS GIVES TO ASSURE US HOW MUCH BETTER IS THE NEW COVENANT UNDER THE REDEEMER.

A HEAVENLY CALLING (HEBREWS 3:1)

A HEAVENLY GIFT (HEBREWS 6:4)

HEAVENLY THINGS (HEBREWS 8:5)

A HEAVENLY COUNTRY (HEBREWS 11:16)

HEAVENLY JERUSALEM (HEBREWS 12:22)

THE CHURCH OF THE FIRST BORN WHOSE NAMES 

ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN (HEBREWS 12:23)

NO WHERE ELSE IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE ARE WE GIVEN SUCH A TEACHING OF STEADFAST FAITH AS WE FIND IN CHAPTER 11.

THESE WALKED BY FAITH LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PROMISES OF GOD AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ENOCH WHO WAS TRANSLATED TO PARADISE WITHOUT TASTING DEATH, ALL OF THESE STEADFAST BELIEVERS DIED WITHOUT REALIZING THE PROMISES THEMSELVES.

HOW DID THEY ACCOMPLISH THAT LIFE LONG GOAL?

BY FAITH

SUBSTANCE HOPED FOR, EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN.

THE CHIEF DISTINCTIVE VALUE OF THE BOOK IS THE REVELATION OF HOW THE MANY TEACHINGS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WERE TYPES.

THE TABERNACLE AND ITS FURNITURE, THE PRIESTHOOD AND THEIR SERVICE, THE VARIOUS SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS, ALL POINTED TO THE PERSON & OFFICES AND GLORY OF JESUS CHRIST.

HEBREWS 8:5 TEACHES THAT ISRAEL’S PRIESTS SERVED A SHADOW OF HEAVENLY THINGS.

THE FIRST TABERNACLE WAS A FIGURE FOR THE TIME THEN PRESENT (HEBREWS 9:9).

THE CEREMONIAL LAW WAS A SHADOW OF GOOD THINGS TO COME (HEBREWS 10:1).

MELCHISEDEK WAS A TYPE OF CHRIST (HEBREWS 7:15)

OUR OBJECT HERE INSIDE THE LETTER IS TO REVEAL THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE TWO COVENANTS, WITH THE CENTRAL POINT OF CONTRAST BEING BETWEEN THE OT PROPHETS AND THE SON OF GOD.

CHAPTER ONE IS CLEAR THAT JESUS IS THE FINAL SPOKESMAN OF ALL THAT IS DIVINE.

THE WRITTEN WORD IS NOW COMPLETE IN HIM.

HE HAS DIVIDED HUMAN HISTORY WITH EVERYTHING BEFORE POINTING TO HIM AND EVERYTHING SINCE POINTS BACK TO HIM.

HE IS THE ETERNAL CENTER OF ALL GODLY COUNSEL.

THIS ATTRIBUTE OF GOD’S WILL WAS SHOWN TO US IN LUKE 2:11 WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM HEAVEN THAT UNTO US IS BORN WHAT?

NOT A TEACHER/NOT A JUDGE/ BUT A SAVIOR WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD. 

IN THOSE WORDS WAS THE HEART OF GOD SHOWN AND RESTATED IN HEBREWS ONE.

TO FURTHER ASSURE FULL UNDERSTANDING, HEBREWS ONE ALSO TEACHES THAT HE IS APPOINTED HEIR OF ALL THINGS.

THIS CONFIRMATION REVEALS JESUS WAS THE CREATOR, ALMOST THE SAME WORDS GIVEN IN JOHN’S GOSPEL.

EVEN MORE THAN THESE THINGS, JESUS IS ANNOUNCED TO BE THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE GLORY OF GOD.

THUS THE SON IS IN NO WAY INFERIOR TO OR LESS THAN THE HEAVENLY FATHER BUT HEREBY EQUAL IN ALL WAYS, EVEN TO THE SHINING FORTH THE DIVINE LIGHT OF HEAVEN UNTO ALL CREATION.

BECAUSE OF THAT FACT, JESUS WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE THE MOST PERFECT SACRIFICE IN HIS COMPLETE & SINLESS SELF AND BY HIMSELF PURGED OUR SINS.

HEBREWS 10:4 TEACHES THAT NONE OF THE PRIOR SACRIFICES COULD REMOVE SIN, BUT COULD ONLY COVER IT TEMPORARILY.

JOHN THE BAPTIST ANNOUNCED THAT ALL SHOULD BEHOLD HIM AS THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD.

IT WAS CRITICAL THAT JESUS WAS SHOWN TO BE SUPERIOR TO THE ANGELS BECAUSE THE JEWS REGARDED THEM AS THE MOST EXALTED OF GOD’S CREATURES.

ANGELS RESCUED LOT BEFORE DESTRUCTION.

ANGELS EXPLAINED THE FULL FUTURE OF MANKIND TO 

DANIEL WITH THE 70 WEEKS.

ANGELS PROTECTED THE HEBREWS AT THE PASSOVER.

IN HEBREWS IS THE TEACHING THAT JESUS WAS MADE SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE ANGELS.

TO NO ANGEL DID GOD EVER SAY ‘THOU ART MY SON”.

HEBREWS TEACHES US OF THE DEMANDS OF FAITH IN CHAPTER 12 WITH A CALL TO BE STEADFAST.

THIS SAME CHAPTER TEACHES US OF THE LORD’S DIVINE CHASTISEMENT OF ALL WHO ARE HIS.

CHAPTER 13 TEACHES US OF GOD’S WILL CONCERNING:

• BROTHERLY LOVE

• MARRIAGE

• COVETOUSNESS

• CONTENTMENT

• FIDELITY

• OUR OWN SACRIFICES NEEDED

• RESPECT OF RULERS

• A GOOD CONSCIENCE

• PRAYING FOR MINISTERS

• SPIRITUAL FREEDOM.

THIS CHAPTER PROVIDES OUR PERFECT CONCLUSION TO THIS POWERFUL LETTER WHICH TEACHES US SO MUCH.

IT SEEMS SURE THAT THE MOST GLORIOUS TEACHING HEBREWS PROVIDES IS HOW THE ATONING WORK OF JESUS HAS BROUGHT FULFILLMENT IN A BETTER WAY OF THE NEW COVENANT WHERE

GOD PROMISED TO REMEMBER OUR SIN NO MORE.

FIRST, HIS PERFECT SACRIFICE SANCTIFIES THOSE SAVED INTO A STATE OF HOLINESS.  (HEBREWS 2:11   10:14   13:12)

HE DID SO BY THE SACRIFICIAL ACT OF SINLESS PERFECTION AT THE CROSS OF HIS BODY AND HIS BLOOD. THAT ACT WAS SUFFICIENT FOR ALL BUT ONLY EFFECTIVE FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE.

(POINT 11 IN OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL BOOK OF BAPTIST DOCTRINE)

SECOND, CHRIST’S SACRIFICE MOVES FOLLOWERS FROM THE STATE OF IMPURITY TO PURITY. (HEBREWS 9:14)

LEVITICUS 16:30 POINTED TO THE RITUAL CLEANLINESS NEEDED TO ENGAGE IN GODLY WORSHIP.

HEBREWS COLLAPSES THE ORIGINAL SEPARATE NOTIONS OF CLEANLINESS AND SANCTIFICATION. (HEBREWS 9:13)

THIRD, HIS SACRIFICIAL ACT DOES AWAY WITH SIN AND HE BECOMES OUR PURIFICATION FROM SIN. (HEBREWS 9:26 & 28)

THIS ACT REMOVED THE OBSTACLE THAT BLOCKED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND HIS PEOPLE AS FINALLY A PERFECT SACRIFICE OF HOLINESS ARRIVED, A MESSIAH WHO WAS WITHOUT SIN TO BE MADE SIN FOR US.

HIS SACRIFICE WAS A COMPREHENSIVE SACRIFICE PROVIDING:

• REDEMPTION (HEBREWS 9:12 & 15)

• SALVATION (HEBREWS 2:10 & 5:9 & 7:25)

• FORGIVENESS (HEBREWS 9:22)

HEBREWS STRESSES HIS SACRIFICE WAS FOR MANY AND WAS FOR ALL TIME.

FINALLY, CHRIST’S SACRIFICE PROVIDES BELIEVERS WITH UNHINDERED ACCESSS TO GOD’S PRESENCE. 

BEFORE ACCESS WAS NOT POSSIBLE EXCEPT FOR THE HIGH PRIEST ONCE A YEAR.

AS SOON AS JESUS GAVE UP THE GHOST, THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS SPLIT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, ALLOWING FROM THAT MOMENT FORWARD OUR FREE ACCESS TO BOLDLY COME BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD TO COMMUNE DIRECTLY WITH HIM IN PRAYER.

HOPE BECAME REALITY IN THAT MOMENT AS JESUS WAS A FORERUNNER ON OUR BEHALF. (HEBREWS 6:19-20)

SUCH AN APPROACH IS A MATTER OF PERSONAL FAITH AND MARTIN LUTHER WROTE THAT WHEN THE VEIL WAS SPLIT, EVERY MAN BECAME HIS OWN PRIEST.

HEBREWS CHALLENGES ALL BELIEVERS TO MAKE THAT APPROACH IN ORDER TO RECEIVE MERCY & GRACE. (HEBREWS 4:16 & 10:22).

THE NEW COVENANT EXPLANATION IN CHAPTER 13 TEACHES ALL BELIEVERS CLEARLY THAT WE ARE NOT TO BE ENCOMPASSED WITH FEAR, AS WERE THE HEBREWS AT MT. SINAI, BUT TO BE FILLED WITH LOVE WHICH OVERCAME ALL FEAR ON MT. ZION. 

Hebrews - Chapter 1

CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD

1:1 God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways.

1:2 has at the end of these days spoken to us by His Son:

1. whom He appointed heir of all things

2. through whom He also made the worlds

3. 1:3 His Son is the radiance of His glory (not a reflection)

4. is the very image of his substance

5. upholding all things by the word of His power

6. when He had, by himself, made purification for our sins

7. sat down at the right hand of the Father on high.

1:4 having become so much better than the angels and inherited a more excellent name than them.

1:5 for to which of His angels did he say at any time:

“You are my Son, Today I have become your Father”? (Ps 2:7) and: “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a son”?  (1 Ch 22:10)

1:6 when He brings the firstborn into the world he says: “Let all the angels worship him” (Ps 97:7)

1:7 of the angels He says: “Who makes his angels wind, and his servants a flame of fire” (Ps 104:4)

1:8 but of the Son, He says: “your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity; Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows. (Ps 45:6-7)

1:10 and You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The Heavens are the works of your hands.

1:11 They will perish but you continue. They will all grow old like a garment does. 

1:12 As a mantle you will roll them up, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years will not fail. (Ps 102:25-27)

1:13but of which of the angels has He said at any time

“Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet”. (Ps 110:1)

1:14Are not they all ministering spirits sent out to do service of those who will inherit salvation?

How does Jesus differ from the OT prophets?

What are the differences between Jesus & the angels?

Why should we pay attention to the message?

What might be the consequences if we don’t?

What evidence are we given that the gospel of salvation is the word of God?

(Rom 10:9) 

Hebrews 1: Christ, Eternal Son of God

HEBREWS 1:1-14

APPLICATION: RECOGNIZE THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST AS GOD THE SON AND SUBMIT TO HIS RIGHT RULE IN EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE.

VERSES 1:1-14

BEFORE WE BEGIN ON OUR JOURNEY INTO THE BOOK OF HEBREWS IT MAKES SENSE TO DISCUSS THE IDEA OF WHO WROTE THIS IMPORTANT BOOK.

THE SIMPLE DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS IS “THE BETTER WAY”.

AS WE SPENT THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WE SAW MANY TYPES AND SHADOWS OF THE COMING OF CHRIST ON HIS MESSIAH MISSION TO EARTH.

NOW, IN HEBREWS WE CELEBRATE THE COMING OF THE LORD AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN HE CAME, ALL SHADOWS WERE REMOVED. 

THE FUTURE THAT THE EARLIER SHADOWS FORECASTED WAS NOW AMONG US.

WHEN THE SUBSTANCE OF THE ACTUAL THING FORECASTED ARRIVES, THE SHADOWS ALL FALL AWAY.

THE REAL SUBSTANCE IS HERE AND HEBREWS SPENDS IT CHAPTERS CELEBRATING THAT FACT.

JESUS CAME, FULFILLED THE ENTIRE LAW, AND BROUGHT A NEW COVENANT TO MAN, WRITTEN IN HIS OWN BLOOD.

BETWEEN THE LAST PROPHET, MALACHI, AND THE PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, OVER 400 YEARS OF SILENCE HAD COME UPON THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

BUT DURING THE MINISTRY OF JESUS, NOT ONLY WAS THE NEED FOR PROPHETS TO SPEAK FOREVER MADE SILENT, THE LORD GOD THE FATHER HIMSELF SPOKE THREE TIMES FROM HEAVEN TO HIS CREATION CONCERNING JESUS, HIS SON:

1. BAPTISM

2. TRANSFIGURATION

3. PASSOVER

AS HEBREWS BEGINS WE ARE TOLD OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF JESUS:

1. HE IS THE HEIR OF ALL THINGS

2. HE IS THE AGENT OF ALL CREATION

3. HE IS THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE GLORY OF GOD. 

(NOTICE HE IS NOT A REFLECTION OF THE GLORY, HE IS THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE GLORY HIMSELF)

1. HE IS THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF GOD'S PERSON.

2. HE UPHOLDS ALL THINGS BY THE POWER OF HIS WORD.

3. HE FINISHED THE WORK GIVEN, AND THROUGHT HIS SACRIFICE & DEATH, PURGED AND CLEANSED ALL WHO BELIVE IN HIM OF SIN.

NEXT WE ARE GIVEN THE WAYS IN WHICH JESUS IS BETTER THAN ALL THAT HAS COME BEFORE OR MAY EVER EXIST:

1.GOD RECOGNIZED JESUS AS HIS SON.

1. THE ANGELS WORSHIPPED JESUS AT HIS BIRTH. HE DID NOT WORSHIP ANGELS, THEY WORSHIPPED HIM.

2. HE HAS COME AS OUR ETERNAL KING, AND WILL BE THE ULTIMATE RULER OF THE WORLD. (PSALMS 102:25-27)

SO, AS BETTER THAN ALL PROPHETS WHO CAME BEFORE, AND NONE CAME AFTER, AND BETTER THAT THE ANGELS, AND BETTER THAN ANY KING WHO HAS LIVED OR MAY LIVE AFTER, WE SEE THE TRUTH THAT HEBREWS PRESENTS.

NOW, IT SEEMS RIGHT TO DIG DEEPER INTO THE BOOK TO KEEP IN OUR MINDS THE WONDERFUL TRUTHS THAT HEBREWS PRESENTS TO US:

1. IT'S ADDRESSES:

THE VERY FIRST FEW WORDS IN THE BOOK SHOW THAT IT IS ADDRESSED TO THE BELIEVING JEWS INSIDE ISRAEL

WE WILL SEE LATER IN 3:1 THE CONFIRMATION OF THIS FACT AS IT SAYS “...HOLY BRETHREN, PARTEKERS OF THE HEAVENLY CALLING”.

HEBREWS 5:12 WILL TEACH US THAT THE BOOK WAS ADDRESSED TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT YOUNG IN THE FAITH.

IT WAS SENT TO THOSE WHO UNDERSTOOD AND SUFFERED PERSECUTIONS.

HEBREWS 13:24 TEACHES THAT THE COMMUNITY OF BELEIVERS ADDRESSED WAS SIGNIFICANT IN SIZE, NOT A SMALL GROUP.

1. IT'S PURPOSE:

HEBREWS WAS DESIGNED TO INSTRUCT JEWISH BELIEVERS THAT JUDAISM HAD BEEN SUPERCEEDED BY CHRISTIANITY.

REMEMBER THAT THESE BELEIVERS WERE FORMER JEWS.

THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT PAUL HAD WRITTEN THAT HE WAS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO WEAN THESE TYPES OF BELIEVERS AWAY FROM THE RESTRICTIVE LAW WHICH COULD NOT SAVE AND TOWARD CHRIST, WHO COULD AND DID.

LET'S NEVER FORGET THAT THE SADUCEES HAD PERSECUTED AND TORTURED AND KILLED EARLY CHRISTIANS FOR WHAT THEY SAW AS BETRAYAL TO TRUE JEWISH FAITH.

THE TEST OF THE FAITH OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS WAS VERY DIFFICULT. 

THEY WERE CUT AWAY FROM THE TEMPLE AND ANY WORSHIP THERE, WHERE THEIR FATHERS AND MANY GENERATIONS HAD WORSHIPPED.

THEY WERE ANNOUNCED TO BE LOWER THAT THE GENTILES, WHO WERE CONSIDERED AS LOW AS DOGS ON SOCIETY.

SO THEIR SITUATION WAS CRITICAL AND THEY BADLY NEEDED THEIR FAITH AND STRENGTH TO BE REINFORCED BY THE TRUTH THAT THE BOOK OF HEBREWS BROUGHT BY ITS THEME.

1. IT'S THEME:

EVERY PART OF THAT WHICH HAD COME TO BELIEVE WAS BETTER THAT ALL THAT HAD COME BEFORE AND ALL THAT EXISTED IN ISRAEL NOW.

ALL OF THE FACTORS TAUGHT BY THE JEWS WERE PALE IN COMPARISON TO THE MAJESTY AND PERFECTION OF CHRIST.

FIRST HE WAS SUPERIOR TO THE PROPHETS (1:1-3)

SECOND, HE WAS SUPERIOR TO THE ANGELS (1:4 – 2:18)

THIRD, HE WAS SUPERIOR TO MOSES (3:1-19)

FOURTH, HE WAS SUPERIOR TO JOSHUA (4:1-13)

FIFTH, HE WAS SUPERIOR TO AARON (5:14 – 7:18)

SIXTH, HE WAS SUPERIOR TO ALL RITUAL OF JUDAISM (7:19 – 10:39)

SEVENTH, HE WAS SUPERIOR TO EACH OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS (11:1 – 12:3)

SO IN THE LORD JESUS, THESE BELIEVERS HAD THE SUBSTANCE AND REALITY OF GOD, NOT SHADOWS OF SOMETHING TO COME.

1. IT'S DIVISIONS:

THE BOOK IS PRESENTED IN TWO PARTS:

1. THE DOCTRINE (1:1 – 10:18)

2. THE PRACTICE (10:19 – END)

THE DOCTRINE IS THAT CHRIST IS BETTER THAN ALL OTHER THINGS THAT WERE, THAT ARE, OR THAT WILL BE.

CONSTANCY IN FAITH IN DUTY TO HIM ARE THE PRACTICE.

1. IT'S CHARACTERISTICS:

THE TEACHINGS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ARE EXPLAINED AND SHOWN BY COMPARISON NOT TO EQUAL THE NEW TEACHING.

THE GREAT HIGH PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST IS GIVEN.

THE WARNINGS AGAINST DISBELIEF ARE STRONGER AND MORE SOLEMN THAT IN OTHER NEW TESTAMENT BOOKS.

THE CALLS TO STEADFAST FAITH ARE MORE EMPHATIC.

THE MOST COMPLETE AND STRONGEST TESTIMONY OF FAITH IS GIVEN US IN CHAPTER 11 KNOWN AS THE FAITH CHAPTER.

THE MYSTERY OF THE ONLY OTHER GREAT HIGH PRIEST NAMED BY GOD IS PRESENTED IN CHAPTER 7.

1. IT'S VALUE:

THIS BOOK IS INDEED THE RICHEST IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ON THE VERBAL INSIRATION OF SCRIPTURE.

WE SEE AS WONDERFUL EXAMPLE (AMONG MANY OTHERS WE WILL STUDY) IN 1:5-9 WHEN THE WRITE QUOTES FROM THE PSALMS, 2ND SAMUEL, DUETERONOMY, AND IN THIS INSTANCE WE ARE TOLD THAT THESE WORDS CAME FROM THE LIPS OF GOD.

IN HEBREWS 3:7 WE SEE SIMILAR WISDOM USING THE WORDS “THE HOLY GHOST SAITH”.

NOTICE HOW IN HEBREWS 2:8 THE WRITER USES THE WONDERFUL WORD “ALL” TO ESTABLISH THE TOTAL AUTHORITY OF JESUS.

THE BOOK PROVIDES SOME OF THE STRONGEST EVANGELICAL TEACHING IN ALL OF THE NEW TESTAMENT:

1:3 THE GREAT SACRIFICE AND THE PURGING OF SIN.

7:25 HE IS ABLE TO SAVE TO THE UTTERMOST.

10:14 HIS ONE OFFERING HAS “PROTECTED FOREVER THE SANCTIFIED”

10:19-20 BY HIS BLOOD A NEW AND LIVING WAY HAS BEEN OPENED.

5:9 HE HAS BROUGHT AN ETERNAL SALVATION.

9:12 AN ETERNAL REDEMPTION.

9:15 AND ETERNAL INHERITANCE.

AND FINALLY IN 8:5 WE BEGIN TO SEE THAT ALL OF THE SPECIFIC AND DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ALL POINTED TO CHRIST AS THE FINAL ANSWER AS THE PRIESTS WHO CAME BEFORE SERVED UNDER THE SHADOW OF HEAVENLY THINGS.

NOW IN HEBREWS WE SEE THAT THE WHOLE REVELATION AND THE ENTIRE MANIFESTATION OF GOD IS NOW IN CHRIST.

HE ALONE REVEALS THE HEART OF THE FATHER.

HE DOES NOT DELIVER THE FATHER'S MESSAGE, HE “IS” THE FATHER;S MESSAGE TO ALL CREATION.

(THE WORD ITSELF HAD BECOME FLESH).

ALL THAT GOD HAS TO SAY TO EVERY HUMAN FROM THIS TIME UNTIL THE END OF TIME IS WITHIN THE MESSIAH.

ALL THE THOUGHTS & PROMISES & GIFTS OF GOD ARE FOUND WITHIN THE SON.

HIS PERFECT LIFE, HIS MIRACLES, HIS TENDER COMPASSION, AND HIS MIGHTY POWER ALL ARE WITHIN JESUS AS HE IS GOD ON EARTH.

HIS DEATH WHICH SHOWED THE MAJESTY OF THE LOVE OF GOD PROVIDEED FOR ALL THEN AND FOREVER A WAY OUT OF SIN AND DARKNESS.

ALL THESE THINGS WE WILL SEE AND STUDY IN HEBREWS AND AS IN A TRAILER FOR A GREAT MOVIE, ALL THESE THINGS ARE SHOWN IN THE FIRST 14 VERSES WE STUDY TODAY.

Hebrews 1: A Better Message

HEBREWS 1:1-14

Application: The student will evaluate the superiority of the person and message of Jesus.

AS WE CLOSED OUR RECENT STUDY OF DEUTERONOMY WE WERE GIVEN A FORESHADOW OF OUR CURRENT STUDY IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS.

DEUTERONOMY 18:18:   GOD SPEAKING ABOUT MOSES

“I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”

JUST OVER 1450 YEARS LATER THIS PROPHECY CAME TRUE WHEN JESUS CHRIST CAME TO EARTH INCARNATED IN THE LIKENESS OF OUR FLESH.

JOHN 1:45:

“Philip findeth Nathanel, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the Law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth…”

JOHN BEGINS HIS GOSPEL WRITING OF THIS ARRIVAL OF THE ONE PROMISED DESCRIBING HIM AS THE WORD AND ASSURING US THAT HE WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD AND HE WAS GOD AND THAT ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM AND HE WAS LIFE ITSELF AND THE LIGHT OF MEN.

IN 1:17 JOHN PREPARES US FOR OUR BEGINNING IN HEBREWS AS HE SHOWS US HOW DIFFERENT JESUS WAS THAN MOSES.

“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

WHILE THE PROMISE WAS FULFULLED IN JESUS, AND HE WAS INDEED TO BE CONSIDERED A PROPHET AND MOSES WAS ALSO CONSIDERED A PROPHET, THE SIMILARITY ENDS THERE AS JESUS IS FAR DIFFERENT IN SCOPE AND POWER.

JESUS IS A BETTER WAY.

CHAPTER THREE WILL SPEND VERSES SHOWING THE PROOF OF THIS UNDERSTANDING OF HOW FAR MORE WORTHY JESUS IS THAN MOSES.

AS WE BEGIN CHAPTER ONE WE MUST ALSO TAKE TIME TO UNDERSTAND A PHRASE USED TO BEGIN OUR STUDY DESCRIBING HOW GOD NO LONGER SPEAKS THROUGH PROPHETS BUT ONLY THROUGH HIS SON AND HE DOES SO “IN THESE LAST DAYS”.

THAT PHRASE “IN THESE LAST DAYS” IN BIBLICAL MEANING INCLUDES THE ARRIVAL OF THE MESSIAH, HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY, HIS DEATH & RESURRECTION, THE RAPTURE, THE TRIBULATION, AND THE MILLENIAL KINGDOM TO COME, AS WELL AS THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW JERUSALEM.

IT ALSO MEANS THAT THERE IS NO LONGER ANY REASON TO EXPECT NEWER REVELATION FROM GOD TO MAN THAN THE ONE GIVEN HERE.

IT WAS NOT AN ADDITION TO THE LAW THAT CHRIST BROUGHT TO MAN BUT IT WAS GOD’S FINAL CONCLUSION AND HE ANNOUNCES IT IN THESE FEW VERSES.

THIS MATTER WAS AND REMAINS A GREAT HINDERANCE TO THE JEWS.

THEY HAVE STILL NOT ACCEPTED THAT GOD DEFERRED A FULLER REVELATION OF HIS WILL UNTIL A TIME AFTER HIS LAW. REMEMBER THAT JESUS HIMSELF REVEALED THAT HE DID NOT COME TO DESTROY THE LAW BUT TO FULFILL IT.

NOW IN HEBREWS THE SPIRIT OF GOD INVITES ALL TO COME AS FAR AS CHRIST BUT THERE WILL BE NO REASON TO GO FURTHER AS HERE RESTS THE LIMIT OF OUR WISDOM UNTIL GOD WILL BOTH REMOVE THE CHURCH AND FINALLY DEAL WITH HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.

THE MAJESTIC DESCRIPTION GIVEN NEXT PROVES THAT POINT.

HERE WE ARE SHOWN THAT IN HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, GOD HAS SPOKEN HIS FINAL MESSAGE OF SALVATION. ALL THAT IS NEEDED FOR SALVATION HAS HERE BEEN REVEALED IN HIS SON.

TO ASSURE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE WE ARE GIVEN NINE FACTORS TO DEMONSTRATE HOW SUPERIOR IS THE SON AS THE DIVINE MESSENGER OF GOD’S WILL.

1. HE IS HEIR OF ALL THINGS.

2. THE SON IS THE AGENT BY WHOM GOD CREATED THE UNIVERSE AND THE AGES OF TIME IT PASSES THROUGH.

3. CHRIST IS THE DIVINE FLASHING FORTH OF THE FATHER’S GLORY IN A WAY LIKE BRILLIANT SUNRAYS SHOWN TO US.

4. HE IS THE EXACT IMPRESSION OF GOD’S CHARACTER IN THE LIKENESS OF HUMAN FLESH. EVERY FEATURE OF GOD’S CHARACTER IS DISPLAYED IN THE SON.

5. BY HIS POWERFUL WORD HE UPHOLDS THE UNIVERSE AND THIS IS HOW HE CARRIES IT FORWARD TO ITS FINAL DESTINY.

HE IS FAR MORE THAN A REVEALER OF KNOWLEDGE.

1. HE HAS ALREADY BY HIMSELF CLEANSED AND REMOVED THE SINS OF THE BELIEVER. FAR MORE THAN COVERING SIN AS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, HE TOOK IT AWAY.

       HE IS THE PROMISED REDEEMER.

1. HE SITS IN THE PLACE OF POWER AND RULES AS ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN.

2. HE ALSO ACTS AS THE FOREVER INTERCESSOR FOR MANKIND.

3. HE IS SUPERIOR BECAUSE OF HIS NAME WHICH IS “SON”. THIS NAME IS SUPERIOR TO THE NAME “ANGEL”.

THE REST OF CHAPTER ONE THEN ELABORATES ON THIS MESSAGE OF HOW THE SON IS SUPERIOR TO ALL ANGELS.

THE JEWS ALWAYS BELIEVED IN THE ASSISTANCE OF ANGELS IN THE GIVING OF THE LAW BY GOD. 

DEUTERONOMY 33:2:

“The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints; from his right hand went a fiery law for them.”

TO PROFESSING JEWISH CHRISTIANS WHO MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO WORSHIP ANGELS AND REVERT TO JUDAISM, THE SON’S SUPERIORITY TO ANGELS WAS AN IMPORTANT MATTER.

ANGELS WERE SO PROMINENT IN ANCIENT ISRAEL’S HISTORY, ITS PEOPLE WERE TEMPTED TO WORSHIP THEM, BUT TO DO SO WOULD BE TO WORSHIP THE CREATURE INSTEAD OF THE CREATOR.

PAUL TEACHES IN THIS MATTER IN ROMANS 1:25 WHEN HE SAYS CERTAIN PEOPLE MADE THE TRUTH OF GOD A LIE BY WORSHIPPING AND SERVING THE CREATURE MORE THAN THE CREATOR.

PAUL AGAIN TEACHES THE SAME MESSAGE IN COLL 2:18 THAT DEVOTION IS NOT TO BE SHOWN TO ANGELS.

WE ALSO RECALL JOHN HIMSELF YIELDED TO THE TEMPTATION TO WORSHIP ANGELS (REV 22) AND WAS 

ADMONISHED BY THE ANGEL NOT TO DO SO.

PSALM 2:7 CLEARLY SHOWS GOD PROVIDING THE TITLE “SON”

TO JESUS, A TITLE NEVER GIVEN TO ANY ANGEL.

WE KNOW FROM JOB 38:7 THAT ANGELS WERE PRESENT WHEN GOD LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD AND THERE WERE NOTED AS “SONS OF GOD” AS THEY WERE IN GENESIS 6:2, MEANING THEY BECAME HIS FAMILY JUST AS BELIEVERS DO WHEN WE ARE SAVED.

BUT NEVER WAS ANY ANGEL PROCLAIMED TO BE HIS BEGOTTEN SON AND THE FATHER MADE THIS FACT KNOWN AND CLEAR AT HIS BAPTISM AND AT HIS TRANSFIGURATION, SPEAKING FROM HEAVEN HIS WILL THAT ALL MANKIND SHOULD HEAR AND KNOW JESUS WAS HIS BELOVED SON.

VERSE 6 FURTHER CONFIRMS THIS TEACHING AS IN THIS VERSE THE SON IS CALLED THE “FIRSTBEGOTTEN”.

PAUL EXPLAINS IN COLL 1:18 THAT THIS MEANS JESUS WAS THE “FIRSTBORN OF THE DEAD”.

JOHN WROTE THE SAME THOUGHT IN REVELATION 1:5.

BOTH ARE SPEAKING OF THE RESURRECTION.

ONE VERSE BEFORE GOD REFERS TO THE SON AS “BEGOTTEN”, IN A QUOTE FROM PSALM 2:7.

THE STATEMENT REFERS THERE NOT TO A PHYSICAL BIRTH BUT RATHER IT POINTS TO A POSITION OF RANK.

GOD LATER RECONFIRMS THIS TEACHING IN PSALM 89:27:

“Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.”

HERE THE TERM HE IS “SUPREME IN RANK” RATHER THAN FIRST IN TIME.

PSALMS MAKES THE POINT THAT GOD WILL MAKE THE MESSIAH HIGHER THAN ALL OTHER EARTHLY KINGS WHILE HEBREWS BRINGS A SIMILAR MESSAGE AS TO HIS BEING SUPERIOR TO ANGELS.

VERSE 1:7 BRINGS ANOTHER QUOTE FROM PSALMS (104:4)

AND BRINGS THE DEFINITION OF ANGELS AS THE MESSENGERS AND MINISTERS OF GOD. THEY ARE BEINGS CREATED TO PERFORM HIS SERVICE AND DO HIS BIDDING.

THE PSALMIST LIKENS THEM TO WIND AND FLAMES STRESSING THE SERVICE OF ANGELS TO THE LORD.

IN VERSES 8 & 9 THE SON’S POSITION OVER THE ANGELS IS REFLECTED FROM PSALM 45:6-7.

THIS PSALM SPEAKS OF THE GOD-MAN, THE SON JESUS.

HE WAS TO COME FROM THE HOUSE OF DAVID A DYNASTY WHICH GOD CREATED AS A COVENANT IN 2ND SAMUEL 7:13-14.

THIS COVENANT WOULD ONLY BE FULFILLED IN JESUS THE MESSIAH.

IN PSALM 45 THE MESSIAH IS DESIGNATED AS GOD.

HE IS PROMISED AN ETERNAL THRONE.

HIS RULE IS DESCRIBED AS JUST.

HE IS PORTRAYED AS ONE WHO IS PERSONALLY COMMITTED TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, ANOINTED ROYALLY AND CROWNED WITH JOY.

LATER IN HEBREWS 12:2 DESCRIBES THE WAY IN WHICH JOY COMES TO THE MESSIAH, WHICH IS THROUGH HIS SUFFERING.

PETER TEACHES US IN 1ST PETER 1:8 THAT BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN ENDOWED WITH GLORIOUS JOY BUT THE JOY BROUGHT BY SHARING IN THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST IS EVEN GREATER.

PETER SAYS: “Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

VERSES 10 & 11 PROVIDE US WITH A FAR DEEPER UNDERSTANDING. 

CONSISTENT WITH THE WRITER’S CONTINUAL USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WE SEE THAT HE UNDERSTOOD JESUS IS GOD AND USES PASSAGES WHICH SPEAK OF JEHOVAH IN SPEAKING ABOUT JESUS.

WHO ELSE BUT THE SON IS BOTH CREATOR AND LORD?

IN CONTRAST TO THE CREATION OF THE ANGELS, HE IS THE ETERNAL AND UNCHANGING SON.

HE EXISTED BEFORE THE UNIVERSE BECAUSE HE CREATED IT.

IT IS NOT EVERLASTING WHILE HE IS.

THE UNIVERSE IS AFFECTED BY AGING AND IS SAID TO BE LIKE A FRAGILE GARMENT SUSCEPTIBLE TO DECAY AND CHANGE WHILE JESUS IS ETERNAL AND WILL NOT CHANGE.

SINCE HE IS GOD THERE IS NO REASON TO PUZZLE OR WONDER WHY CREATED BEINGS LIKE ANGELS WILL BOW DOWN & WORSHIP HIM, CONFESSING HIM AS GOD.

IN THE REVELATION JOHN WAS WARNED TWICE BY ANGELS NOT TO SHOW WORSHIP TOWARD ANY ANGEL BUT TO ONLY WORSHIP GOD, WHICH IS CHRIST.

IN VERSE 13 THE WRITER FINALLY EMPLOYS WHAT SEEMS TO BE HIS FAVORITE OT PASSAGE, PSALM 110:1.

THE QUESTION IS ASKED:

TO WHAT ANGEL DID JEHOVAH EVER OFFER THE PLACE OF FAVOR AND BLESSING IN ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY OVER HIS CONQUERED ENEMIES?

TO WHAT ANGEL WAS THE OFFICE OF KING IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MESSIAH EVER GIVEN?

CLEARLY THIS PASSAGE WAS IN MIND BACK IN VERSE 3 WHEN THE SON WAS DESCRIBED AS HAVING “SAT DOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE MAJESTY ON HIGH”.

VERSE 14 PROVIDES OUR FINAL TOUCH TO THE ARGUMENT OUR WRITER HAS MADE.

ANGELS ARE NOT EQUAL TO NOR SUPERIOR TO JESUS CHRIST.

THEY ARE SENT OUT CONTINUALLY TO SERVE HUMAN BEINGS WHO ARE DESTINED TO INHERIT SALVATION GIVEN BY GOD.

ALL OUR VERSES 4 THROUGH 14 SHOW THE SUPERIOR POSITION OF JESUS TO ANGELS BECAUSE OF SEVEN SPECIFIC REASONS:

1. GOD HAS DESIGNATED HIM INDIVIDUALLY AS HIS SON IN ALL POWER BY HIS RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.

2. ANGELS ARE COMMANDED TO WORSHIP THE SON.

3. HE IS GOD INCARNATED ONLY TEMPORARILY IN THE LIKENESS OF HUMAN FLESH.

4. HE IS ETERNAL AND UNCHANGING.

5. HE IS PERSONALLY RIGHTEOUS AND IS TO BE ABSOLUTE RULER IN THE FINAL KINGDOM.

6. HE IS THE CREATOR.

7. HE IS SEATED SECURELY AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER, AWAITING THE TIME OF HIS SECOND COMING WHICH WILL BE IN POWER NOT AS A HUMBLE SERVANT.

OUR LAST VERSE (14) HAS OUR LAST QUESTION WHICH IS ARE NOT ANGELS MINISTERING SPIRITS WHO ARE SENT FORTH TO MINISTER FOR THEM WHO WILL BE HEIRS OF SALVATION?

THE ANSWER IS CLEARLY YES!

WE CLOSE THIS STUDY STOP WITH A FEW THOUGHTS GIVEN US ON THIS POSITION OF ANGELS AS TO WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DO, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY A FEW CLEAR EXAMPLES THAT ALREADY CONFIRM VERSE 14 FOR US IN PRIOR SCRIPTURE.

Hebrews - Chapter 2

CHRIST, THE SON OF MAN

2:1 Therefore (because of that which came before – chapter 1) we ought to pay greater attention, lest we drift away.

2:2 For, if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast and every transgression receives just recompence;

2:3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation – which at first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;

2:4 God, also bearing witness with them, both by signs & wonders, & by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

2:5 for He did not subject the world to come to angels

2:6 but one has somewhere testified, saying:

“What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him?” (Ps 8:4-6)

2:7 “You made him a little lower than the angels, you crowned him with glory & honor.” (Ps 8:4-6)

2:8 “You have put all things in subjection under his feet” (Ps 8:4-6)

2:9 by the grace of God he should taste death for everyone.

2:10 For it became him, for whom all things, and through whom all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

2:11 For both he who sanctifies, and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which he is not ashamed to call them brothers.

2:12 saying:  “I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise” (Ps 22:22)

2:13 Again, “I will put my trust in him” (Ps 91:2)

Again,  “Behold, here am I and the children whom God has given me.” (Is 8:18)

2:14 Since then the children have shared in flesh & blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is the devil,

2:15 and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

2:16 For most assuredly, not to angels, does he give help, but he gives help to the seed of Abraham.

2:17 There he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

2:18 For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

THOUGHTS & QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:

Who is Jesus Christ to whom we are subject? Read Col 1:13-20

What ancient prophecy was shown fulfilled in Hebrews 2? Read Isaiah 61:1-3

What scripture discusses Christ’s beginning & end? Read Psalm 102:25-27

Verse 9 teaches “tasting death for everyone”. Where else do we see this teaching?

Read Gal 2:20 & Rom 6:3-4

Verse 5 “the world to come”  Is this the millennial kingdom or the New Jerusalem?

Verse 6: others such as Ezekiel were called son of man, but only Christ is THE son of man, just as our true church is THE one true church.

Verse 14-15 how did Christ end our bondage (slavery)?  Dominion destroyed!

(Remember the devil is used to teach lessons, as in 2 Cor 12:7 (… a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted.  BE HUMBLE!!!!!

But we are surely rescued from Satan’s darkness ……. “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” (Col 1:13)

Verse 16 Abraham’s descendants, not only those by blood but also those by the promise of faith. See Gal 3:29.

WHAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO “DRIFT AWAY” FROM THEIR FAITH? 

HOW CAN RECOGNIZE THIS AMONG OUR BRETHREN?

HOW CAN WE HELP THEM?

Hebrews 2: A Better Testimony

Application: The student will determine that the words of Jesus require greater heed than those spoken by angels and men.

OUR LESSON TODAY ARRANGES A BEGINNING FOR US THAT CARRIES THE ENTIRE WEIGHT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

THE MESSAGE IS THAT WHILE THERE ARE MANY SCRIPTURE PASSAGES AVAILABLE TO US FOR LEARNING, THERE IS ONLY ONE GIVEN WITH THE FULL TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL.

THAT ONE MESSAGE IS GIVEN US IN ACTS 4:12 WHICH TEACHES THAT THERE IS NO OTHER NAME BY WHICH SALVATION IS GIVEN, THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.

HEBREWS RENEWS THIS MESSAGE IN FULL AND BRINGS US THE BLESSINGS OF ALL CHRIST HAS DONE TO DELIVER TRUTH TO THE WORLD BY HIS GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN THE HEART OF THE BELIEVER.

TO PROPERLY RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS OF HEBREWS, THE BELIEVER AND THOSE SEEKING TO BELIEVE MUST APPROACH THESE CHAPTERS WITH HUMBLE REPENTANCE OF THE HEART.

THE GUIDE WE ARE GIVEN IN THESE CHAPTERS TEACHES US TO REVERE THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS ABOVE ALL OTHER AUTHORITIES.

WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAUGHT IN CHAPTER ONE THAT THE WORDS OF JESUS ARE GREATER THAN THE WORDS OF ANY ANGELS FOR THEY ARE MINISTERING SPIRITS, NOT TO BE WORSHIPPED.

PAUL TAUGHT THAT THE TEACHINGS AND MIRACLES OF JESUS, INCLUDING HIS RESURRECTION WERE NOT DONE IN SECRET.

ACTS 26:26

THE HEAVENLY FATHER HIMSELF BROUGHT TESTIMONY TO THE EARTH DECLARING THAT JESUS WAS HIS BELOVED SON AT THE BAPTISM AND AT THE TRANSFIGURATION. MEN HEARD HIM SPEAK ABOUT THE MESSIAH SENT TO DO HIS WILL AMONG HIS CREATION.

LUKE 9:35

THE BETTER TESTIMONY OF THE MESSIAH WAS FORESHADOWED BY DAVID IN THE PSALMS, 1,000 YEARS BEFORE HE ARRIVED.

HE DID NOT COME TO BE MINISTERED TO BUT TO MINISTER AS HE TAUGHT IN HIS OWN WORDS.

BY HIS MINISTRY LIVING AS A MAN AMONG US, STRUGGLING WITH TEMPTATION JUST AS WE DO, DEALING WITH LIFE’S MISERIES AND SEEING OUR AFFLICTIONS WITH HIS OWN EYES, AND HEALING THOSE EVERYWHERE HE WENT, PROVIDE US CLEARLY A BETTER TESTIMONY THAN ANY OTHER KNOWN.

ALL THESE MATTERS EXPRESSING THE EXALTING OF JESUS IN ALL WAYS WERE GIVEN IN CHAPTER ONE.

NOW IN CHAPTER TWO WE LEARN EVEN MORE ABOUT HIS TESTIMONY FROM HIS HUMILIATION.

HE CAME TO US IN THE FORM OF A MAN, IN THE LIKENESS OF OUR FLESH. (ROMANS 8:3)

WHEN HE LOWERED HIMSELF TO THAT POSITION TEMPORARILY, HE WILLINGLY BECAME LOWER THAN THE ANGELS WHILE HERE AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE TO HEAVEN WHILE HE REVEALED GOD’S WILL.

OUR EVIL ACCUSER REVEALED OUR TRESPASSES BEFORE GOD NIGHT & DAY BEFORE HE WAS CAST DOWN. (REV 12:10)

SO THE HIGHEST PLACE GIVEN TO JESUS, AS THE RIGHT HAND OF THE ALMIGHTY, PROVES HIS BETTER TESTIMONY AS OUR FOREVER INTERCESSOR.

DO WE PRAISE HIM FOR THAT WONDER GIVEN TO US ALL?

IN CHAPTER TWO WE ARE PROVIDED SIX DANGER SIGNALS GIVEN TO THOSE AMONG THE HEBREWS AS WARNINGS TO REMIND THEM OF THE FULL BLESSINGS CHRIST ALLOWS.

THOSE WARNINGS ARE AS IMPORTANT TO CHRISTIANS TODAY AS THEY WERE THE TIME THEY WERE GIVEN.

THESE SIX WARNINGS ARE LIKE ROAD SIGNS ON A LONG JOURNEY WHICH HELP US TO KNOW BOTH DIRECTION AND DISTANCE AS OUR JOURNEY CONTINUES.

GOD WARNED THE HEBREWS IN OUR LAST STUDY THAT THEY COULD MISS HIS BLESSINGS BY DISOBEDIENCE AS THEY FINALLY ENTERED THE LAND PROMISED.

PRIOR DISOBEDIENCE HAD DELAYED THEIR ENTRY BY 40 YEARS.

THE PROOF OF THAT FACT WAS ALL MEN OVER 20 YEARS OF AGE WERE CURSED TO DIE IN THE WILDERNESS (EXCEPT JOSHUA & CALEB). THE HEBREWS SAW THIS PROOF WITH THEIR OWN EYES.

VERSE 1 IS OUR FIRST WARNING SIGNAL.

EARNEST HEED MUST BE GIVEN TO THOSE THINGS HEARD LEST WE SHOULD AT ANY TIME LET THEM SLIP AWAY FROM US.

REMEMBER PREVIOUS MESSAGES WERE GIVEN BY A HUMAN MEDIATOR TO THE HEBREWS. BUT WE WERE TAUGHT IN CHAPTER ONE, VERSE THREE, THAT NOW GOD SPEAKS ONLY THROUGH HIS SON.

THEREFORE THE WORDS JESUS, THE SON, TAUGHT ARE TO BE HEEDED FAR MORE STRONGLY THAN ANY OTHERS.

WE MUST NOT NEGLECT THEM OR BY NOT LIVING BY THEM ALLOW THEM TO DRIFT AWAY FROM OUR LIVES AS HIS CHILDREN.

THESE WORDS TAUGHT TO US ARE THE ONLY PATHWAY TO ETERNAL LIFE WHICH IS OURS THE MOMENT WE BELIEVE. (JN 3:18)

IN THE SAME VERSE JESUS SAID THAT THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE ARE CONDEMNED ALREADY.

VERSES 2 & 3 REFLECT TO WORDS SPOKEN BY ANGELS THAT WERE STEDFAST AS PROMISED BY THEIR WORDS OF DESTRUCTION TOWARD SODOM & GOMORRAH.

THAT DESTRUCTION HAPPENED EXACTLY AS THEY SAID WITH ONLY LOT, HIS WIFE, AND TWO DAUGHTERS SAVED.

VERSE 3 IS CLEAR AS TO THE WARNING OF NOT NEGLECTING SO GREAT A SALVATION SPOKEN AT FIRST BY JESUS AND THEN BY ALL WHO HEARD HIM.

GOD BROUGHT WITNESS TO THESE WORDS AS DESCRIBED IN VERSE 4 WHEN HE BROUGHT SIGNS AND WONDERS AND MIRACLES AS WELL AS GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ACCORDING TO HIS WILL.

THIS VERSE HARKENS BACK TO THE DAY OF PENTECOST WHEN THE POWER PROMISED BY JESUS ARRIVED AND SETTLED UPON THE 120 WHO WERE WAITING FOR IT AS HE COMMANDED.

THE 1ST WARNING SIGN IS MOST SERIOUS INDEED AND WAS CLEARLY PROVEN.

AS WE PROCEED IN OUR STUDY JOURNEY IN HEBREWS WE WILL STUDY THE NEXT 5 WARNINGS TO ASSURE WE UNDERSTAND GOD’S WILL FOR THE HEBREWS AND FOR US WHO HAVE COME AFTER THEM IN FAITH.

THESE ARE:

• DOUBTING 3 & 4

• DULL HEARING 5

• DEPARTING 6

• DESPISING 10

• DENYING 12

THE HEBREWS AND US ARE GIVEN THE SIGNS TO MARK OUR DIRECTION IN FAITH AND OUR DISTANCE FROM OUR GOAL.

IN OUR CHAPTER TODAY, VERSES 5-9, WE ARE ALLOWED EVEN DEEPER EDUCATION THAT EVEN WHILE JESUS CAME IN THE LIKENESS OF HUMAN FLESH, HE STILL REMAINED SUPERIOR TO ANGELS IN HIS HUMANITY.

WE MUST NOT OVERLOOK WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY DID.

HE BROUGHT HIS DEITY DOWN TO EARTH THAT ALL COULD SEE IT AND HEAR OF IT.

THEN HE TOOK HUMANITY BACK TO HEAVEN AS HE RETURNED TO HEAVEN.

VERSE 5 CONTRASTS THAT THE WORLD WAS NOT PUT UNDER SUBJECTION TO ANGELS BUT WAS DESTINED TO BE SUBJECT TO JESUS CHRIST.

THE PHRASE “WORLD TO COME” DOES NOT MEAN HEAVEN, BUT RATHER LITERALLY MEANS “THE INHABITED EARTH”.

THE COMING KINGDOM UNDER THE MESSIAH WAS THE THEME OF EVERY PROPHET WHO EVER LIVED AND SPOKE TO MANKIND.

NOT ONLY HAVE ANGELS NOT RULED IN THE PAST, THEY WILL NOT RULE IN THE FUTURE.

VERSES 6-8 TESTIFY OF PSALM 8:4-6.

THAT PSALM ASKS “WHO IS MAN”?

OF HIMSELF, MAN IS NOTHING. (JESUS SAID SO IN JN 15)

WE HAVE SPENT BILLIONS TO GATHER DUST FROM THE MOON WHILE WE KNOW LITTLE IF ANYTHING YET ABOUT THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE, WHICH WAS CREATED BY JESUS HIMSELF.

VERSE 7 TELLS US THAT WHILE GOD MADE MAN A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS IN CREATION, THE ONE WHO CAME HERE AS A MAN WAS CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND HE WAS SET OVER ALL THE WORKS OF THE UNIVERSE.

WHILE MANKIND LOST OUR DOMINION IN THE GARDEN, JESUS IN COMING TO US AS A MAN, RECOVERED THAT DOMINION OVER ALL CREATION.

VERSE 8 CLEARLY TEACHES US THAT ALL THINGS WERE PUT UNDER HIS FEET FORMALLY WITH THE ACTUAL RULING OVER ALL THINGS WILL BE SEEN AS HE ESTABLISHES HIS FOREVER KINGDOM ON THE EARTH.    HERE WE SEE THE WORDS “NOT YET”.

WE STILL LIVE OURSELVES BETWEEN “ALREADY” AND “NOT YET”.

WE ARE SAVED ALREADY BUT THE KINGDOM IN FULL HAS NOT YET ARRIVED.

THE VERY HEART OF THIS CHAPTER ARRIVES IN VERSE 9.

NOTICE THE TEACHING IS THAT WE SEE JESUS. WE DID NOT JUST HEAR OF HIM, BUT MANKIND ACTUALLY SAW HIM PHYSICALLY,

AND EVER SINCE WE SEE HIM WITH THE EYE OF FAITH.

HE WAS MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS WHEN HE CAME HERE FOR A REASON.

THAT REASON WAS FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH AND BY THAT DEATH & RESURRECTION, WAS CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOR, BECAUSE HE TASTED DEATH FOR EVERY MAN.

WHEN HE DID SO HE CONQUERED DEATH AND ONLY HE COULD DO SO TO BECOME OUR REDEEMER. THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL PLAN OF GOD AS WE SEE IN REV 13:8 THAT SHOWS HE WAS SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD

HE CAME TO EXPERIENCE DEATH WHICH MEANS HE TOOK THE PANGS OF IT AND THE DEPTH OF IT AS HE DRANK THE CUP GIVEN TO HIM BY THE FATHER.

NO ANGEL DRANK THAT CUP, ONLY THE SON SENT TO DO SO.

VERSE 10 PROVIDES THE CONSEQUENCE OF VERSE 9.

IT BECAME JESUS TO DO THIS FOR BY HIM ARE ALL THINGS, INCLUDING THIS THING, AND BY HIS DOING IT, HE BROUGHT MANY SONS UNTO GLORY.

HE DID SO BY BECOMING THE CAPTAIN OF THEIR SALVATION MADE PERFECT BY HIS SUFFERINGS.

(THE WORD CAPTAIN ALSO MEANS AUTHOR OF SALVATION AND IS TRANSLATED THAT WAY IN CHAPTER 12)

(THE SAME WORD IS TRANSLATED PRINCE IN ACTS 3:15)

HERE IS THE VERY HEART OF THE ENTIRE GOSPEL.

HE WAS MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERING BUT HIS PERFECT LIFE DOES NOT SAVE US.

HIS VIRGIN BIRTH DOES NOT SAVE US.

HIS TEACHING ALONE DOES NOT SAVE US.

HIS MIRACLES DO NOT SAVE US.

HIS EXQUISITE EXAMPLE DOES NOT SAVE US.

IT IS HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS & RESURRECTION THAT SAVES US.

THAT IS WHERE ALL HIS WORK REACHED COMPLETENESS.

HE HIMSELF SAID SO ON THE CROSS.

ONLY THERE DID HE SAY “IT IS FINISHED”.

WE CANNOT ESCAPE THE FACT THAT THERE HE BROUGHT MANY SONS TO GLORY, BUT NOT ALL.

FROM THE DAY OF THE EVENT ON GOLGATHA UNTIL TODAY, NOT ALL ARE SAVED. MANY ARE BUT NOT ALL.

OUR WRITER SHARES A GREAT TRUTH IN VERSES 11 & 12 & 13 TO CONFIRM BY OUR SANCTIFICATION AFTER SALVATION WE ARE CONSIDERED BOTH CHILDREN OF GOD AND BRETHREN OF CHRIST.

THE MEANING OF THE WORD “CHURCH” IN VERSE 12 ACTUALLY IS MEANT TO CONVEY THE THOUGHT OF CONGREGATION.

JESUS HIMSELF CONFIRMED HIS VIEW OF THOSE WHO ARE HIS AS BRETHREN IN JOHN 20:17 WHEN HE SAYS “GO TO MY BRETHREN, AND SAY UNTO THEM, I ASCEND UNTO MY FATHER…”.

IN VERSE 14 THE EMPHASIS IS ON THE INCARNATION OF THE LORD AND WE ARE GIVEN THE REASON FOR IT.

HE SAYS THAT BECAUSE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE PARTAKERS OF FLESH & BLOOD, HE HIMSELF LIKEWISE TOOK PART OF THE SAME AND HE GOES FAR DEEPER THAN JUST COMPARING HIS BEING IN FLESH TO OUR BEING IN FLESH.

IN THIS ONE VERSE HE CONFIRMS THAT BY HIS DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM THAT HATH THE POWER OVER DEATH, THE DEVIL.

BY DOING SO, ALL WHO BELIEVE ARE DELIVERED FROM THEIR LIFELONG FEAR OF DEATH WHICH IS BONDAGE TO THEIR HEARTS,

AND VERSE 15 IS FULLY CLEAR ON THIS MATTER.

SPEAKING OF THE POWER OVER DEATH WIELDED BY SATAN, WE MUST NOT FORGET SATAN WAS COMMANDED BY GOD IN THE FIRST ALLOWANCE TOWARD JOB, NOT TO TOUCH JOB. SO SATAN TOOK THE LIVES OF ALL 10 OF JOB’S CHILDREN TO BEGIN THE TESTING OF THAT FAITHFUL MAN.

IN VERSE 16 WE ARE AGAIN GIVEN THE WISDOM OF GOD TOWARD THE ARRIVAL OF JESUS IN THE LIKENESS OF HUMAN FLESH BY NOTING THAT HE TOOK NOT THE NATURE OF ANGELS, BUT TOOK ON THE NATURE OF THE SEED OF ABRAHAM, MANKIND.

TO SHOW THE MAJESTY OF VERSE 16 WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT JESUS APPEARED MORE THAN A FEW TIME IN A PRE-INCARNATE FORM, KNOWN TO THOSE OF THAT DAY AND TO US AS THE ANGEL OF THE LORD.

BUT WHEN THE FULNESS OF TIME WAS SEEN BY GOD TO BE CORRECT, HE SENT HIS SON INTO HUMAN HISTORY AS A HUMAN INFANT, BORN OF THE VIRGIN AS FORETOLD BY PROPHECY.

IN VERSE 17 & 18 WE ARE TOLD THAT IT BEHOVED HIM TO BE MADE LIKE  UNTO HIS BRETHREN THAT HE COULD TAKE THE POSITION OF MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST IN THINGS PERTAINING TO GOD, AND FOR TWO OTHER REASONS:

IN THE FORM HE COULD MAKE RECONCILIATION FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE.

BECAUSE HE HIMSELF SUFFERED TEMPTATION HE IS ABLE TO COMFORT THOSE IN MANKIND WHO ARE SO TEMPTED,

WHICH IS ALL OF MANKIND AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL

SATAN IS CAPTURED FOR THE 1,000 YEAR KINGDOM.

WE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT CHAPTER ONE PROVIDED US WITH THE EXPLANATION OF HOW JESUS CHRIST WAS EXALTED OVER ANGELS AND ALL OTHERS.

WE MENTIONED THAT CHAPTER TWO PROVIDES US WITH THE REASONS FOR HIS ACCEPTANCE OF HUMILIATION THAT HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS BROUGHT.

WE SHOULD NOTE THAT NOTHING JESUS CHRIST EVER DID COMPARED TO HIS MOMENT ON HIS CROSS. IS IT NOT TRUE TO SAY THAT HIS HUMILIATION EXALTED HIM ABOVE ALL WRITINGS OF CHAPTER ONE, AS GREAT AS THEY ARE?

AS WE CLOSE THIS STUDY STOP IN CHAPTER 2 WE SHOULD END WITH A VIEW OF HOW THE CREATION OF MAN WAS INTENDED AND HOW IT HAS COME TO BE.

GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE & MADE HIM A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS & ORDAINED HIM TO RULE OVER THE EARTH.

MAN WAS MADE PERFECT AND LIVED IN INNOCENCE UNTIL HE HARKENED TO THE VOICE OF A WOMAN INSTEAD OF GOD AND ENTERED INTO SIN AND ALL MANKIND INHERITED THIS SINFULNESS AT OUR BIRTH.

MAN’S SITUATION IS TRAGIC. 

HE DOES NOT HAVE THE INTENDED DOMINION OVER THE EARTH AND HIS EFFORTS TO HAVE MASTERY OVER IT ARE MARKED BY SWEAT AND DRUDGERY.

HE BECOMES RAVAGED BY DISEASE AND BY HIS OWN AGING AND IN THE END IS CONQUERED BY DEATH.

HOW TRAGIC. MAN WAS CREATED WITH SUCH DIGNITY AND A NOBLE DESTINY BUT WAS RUINED BY HIS OWN FALL AND IS DEGRADED BY THE RAVAGES OF SIN.

THE ORIGINAL READERS OF THIS LETTER WERE NOT SEEING YET A TRIUMPHANT MESSIAH RULING OVER ALL THINGS.

NOT ONLY WAS THE HUMAN RACE HUMBLED BY GOD BUT HIS SON WAS HUMILIATED AT THE CROSS.

THIS IS WHY THE LETTER IS SO IMPORTANT. BELIEVERS ARE ASSURED THAT DESPITE ALL THESE FACTORS, JESUS REMAINS SUPERIOR TO ALL WHO HAVE COME BEFORE HIM, BOTH ANGELS AND HUMAN.

NEXT WEEK WE ENTER A COMPARISON STUDY STOP TO DISCUSS HOW JESUS IS SUPERIOR TO MOSES.

Hebrews - Chapter 3

CHRIST IS SUPERIOR TO MOSES

Summary: The Lord Jesus Christ, the bringer of the new covenant is high above Moses, the mediator of the old covenant because Jesus is the Son of God, and Lord over the house whereas Moses is the servant of God, who is faithful in the house. It is upon this concept that the warning is included that we should not harden our hearts unless we might fail to enter into His rest, of which the promised land was given as our Old Testament type.

If Christ was so much better than Moses then it makes sense to think first of what we know of Moses himself.

The history of Moses was among the most remarkable of all scripture.

The hand of God preserved him as a baby and the hand of God dug his grave.

The honors given to him by God were greater than those given to any other man, before or since.

During the most important history of the chosen people, all of God’s dealings with those people were transacted through this one man.

His position of nearness to the Lord was unique and awesome. He may be viewed as an original prophet & priest & king to the chosen people.

Through him, the entire Levitical law was made.

By him, the tabernacle was constructed.

No man was more esteemed to this special people than Moses.

(John 9:28-29):”… we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses, as for this fellow (Jesus) we know not from whence he is.”

Yet, as great as Moses was, this chapter of Hebrews calls on us to consider one who was far greater, perhaps greater than him as the heavens are greater than the earth.

Consider:

Moses was a man of God, Jesus WAS God himself.

Moses was a fallen descendant of Adam, born in sin, lived in sin, Jesus was sinless and holy.

Moses was a prophet through whom God spoke, Jesus was himself the “TRUTH” revealing the mind, the will, and the heart of God.

Moses performed priestly functions (Ex 24:6 & 32:11) while Jesus is the great high priest of all.

Moses was king in Jeshurun (Deut 33:5) while Jesus is “King of kings”.

Moses delivered Israel from Egypt, while Jesus Christ delivers his people from hell eternal.

Moses built an earthly tabernacle, while Jesus is building a place for us on high.

Moses led Israel across the wilderness, while Jesus will lead many sons into glory.

3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Apostle = one who is sent. How many times has Jesus reminded us of one who sent Him? He is like a missionary who first brings the message to a new location and he is the initiator of our salvation and in addition our High Priest (much more concerning this matter in Chapter 7).

What a person thinks about Jesus Christ will determine that person’s destiny and we must not overlook the fact that Jesus is the model for our Christian life.

In Hebrews 12 we are taught:

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the captain and finisher of our faith … Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart”.

In 1 Peter 2:20 we are taught:

“And if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, … to this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps”.

Are we partakers of the heavenly calling as He was? Have we followed His example in John 17:

• 1 I have glorified you upon the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me.

• 6 I have revealed your name. I pray for them. I protected them.

• 14 I have given them your word.

• 26 I have made known to them your name.

3:2-4 Who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithful to all in his house.

Moses was faithful in all God’s house (where He dwelt) but the maker of the house is more honored than the house itself.

3:4 For every house is builded by some man, but he that built all things is God.

“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made”  (John 1:3)

“For by him, all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible….” (Col 1:15)

CAREFUL NOTE: Building things here by man is not faith! Faith is NOT a work (Rom 4:5). Building things in His name are applications of faith, not faith itself.

3:5-6 Moses was verily faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after.

But Christ, as a son over his own house, whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Moses’ ministry was a shadow of the ministry of Christ. Jesus himself said to the unbelieving Jews in John 5:45-46 that they should not think he would accuse them before the Father, but rather Moses will do so.

While we are taught that Moses appeared at the Transfiguration (along with Elijah) we MUST always remember that in one of the only three times the Father spoke audibly to the earth, He said, “This is my son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased. Listen to him”. (Matt 17:3-5).

There appears in verse 6 a conditional teaching (note the word “if”), and this conditional occurs also elsewhere in scripture :

• 1 Cor 15:12 “By this gospel you are saved IF you hold firmly to the word I preached to you”.

• 2 Cor 13:5 “Do you not realize that Christ is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test”.

• John 8:31 “IF ye continue in My word, then ye are My disciples indeed”.

3:7-9  “Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, today if ye will hear his voice,

Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When you fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.”

For the next section of verses we see a use of the use of the words directly taken from Psalm 95 (here we see 95:7-9).

The analogy is between the constant backsliding of the chosen people in the wilderness times and the backsliding Christians in the first century.

Review 1 Cor 10:1-6 

“… God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”

To harden the heart is to not listen to and heed the word of the Lord and can be a breaking of the commands or just a refusal to ponder and accept.

A hardened heart is one not receptive.

This particular event from Psalm 95 and reminded in Hebrews is from Exodus 17:

The whole Jewish nation in the desert was thirsty and they quarreled with Moses and demanded he provide water to the people. Moses asked them not to put the Lord to the test, but still they grumbled against both Moses and the Lord. Moses asked the Lord what to do and the Lord once more provided for his people advising Moses to use the same rod he used over the Red sea to strike the rock and water gushed forth so that all may drink.

Moses called this place Massah & Meribah, which is Hebrew for the quarrelsome people.

Are we not guilty of similar grumbles in our lives today? Do we trust that He will provide or do we simply want to gripe if our momentary desires are not met instantly? Is God our servant or are we his?

Faith deepens as it is tested & tribulation brings patience !!!!!!!!!!

3:10-11 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation…. They do always err in their heart….. so I swear in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest”.

These words are a direct quote from Psalm 95:10-11 describing the grumbling of the people showing no appreciation for God’s blessing of freedom & provision. God finally gave up on that generation.

Note what He says in Numbers 14:27-29:

“How long will this wicked community grumble against me… In this desert your bodies will fall… not one of you will enter the land… except Caleb and Joshua”.

Here we have a teaching applying these matters to the life of those who follow Christ. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ and faith is revealed by one’s attitude & actions. A heart always going astray is not a heart that has been regenerated by His love.

It might be good to think about the constancy of God toward those who love Him and accept his word (and The Word, His given Son):

Perhaps we should at this point remember that the chosen people started out singing the praises of God on the shores of the Red sea (Ex 15).

These same people swore their faithfulness to the Lord in Ex 19:8 when “all the people answered together and said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do”. 

Yet, in fact, these same people slid away from the Lord when times were difficult EVEN THOUGH GOD PROVIDED, and because of that sliding away all but two who began the journey perished in the wilderness.

This is EXACTLY the lesson of Hebrews 3:12

Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

As Peter taught in 2 Peter 1:10 “brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure”.

DO WE THINK THE LORD IS LOOKING FOR A MOMENT OF FAITH OR A LIFETIME OF FAITH FROM HIS SONS?

13:13 Exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Exhort is used 109 times in the NT, always meaning “urge” “implore” “plead” “appeal” comfort” “encourage” (Are we so doing?)

13:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.

Another conditional sentence     “IF”

There are two great concepts running through all of the NT, that God is sovereign, and that man is responsible for his life. 

It is the balance between these two that brings Him to abide in us, dwell in us though the Holy Spirit and us in him through our free will choice to accept Him and live as his.

13:15-19

“… with whom was he grieved forty years? … So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Of the more than 600,000 who began the journey, only 2 entered the promised land. 

Is there any clearer picture of disobedience anywhere in scripture?

Is it disobedience which brings unbelief or is it unbelief that brings disobedience?

They go hand in hand and we know that there are Christians who become unbelievers through disobedience.

Paul taught in 1 Cor 10 that “… all were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all baptized into Moses, all ate the same spiritual food, all drank the same spiritual drink for they drank from the spiritual rock, and nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them, their bodies scattered over the desert.”

John taught in 3:36 that “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him”.                         

and

1 John 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him.                               

and

Jude 5 … the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

CHAPTER 3 QUESTIONS:

1. Why is Christ superior to Moses?

2. How does Jesus function as both apostle and high priest?

3. With a strong emphasis on unbelief, what is the result?

4. Do we “exhort each other daily”? How can we improve upon this important instruction? Is this one of the main reasons we are told to “assemble ourselves together”? Isn’t this one of the main foundations of brotherhood?

Hebrews 3-4: A Better Relationship

JESUS SUPERIOR TO MOSES

HEBREWS 3:1 – 4:13

Application: The student will conclude that following Jesus Christ is better than following the servant of God, Moses.

AS WE BEGIN THIS STUDY STOP WE MUST EMPHASIZE ONCE MORE TO WHOM THE LETTER IS SENT. 

IMMEDIATELY WE SEE IN VERSE 1 THE FACT THAT HEBREWS WHO BELIEVE ARE CONSIDERED HOLY BRETHREN, PARTAKERS OF THE HEAVENLY CALLING.

THESE ARE SAVED JEWS AMONG THE HEBREWS.

ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HAD AT SOME TIME, BEFORE CONVERSION, FOLLOWED THE TRADITION THAT MOSES ESTABLISHED, AND HAD RESPECT AND HONOR TOWARD THIS SERVANT OF GOD.

HIS LEADERSHIP IN THE DELIVERANCE AND WILDERNESS GUIDANCE IS AN EPIC TALE OF DIVINE CLOSENESS TO THIS ALMOST ALWAYS OBEDIENT MAN.

IT BECOMES NECESSARY NOW TO SHOW CLEARLY HOW JESUS CHRIST WAS, IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, SUPERIOR TO MOSES.

VERSE 1 ALSO REVEALS THAT JESUS WAS THE ORIGINAL APOSTLE, MEANING A MESSENGER WHO BRINGS GOOD NEWS WHICH IN HIS CASE WAS THE BEST NEWS EVER, THAT OF SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH THE FAITH OF THE HUMAN HEART AFTER THE HEART WAS CALLED BY THE FATHER.

THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THESE TWO BEGINS BY CONSIDERING THEIR FAITHFULNESS.

JESUS AND MOSES WERE BOTH COMMITTED TO DO WHAT GOD CALLED THEM TO DO.

UNFORTUNATELY WHILE STRONGLY FAITHFUL IN ALMOST ALL THINGS, MOSES HAD SINNED PERSONALLY WHICH PROHIBITED HIM FROM ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND.

JESUS NEVER SINNED AND COMPLETED ALL THAT HIS FATHER COMMANDED HIM TO DO, INCLUDING THE GIVING OF HIS LIFE AS THE WAY OF ETERNAL DELIVERANCE FOR SINNERS.

JESUS OBEYED OUT OF SONSHIP WHILE MOSES OBEYED AS A SERVANT OF THE HOUSE OF GOD.

WE OURSELVES JOIN THESE LONG AGO HEBREWS AS PARTAKERS, IF WE HOLD OUR FAITH STEDFAST. (VERSE 14)

THE HISTORY OF MOSES WAS REMARKABLE FROM HIS BEGINNING TO HIS END.

THE HAND OF GOD PRESERVED HIM AS A BABY PUT INTO THE NILE RIVER BY HIS MOTHER AND THAT SAME HAND OF GOD DUG HIS GRAVE AT HIS END.

THE HONORS BESTOWED UPON HIM BY GOD WERE MUCH GREATER THAN ANY BESTOWED ON ANY MAN BEFORE OR SINCE.

ALL GOD’S DEALINGS WITH HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE WERE THROUGH HIM FOR MANY YEARS AND HIS POSITION OF NEARNESS TO GOD WAS FAR MORE REMARKABLE THAN ANY OTHER MAN.

THROUGH HIM WAS THE ENTIRE LEVITICAL ECONOMY ESTABLISHED.

BY HIM, THE TABERNACLE OF WORSHIP WAS BUILT, ACCORDING TO PLANS GIVEN TO HIM PERSONALLY TO REFLECT THE HEAVENLY WORSHIP LOCATION.

IT IS EASY TO GRASP THE HIGH ESTEEM IN WHICH THE JEWS HELD THIS FAVORED MAN OF GOD.

EVEN SO, WE MUST NOT SET ASIDE THE MANY DIFFERENCES IN WHICH JESUS WAS CLEARLY SUPERIOR TO HIM.

MOSES WAS A MAN OF GOD

JESUS CHRIST WAS GOD.

MOSES WAS A FALLEN DESCENDANT OF ADAM, CONCEIVED IN SIN AND SHAPED IN INIQUITY.

CHRIST WAS SINLESS, IMPECCABLY HOLY.

MOSES WAS A PROPHET THROUGH WHOM GOD SPOKE.

CHRIST WAS HIMSELF THE ACTUAL TRUTH OF GOD.

MOSES EXECUTED PRIESTLY FUNCTIONS.

CHRIST IS THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST.

MOSES, THROUGH GOD, DELIVERED ISRAEL FROM EGYPT.

JESUS DELIVERS HIS PEOPLE FROM EVERLASTING PERDITION.

MOSES BUILT AN EARTHLY TABERNACLE.

JESUS IS PREPARING A PLACE FOR US ON HIGH.

MOSES LED ISRAEL ACROSS THE WILDERNESS BUT NOT INTO CANAAN.

CHRIST WILL BRING MANY SONS INTO GLORY ITSELF.

ALL THESE THINGS WERE IN THE MIND OF THE WRITER IN VERSE 3:1 AS HE BEGINS WITH THE WORD “WHEREFORE”, MEANING BECAUSE OF ALL THESE THINGS WRITTEN BEFORE AND THOSE EXPLAINED NOW.

WE NOTICE THE WRITER TEACHES US TO CONSIDER CHRIST NOT JUST AS AN APOSTLE, BUT AS “THE” APOSTLE.

HE IS ALSO HIGH PRIEST, MEANING HE SPEAKS TO US FOR GOD.

THESE TWO OFFICES WERE JOINED IN HIM.

JOHN WROTE IN HIS GOSPEL (13:3) THAT JESUS WAS FROM GOD AND WENT TO GOD.

IN MATTHEW 17:5 THE HEAVENLY FATHER SPOKE FROM HEAVEN COMMANDING THE EARTH TO “HEAR YE HIM” CONFIRMING INSTANTLY HIS OFFICE AS THE FIRST APOSTLE.

OUR FIRST SIX VERSES PRESENT US WITH FOUR FACTORS WE MUST SEE:

• THE CALL TO CONSIDER THE APOSTLE & HIGH PRIEST THAT IS JESUS.

• THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST OVER MOSES.

• THE FAITHFULNESS OF MOSES THAT CANNOT COMPARE

• TO THE FAITHFULNESS OF JESUS.

• THE HOUSEHOLD OF CHRIST IS THE HOPE FIRM UNTIL THE END.

THERE IS AN INTIMATE CONNECTION BETWEEN THESE FOUR THINGS.  

OUR WRITER CLEARLY FEELS STRONGLY THAT THE CASE HAS BEEN FORMED OF JESUS BEING SUPERIOR TO MOSES.

HAVING DONE SO, HE NOW PROCEEDS TO PROVIDE SOME VERSES OF MUCH WARNING TO THESE JEWISH BELIEVERS BY REMINDING THEM NOT TO REPEAT WHAT HAD BEEN DONE BY THE HEBREW PEOPLE DURING THE WILDERNESS JOURNEY.

THE WARNING VERSES BEGIN WITH VERSE 7 WHICH, LIKE VERSE 1 BEFORE AND VERSE 10 AFTER, BEGIN WITH WHEREFORE, AND ARE SAYING TO THE READER BEWARE BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVEN. 

WE WORK OUR WAY FROM VERSE 7 TO VERSE 12 WHICH SPECIFIES THE WARNING CLEARLY.

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”

WE NOTICE THE WORDS AFTER THE WORD WHEREFORE IN VERSE 7 ENDING IN VERSE 11 ARE IN BRACKETS.

THESE WORDS WERE SPOKEN BY THE HOLY GHOST.

THEY QUOTE PSALM 95:7 IN VERSE 7, PSALM 95:8 IN VERSE 8, PSALM 95:9 IN VERSE 9, VERSE 95:10 IN VERSE 10, AND PSALM 95:11 IN VERSE 11.

THE POINT OF THE WORDS OF THE HOLY GHOST IS TO WARN CURRENT BELIEVERS NOT TO DO WHAT THEIR HEBREW FATHERS DID IN THE WILDERNESS:

• HARDENING THEIR HEARTS

• PROVOKING THE LORD

• TEMPTING GOD

• SAW THE RESULTS OVER 40 YEARS

GOD SAID BECAUSE OF THOSE THINGS HE WAS GRIEVED WITH THEM AS THEY HAD HEARTS OF ERROR AND DID NOT KNOW HIS WAYS AS THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.

FURTHER BECAUSE OF THAT FACT, GOD SWORE IN HIS WRATH THEY WOULD NOT ENTER HIS REST, WHICH WAS THE PROMISED LAND.

VERSES 13-19 ALLOW US MORE SPECIFIC WARNINGS.

EXHORT OTHERS DAILY LEST THE HEART REMAIN HARDENED BY THE DECEITFULLNESS OF SIN.

IF WE ARE STEDFAST, WE BECOME PARTAKERS OF CHRIST.

IF NOT THERE IS ONLY ONE THING AWAITING US, UNBELIEF.

VERSE 16 IS A MOST SOMBER AND CRITICAL WARNING, ADVISING THAT SOME WHO BEGAN THE JOURNEY WITH MOSES SINNED IN THE PROVOCATION OF GOD NOT TRUSTING HIM TO DELIVER THE LAND HE HAD PROMISED.

THE REASON THIS MATTER IS MENTIONED HERE IS TO REMIND THE CURRENT HEBREWS THAT THEY MUST PRACTICE WATCHFULNESS AGAINST ANY HARDENING OF THE HEART BECAUSE THOSE OF OLDER DAYS DID NOT DO SO AND PROVOKED GOD TO THEIR RUIN.

THE EVIDENCE OF THIS MATTER IS SO VERY DIFFICULT WHICH IS THAT OF THE TOTAL OF OVER 600,000 MEN WHO BEGAN THE JOURNEY, WE ONLY KNOW OF THREE WHO FINISHED IT WHO WERE EXEMPT FROM DYING IN THE WILDERNESS (MOSES, JOSHUA, & CALEB).

THIS WORD PROVOKE USED SEVERAL TIMES HERE IN HEBREWS 3 IS FOUND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

IT IS FOUND IN PSALM 78 & 106, & JEREMIAH 44.

ISAIAH 63 USES A CLOSE WORD SAYING THEY
VEXED” GOD.

VERSE 17 CLEARLY STATES WHO GOD WAS ANGRY WITH, BEING GRIEVED WITH THEM 40 YEARS FOR THEIR SIN, AND BY HIS COMMAND LOST THEIR LIVES (IF OVER 20 YEARS OLD) IN THE WILDERNESS.

TO LOSE NO MEANING HERE AND TO BE EXACTLY SURE WHY THESE MEN LOST THEIR LIVES OUR WRITER ALLOWS US THE TRUTH IN VERSES 18 & 19.

THEY WERE DISALLOWED FROM ENTRY INTO THE LAND PROMISED BECAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF.

OUR WRITER INCLUDES THE FIRST 13 VERSES OF CHAPTER 4 WITHIN THIS STUDY STOP ON THE JOURNEY THROUGH HEBREWS.

HE BEGINS WITH THE CLEAR MESSAGE WORD OF “THEREFORE” MEANING BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS COME BEFORE.

VERSE 1 TEACHES US THAT WE MUST HAVE A STRONG REVERENTIAL FEAR OF THE LORD IF WE FALL SHORT OF FAITH WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO ENTER HIS REST AS SOME OF THE HEBREWS FELL SHORT.

WHILE WE HAVE A NEW TESTAMENT GOSPEL PREACHED, THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT IS IDENTICAL TO THE HEBREWS OF THESE DAYS IN THAT WHAT THEY HEARD WAS NOT PROFITABLE TO THEM BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ACCEPTED BY THEM ON A FOUNDATION OF FAITH.

THIS PORTION OF THE MESSAGE IS TEACHING US THAT THE BETTER RELATIONSHIP IS BASED UPON BOTH SALVATION AND THE ENTIRE LIFE AFTER SALVATION.

VERSE 3 ALLOWS US ONCE MORE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PLAN OF GOD WAS NOT PROVIDED TO BELIEVERS ONLY IN THE NEW COVENANT BUT WAS ARRANGED AT THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD AS REVEALED FOR US IN REV 13:8 (THE LAMB SLAIN).

VERSE 5 IS SHORT IN WORDS BUT LONG IN WISDOM.

IT SAYS ISRAEL COULD ENTER INTO THE REST OF THE LORD BY BELIEF IN THE PROMISES OF GOD.

NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS ENTER BY THE SAME WAY, FAITH IN BELIEVING THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT LEADS TO ETERNAL REST.

VERSE 6 ONCE MORE TEACHES US THAT “SOME” WILL ENTER BUT OTHERS WILL NOT BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF.

VERSES 7-11 REMIND US THAT GOD DID END HIS WORK ON THE 7TH DAY, KNOWN AS A DAY OF REST EVEN THOUGH GOD AS ALL POWERFUL NEEDED NO ACTUAL REST BUT WE ARE REMINDED THAT DAVID IN PSALM 95 WAS AGAIN TAUGHT THAT THE HEART MUST NOT BE HARDENED IF REST IN GOD IS TO BE FOUND.

VERSES 9-10 HAVE A SWEET TEACHING THAT THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS ARE RESTING UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, NO LONGER WORKING WITHOUT GUIDANCE AND HELP OF THE LORD.

LIVING A LIFE TRUSTING IN THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE REST THAT COMES TO ALL BELIEVERS WHO WILL SUBMIT AND DENY THEMSELVES.

REFUSING TO DENY SELF IS EXACTLY THE UNBELIEF MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE FOR US HERE.

VERSES 12-14 HERE MAKES SURE THE HEBREW BELIEVERS (AND US) UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORD OF GOD HAS ENTERED BY THE HOLY GHOST GIVEN AND BECOMES LIKE A SHARP TWO EDGE SWORD SEPARATING FROM FURTHER SIN.

VERSE 13 IS QUITE CLEAR THAT ALL THINGS ARE KNOWN OF THE LORD AND NO CREATURE, INCLUDING MANKIND, MAY HAVE HIDDEN THINGS APART FROM GOD.

ADAM TRIED TO HIDE FROM GOD AFTER HIS SIN AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKED OUT FOR HIM AND US.

ACHAN TRIED TO HIDE HIS SIN IN JERICHO FROM GOD AND ALL THE HEBREW NATION AND WE ALL REMEMBER HOW THAT WORKED OUT FOR THE HEBREW FIGHTERS LOST IN AI.

THE NATION OF ISRAEL HAD A GRACIOUS OPPORTUNITY TO ENTER THE PROMISED LAND WHERE GOD PROMISED TO BLESS THEM BEYOND MEASURE.

THEY FAILED TO ENTER ORIGINALLY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT TRUST AND THEREFORE MOST DIED IN THE WILDERNESS BECAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF.

JESUS LAID OUT THE VERY SAME THOUGHT FOR US IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN (10:10) THAT HE CAME TO GIVE LIFE AND THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE WITH NOT ONLY HAVE IT BUT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY.

THE REST OF GOD TO THE HEBREWS AND THE REST OF GOD IN CHRIST IN THE NEW COVENANT IS THE SAME THING.

TRUSTING AND OBEYING THE LORD ALLOWS NO PLACE FOR UNBELIEF AND PROVIDES THE REST IN HIM IN LIFE HERE AND THEN IN LIFE ETERNALLY.

Hebrews 3: Greater than Moses

HEBREWS 3:1-19

FOCUS 1-15

APPLICATION: Become aware of the dangerous deception of sin that can hinder you from accomplishing God's will in your life.

IN THE FIRST CHAPTER OF HEBREWS WE STUDIED HOW JESUS IS GREATER THAN THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN.

WE SAW THE CLEAR EXPRESSION OF HIS POSITION BY THE FACT THAT THE ANGELS WORSHIPPED HIM, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

WE SAW THAT HE WAS THE RESPONSIBLE ONE OF ALL CREATION AND THE HEIR OF ALL THINGS.

WE SAW THAT HE IS THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF THE FATHER, AND VERY IMPORTANTLY IS THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE GLORY OF GOD.

WE SAW FINALLY IN CHAPTER ONE THAT IN ADDITION TO ALL THESE WONDERFUL ATTRIBUTES, JESUS HIMSELF UPHOLDS ALL THINGS BY THE WORD OF HIS OWN POWER.

THEN WE SAW THAT THE FATHER HIMSELF SHOWED ALL OF CREATION THAT JESUS WAS HIS OWN AND ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, SPEAKING IN HIS OWN VOICE THREE TIMES TO THE WORLD CONCERNING THE SON.

IN CHAPTER TWO WE SAW THAT CHRIST BECAME FLESH TO CLEARLY SHOW THAT HIS LIFE FULFILLED THE LAW BY HIS TOTAL DEPENDENCE ON HIS FATHER AND TOTAL OBEDIENCE IN ALL THAT HE DID.

THROUGH HIS SINLESS LIFE WE ARE GIVEN THE EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW, OF DEPENDENCE UPON THE LORD, OF OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD, AND IMPORTANTLY WE WERE GIVEN KNOWLEDGE THAT EVEN THOUGH TEMPTATION WAS PUT IN HIS PATH, JESUS DID NOT YIELD TO THAT TEMPTATION AND THEREBY SIN.

SO WE HAVE HOPE OURSELVES, THAT EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT SINLESS AS HE WAS, WE CAN ALWAYS FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE TO LIVE AS HE WISHES HIS CHILDREN TO LIVE.

NOW WE BEGIN TO STUDY THE FIRST 15 VERSES OF CHAPTER THREE, WHICH PROVIDE THE NEXT EVIDENCE OF JESUS BEING THE “BETTER WAY” BY GRANTING PROOF THAT JESUS WAS SUPERIOR TO MOSES.

THE CONTENTS OF THIS CHAPTER COMPARING THE LORD TO HIS MOST POWERFUL SERVANT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT MAY BE THOUGHT OF IN THIS WAY:

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT, IS HIGH ABOVE MOSES, THE MEDIATOR OF THE OLD COVENANT BECAUSE JESUS IS THE ONE INCARNATE SON OF GOD AND IS LORD OF THE HOUSE OF GOD.

WHILE MOSES IS PERHAPS THE MOST FAITHFUL SERVANT OF THE HOUSE OF GOD, HE IS STILL THE SERVANT.

JESUS IS THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE.

ONCE WE UNDERSTAND THIS DIFFERENCE IN THE OFFICE OF THE TWO, THERE IS THEN THE EXHORTATION THAT WE SHOULD NOT HARDEN OUR HEARTS UNLESS WE COME TO FAILURE AS WE TRY TO ENTER INTO THE REST PROMISED TO ALL WHO ACCEPT AND FOLLOW.

IT SEEMS HELPFUL TO THINK FIRST OF THE HISTORY OF MOSES, WHICH WAS REMARKABLE FROM HIS BEGINNING.

THE HAND OF GOD PRESERVED HIM AS A BABY AND THE HAND OF GOD DUG HIS GRAVE AT HIS END.

BETWEEN THESE TWO POINTS OF LIFE MOSES LIKELY WAS ONE OF THE TWO OR THREE MEN CLOSEST TO THE LORD IN ALL THE OLD TESTAMENT, PERHAPS ALONG WITH ABRAHAM & DAVID.

THE HONORS GIVEN MOSES BY GOD WERE ABOVE ALL OTHER MORTAL MEN WHO EVER LIVED BEFORE OR SINCE.

DURING ITS MOST MEMORABLE PART OF ITS HISTORY, ALL OF THE DEALINGS OF JEHOVAH GOD WITH HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE WERE THROUGH MOSES.

HIS POSITION OF NEARNESS TO JEHOVAH WAS REMARKABLE, AWESOME AND UNIQUE.

THROUGH HIM THE ENTIRE LEVITICAL EXISTENCE WAS ESTABLISHED.

BY HIM THE TABERNACLE OF GOD WAS BUILT. 

HIS ESTEEM AMONG THE JEWISH PEOPLE WAS ABSOLUTE.

NO QUIBBLE HAS EVER BEEN MADE BY ANY THEOLOGIAN TO THESE POINTS ON THE WONDER OF THE RELATIONSHIP GOD CONSTRUCTED WITH HIS SERVANT MOSES.

THE POWER OF VICTORY ITSELF IN BATTLE WAS GRANTED TO MOSES WHEN HIS ARMS WERE RAISED, THE HEBREW FIGHTERS PREVAILED, WHEN HIS ARMS WERE WEARY AND SINKING, THE HEBREWS FOUND DEFEAT.

NOW, THIS CHAPTER OF HEBREWS TEACHES US ONE OF ITS MOST VALUABLE LESSONS.

AS GREAT AS MOSES WAS, AS POWERFUL AS MOSES WAS, AS CLOSE AS MOSES WAS TO GOD, THERE WAS AND IS ONE GREATER, ONE MORE POWERFUL, AND ONE CLOSER TO GOD THAN MOSES.

THAT ONE IS JESUS CHRIST.

THERE ARE SOME ESSENTIAL COMPARISONS THAT WE MAY HAVE HEARD BEFORE BUT SOME BEAR REPEATING TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THE POINTS TAUGHT BY THIS CHAPTER.

MOSES WAS A GREAT MAN OF GOD. JESUS CHRIST WAS GOD.

MOSES WAS A FALLEN CHILD OF ADAM, CONCEIVED IN SIN AND SHAPED IN INIQUITY.

JESUS WAS SINLESS, HOLY, AND WITHOUT INIQUITY.

MOSES WAS THE PROPHET THROUGH WHOM GOD SPOKE.

CHRIST WAS HIMSELF THE WORD IN FLESH.

MOSES EXECUTED PRIESTLY FUNCTIONS.

JESUS WAS THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST.

MOSES DELIVERED HIS PEOPLE FROM BONDAGE IN EGYPT.

CHRIST DELIVERS HIS PEOPLE  FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN.

MOSES BUILT GOD'S EARTHLY TABERNACLE.

JESUS IS THE EVERLASTING TABERNACLE.

NOTICE HOW THE FIRST VERSE OF HEBREWS 3 BEGINS:

“WHEREFORE HOLY BRETHREN, PARTAKERS OF THE HEAVENLY CALLING, CONSIDER THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST OF OUR PROFESSION, CHRIST JESUS.”

THIS VERSE BRINGS QUICKLY THREE QUESTIONS TO MIND:

1. WHAT IS MEANT BY CONSIDER?

2. WHY SHOULD WE DO SO?

3. WHAT ARE THE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS WE CONSIDER?

THE HEBREW WORD USED HERE IS MEANT TO “THOROUGHLY THINK ABOUT”.

IT IS NOT A SHALLOW THINKING BUT MEANS TO THINK IN DEPTH.

WE SEE THIS SAME WORD IN LUKE 12:24 USED BY JESUS TO TEACH US TO CONSIDER THE PROTECTION OF GOD TO HIS NATURAL CREATION.

WE SEE IT IN PETER'S RESPONSE TO THE VISION OF ACTS 11:6 OF THE SHEET COMING DOWN FROM HEAVEN.

WE SEE IT IN MATTHEW 7:3, ROMANS 4:19, AND HEBREWS 10:24, IN ALL CASES MEANT TO BEHOLD.

SO THE LESSON HERE IS THAT WE SHOULD CAREFULLY PONDER WHO AND WHAT HE IS, TO BE ATTENTIVE TO HIS DIGNITY, HIS EXCELLENCE AND HIS AUTHORITY.

AFTER WE GRASP THESE MATTERS, WE CAN

 CLEARLY PERCEIVE WHY WE SHOULD DO SO.

HE IS THE ONE WHO IS THE BRIGHNESS OF THE GLORY OF GOD.

HE CAME TO REDEEM HIS PEOPLE, TO ARRANGE  THEIR FORGIVENESS, TO ARRANGE THEIR ACCESS FOREVER DIRECTLY TO THE LORD, AND THEN SAT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.

THESE ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND AS WE CONSIDER HIM AND WHY HE IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN MOSES.

ALSO, WE SHOULD NOTICE THAT HE IS SAID TO BE “THE APOSTLE” NOT ONE APOSTLE OR ONE OF THE APOSTLES.

REMEMBER THIS TERM MEANS ONE WHO IS SENT FORTH BY GOD, AND JESUS WAS CHIEF AMONG ALL THOSE SENT.

HE IS THE FIRST OF ALL APOSTLES AND ALL OTHERS WERE APPOINTED BY HIM.

HE IS ALSO OUR HIGH PRIEST, ACTUALLY OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST AS WE WILL STUDY CAREFULLY IN CHAPTER 7.

THE DESCRIPTION OF “OUR PROFESSION” MEANS OUR CONSENT.

NOTICE THE BEAUTIFUL DESCRIPTION OF :PARTAKERS OF HEAVENLY CALLING.

HERE WE SEE QUICKLY THE SUPERIOR POSITION TO JUDAISM AS THE STRICT JEWISH FAITH WAS OF AN EARTHLY CALLING THROUGH MEN APPOINTED, WHERE NOW THERE IS A CALLING FROM HEAVEN ITSELF.

THE WORD “PARTAKERS' MEANS SHARERS OF.

THE SPIRIT AND THE WORD HAVE COME FROM HEAVEN TO EACH OF US, PROVIDING A CALLING OF US WHO ACCEPT AND BELIEVE INTO HEAVEN ITSELF.

HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE FOR ANY MAN WHO WE KNOW THAT NO MATTER HOW DEVOTED HE MAY BE, TO BE GRANTED A HEAVENLY CALLING CONSIDERING HOW SINFUL HE IS FROM BIRTH?

THIS IS THE UNDERLYING MESSAGE OF THIS VERSE AND THEREFORE THIS CHAPTER.

ONLY BY BEING MADE JUST BY THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS ON HIS CROSS CAN ANY SINFUL MAN RECEIVE SUCH A CALLING.

HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS TRADED FOR OUR SIN.

THE NEXT FEW VERSES PROVIDE STRONG COMPARISONS OF THE USE OF THE TERM “HOUSE”.

THE PHRASE “BUILD THE HOUSE” MEANS THAT WHILE MOSES WAS A FAITHFUL SERVANT OF THE HOUSE OF GOD, JESUS WAS THE BUILDER OF THE HOUSE.

HEBREWS VERSE 3 TEACHES THAT CHRIST IS A SON OVER HIS OWN HOUSE AND THAT WE ARE THAT HOUSE.

1ST PETER 2:5 SPEAKS ALSO ON THAT MATTER AS PETER TEACHES THAT “... YE ALSO, AS LIVELY STONES, ARE BUILT UP A SPIRITUAL HOUSE.”

THE TERM “HOUSE OF GOD” IS FREQUENTLY USED IN SCRIPTURE TO BE A  DESCRIPTION OF THE CHURCH.

WE SEE THIS IN 1ST TIMOTHY 3:15:

“... THOU OUGHEST TO BEHAVE THYSELF IN THE HOUSE OF GOD,  WHICH IS THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD, THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF THE TRUTH.”

WE RECALL THAT CHAPTER ONE TAUGHT US THAT JESUS IS THE AGENT OF ALL CREATION.

THE BUILDER OF A HOUSE FOR HIS FAMILY, AS JESUS IS, BECOMES THE FOUNDER OF THE FAMILY. 

MOSES WAS NOT THE BUILDER, BUT RATHER A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY THAT JESUS BUILT FOR.

REMEMBER THAT JESUS HIMSELF USED THIS IDEA LATE IN HIS MINISTRY TO DESCRIBE THAT IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS AND THAT HE WENT TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR HIS ETERNAL FAMILY WHICH WILL COME TO HIM IN THE LAST DAY.

BUT WE ALSO SEE IN THE LAST WORDS OF VERSE 6 A STRONG WARNING TO ALL BELIEVERS.

WE ARE THE HOUSE OF CHRIST BUT WE MUST HOLD FAST THE CONFIDENCE AND THE REJOICING OF HOPE UNTO THE END.

HE EXPECTS STEADFAST FAITH TO BE SHOWN BY ALL WHO HAVE COME TO BE HIS.

THIS HOPE IS THE HOPE GIVEN BY THE GOSPEL IN COL 1:23 AND IS THE HOPE LAID UP IN HEAVEN FOR GOD'S PEOPLE IN COL 1:5 AND THE HOPE OF GLORY IN COL 1:27.

1:23 “... BE NOT MOVED AWAY FROM THE HOPE OF THE GOSPEL...”

1:27 “... THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF THIS MYSTERY AMONG THE GENTILES, WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY.”

PETER TEACHES THAT WE ALL HAVE A LIVING HOPE IN 1ST PETER 1:3 AND TITUS TEACHES US OF A BLESSED HOPE IN TITUS 2:13.

1ST PETER 1:3 “... HIS ABUNDANT MERCY HATH BEGOTTEN US AGAIN UNTO A LIVELY HOPE BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD”

(NOTICE THE TEACHING HERE OF “BORN AGAIN”) 

TITUS 2:13 “... LOOKING FOR THAT BLESSED HOPE AND THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF THE GREAT GOD AND OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST”.

THE HOPE TO WHICH WE HOLD FAST IS THE HOPE OF HIS PROMISED RETURN FOR ALL WHO ARE HIS.

THIS WONDERFUL CHAPTER NOW TURNS TOWARD THE EXHORTATION WE SPOKE ABOUT BEFORE WHICH IS ONE TAKEN FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT, PSALMS 95.

THIS PSALM IS WRITTEN TO TEACH US TO PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS AND HIS GLORY, AND THAT WE ARE NOT TO TEMPT HIM.

PSALM 95:7-8 TEACHES US:

“FOR HE IS OUR GOD; AND WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF HIS PASTURE, AND THE SHEEP OF HIS HAND. TODAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE,

HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS.”

VERSE 9 TAKES THE WARNING FURTHER STILL BY REMINDING THAT:

“WHEN YOUR FATHERS TEMPTED ME, PROVED ME, AND SAW MY WORK.”

HE WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT THE FATHERS ALL DIED IN THE WILDERNESS EXCEPT CALEB & JOSHUA.

VERSE 12 IS VERY CLEAR IN ITS WARNING “TAKE HEED BRETHREN” AND TEACHES WHAT WE SHOULD BE IN HEED OF, AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF, IN DEPARTING FROM THE LIVING GOD.'

WE SEE THIS WARNING EXPRESSED AGAIN BY PETER IN 2ND PETER 1:10 WHEN HE WARNS:

“... LET US PRAY THE MORE FREQUENTLY AND THE MORE EARNESTLY FOR GOD TO DELIVER US FROM AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF”.

SAME WORDS, SAME WARNING. WE MUST HEED.

AS WE SUMMARIZE THE OVERALL MESSAGE WE ARE GIVEN, WE SHOULD SAY THAT IT IS THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN, AND MAN IS HIS CREATURE.

MAN IS ONLY DELIVERED FROM OUR CREATURELY NATURE BY THE TRUTH GIVEN BY GOD.

WHILE THE LORD GRANTS THE TRUTH, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO RECEIVE IT, STUDY IT, ACCEPT IT, AND APPLY IT TO OUR OWN LIVES.

OUR ONLY SAFEGUARD IN THIS LIFE FROM REMAINING FALLEN CREATURES IS THE UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT WE GIVE TO THE VOICE OF THE LORD, HIS SON AND HIS HOLY SPIRIT.

TODAY IF WE HEAR HIS VOICE, WE ARE NOT TO HARDEN OUR HEARTS.

Hebrews - Chapter 4

CHRISTIAN REST IS ATTAINED BY FAITH

4:1-2 Let us therefore fear …

The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith…

The gospel only has value to those who listen to it with faith and apply it with faith.

Remember Paul’s words in Gal 3:2:

“This only I want to learn from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

and Romans 10:17:

“…faith comes by hearing, and hearing from the word…”

4:3-6 … if they shall enter into my rest

While the Bible speaks of a “rest” in Genesis 1, advising of the rest of God from His work of creation on the 7th day, this rest is surely not about a rest in a land but rather about salvation from hell, the forgiveness of sin, adoption into the family, resurrection & inheritance, eternal life with Christ, for ALL believers.

Those who hear the gospel but refuse to enter do so from disobedience (unbelief) or in the Greek, “refusal to comply” (apeitheia).

4:7-10 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time, as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

… For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

This rest points directly to Sabbath rest, using the Greek word sabbatimos, which is the only time it appears in the New Testament but it is only a pointer, not the ultimate rest of the gospel, perhaps a shadow scripture of the final rest, that rest in Christ alone.

Remember that the Christian life after salvation is NOT considered rest as long as we draw breath, but rather is taught by the apostles AND by Jesus as work (doing His work here on earth):

• Matt 9:37-38 “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few…”

• 1 Cor 15:58 “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord”

4:11 Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

How is it that entering into God’s rest takes EFFORT on our part and yet at the same time we KNOW that salvation is from grace alone through faith?

It is the response to the call (the draw of the Father) to Jesus that we see here. Remember what Christ says in Luke 13:24 “STRIVE to enter in at the straight gate…”

Is it fair to say that while salvation is by grace through faith, that the faith required is not effortless on our part? (Again), faith is not a work.

4:12 For the word of God is quick and powerful…..

Remember “quick” means alive, remember the teaching of Ephesians which says “… you who he quickened …” (made alive).

His word penetrates as deep as separating joint & marrow.

What is the “word” of this verse? God’s word to us as revealed in his own breathed scripture revealed through His chosen men.

1 Peter 1:23   “you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God”.

4:13 … all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

All things, all thoughts, all intents, all secrets of each man, are fully known to the Lord and there can be nothing hidden from Him.

Luke 8:17  “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known, or brought out into the open”

Remember that David was sure his transgression was well covered and hidden until a man named Nathan appeared with a small story which by its plot revealed all David’s sin.

4:14-16  … we have a great high priest… was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy…

The chapter ends with some of the most wondrous words in the New Testament, reconciling the example of Jesus, who while tempted, did not yield, and us who now can know that our high priest was indeed one of us while also God incarnate.

God’s grace is evident WHILE we are still in the testing of our faith as we walk here with Him, doing his work.

Notice the special phrase “the great high priest” and no other was ever so designated, not Moses, not Aaron, nor Melchizedek (please get ready for Chapter 7 on this figure). Here we have our description of supreme dignity, excellency and most of all sufficiency.

He can be touched with  the feelings of our infirmities as he has experienced them all. He is filled with sympathy and tender compassion for His afflicted people and is merciful toward us (Heb 2:17).

We can receive His mercy by the opportunity we are given to come BOLDLY to Him. 

Notice we are not to come trembling nor in human fear, but rather we are to come open hearted, bringing our confessions and repentance to Him and His strength & comfort will restore us.

He dried the tears of Peter and taught Paul that “my grace is sufficient”. 

Are we humbly and earnestly seeking to take that step boldly to Him?

Questions:

1. What is the significance of “God’s rest” to believers?

2. Why is it urgent for believers to seek that rest?

3. How can believers better approach the great high priest we are given?

Hebrews 4-5: A Better Hope Access

HEBREWS 4:14 – 5:14

Application: The student will recognize that prayer through the intercession of Jesus is greater than through earthly priests.

EARLY IN OUR STUDY JOURNEY WE MADE MENTION OF THE FACT THAT ONE BY ONE, OUR WRITER IS PROVING THAT JESUS IS SUPERIOR TO ALL OTHERS, BOTH DIVINE AND HUMAN, BOTH IN HIS BEING AND HIS WORK.

IN OUR STUDY STOP TODAY WE VIEW THE WAY IN WHICH JESUS IS SUPERIOR TO JOSHUA.

HERE WE SEE AN INTERESTING FACTOR IN THAT JOSHUA IS NOT NAMED, HIS CONTRAST IS MADE CLEAR.

WE RECALL THAT AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF HEBREWS HAD HEARD THE GOOD NEWS OF DELIVERANCE BUT FAILED TO REACH GOOD REST IN THE PROMISED LAND BECAUSE THEY HARDENED THEIR HEARTS AND DISOBEYED GOD.  (HEBREWS 4:1-10)

NOW OUR WRITER CHANGES HIS TUNE AND FOCUS.

HE CONSIDERS THE GREAT HIGH PRIESTLY FUNCTION OF JESUS FROM A BELIEVERS POINT OF VIEW.

FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF AN UNBELIEVER THIS POSITION IS FEARFUL BECAUSE JESUS WILL JUDGE MANKIND.

BUT THE BELIEVER IN THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST HAS PEACE & JOY IN HIS HEART BECAUSE, AS PAUL MADE SO VERY CLEAR IN ROMANS 8:1, THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE IN CHRIST JESUS.

UNDER THE LAW THERE WERE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC DUTIES OF THE PRIESTS AND THE HIGH PRIEST. THEY WERE DEFINED WITHOUT RESERVATION.

SOME PRIESTS AND HELPERS FAILED THIS FUNCTION AND LOST THEIR ABILITY TO INTERCEDE WITH GOD FOR THE PEOPLE.

SOME OF THOSE EVEN LOST THEIR LIVES IN THAT MATTER, SUCH AS THE SONS OF AARON, WHO BROUGHT UNWORTHY FIRE TO THE TABERNACLE.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE HIGH PRIEST COULD ONLY APPROACH GOD ONCE A YEAR AT THE ARK, THE HOLY OF HOLIES, AND PERFORM HIS DUTIES THERE, WHICH WERE TO BE REPEATED EVERY YEAR AS LONG AS THAT PRIEST SERVED.

JESUS HOWEVER PERFORMED HIS PRIESTLY FUNCTION ONCE AND THEN SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER.

STEPHEN SO TESTIFIED AT HIS STONING.

THEREFORE NO LONGER IS THE BELIEVERS TRUST IN A HUMAN WHO IS FLAWED BUT IN THE SON OF GOD WHO IS NOT.

BECAUSE OF THAT FACT OUR WRITER EXHORTS HIS READERS TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD’S THRONE OF GRACE THROUGH PRAYER WITH CONFIDENCE.

BECAUSE THE TEMPLE VEIL WAS SPLIT ALL BELIEVERS CAN NOW COME BOLDLY THEMSELVES TO THE THRONE OF GOD WITH OUR PRAYERFUL HEARTS.

JESUS IN HIS OBEDIENCE STEPPED OBEDIENTLY INTO THE ROLE OF GREAT HIGH PRIEST & IS FOREVER OUR INTERCESSOR ABOVE.

IN THIS PARTICULAR PORTION OF OUR STUDY JOURNEY WE HAVE A NEED TO DIG DEEPLY INTO OUR SCRIPTURAL LESSON TO GAIN OUR NEEDED VIEW.

IN NUMEROUS TIMES, WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT CONCERNING THE SINFUL MISTRUST OF THE OLDER GENERATION OF HEBREWS THAT THE PENANCE FOR THAT SIN WAS DEATH IN THE WILDERNESS FOR THOSE OVER 20 YEARS OF AGE.

IN THOSE OCCASIONS, WE ARE TOLD THAT THESE STIFF NECKED SINNERS WOULD NOT ENTER GOD’S REST.

THIS FACT CAME TRUE AND IT WAS THE NEXT YOUNGER GENERATION THAT WERE ALLOWED INTO THE LAND.

THE LEADERSHIP ACROSS THE JORDAN RIVER INTO CANAAN WAS PROVIDED BY GOD’S APPOINTED ONE AFTER MOSES, JOSHUA.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE RECALL THAT GOD PROMISED TO BRING THE HEBREWS INTO THE LAND BUT HE DID NOT PROMISE TO BRING THEM IN WHETHER THEY BELIEVED AND OBEYED OR NOT.

NUMBERS 14:22 COVERS THIS MATTER CLEARLY.

THOSE WHO TEMPTED GOD AND DID NOT HARKEN TO HIS VOICE SHALL NOT SEE THE LAND.

BUT THEIR UNBELIEF DID NOT OVERCOME THE PROMISE OF GOD.

JOSHUA 21:43 TEACHES THAT THE PROMISE WAS ACCOMPLISHED TO ANOTHER GENERATION.

JOSHUA HIMSELF APPEALED TO THE HEBREWS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE PROMISE IN JOSHUA 23:14 AND THE HEBREWS DID IN FACT LISTEN AND WENT FORWARD UNDER JOSHUA.

THEY TOOK THE LAND UNDER THE PROTECTION OF GOD AND THE LEADERSHIP OF JOSHUA.

THIS WORK WAS DIFFICULT BUT WAS SPONSORED BY GOD AND THE LAND WAS TAKEN AS GOD WENT BEFORE THE PEOPLE.

THIS POSITION GRANTED TO THE NEXT GENERATION WAS ONE OF PRESENT PHYSICAL REST AFTER THE LAND WAS CONQUERED.

HOWEVER, LATER OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF THE LORD WAS NOT SETTLED BY THE HEBREWS IN THEIR HEARTS.

MOSES HAD WARNED IN HIS LAST SERMON THAT ONCE THE LAND WAS TAKEN AND THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO PROSPER, THEY MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO FORGET WHO BLESSED THEM WITH THEIR LAND.

THE WARNING OF MOSES CAME TRUE.

IN JUDGES 2:1-3 WE SEE THE PROOF.

“And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you go up out of the land of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said I will never break my covenant with you. And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of the land: ye shall throw down their altars, but ye have not obeyed My voice: Why have ye done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be a thorn in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.”

WE REMEMBER WELL THAT THE COVENANT WITH GOD AND THE HEBREWS WAS CONDITIONAL. THE CONDITION FOR THE HEBREWS WAS OBEDIENCE AND TRUST AND GOD WAS CLEAR AS TO THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE AND THE ANGEL CAME TO REMIND THEM OF THEIR FAILURES.

TO RIGHTLY DIVIDE THESE WORDS, WE MUST ALSO RECALL THAT JESUS PROVIDED ALL HIS GOSPEL TEACHING ON THE MATTER OF FAITH, A GIFT OF GOD’S THROUGH HIS GRACE.

THE REST THAT JESUS PROVIDES TO THE HEBREWS AND TO ALL WHO CAME TO HIM AFTERWARD IS A FAR BETTER REST. 

IT IS AN ETERNAL REST AND ONCE FAITH SETTLES INTO THE HUMAN HEART AFTER THE CALLING OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER THIS ETERNAL REST SETTLES UPON THE BELIEVER.

VERSE 4:3 ALLOWS THAT FACT FOR US AS IT TEACHES THAT WE WHICH HAVE BELIEVED DO ENTER INTO REST.

THIS REST IS NOT A PRESENT REST NOR IS IT POSSIBLE ONCE WE ARE A CHILD OF GOD TO LOSE THAT ETERNAL REST PROMISED BY CHRIST.

DID NOT JESUS SAY COME TO ME ALL WHO ARE WEARY AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST?

THERE IS A QUALITATIVE DIFFERENCE IN THESE FORMS OF REST AND BECAUSE OF THAT DIFFERENCE JESUS IS FAR SUPERIOR TO JOSHUA.

JOSHUA DID NOT FAIL HIS PEOPLE. HIS PEOPLE FAILED BOTH HIM AND THE LORD.

HIS WORK ASSIGNED WAS TO LEAD THE HEBREWS INTO THE LAND AND TO FIGHT THE BATTLES NECESSARY TO CAPTURE THE LAND PROMISED. HE COMPLETED THAT WORK BUT HIS COMPLETION DID NOT CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THE HEBREWS.

IN JOSHUA 24, THE ENDING OF HIS BOOK, HE ONCE MORE HAD TO REMIND THE PEOPLE WHAT HAD BEEN DONE FOR THEM AND HAD TO CHALLENGE THEM AGAIN TO CHOOSE THE LORD TO SERVE.

THE REST DESCRIBED HERE IS THE REST THAT IS BLESSED AND MORE IMPORTANT TO ANY EARTHLY REST AND FAR MORE THAT ANY REST JEWS HAD EVER KNOWN, FAR HIGHER THAN ANY REST FOUND IN THIS WORLD.

IT IS SOMEWHAT LIKENED TO THE SABBATH REST OF GOD AFTER CREATION WAS FINISHED, FORESHADOWING ETERNAL HEAVENLY REST.

VERSE 8 HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND THAT JOSHUA DID NOT LEAD INTO THE PERFECT REST OF GOD AND THE WRITER AFFIRMS THAT CHRIST HAS ENTERED THAT HIGHER REST AND HIS ENTRANCE IS THE PLEDGE AND PROOF THAT HIS SAVED PEOPLE SHALL ENTER ALSO.

HEBREWS 6:20 WILL LATER TEACH US THAT WE SHALL GO WHERE THE FORERUNNER HAS ENTERED.

AND VERSE 14 GOES EVEN FURTHER:

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our profession.”

WE SHOULD ALSO TAKE A BIT OF WISDOM FROM A VERY UNLIKELY PLACE TO SMOOTH EVEN FURTHER OUR UNDERSTANDING.

4:3 SAYS THAT HIS WORK HAS BEEN FINISHED SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD.

THE RABBIS OF THE TIME OF JESUS OFTENED ARGUED ABOUT THE REST OF GOD WITH ANOTHER VIEW.

IN GENESIS 2: 2-3 THERE IS NO MENTION OF AN EVENING ON THE SEVENTH DAY, THE DAY OF THE REST OF GOD.

EVENINGS WERE CLEARLY MENTIONED IN DAYS ONE THROUGH SIX.

FROM THIS SCRIPTURAL FACT THE RABBIS ARGUED THAT WHILE THE OTHER DAYS CAME TO AN END, THE DAY OF GOD’S REST DID NOT THEREFORE THE REST OF GOD WAS FOREVER.

THIS MEANT THAT THOUGH HIS WORKS WERE FINISHED AT THE CREATION OF THE WORLD, HIS REST REMAINS OPEN FOR OTHERS TO ENTER IT BY FAITH.

OUR STUDY SCRIPTURE TODAY THEREFORE IS TELLING US THAT WHILE JOSHUA EVENTUALLY LED THE PEOPLE INTO THE PROMISED LAND, PSALM 95, WRITTEN LONG AFTER JOSHUA LIVED, STILL SPEAKS OF A PROMISED REST, THEREFORE IT MUST POINT TO SOMETHING MORE, SOMETHING JOSHUA DID NOT, AND COULD NOT GIVE THE PEOPLE.

WHAT IS MEANT HERE IS THE REST OF BEING A PART OF GOD’S KINGDOM, WHICH CAN ONLY BE BROUGHT BY JESUS CHRIST.

THEREBY JESUS IS SUPERIOR TO JOSHUA.

Hebrews - Chapter 5

AUTHORITY & HONOR OF CHRIST’S PRIESTHOOD

JESUS IS BETTER THAN AARON

We learned last chapter of the unique position of Jesus Christ as our “great high priest”, greater than all others who have come or will come.

From where does the greatness of our highest priest come?

1. From the dignity of His person:

He is not only the Son of Man but also the Son of God (Heb 4:14)

1. From the purity of His nature: He is without sin (Heb 4:15) & holy (Heb 7:26)

2. From the highest order he is said to occupy: The order of Mechizedek (Heb 5:6)

3. From His solemn ordination:With an “oath” (Heb 7:20)

4. From the most excellent sacrifice He made: Himself without spot (Heb 9:14)

5. From the perfection of His administration: (Heb 7:11) All divine justice is satisfied in Him

6. From the eternal nature of His office: An unchangeable priesthood (Heb 7:24)

7. The first verses of chapter 5 teach us about the priesthood of the Levites:

He must be taken from men meaning he must be of the nature of those he acts as a spiritual leader for.

1. He is a public official, “ordained for men”.

2. He must not come before God empty handed, that is he must bring gifts and sacrifices.

3. He was not exempt from the infirmities of men.

4. He was chosen & approved of God.

5:1-3

“For every high priest taken from men is ordained…”

The priest is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, and to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.

He must offer sacrifices both for the people AND for his own sins.

The word translated here as “ignorant” is literally meaning to err or sin through mistake. Remember he is speaking of priests acting under the law of Moses.

Jesus, being the great high priest, covers all sin, and:

“Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:39).

The lesser position of the Levitical priesthood is revealed in the fact that the priests themselves have sinned and therefore need their own mediator.

5:4-6

“And no man taketh this honor unto himself…”

A priest must be called of God, just as Moses & Aaron were called. 

Christ did not take the honor upon himself but it was given to him when God said to him:  “You are my Son, today I have become your Father”  

(Ps 2:7)

and he also says “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek”

(Ps110:4)

Aaron, the brother of Moses, was assigned the position of high priest by God. Only the descendants of Aaron were allowed to be priests under the law. “Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary must be put to death” (Nu 3:10)

God assigned Jesus the position of “great high priest”, and this action was NOT an extension of the priesthood of the Levites, but was of a very different and higher order.

Psalm 110 is said to be a messianic Psalm and its first verse says:

1. “The Lord say to my Lord, sit at my right hand…”

5:7

“Who in the days of his flesh….”

During the days of the life of Jesus on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions, and He was heard and in all ways showed His reverence for and submission to the will of His Father.

In another messianic psalm, the prayer is offered:

“my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.” (Ps16:9-10)

Peter later teaches us in Acts 2:31 that this refers to the resurrection.

5:8

“Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience…” 

We can see from His prayer in the garden “Not my will but yours be done”, 

Jesus became experienced in obedience to the end.

John 6:38 teaches that “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me”.

Remember that Christ, while fully God, took upon himself the nature of a servant and was described by Paul as:   “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even to death on a cross. (Php 2:6-8)

5:9-10

“And being made perfect…”

He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated as the “great high priest” on the highest order.

In Hebrews 2:10 we know He was “made perfect through sufferings…” so what about us as followers? Hebrews 12:7 tells us the answer : “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?”

Paul writes in Romans 1:5:

“Through Him and for His name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith”      A truth:   OBEDIENCE COMES FROM FAITH

This cannot be said of those who claim to be willing to obey but don’t seek to listen, who don’t study the Word with the intention to do what it says to do.

5:11

“Of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered…”

Dull of hearing refers to being “slow to hear” in this verse, as taught by James in 1:19 when he says “… My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen”.

These people are not paying attention. Perhaps they are not taking the teaching seriously and do not intend to apply it to their lives. This seems to be the attitude we see here. 

Have all of us at one time or another said to a child, “ARE YOU LISTENING?”

Remember Matt 13:14 “… Ye shall hear and not understand, … ye shall see and not perceive.”

5:12

“For when for the time ye ought to be teachers…”

Isn’t is expected that as Christians mature, they take on a teaching role just as parents when grown and having children, teach them from their own experience?

Jesus clearly expected such as viewed in Luke 13:7:

“… for three years I have been looking for fruit on this fig tree, and have not found any. Cut it down.”

5:13-14

“For everyone that useth milk…   but strong meat belongeth to them…”

Many Christians seem to want to stand in His grace, but do not submit to the Christian life in obedience, doing what is right, taking on the responsibilities as given in the scriptures.

A believer’s maturity is revealed by how they apply the Word to their life.

Exodus 16:20 tells us “ Manna not used breeds worms”

Questions:

1. What did previous high priests do that Jesus did not have to do? (5:1)

2. Why did Christ have to suffer in order to be perfect and to be the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him? (5:9 & 2:10)

Hebrews 5: Christ, Greater than Aaron

CHRIST – GREATER THAN AARON

HEBREWS 5:1-14

APPLICATION: REALIZE THE COST OF CHRIST'S SACRIFICE THAT QUALIFIED HIM TO BECOME THE AUTHOR OF YOUR ETERNAL SALVATION.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE BELIEVERS IN JEHOVAH GOD AND IN HIS SON, OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, AND IN HIS HOLY SPIRIT, THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO WORSHIP.

BELIEVERS CAN WORSHIP ON THE BASIS OF RITUAL REQUIRING EACH BELIEVER TO FOLLOW AND FULFILL ACTIONS THAT MUST BE PERFORMED EACH TIME OF WORSHIP OR GOD CAN BE WORSHIPPED FROM THE BASIS OF SPIRIT & TRUTH, AS JESUS TAUGHT.

FROM OVER 3500 YEARS AGO, THE JEWS HAVE ALWAYS WORSHIPPED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF RITUAL. 

WE CAN RECALL THAT AS WE RECENTLY STUDIED THROUGH THE BOOKS OF EXODUS, LEVITICUS, & NUMBERS, WE FOUND OVER 1,000 VERSES OF “THOU SHALT” & “THOU SHALT NOT”. 

ALL MY STRONG AND CLOSE JEWISH FRIENDS BOTH HERE AND IN ISRAEL HAVE ALL CONFIDED IN ME THAT THEIR LIVES WERE MISERY IN THEIR YOUNGER YEARS AND WERE LIVES OF FRUSTRATION LATER AS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THE LAW. 

DIDN'T PAUL TEACH US THIS AND TRY TO TEACH THEM THIS THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO?

AFTER PETER THE CHURCH THAT DEVELOPED INTO THE ROMAN CHURCH HAS ALSO CONSISTENTLY LEANED ONTO RITUAL IN WORSHIP.

IN ORDER TO SEEM DIFFERENT FROM THE JEWS, THE ROMAN CHURCH DECIDED AROUND THE YEAR 200 TO CALL IT “TRADITION” RATHER THAN RITUAL.

FOR OVER 1800 YEARS THEY HAVE ALWAYS CLAIMED THAT TRADITION IS AS IMPORTANT AS SCRIPTURE IN THE WORSHIP OF GOD.

WE SHOULD GIVE THANKS FOREVER FOR MEN LIKE MARTIN LUTHER WHO STOOD AGAINST THIS LONG HELD POSITION AND PREVAILED AGAINST THE MOST POWERFUL CHURCH ON EARTH WITH TWO SIMPLE STATEMENTS (AMONG OTHERS):

1. SOLA SCRIPTURA - ONLY SCRIPTURE

2. EVERY MAN HIS OWN PRIEST - OUR  ACCESS IS DIRECT TO GOD AFTER THE VEIL WAS SPLIT BY THE WORK OF CHRIST AT CALVARY.

OUR LESSON TODAY, TAKEN FROM HEBREWS 5, BRINGS US THE MESSAGE THAT JESUS CHRIST WAS GREATER THAN GOD'S CHOSEN PRIEST FOR THE HEBREW WANDERERS, WHICH WAS AARON.

THE PRIESTHOOD DID NOT BEGIN WITH AARON.

THERE WERE PRIESTS BEFORE HIM AND WE WILL STUDY THE GREATEST EXAMPLE IN CHAPTER 7.

BUT GOD CHOSE TO BESTOW UPON THE TRIBE OF LEVI THE HONOR OF SERVING THE HEBREW NATION AS ITS PRIESTHOOD.

THE LORD LIMITED THE ACCESS TO THE TABERNACLE TO THE LEVITE PRIESTS AND HE LIMITED THE ABILITY TO SHED AND SPREAD THE BLOOD OF ATONEMENT FOR SIN TO THE LEVITICAL HOLY MEN, BOTH FOR THE PRIEST HIMSELF AND FOR THE PEOPLE.

THIS ISSUE OF SIN DWELLING WITHIN THE LEVITE PRIESTS IS OF HIGH IMPORTANCE AS WE STUDY WHY JESUS WAS HIGHER AND BETTER THAN AARON OR ANY OTHER LEVITE PRIEST.

WHAT DO THE FIRST VERSES OF CHAPTER FIVE TEACH US ABOUT THE LEVITE PRIESTS?

1. HE MUST BE TAKEN FROM MEN, MEANING THAT HE MUST BE OF THE NATURE OF THOSE FOR WHOM HE ACTS AS SPIRITUAL LEADER.

2. HE IS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, MEANING HE IS “ORDAINED OF MEN”.

3. HE MUST NOT COME BEFORE GOD EMPTY HANDED, MEANING HE MUST BRING GIFTS AND SACRIFICES.

4. HE WAS NOT EXEMPT FROM THE INFIRMITIES OF MEN.

5. HE WAS CHOSEN BY AND APPROVED OF GOD.

AS DEVOTED AND AS HONORED AS THE PRIESTS OF MOSES CHOSEN AS A FAMILY TO SERVE GOD AND HIS PEOPLE, HEBREWS 5 TEACHES US THAT JESUS CHRIST WAS AND IS FOREVER GREATER THAN AARON AND ALL THE LEVITICAL PRIESTS WHO CAME AFTER AARON.

AARON WAS THE HIGH PRIEST, AS WERE THOSE WHO SERVED AFTER HIM BUT JESUS WAS APPOINTED BY GOD TO SERVE FOREVER AS THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST.

WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE TEACH US ABOUT WHERE THE GREATNESS OF OUR ETERNAL GREAT HIGH PRIEST COMES FROM?

IT COMES FROM SEVEN CLEAR TEACHINGS THAT GRANT THE FULL EVIDENCE OF HIS GREATNESS:

1. FROM THE DIGNITY OF HIS PERSON:

HE IS NOT ONLY THE SON OF MAN BUT IS ALSO THE SON OF GOD. HEBREWS 4:14:

“SEEING THAT WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST, THAT IS PASSED INTO THE HEAVENS, JESUS THE SON OF GOD...”

1. FROM THE PRURITY OF HIS NATURE:

HE IS WITHOUT SIN. HEBREWS 4:15:

“FOR WE HAVE NOT AN HIGH PRIEST WHICH CANNOT BE TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES; BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS WE ARE, YET WITHOUT SIN”.

HE IS HOLY. HEBREWS 7:26:

“FOR SUCH AN HIGH PRIEST BECAME US, WHO IS HOLY, HARMLESS, UNDEFILED, SEPARATE FROM SINNERS, AND MADE HIGHER THAN THE HEAVENS...”

1. FROM THE HIGHEST ORDER HE IS SAID TO OCCUPY.

THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK. HEBREWS 5:6:

“AS HE SAITH ALSO IN ANOTHER PLACE (PSALM 110), THOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZDEK.”

1. FROM HIS SOLEMN ORDINATION.

WITH AN OATH. HEBREWS 7:20-21:

“AS INASMUCH AS NOT WITHOUT AN OATH HE WAS MADE PRIEST:FOR THOSE PRIESTS WERE MADE WITHOUT AN OATH, BUT THIS WITH AN OATH BY HIM THAT SAID UNTO HIM, THE LORD SWARE AND WILL NOT REPENT, THOU ART A PRIEST FOREVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK”.

1. FROM THE MOST EXCELLENT SACRIFICE HE MADE.

HIMSELF WITHOUT SPOT. HEBREWS 9:14:

“HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, WHO THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT OFFERED HIMSELF WITHOUT SPOT TO GOD...”.

1. FROM THE PERFECTION OF HIS ADMINISTRATION.

ALL DIVINE JUSTICE IS SATISFIED IN HIM. HEBREWS 7:11:

“IF THEREFORE PERFECTION WERE BY THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD, (FOR UNDER IT THE PROPLE RECEIVED THE LAW),WHAT FURTHER NEED WAS THERE THAT ANOTHER PRIEST SHOULD RISE AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK, AND NOT BE CALLED AFTER THE ORDER OF AARON?”

1. FROM THE ETERNAL NATURE OF HIS OFFICE.

AN UNCHANGEABLE PRIESTHOOD. HEBREWS 7:24:

“AND THEY TRULY WERE MANY PRIESTS, BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT SUFFERED (PERMITTED) TO CONTINUE BY REASON OF DEATH.”

1-3

VERSES 1-3 TEACH US THAT THE PRIEST IS APPOINTED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE IN MATTERS RELATING TO GOD, AND TO OFFER GIFTS AND SACRIFICES FOR SINS (THEIR OWN AND THOSE OF THE PEOPLE).

THE PRIEST IS ABLE TO  DEAL GENTLY WITH THOSE WHO ARE IGNORANT AND GOING ASTRAY, SINCE HE HIMSELF IS SUBJECT TO WEAKNESS.

THE WORD TRANSLATED HERE AS “IGNORANT” MEANS LITERALLY TO ERR OR SIN THROUGH A MISTAKE. 

REMEMBER THIS JUDGMENT IS UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES.

REMEMBER THAT THE LESSER POSITION OF THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD IS REVEALED HERE BECAUSE THE PRIEST HIMSELF NEEDED REMISSION.
4-6

A PRIEST MUST BE CALLED OF GOD JUST AS MOSES AND AARON WERE CALLED.

CHRIST DID NOT TAKE THE HONOR UPON HIMSELF BUT IT WAS GIVEN TO HIM WHEN GOD SAID IN PSALM 2:7:

“YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BECOME YOUR FATHER”

AND HE ALSO SAYS IN PSALM 110:4:

“YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK”

AARON, THE BROTHER OF MOSES, WAS ASSIGNED THE POSITION OF HIGH PRIEST BY GOD. ONLY THE DESCENDANTS OF AARON WERE ALLOWED TO BE PRIESTS UNDER THE LAW.

NUMBERS 3:10:

“APPOINT AARON AND HIS SONS TO SERVE AS PRIESTS; ANYONE ELSE WHO APPROACHES THE SANCTUARY MUST BE PUT TO DEATH”.

NOTICE THAT GOD ASSIGNED THE POSITION TO JESUS OF “GREAT HIGH PRIEST” AND THIS ACTION WAS NOT AN EXTENSION OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE LEVITES, BUT WAS  OF A VERY DIFFERENT AND MUCH HIGHER ORDER.

WE LOOK AGAIN AT PSALM 110 WHICH IS SAID TO BE THE MESSIANIC PSALM, AND SEE ITS FIRST VERSE TEACHES:

“THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND...”

7

DURING THE DAYS OF THE MINISTRY OF JESUS ON EARTH, HE OFFERED UP PRAYERS AND PETITIONS, AND HE WAS HEARD AND IN ALL WAYS SHOWED HIS REVERENCE FOR AND SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF HIS FATHER.

IN ANOTHER POWERFUL PSALM, 16:9-10 WE ARE TAUGHT:

“MY HEART IS GLAD AND MY TONGUE REJOICES; MY BODY ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE, BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON ME TO THE GRAVE, NOR WILL YOU LET YOUR HOLY ONE SEE DECAY”.

PETER TEACHES US IN ACTS 2:31 THAT THIS REFERENCE IS TO THE RESURRECTION.

8

WE CAN SEE FROM HIS PRAYER IN THE GARDEN WHEN HE PRAYED “...NOT MY WILL BUT THINE BE DONE...” JESUS BECAME EXPERIENCED IN OBEDIENCE UNTO THE END.

JOHN 6:38 TEACHES US:

“ FOR I HAVE COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN NOT TO DO MY WILL BUT TO DO THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME”.

WE MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT CHRIST, WHILE FULLY GOD, TOOK UPON HIMSELF THE NATURE OF A SERVANT AND WAS DESCRIBED BY PAUL IN PHILIPPIANS 2:6-8 :

“AND BEING FOUND IN APPEARANCE OF A MAN, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF AND BECAME OBEDIENT TO DEATH – EVEN TO DEATH ON A CROSS”.

9-10

JESUS BECAME THE SOURCE OF ETERNAL SALVATION FOR ALL WHO OBEY HIM AND WAS DESIGNATED AS THE “GREAT HIGH PRIEST” ON THE HIGHEST ORDER.

IN HEBREWS 2:10 WE KNOW HE “WAS MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERINGS” (MEANING MADE COMPLETE) SO WHAT ABOUT US AS HIS FOLLOWERS? 

HEBREWS 12:7 WILL TEACH US THE ANSWER: “ENDURE HARDSHIP AS DISCIPLINE: GOD IS TREATING YOU AS SONS. FOR WHAT SON IS NOT DISCIPLINED BY HIS FATHER?”

PAUL WRITES IN ROMANS 1:5:

“THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE, WE RECEIVE GRACE AND APOSTLESHIP TO CALL PEOPLE FROM AMONG THE GENTILES TO THE OBEDIENCE THAT COMES FROM FAITH”

HERE IS A GREAT TRUTH:   OBEDIENCE COMES FROM FAITH.

WE WILL STUDY THE AMAZING CONSEQUENCES OF THIS TRUTH LATER IN HEBREWS 11, THE FAITH CHAPTER.

11

DULL OF HEARING REFERS TO BEING “SLOW TO HEAR” IN THIS VERSE, AS TAUGHT BY JAMES IN 1:19 WHEN HE SAYS:

“MY DEAR BROTHERS, TAKE NOTE OF THIS: EVERYONE SHOULD BE QUICK TO LISTEN”.

THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. PERHAPS THEY ARE NOT TAKING THE TEACHING SERIOUSLY AND DO NOT INTEND TO APPLY IT TO THEIR LIVES. THIS SEEMS TO BE THE LESSON OF VERSE 11.

HAVEN'T EACH OF US SAID AT ONE TIME TO OUR CHILD:

ARE YOU LISTENING?

REMEMBER THE LESSON OF MATTHEW 13:14:

“YE SHALL HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, YE SHALL SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE”.

12

ISN'T IS EXPECTED THAT AS CHRISTIANS MATURE IN THE FAITH THEY TAKE ON A TEACHING ROLE JUST AS PARENTS WHEN GROWN AND HAVING CHILDREN, TEACH THEM FROM THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE?

JESUS CLEARLY SEEMED TO EXPECT AS MUCH WHEN HE TAUGHT US IN LUKE 13:7:

“  FOR THREE YEARS I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR FRUIT ON THIS FIG TREE, AND HAVE NOT FOUND ANY. CUT IT DOWN.”

13-14

MANY CHRISTIANS SEEM TO WANT TO STAND IN HIS GRACE BUT DO NOT SUBMIT TO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN OBEDIENCE , DOING WHAT IS RIGHT, TAKING ON THE RESPONSIBILITES AS GIVEN IN SCRIPTURE.

A BELIEVER'S SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS REVEALED BY HOW THEY APPLY THE WORD TO THEIR OWN LIFE.

THE BLESSINGS OF THE WORD COME FROM ABOVE AND MUST BE GATHERED INTO OUR HEARTS AND USED AS SPIRITUAL FOOD.

REMEMBER WHAT EXODUS 16:20 TAUGHT US ABOUT ANOTHER BLESSING FROM ABOVE THAT WAS EXPECTED TO BE USED:

“MANNA NOT USED BREEDS WORMS”.

THE CENTRAL DESIGN OF HEBREWS IS THE PROOF THAT THE ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR WAS SUPERIOR TO THE CONTINUED EFFORT TO WORSHIP UNDER THE LAW.

THE CENTRAL GLORY OF ALL OF JUDAISM WAS THE PRIESTHOOD.

THE JEWS, WHO WERE REJECTING OF JESUS AND FOUND TO BE FILLED WITH UNBELIEF, ASKED OF THESE NEW EVANGELISTS WHO TOOK THE GOSPEL FORWARD AFTER PENTECOST:

YOUR FAITH IS DEFICIENT AS YOU LACK A PRIESTHOOD WHO CAN BY HIS WORK SHED THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS TO ATONE FOR YOUR SIN.

HEBREWS  GRANTS THE ANSWER TO ALL THAT UNBELIEF AND SKEPTICAL REJECTION IN VERSE 4:14:

“SEEING THEN THAT WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST. THAT IS PASSED INTO THE HEAVENS, JESUS, THE SON OF GOD”.

NOW THAT WE HAVE HEARD THE EVIDENCE OF JESUS BEING FAR SUPERIOR TO AARON OR ANY OF THE LEVITICAL PRIESTS, LET'S REMEMBER THE VERSE WE NOTED IN THE BEGINNING, HEBREWS 1:3.

JESUS SAT DOWN.

IN THE TABERNACLE OF THE WILDERNESSTHERE WERE THREE SECTIONS:

1. THE OUTER COURT CONTAINING THE LARGE LAVER OF WATER FOR WASHING.

2. THE INNER MIDDLE ROOM, CONTAINING THE GOLDEN CANDLESTICK, THE TABLE OF SHEW BREAD AND THE ALTAR OF INCENSE.

3. THE INNER HIGH HOLY ROOM CONTAINING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT AND THE MERCY SEAT WHERE GOD WAS AND WHERE THE HIGH PRIEST WENT ONCE A YEAR TO BRING THE BLOOD OF ATONEMENT.

IN THE TABERNACLE, THERE WERE NO CHAIRS. THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR THE PRIEST TO SIT. 

THE REASON FOR THAT WAS THAT THE WORK OF THE PRIEST WAS NEVER FINISHED. 

HE WAS ALWAYS STANDING, NEVER SITTING, EVEN EATING THE SHEW BREAD STANDING UP, WORKING WITHOUT END.

THE SACRIFICE OF THE BULLS & GOATS WAS NEVER ENDING BECAUSE  MAN FOUND IT NECESSARY TO KEEP THE SACRIFICES FLOWING AS SIN WAS FLOWING AS FAST AS THE SACRIFICE.

BUT WHEN JESUS MADE HIS ONCE AND FOREVER SACRIFICE ATONING FOR ALL SIN FOR ALL BELIEVERS FOR ALL TIME, HIS WORK WAS FINISHED AND HE SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.

LET'S CLOSE BY REMEMBER ING THAT GOD'S PLAN TO PROVIDE THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST TO HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE WAS A FULFILLMENT OF HIS PROMISE TO THEM.

WHEN THE PRIESTHOOD BEGUN WITH AARON FAILED IN THE DAY OF ELI AND HIS SONS THE LORD DECLARED IN 1ST SAMUEL 2:35:

“AND I WILL RAISE ME UP A FAITHFUL PRIEST THAT SHALL DO ACCORDING TO THAT WHICH IS IN MINE HEART AND IN MY MIND: AND I WILL BUILD HIM A SURE HOUSE; AND HE SHALL WALK BEFORE MINE ANNOINTED FOREVER”.

THIS PROMISE WAS FULFILLED IN THE PERSON AND THE OFFICE OF JESUS CHRIST.

JESUS WAS SHOWN BY GOD HIMSELF TO BE THE ONLY ONE TO HAVE COME TO FILL THE OFFICE OF GREAT HIGH PRIEST BEGUN BY THE ONE TO WHOM ABRAHAM HIMSELF PAID TITHE, MELCHIZDEK.

THIS TYPE & SHADOW FROM THE BEGINNING POINTED FORWARD TO THE MESSIAH TO COME. 

AND NOW THE HEBREWS THEMSELVES KNEW FROM THE TEACHING OF GOD'S CHOOSING THAT THE MINISTRY AND SERVICE OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF LEVI WAS TERMINATED.

THEIR PURPOSE WAS NO LONGER NEEDED.

WHEN THE SUBSTANCE ARRIVES, THE SHADOWS FALL AWAY.

FROM THAT MOMENT ONWARD NO VALUE EXISTED IN THE PRIESTHOOD OF LEVI.

AND HEBREWS 5:5 CONCLUDES OUR LESSON WHEN IT TEACHES US THAT “SO ALSO CHRIST GLORIFIED NOT HIMSELF TO BE MADE AN HIGH PRIEST”.

ALL GLORY TO THE FATHER AS ALL OF HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY TAUGHT US.

IF WE HAVE EARS, LET US HEAR.

Hebrews - Chapter 6

BE STEADFAST IN THE FAITH

GOD IS SURE IN HIS PROMISE

6:1-3

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again a foundation…”

• of repentance from dead works

• of the faith toward God

• of the teaching of baptisms

• of the laying on of hands

• of the resurrection of the dead

• of eternal judgement

Jude wrote in 1:4 that “certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men…”

It is Christ who has brought in that which is perfect. It is in Him that we have the full revelation of God. He has fully made known His mind (Heb 1:2). By His one all-sufficient offering of Himself, He has perfected forever (Heb 10:14). He came to fulfill the will of God and He finished the work (John 17:4).

“not laying again a foundation”

This is exactly what the Hebrews were trying to do. To lay again a foundation meant leaving the substance of Christ for the shadow of the old law, through which nothing was perfected.

Notice the writer lists six things (6 being the imperfect number of flesh):

1. Repentance from dead works: Note it is not repentance from sin, and along with Heb 9:14, the phrase is not used again in the NT.

2. Faith toward God: perhaps looking away from Christ backward.

3. The doctrine of baptisms: Plural use of the word, looking back to Leviticus 16:4, Exodus 30:18, Numbers 19:19, concerning the washing of one who wished to approach God, thinking that sins could be washed away.

4. The laying on of Hands: Leviticus 16:1, Aaron lay his hands upon the head of the goat who was to stand for the sins of the people, sending it into the wilderness carrying their sins. (A scapegoat!).

5. The resurrection of the dead: Remember Martha told Jesus she knew her brother would be raised in the last day and what did Jesus answer?

I am the resurrection.

1. Eternal judgement: Rev 20, the Great White Throne.

The people were forsaking Christ, slipping backward toward the old faith, and losing their zeal , perhaps by persecutions, but were urged to carry forward toward perfection rather than laying again a foundation of old ways.

6:4-12

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened…”

Exhortations to “show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end” verse 11.

Scripture teaches clearly that the Word of God does not contradict itself, and if the Lord told us that His sheep should “never perish” (John 10:28) then Hebrews 6 does not teach some will.

If Paul taught that the Holy Spirit assures that nothing can separate the children from the love of the father (Rom 8:35) then Hebrews 6 does not teach that separation.

Here the teaching is clear to the Hebrew faithful (and to us) to progress in the Christian course they were taught (1-11) and then to persevere forward (12-20).

NOTE: Notice that in verse 4 we see that the reference is to “those who were once enlightened” (not us who were once enlightened) and the reference is not to “you” but to “those”. These are the ones to whom this verse is directed, and carefully note in verse 9, “… we are persuaded better things of you”…”.

NOTE: We are seeing the lesson toward those who may be renouncing all the teaching of Jesus and His gospel, and returning to either a faith based upon works & men or even to open godless living.

This is the “falling away” meaning falling away from the truth of Christ and is NOT evidence of the loss of salvation once grace has visited it on the heart of the believer, through faith.

The phrase “renewing them into repentance” means that apostles, teachers, leaders, or servants of the Lord find it impossible to renew those who have turned away BECAUSE there is no other (and certainly no better) gospel to bring them. Remember Matthew 15:14 “Leave them alone”.

6:13-23

“That ye be not slothful…”

God, with an oath, made a promise to Abraham, swore by Himself as there was none greater, that “… I will bless you and I will multiply you” and by his patient endurance Abraham received the promise and through the lesson of this endurance (enduring faith on our part) we have a strong encouragement to take hold of the hope as an anchor to the soul.

By doing so, we may enter into that which our forerunner, Jesus Christ, has set the example.

If we believe, we must believe in full, trusting only in Him to keep us and to bring us to Him in His time (either by mortal death or rapture) as he taught us in John 10:28: 

“Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand”

Question: What causes people to “fall away” and what can we do to help them when they do?

Hebrews 6: A Better Hope

Application: The student will assess that the hope offered in the completed work of Christ is greater than that afforded in the Old Testament era.

THE HEBREWS HAD NO REASON TO DISBELIEVE THAT GOD WOULD LEAD THEM SAFELY INTO CANAAN, AS HE HAD PROMISED.

DESPITE THE EVIDENCE GOD HAD PROVIDED IN WORKS OF WONDER AND IN LEADING THEM HIMSELF BY HIS CLOUD & PILLAR OF FIRE, THEY HARDENED THEIR HEARTS IN UNBELIEF, REFUSED TO OBEY AND THEREFORE DIED ONE BY ONE IN THE WILDERNESS.

OUR WRITER CONTRASTS THOSE FACTS TO SHOWING STEDFAST FAITH IN CHRIST AND REMAINING STRONG IN IT, NOT WAVERING AND NOT ALLOWING HEARTS TO WANDER OR HARDEN.

SUCH ASSURANCE LEADS THE BELIEVER TO PERSERVERANCE, WHICH IS HOLDING ON TO JESUS “UNTO THE END”. (6:11)

SUCH HOPE PROVIDES COMFORT & SECURITY NOT FOUND IN ANY OTHER HOPE, INCLUDING THOSE THAT WERE EVIDENT IN THE OLD COVENANT.

THE WRITER IS WELL AWARE THAT SOME JEWISH BELIEVERS KNOWING ALL THAT GOD DID FOR HIS OWN FOR FORTY YEARS, STILL DID NOT SEEM TO WANT TO REMAIN IN HONOR OF HIM AND MAY WANT TO WAVER BACK TO JEWISH ONLY BELIEF.

IN VERSES 1 & 2 WE FIND OUR WRITER IDENTIFIES SIX TEACHINGS ON WHICH MESSIAH FAITH IS BUILT.

THE FIRST IS EXPLAINED AS “DEAD WORKS”. THIS PHRASE WILL BE REPEATED IN 9:14.

IT MEANS A REFERENCE TO GOOD WORKS TO PROVIDE SALVATION, WHICH IS A CORNERSTONE JEWISH BELIEF.

GOOD WORKS HAVE NO POWER TO SAVE AND CANNOT PRODUCE ETERNAL LIFE.

THOSE WHO HAVE TRULY REPENTED HAVE STOPPED RELYING ON THEIR OWN GOOD WORKS FOR SALVATION AND UNDERSTAND THAT TRUSTING FAITH IN THE LORD IS THE NARROW BUT ONLY PATH TO THE KINGDOM.

THE NEXT TEACHINGS ARE LISTED FOR US AS BAPTISM, LAYING ON OF HANDS, RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT.

VERSE 3 IS CLEAR AS TO THE WILLINGNESS TO RESPECT AND OBEY THESE THINGS IF GOD PERMITS, MEANING IF GOD ALLOWS THEM TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO INCLUDE ALL THESE THINGS IN THEIR LIVES.

VERSES 4 – 6 ARE AMONG THE MOST DIFFICULT VERSES TO FULLY UNDERSTAND IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE. THESE VERSES HAVE THEMSELVES SERVED TO LEAD SOME BELIEVERS TO DERIVE FALSE DOCTRINE.

WHAT DO THEY SAY AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO WERE ONCE ENLIGHTENED AND TASTED THE HEAVENLY GIFT AND WERE MADE PARTAKERS BY THE HOLY GHOST, TASTING THE GOOD WORD OF GOD, AND THE POWERS OF THE WORLD TO COME, THAT IF THEY SHOULD FALL AWAY, TO RENEW THEMSELVES UNTO REPENTANCE AGAIN SEEING THEY CRUCIFY TO THEMSELVES THE LORD AGAIN.

REMEMBER THAT JESUS TAUGHT IN JN 10:28-29 THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM SHALL NEVER PERISH AND THAT NO ONE CAN PLUCK THEM OUT OF HIS OR HIS FATHER’S HAND.

(WE REST ON THE BLESSED ASSURANCE OF FOREVER SAVED)

THERE ARE TWO POSSIBLE ANSWERS TO THE MEANING OF THESE VERSES.

FIRST, IF THE TEACHING OF JESUS IS PERFECT (WHICH WE ALL ACCEPT) THEN THESE WERE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE BUT NOT TRUE BELIEVERS AND NOT BORN AGAIN, BECAUSE ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED.

SECOND, THESE WERE ACTUALLY SAVED PEOPLE WHO ARE FALLING AWAY, BACKSLIDING, BUT NEVER LOSING THEIR ACTUAL SALVATION, BUT BY WAVERING OR MOVING BACK TO JEWISH RULES WILL STRONGLY DAMAGE THE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD TO THE POINT OF REMOVING THEM FROM CHRISTIAN SERVICE AND FROM HEAVENLY REWARD.

VERSES 7-9 SEEM POSSIBLY TO LEAN TOWARD THE SECOND THOUGHT AS EXAMPLES ARE GIVEN OF BEARING THORNS AND BRIARS INSTEAD OF FRUIT WHILE THERE REMAINS HOPE THAT BETTER THINGS MAY SOON BE FOUND IN THEM.

VERSES 10-11 TEACH THAT GOD IS RIGHTEOUS AND JUST AND IS A KEEPER OF HIS PROMISES, AND HE DECLARES THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE MESSIAH THROUGH FAITH ARE RIGHTEOUS THROUGH CHRIST.

CHRIST REMOVED THEIR SINS AND DELIVERS THEM FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS. WE MUST LEAN ON ROMANS 8:1 WHICH TEACHES THAT THEY WILL NOT BE CONDEMNED ONCE SAVED.

THEY HAD CLEARLY DISPLAYED LOVE FOR THE LORD BEFORE AND NOW MUST MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO NOW DISPLAY THEIR RENEWED CONFIDENCE IN THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF GOD.

HERE THE PHRASE “TO THE FULL ASSURANCE OF HOPE” MEANS THEY MUST RETURN TO FAITH IN THE PROMISED SECOND COMING FOR THIS IS A HALLMARK OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY.

IN VERSE 12 OUR WRITER CHARGES THESE PEOPLE WITH SLUGGISH LAZINESS AND URGES THEM TO PUT AN END TO SUCH BEHAVIOR WHILE REMEMBERING THE OLD TESTAMENT PATRIARCHS WHO WERE LONG SUFFERING EVEN THOUGH THEY DID NOT HAVE CHRIST ON EARTH YET. (WE WILL SEE THIS PROOF IN HEBREWS 11)

IN VERSES 13-16 THE WRITER REMINDS HOW THE OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS KNEW THAT GOD HAD KEPT HIS PROMISES TO ABRAHAM, AND HE HAD BASED THESE PROMISES ON HIS OWN OATH.

SINCE GOD CAN SWEAR BY NO HIGHER AUTHORITY, HE SWORE BY HIMSELF IN GENESIS 22:16 SWEARING BY HIS OWN CHARACTER AND GREATNESS CONCERNING THE BLESSINGS AND NUMBERINGS OF DESCENDANTS THAT WERE TO ARRIVE THROUGH ABRAHAM.

GOD KEPT HIS PROMISES TO ABRAHAM, INCLUDING THE SON OF PROMISE ISAAC EVEN THOUGH BOTH ABRAHAM & SARAH LAUGHED AT GOD WHEN THE PROMISE WAS GIVEN.

FOR THAT REASON THE NAME GOD GAVE TO ISAAC WAS FROM THE HEBREW WORD FOR LAUGHTER.

THROUGH ISAAC’S SON JACOB THE LORD INCREASED AND ENRICHED THE FAMILY JUST AS PROMISED.

IN VERSE 16 MUCH IS MADE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING AN OATH WHERE MEN SWARE BY GOD WHO IS GREATER THAN THEY ARE. THEY DO SO TO CONVINCE OTHER MEN TO BELIEVE THEY ARE TRUTHFUL AND WILL KEEP THEIR WORD.

VERSE 17 TEACHES THAT GOD, EVEN THOUGH HE IS NOT LIKE MEN, CONFIRMED HIS PROMISE WITH AN OATH THAT CAME TO LATER BE ASSURANCE TO ALL THE HEIRS OF ABRAHAM.

THIS ASSURANCE FLOWS FROM TWO UNCHANGING REALITIES.

THE FIRST IS THAT GOD CANNOT LIE AND THEREFORE BY HIS NATURE WE CAN BE ASSURED HIS WORD WILL BE KEPT.

THE SECOND UNCHANGING REALITY IS IN THE OATH GOD TOOK  REVEALS HIS PROMISE TO MAKE SURE MAN KNEW HOW SERIOUS GOD INTENDED THESE PROMISES TO REMAIN AS KEPT FOREVER.

THE RESULTS OF BOTH OF THESE POINTS IS OUR “STRONG CONSOLATION”.

ALL THINGS HE PROMISED ABRAHAM CAME TO BE TRUE.

THE THING HE HAD PROMISED IN THE GARDEN HAD ALSO COME TRUE AS THE PROMISED REDEEMER HAD ARRIVED JUST AS GOD SAID IN GENESIS 3:15.

BECAUSE GOD IS IMMUTABLE (NEVER CHANGING) HIS LATER PROMISES OF THE SUBJECTION OF THE ENTIRE EARTH AND THE UNIVERSE UNDER CHRIST WILL ALSO ARRIVE JUST AS HE SAID.

(CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE BUT GOD DOES NOT) THEREFORE CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS HAVE A FIRM AND UNCHANGING HOPE WHICH IS BOTH CERTAIN AND STEADY.

THAT HOPE IS SO PERFECT BECAUSE IT IS ETERNAL AND VERSE 19 ASSURES ALL WHO READ THESE VERSES THAT IT HAS ENTERED WITHIN THE VEIL, A REFERENCE TO THE GREAT HIGH PRIESTHOOD OF THE SON.

JESUS HAS ENTERED INTO THE HIGHEST HOLY OF HOLIES IN HEAVEN AS OUR FORERUNNER.

LIKE A SCOUT HE HAS SHOWED THE WAY TO WHERE WE WISH TO BE OURSELVES.

HIS WORK AS GREAT HIGH PRIEST IS NOT FROM YEAR TO YEAR AS MAN’S PRIESTS WORKED BUT IS FOREVER AND IS NOT PATTERNED AFTER THE WORK OF AARON AND HIS DESCENDANTS.

THERE IS A FAR HIGHER PRIESTHOOD WHICH JESUS HAS ENTERED, WHICH IS THE PRIESTHOOD ONLY SEEN ONCE BEFORE, THE PRIESTHOOD OF MELCHIZEDEK ONLY SEEN BEFORE IN GENESIS 14:18-20.

BOTH MELCHIZEDEK & JESUS ARE BOTH KINGS AND PRIESTS, AND NO OTHERS WILL OCCUPY THAT HIS POSITION UNTIL REVELATION 1:6 WHEN ALL BELIEVERS WHO HAVE BEEN RAPTURED WILL BE GIVEN THIS SAME HIGH TITLE.

OUR CONCLUSION IS THAT WHILE THE WORK OF THE OLD TESTAMENT PRIESTS WAS INSUFFICIENT AND INCOMPLETE, THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST IS BOTH SUFFICIENT AND COMPLETE.

EVERY NEED FOR THE REDEMPTION OF BOTH THE WORLD AND ALL BELIEVERS IS FOUND IN HIM AND ANY WHO SEEK TO WAVER BACKWARD HAVE MISSED THE MARK.

THE HOPE OF THE BELIEVER IS NOT ANCHORED IN THE CEREMONIES OF A FORMER RULES BASED FATH BUT IS RATHER SECURED IN THE ETERNAL AND UNCHANGING GOD AND THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON HE HAS GIVEN WHO IS PROVIDED BY THE GIFT OF GRACE THROUGH THE FAITH OF THOSE WHO ARE CALLED AND BELIEVE.

NEXT WEEK WE WILL HAVE A STRONG STUDY STOP BEFORE US TO STUDY THIS INTERESTING MAN MELCHIZEDEK WHO SOME EARLY CHURCH BELIEVERS FELT WAS ACTUALLY SHEM THE SON OF NOAH WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN STILL ALIVE IN THE DAYS OF MELCHIZEDEK.  

Hebrews 6: Our Forerunner

HEBREWS 6:1-20

APPLICATION: COMMIT YOURSELF TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND SERVICE BECAUSE CHRIST STANDS IN THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD FOR YOU.

REMEMBERING THAT WHEN SCRIPTURE WAS WRITTEN THERE WERE NO CHAPTER OR VERSES. 

SO THE START OF OUR CHAPTER 6 IS A CONTINUATION OF THE THOUGHT BEGUN LAST WEEK IN CHAPTER 5, VERSES 11-14 CONCERNING THE SPIRITUAL STATUS OF THE HEBREW BELIEVERS.

1-6

WE REMEMBER THE WARNING IN OUR LAST LESSON ABOUT THOSE WHO WERE DULL OF HEARING.

THIS LANGUAGE CLEARLY TELLS US THAT THESE MEMBERS HAD GONE BACKWARD IN THEIR FAITH.

AFTER ACCEPTING JESUS AND REDIRECTING THEIR LIVES TO HIM AND HIS GOSPEL, THEY NOW HAD ABANDONED THEIR FIRST LOVE OF THE SPIRIT,

THEIR FAITH, ONCE STRONG, HAD WAVERED AND NOW THEY WERE IMPATIENT AND NO LONGER WANTED TO WAIT ON AN UNSEEN AND FUTURE INHERITANCE.

SO THE WARNING NOW BECOMES SHARPER AS THE WRITER STARTS TO DEFINE THE PROBLEM.

HE DECLARES THEY SHOULD GO ONWARD TO PERFECTION.(1)

1. HE TELLS THEM THEY MUST LEAVE THEIR BEGINNING.(1-3)

2. HE WARNS OF CERTAIN DOOM IF UNBELIEF INCREASES.(4-8)

3. HE INSPIRES THEM FROM ABRAHAM.(15-21)

THIS DIRECTION TO GO ONWARD TO PERFECTION IS MEANT TO BE THE REVEALED SON OF GOD, SEEN IN JESUS, NO LONGER VEILED BY TYPES & SHADOWS, BUT GLORY IS NOW FULLY SEEN.

CHRIST CAME TO DO THE WILL OF GOD, HAS COMPLETED THE WORK, AND HAS RETURNED TO THE FATHER'S RIGHT SIDE TO FOREVER INTERCEDE FOR SINNERS HERE.

THE FOUNDATION LAID SO WELL BEFORE, NEEDS NOT TO BE LAID AGAIN.

CHRIST HAS BROUGHT TO EARTH THAT WHICH IS PERFECT IN ITS NATURE.

THE SUBSTANCE IS NOT TO BE FORSAKEN FOR THE SHADOW.

THE SHADOW ENDED WHEN JESUS ARRIVED.

THROUGH THE SHADOW NOTHING HAD BEEN PERFECTED.

NOTICE THE WRITER LISTS 6 THINGS THAT THE HEBREWS MUST CONSIDER THAT THEY MAY BE LOOKING BACKWARD TOWARD

(6 BEING THE NUMBER OF MAN – THE INCOMPLETE NUMBER):

1. REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORK – NOTE THIS IS NOT REPENTANCE FROM SIN BUT LOOKS BACKWARD TOWARD THE JEWISH FAITH OF WORKS BRINGING SALVATION.

THIS PHRASE IS USED ONLY HERE AND IN HEBREWS 9:14 AND NOT AGAIN IN THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT.

1. FAITH TOWARD GOD IN THE OLD MANNER PERHAPS MEANT AS LOOKING NOT FORWARD IN CHRIST BUT BACKWARD WITHOUT CHRIST.

2. THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS: NOTICE THE WORD IS PLURAL AND IT LOOKS BACK TO LEVITICUS 16:4 & EXODUS 30:18 & NUMBERS 19:19 CONCERNING THE WASHING OF ONE WHO WISHES TO APPROACH GOD, THINKING INCORRECTLY THAT SINS CAN BE WASHED AWAY.

3. THE LAYING ON OF HANDS: LOOKING BACK TOWARD LEVITICUS 16:1.

AARON LAID HIS HANDS UPON THE HEAD OF THE GOAT WHO WAS TO STAND FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE, SENDING IT OUT INTO THE WOLDERNESS CARRYING THEIR SINS. (THE SCAPEGOAT).

1. THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD: REMEMBER MARTHA TOLD JESUS SHE KNEW HER BROTHER LAZARUS WOULD BE RAISED IN THE LAST DAY AND WHAT DID JESUS ANSWER?

I AM THE RESURRECTION.

1. ETERNAL JUDGEMENT: THE GREAT WHITE THRONE OF JUDGMENT OF THOSE OF UNBELIEF THAT IS LATER DESCRIBED FOR US IN REVELATION 20.

VERSES 4-6 GIVE US PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS WARNINGS IN ALL OF SCRIPTURE.

THIS SECTION IS TROUBLING TO ALL BELIEVERS IF WE DO NOT TAKE A MOMENT TO GRASP EXACTLY WHAT IS MEANT.

THE ESSENCE HERE IS THAT IF THOSE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED, NOW FALL AWAY, DESCRIBING A DELIBERATE & COMPLETE AND FINAL REPUDIATION OF CHRIST, THE ONLY UNFORGIVABLE SIN HAS ARRIVED.

THEY HAVE BLASPHEMED THE HOLY SPIRIT.

NOTICE THAT THE WRITER REFERS TO THOSE WARNED AS “THOSE” AND THEN IN VERSE 9 SOFTENS THE VERBAL BLOW BY SAYING THAT THOSE WHO REMAIN BELOVED, BETTER THINGS AWAIT THEM.

HE SAYS THAT THEY ARE TO SHOW DILIGENCE TO THE FULL ASSURANCE OF HOPE UNTIL THE END.

HE IS SAYING HAVE FAITH & REMAIN STEADFAST.

HE REMINDS THEM THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ENLIGHTENED (GIVEN LIGHT BY TEACHINGS).

THEY HAVE TASTED OF THE HEAVENLY GIFT (THE HOLY GHOST GIVEN AFTER CONVERSION).

THEY WERE MADE PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (MEANING THAT NOW THEY ARE COMPANIONS OF CHRIST).

THEY HAVE TASTED THE GOOD WORD OF GOD (MEANING THEY HAVE BEEN FED ON THE PROMISE MADE LONG AGO AND IT HAS ARRIVED IN THE PERSON OF JESUS).

THEY HAVE ALSO TASTED OF THE POWERS OF THE WORLD TO COME (THE NEW AGE THAT BEGAN WITH THE ARRIVAL OF JESUS)

SO THE STERN REMINDER IS TO BE SURE THEY KNOW THEY ARE NOT TO RETURN TO THE OLD WAYS OF THE JEWS, OR OR THE PAGAN GENTILES, FROM WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED BY CONVERSION, AND BY THE GIFTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO INDWELL THEM.

7-8

VERSE 7 BEGINS WITH THE WORD “FOR” WHICH TELLS US THAT TWO CLASSES OF PEOPLE ARE IN VIEW.

THESE TWO CLASSES OF PEOPLE ARE DESCRIBED AS PIECES OF EARTH.

THE FIRST IS FRUITFUL, TRULY REGENERATED, AND FULLY ACCEPTING OF THE GIFT OF THE LORD.

THE SECOND IS UNFRUITFUL GROUND, THOSE WHO BRING FORTH ONLY BRIERS AND THORNS.

BOTH BRING FORTH FRUIT, THE FIRST BEING HERBS BEING BLESSED OF GOD, BUT THE SECOND BRING FORTH THAT WHICH IS WORTH LITTLE IN THEIR LIVES.

9-11

THE 2 VERSES EXPAND THE PREVIOUS TWO AND ALLOW US A VIEW INTO THE MIND OF GOD WHEN WE ARE TAUGHT THAT HE IS NOT UNRIGHTEOUS TO FORGET OUR WORKS & LABORS OF LOVE.

THESE WORKS ARE THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN US AND ARE NOT TO IN ANY WAY BE INTERPRETED AS WORKS BRINGING ENTRANCE TO LIFE ETERNAL.

THESE WORKS ARE THOSE THAT OCCUR AS WE ARE SANCTIFIED THROUGHOUT LIFE AFTER CONVERSION.

THE LOVE MENTIONED HERE IS MEANT TO BE SEEN AS ACTIVE, DILIGENT, AND UNTIRING TOWARD BUILDING THE KINGDOM.

IT IS SEEN IN THOSE WHO HAVE NOT CONSIDERED THE DENIAL OF CHRIST MENTIONED EARLIER.

GENUINE CHRISTIANS SHOW THEIR LOVE OF THE LORD BY THEIR FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE TO HIS TEACHINGS, AND THEIR HOPE IS TO THE END.

WE WILL SEE AN ENTIRE LIST OF SAINTS IN CHAPTER 11 WHO ARE GIVEN AS EXAMPLES OF THIS UNTIRING & LOVING FAITH.

12-15

WE ARE IMMEDIATELY GIVEN AN EXAMPLE USING FATHER ABRAHAM OF THAT UNTIRING FAITH IN THE VERSES.

WE ARE TAUGHT NOT TO BE SLOTHFUL, MEANING SLOW, BUT RATHER BE QUICKLY DILIGENT TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE GIVEN OF THOSE WHO DID INHERIT THE LORD'S PROMISE.

OF THOSE ABRAHAM WAS AMONG THE GREATEST.

THE EXAMPLE REMINDS US OF THE WONDERFUL LIFE HE LIVED, OF FAITH, LONGSUFFERING, HUMILITY, AND SPIRITUAL VIRTUE TOWARD THE LORD.

GOD, WITH AN OATH, MADE A PROMISE TO ABRAHAM, SWORE BY HIMSELF AS THERE WAS NONE GREATER, THAT”

“I WILL BLESS YOU AND I WILL MULTIPLY YOU”

BY HIS PATIENT ENDURANCE ABRAHAM RECEIVED THE PROMISE AND THROUGH THE LESSON TO US OF THIS ENDURING FAITH, WE HAVE STRONG ENCOURAGEMENT TO TAKE HOLD OF THE HOPE AS AN ANCHOR TO THE SOUL.

BY DOING DO, WE MAY ENTER INTO THAT WHICH IS OUR FORERUNNER, JESUS CHRIST, WHO HAS SET OUR EXAMPLE.

IF WE BELIEVE, WE MUST BELIEVE IN FULL, TRUSTING ONLY IN HIM TO KEEP US AND TO BRING US TO HIMSELF IN HIS TIME, NOT OUR TIME, EITHER BY MORTAL DEATH OR BY RAPTURE, JUST AS HE SAID IN JOHN 10:28:

“NEITHER SHALL ANY PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY HAND”

WE WILL SEE THE RESULTS OF STEADFAST FAITH IN CHAPTER 11, THE FAITH CHAPTER.

16-20

THESE VERSES GIVE US CONSOLATION THAT GOD DOES NOT LIE AND HE HAS SHOWN OVER & OVER AGAIN THAT HIS PROMISES WILL BE KEPT.

IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FLEE TO HIM FOR REFUGE JUST AS THOSE WHO HAD SINNED TERRIBLY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT COULD FLEE TO THE SANCTUARY CITIES GOD DESIGNATED IN NUMBERS 35, DEUTERONOMY 19 & JOSHUA 20.

WE SHOULD NOTICE HOWEVER THAT THE REFUGE UNDER THE LAW REFUGE WAS ONLY AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO HAD KILLED WITHOUT INTENTION. 

BUT THE SUPERIORITY OF JESUS CHRIST IS ONCE MORE REVEALED AS HE ALLOWS REFUGE OF ALL WHO HAVE SINNED AND ARE LOADED WITH THE HEAVINESS OF SPIRIT.

ALL SIN IS REMOVED, NOT JUST SIN UNTO DEATH, AS JESUS HAS PAID THE DEBT FOR IT.

SO NOW WE ARE PROVIDED AN ANCHOR FOR OUR SOULS, SURE AND STEADFAST, NEVER CHANGING, HAVING ONCE MADE THE PERFECT SACRIFICE, AND GRANTED US FREEDOM FOREVER FROM OUR SINS IF WE REPENT & CONFESS THEM OPENLY TO HIM.

THIS ANCHOR IS JESUS HIMSELF, MADE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK, NEVER CHANGING, NEVER ENDING.

HE IS OUR FORERUNNER BY:

1. DECLARATION – HE CARRIED THE GOOD TIDINGS FOR US AND DECLARED THE SUCCESS OVER SIN, DEATH, & HELL FOR US.

2. PREPARATION – HE HAS PREPARED THE OPENING FOR OUR PRAYERS AND WORSHIP, WITH NO VEIL REMAINING BETWEEN US AND GOD.

3. OCCUPATION – HE HAS GONE INTO HEAVEN, IN OUR NAME, TO TAKE POSSESSION OF IT FOR US, OCCUPYING IT WHILE WE AWAIT OUR ON ENTRY BY RAPTURE OR MORTAL DEATH.

WITH THE LAST VERSE IN CHAPTER 6 WE BEGIN THE TRANSITION TO THE FULL CHAPTER 7 EXPLANATION OF THE MYSTERIOUS PRIEST & KING, MELCHIZEDEK.

NEXT WEEK WE STUDY THIS MAN AND HOW HE WAS FAR DIFFERENT FROM THE LEVITES AND THAT JESUS, BEING OF HIS HIGHER ORDER OF PRIESTHOOD, IS THE BETTER WAY.

Hebrews - Chapter 7

THE PRIESTHOOD OF MELCHIDEZEK

WE HAVE SMALL VIEWS OF MELCHIZEDEK IN GENESIS 14 , PSALMS 110 AND THEN WE HAVE AN ENTIRE CHAPTER DEVOTED TO HIM IN HEBREWS.

THE WORD OF HIS NAME MEANS “KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” AND WE ARE TAUGHT THAT HE ALSO FILLED THE OFFICE OF “KING OF SALEM” MEANING KING OF PEACE.

HE WAS BOTH KING & PRIEST, A DOUBLE OFFICE NOT SEEN WITH ANY OTHER HEBREW EVEN THE MOST HONORED ONES SUCH AS MOSES OR AARON.

IN THIS REGARD WE SEE THE FIRST EVIDENCE THAT HE IS A TYPE OF JESUS CHRIST, HOLDING TWO OF THE THREE OFFICES THAT JESUS HOLDS.     (PROPHET-PRIEST-KING)

HE ACCEPTED THE TITHES OF ABRAHAM AND BROUGHT HIM BREAD & WINE, A FORESHADOW OF THE LORD'S TABLE.

HE PROVIDED BLESSING TO ABRAHAM, JUST AS JESUS BLESSED HIS OWN FOLLOWERS AS HIS LAST ACT ON EARTH.

RABBI ISMAEL, AN EARLY JEWISH TEACHER, WROTE IN 135 BC THAT MELCHIZEDEK WAS SHEM, THE SON OF NOAH.

MARTIN LUTHER ACCEPTED THIS TEACHING.

SHEM WAS 390 YEARS OLD AT ABRAHAM'S BIRTH, AND WAS 565 YEARS OLD AT ABRAHAMS DEATH. 

SHEM HIMSELF DIED AT AGE 600.

WE KNOW THAT SHEM LIVED UNTIL 2156 BC & THEREFORE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THESE TWO MEN KNEW EACH OTHER, WITH ABRAHAM BEING OF HIS FAMILY BUT SINCE VERSE 3 TEACHES THIS PRIEST WAS WITHOUT PARENTS, IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT MELCHIZEDEK WAS NOT SHEM.

OTHER EARLY WRITERS, PHILO & ORIGEN WROTE THAT THIS MAN WAS AN ANGELIC BEING, NOT HUMAN.

HIERAKAS, A JEWISH WRITER IN 290 AD WROTE THAT HE WAS AN EARLIER INCARNATION OF JESUS HIMSELF.

IT IS LIKELY THAT NONE OF THESE EARLY THOUGHTS ARE ACCURATE.

AS WE DRAW BACK THE CURTAIN ON THIS EARLY PRIEST WE WIILL SEE THAT HE ALONE WAS A SPECIAL SHADOW OF THE MESSIAH TO COME, AND HE ALONE SHARED A SEPARATE AND HIGHER FORM OF PRIESTHOOD THAN ALL THE LEVITE PRIESTS.

REMEMBER HE WAS NOT A JEW, BUT WAS THE CHOSEN ONE OF GOD IN THE HOLY LAND BEFORE ABRAHAM, BEFORE MOSES, BEFORE AARON, BEFORE JOSHUA AND ALL OTHERS.

HIS LESSON CLEARLY SHOWS US WHY THESE HEBREWS WHO WISHED TO GO BACKWARD TO THE LAW AND LAY ANOTHER FOUNDATION WERE WRONG TO DO SO.

BACK IN HEBREWS 5:11 THE WRITER SAYS THAT “...WE HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY AND HARD TO BE UTTERED SEEING YE ARE DULL OF HEARING”.

THIS SLOWNESS WAS NOT JUST A SMALL INFIRMITY BUT RATHER WAS A SAD STATE OF THE SOUL, SHOWING A LACK OF INTEREST IN THE TRUE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF THE GOSPEL.

LET'S BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO LOOK DOWN ON THESE PEOPLE AS WE SEE EVEN TODAY PEOPLE HEAR THE BEST OF PREACHING AND THE BEST OT TEACHING BUT IF THE HEART IS NOT RECEPTIVE, NO WISDOM WILL FOLLOW.

FROM 5:11 THROUGH THE 6TH CHAPTER WE ARE PREPARED FOR CHAPTER 7 WHICH SETS FORTH FOR US THE TRUEST GLORY OF CHRIST, WHERE OUR SPIRITS SHOULD REST.

WHEN WE FIRST SEE MELCHIZEDEK IN GENESIS, HE MEETS WITH ABRAHAM WHO HAS CONDUCTED WAR AGAINST THE PAGAN KINGS TO RELEASE LOT FROM CAPTIVITY.

AT THAT TIME THE WORLD HAD FALLEN INTO GROSS IDOLATRY AND IMMORALITY.   (READ ROMANS 1:19-31)

EVEN THOSE OF THE FAMILY OF ABRAHAM WERE WORSHIPPERS OF IDOLS.

JOSHUA 24:2:

“... EVEN TERAH, THE FATHER OF ABRAHAM SERVED OTHER GODS.”

IN THE MIDST OF THESE PAGANS, THE LORD HAD RAISED UP ONE TO STAND AS A TYPE OF CHRIST TO COME.

THE AREA SERVED BY MELCHIZEDEK WAS THE HOLY CITY LATER KNOWN AS JERUSALEM, AND SCRIPTURE SO TEACHES US IN PSALMS 76:2:

“IN SALEM ALSO IS HIS TABERNACLE AND HIS DWELLING PLACE IN ZION.”

SO WE SEE THAT JERUSALEM HAD A KING MANY CENTURIES BEFORE DAVID AND A HIGH PRIEST MANY CENTURIES BEFORE THE CALL GIVEN TO AARON.

REMEMBER THAT GALATIANS TEACHES US THAT THE LAW WAS GIVEN 400 YEARS AFTER THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM SO THE GOSPEL  WAS ACTUALLY A RETURN TO A MORE PERFECT TIME BEFORE THE LAW.

WE ARE TOLD LATER IN HEBREWS 11:10 THAT ABRAHAM SOUGHT A CITY WHOSE BUILDER AND MAKER WAS GOD.

THIS WAS WHERE HE MET MELCHIZEDEK, SHARED THE COMMUNION OF BREAD & WINE, AND RECEIVED THE BLESSING OF GOD'S PRIEST.

SINCE WE ARE TOLD THAT MELCHIZEDEK MEANS KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THAT HE WAS ALSO KING OF PEACE, LET'S BE SURE WE NOTE THE ORDER TAUGHT HERE.

JEREMIAH 23:6 TEACES US THAT CHRIST IS THE MAKER OF PEACE BECAUSE HE IS THE LORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

RIGHTEOUSNESS MUST BE FIRST AND THEN PEACE WILL FOLLOW.

IN ALL OF SCRIPTURE WHERE THESE TWO ARE MENTIONED TOGETHER, PEACE NEVER COMES BEFORE RIGHTEOUSNESS.

NOW WE COME TO THE MYSTERIOUS VERSES.

“WITHOUT FATHER, WITHOUT MOTHER, WITHOUT DESCENT, HAVING NEITHER BEGINNING OF DAYS NOR END OF LIFE, BUT MADE LIKE UNTO THE SON OF GOD, ABIDETH A PRIEST CONTINUALLY.”

HAD THESE WORDS BEEN MADE IN REFERENCE TO A MAN, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO GRASP OR UNDERSTAND.

BUT THIS REFERENCE IS NOT TO A MAN'S LIFE BUT TO THE LIFE OF A PRIEST.

IN HEBREWS 5:1 WE ARE TOLD THAT EVERY HIGH PRIEST ORDAINED OF MEN IS TAKEN FROM MEN. IN ORDER TO HOLD THIS OFFICE, MELCHIZEDEK HAD TO HAVE BEEN A MAN.

WE SHOULD RECALL THAT JESUS WAS NOT A HIGH PRIEST UNTIL HE WAS INCARNATED INTO HUMAN FLESH AS A MAN, AS WE ARE TAUGHT THAT HE BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US.

VERSE 4 SPECIFICALLY TEACHES THAT MELCHIZEDEK WAS A MAN.

IN CONNECTION TO THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON, PERSONAL FAMILY HISTORY (GENEALOGY) WAS OF THE HIGHEST IMPORTANCE. EACH PRIEST TOOK GREAT CARE TO PRESERVE THEIR FAMILY PEDIGREE. THOSE WITHOUT PROPER FAMILY HISTORY WERE PUT OUT FROM THE PRIESTHOOD.

EZRA 2:62

“THESE SOUGHT THEIR RECORD BY THOSE THAT WERE RECKONED BY GENEALOGY, BUT THEY WERE NOT FOUND, THEREFORE WERE THEY, AS POLLUTED, PUT FROM THE PRIESTHOOD.”

BUT THIS MAN WAS FROM AN ORDER OF PRIEST THAT DID NOT REQUIRE THE REGARD OF FAMILY ORDER OR PERFECT DESCENT, AN ORDER FREE FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE BEEN BORN OF THE BLOOD OF AARON.

THOSE OUTSIDE OF AARON WHO TRIED TO ENTER AS PRIESTS WERE PUT TO DEATH.

NUMBERS 3:10

“AND THOU SHALT APPOINT AARON AND HIS SONS , AND THEY SHALL WAIT ON THEIR PRIEST'S OFFICE, AND THE STRANGER THAT SHALL COMETH SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH”

IN THIS WAY, HE WAS AN ACCURATE TYPE FOR CHRIST, WHO WAS THE ONLY OTHER MEMBER OF THIS ORDER AND WAS ALSO NOT OF THE TRIBE OF AARON, BEING FROM JUDAH.

SO WE MUST VIEW THIS VERSE EXACTLY AS THE ONES BEFORE IN LIGHT OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MELCHIZEDEK AND THE JEWISH PRIESTS.

THE JEWISH PRIESTS BEGAN THEIR DAYS AS PRIESTS AT THE AGE OF 25 WHEN THEY COULD START TO SERVE.

NUMBERS 8:24

“THIS IS IT THAT BELONGETH UNTO THE LEVITES, FROM TWENTY AND FIVE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD THEY SHALL GO IN TO WAIT UPON THE SERVICE OF THE TABERNACLE AND THE CONGREGATION.”

AT THE AGE OF 30 THEY ENDED THEIR TRAINING AND BEGAN THEIR TRUE SERVICE.

NUMBERS 4:3

“FROM THIRTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARD EVEN UNTO FIFTY YEARS OLD, ALL THAT ENTER INTO THE HOST, TO DO THE WORK OF THE TABERNACLE.”

AT THE AGE OF 50 THEIR PRIESTLY LIFE ENDED, SERVING NO MORE AFTER THAT AGE.

NUMBERS 8:25

“AND FROM THE AGE OF FIFTY YEARS, THEY SHALL CEASE WAITING UPON THE SERVICE THEREOF, AND SHALL SERVE NO MORE.”

THERE WERE NO SUCH RESTRICTIONS UPON THE PRIESTHOOD OF MELCHIZEDEK AND IN THIS HE ALSO WAS  TYPE OF CHRIST.

NOTE THAT HE WAS “MADE LIKE UNTO THE SON OF GOD”.

WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL TO SEE THAT HE WAS MADE LIKE UNTO CHRIST, NOT CHRIST MADE LIKE UNTO HIM.

IN ORDER OF TIME, CHRIST WAS BEFORE MELCHIZEDEK, BUT IN THE ORDER OF PRIESTHOOD, MELCHIZEDEK WAS BEFORE CHRIST.

NOTICE THE 7 WAYS MELCHIZEDEK WAS MADE A TYPE OF CHRIST:

1. AS A PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD.

2. AS A ROYAL PRIEST, WITH MAJESTY & AUTHORITY.

3. AS BEING THE KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS & PEACE.

4. AS GIVING BLESSING TO THOSE CHOSEN.

5. AS ONE WHO USED THE BREAD & WINE.

6. AS NOT OWING HIS PRIESTHOOD TO HIS FAMILY.

7. AS ABIDING A PRIEST BEYOND THE LEVITICAL BOUNDARIES OF AGE.

SO IT WAS NOT THE NATURAL LIFE OF MELCHIZEDEK THAT HAD NO END BUT RATHER HIS LIFE AS A PRIEST THAT DID NOT END. 

HE ABIDETH AS PRIEST FOREVER.

THE GIVING OF THE TITHE TO MELCHIZEDEK SHOWED THE RESPECT AND RECOGNITION OF HIS HIGHER STATUS.

ABRAHAM WAS A PATRIARCH BUT WAS SUBJECT TO MELCHIZEDEK'S HIGHER POSITION.

SO WE SEE THAT EVEN IN THE BEGINNING OF ALL THINGS IN GENESIS, THERE WERE OFFERINGS TO GOD, OBSERVATION OF THE SABBATH, AND THE GIVING OF THE TITHE.

GOD LATER GAVE THE LEVITICAL PRIESTS THE AUTHORITY TO RECEIVE THE TITHE OF THE PEOPLE.

NUMBERS 18:21-24

“AND BEHOLD, I HAVE GIVEN THE CHILDREN OF LEVI ALL THE TENTH OF ISRAEL FOR AN INHERITANCE.”

WE SHOULD NOTICE THAT LEVI HIMSELF BEING STILL IN ABRAHAM PAID TITHE TO MELCHIZEDEK THROUGH ABRAHAM.

JUST AS LEVI COULD BE SAID TO BE “IN ABRAHAM” PAUL TEACHES US LATER THAT WE, AS ADOPTED SONS, ARE SAID TO BE “IN CHRIST”.

SO THE WHOLE FAMILY OF LEVI HAD DONE HOMAGE TO THIS PRIEST.

THINK ABOUT HOW VERY DIFFICULT THIS IDEA WAS FOR THE HEBREWS TO ACCEPT.

THEY HAD FOR MANY GENERATIONS BEEN TAUGHT THAT THE LEVITE PRIESTS WERE REPRESENTATIVES OF GOD'S PERFECTION, AND WERE SUFFICIENT AND PERMANENT.

NOW THEY WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS JESUS WHO WAS PERFECT, MEANING WITHOUT SIN AND COMPLETE.

JESUS HIMSELF HAD TAUGHT THAT HE CAME NOT TO DESTROY THE LAW BUT TO FULFILL IT.

WHAT PERFECTION DID CHRIST BRING?

1. RIGHTEOUSNESS – ALL THINGS BEFORE WERE IMPERFECT BY SIN.

2. PEACE – CHRIST MADE PEACE BETWEEN GOD & SINNERS.

ROMANS 5:10 TEACHES THAT WE WERE RECONCILED TO GOD BY THE DEATH OF HIS SON.

LIGHT – A GREATER MEASURE OF SPIRITUAL LIGHT CAME FROM JESUS ALONG WITH GREATER WISDOM. (JOHN 1:17)

ACCESS TO GOD – HIS FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS REMOVED THE VEIL THAT HAD LONG STOOD BETWEEN MAN AND GOD. THE TEMPLE VEIL WAS SPLIT.

GLORY OF THE FUTURE – ETERNAL LIFE ONLY THROUGH THE SON.

JOY – ABRAHAM HIMSELF, THOUGH LONG DEAD, REJOICED TO SEE THE DAY OFJESUS (JOHN 8:56).

FRUIT OF THIS JOY – GLORIFYING IN THE LORD AND HIS GIFT.

REMEMBER THE STRONG RESISTANCE PLACED AGAINST THE LORD AND HIS MESSENGERS.

JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED.

ALL THE APOSTLES EXCEPT JOHN WERE MARTYRS.

PAUL WAS BEATEN, STONED, AND LEFT FOR DEAD.

NOW JUDAISM WAS SET ASIDE THROUGH THEIR WORK.

AS DIFFICULT AS IT WAS FOR THE HEBREWS TO ACCEPT  IT, THE MEANS TO THEIR SALVATION WAS BASED UPON THEIR SETTING ASIDE ALL THAT THEY  HELD SACRED AND EMBRACING A NEW AND BETTER WAY.

IF THEY WOULD NOT FOREGO THEIR OLD PRIESTHOOD AND WORSHIP, THEIR RUIN WAS ASSURED.

GALATIANS 5:4 TEACHES THAT CHRIST WOULD EITHER BE ACCEPTED BY THEM OR WOULD PROFIT THEM NOTHING.

LUKE 15 TEACHES US OF THE PRODIGAL SON WHO HAD TO TURN HIS BACK ON THE FAR COUNTRY, LEAVING IT BEHIND, BEFORE HE CAN APPROACH THE FATHER AND RECEIVE THE “BEST ROBE”.   

VERSES 25-28 PROVIDE THE TEACHING OF THE PERFECT PRIEST.

SO LET'S CLOSE WITH THE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS HIS DEATH THAT REMOVED THE PREVIOUS OBSTACLES FROM MAN TOWARD GOD, IT IS HIS RENEWED LIFE THAT BRINGS  THE ASSURANCE OF LIFE ETERNAL TO THOSE WHO ARE CHOSEN AND ACCEPT.

THOSE WHO DO SO ARE NOT REMOVED FROM MORTAL LIFE, BUT ARE LEFT HERE IN ENEMY TERRITORY TO DO HIS WORK AND TO FURTHER HIS KINGDOM.

HIS FOLLOWERS ARE NOT YET GLORIFED BUT RATHER ARE LEFT IN FLESH, WITH ALL THAT BRINGS, WEAKNESS, DOUBT, TEMPTATION & SIN.

WE THEREFORE STAND IN NEED OF A PERFECT PRIEST WHO GRANTS US LOVE, RENEWAL OF NEVER ENDING GRACE, STRENGTH, HOPE, PROTECTION FROM SATAN'S MANY ARROWS, COMMUNION WITH THE FAITH THROUGH PRAYER, AND THE FULL ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL SECURITY.

THIS IS THE PERFECTION SHOWN IN VERSE 28 DESCRIBED AS “THE SON, WHO IS CONSECRATED EVERMORE.”

Hebrews - Chapter 8

CHRIST THE BETTER SACRIFICE

NEW REALITY REPLACES OLD SHADOWS

8:1-5

The earthly ministry is a shadow of the Heavenly ministry where Christ is forevermore our perfect great high priest.

In chapter 7 we saw that the priesthood of Christ is not of the traditional Levitical order but rather after the order of Melchidezek, a different and changed order from that which existed before.

The consequence of this change was that the priesthood of Christ was clearly of a position that surpassed the entire order that had gone before him, based upon human ancestry, not spiritual.

The priesthood of Christ was real & permanent while that of the Levites was by its nature temporary.

Christ’s more exalted priesthood arrived because He was the mediator of a better covenant, one seated within the heart of the believer rather than formed by external observances & rules.

NOTE: The primary purpose now was to draw the hearts of the Hebrews away from the temple at Jerusalem to the true sanctuary of Christian worship residing in Jesus Christ. It is for that reason that the ascension of Christ must occupy the central position in the better way, for He was the new sanctuary and it was not of earth but of Heaven, where he now is seated in authority.

There had existed for centuries a priesthood on earth. Now there is a better priesthood in Heaven, in majesty that cannot be found on earth. The priests here serve at a sanctuary that is a shadow & copy of that which is above.

This is why Moses was warned in Exodus 25:40:

“See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain”.

The law is only a shadow of the good things to come and is NOT the reality itself. This is why it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated year after year, make perfect those who draw to worship under it.

A shadow is only of two dimensions and it is always shown in darkness, while the reality of the true thing is fully formed and resides in light.

Remember, under the law, the holy place was off limits to the believer. The Holy of Holies lived behind the veil. Now our great high priest is seated in the most holy position at the right hand of the Father, accessible to every believer’s heart.

8:6-9:

The New Covenant

If there had been nothing wrong with the old covenant, no room would have been found for a new one. The new covenant is superior to the old, founded on better promises, based upon a better sacrifice, led by a better priest.

The OT revealed this fact in Jeremiah 31:31-32:

“The time is come, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord”.

At best, the old covenant was ineffective to God’s will for His people, therefore the new covenant arrived in Jesus.

At the last supper, He took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20).

Just as the Lord had prepared the people for the old covenant by:

1. The sending of Moses to announce & begin it.

2. Deliverance from the bondage of Egypt.

3. The miracle of the escape through the Red Sea.

4. Giving the law at Sinai.

He also prepared the people for the new covenant as well by:

1. The sending of John the Baptist to announce & begin it.

2. The incarnation & ministry of Jesus delivering grace.

3. Confirmation in Christ’s death, where the promise became a testament.

4. The resurrection of Christ became further confirmation.

5. Pentecost brought the means to deliver & expand it.

6. The Holy Spirit arrived to form & manage it.

8:10-13

Aspects of the New Covenant

In the new covenant, the Lord has promised:

“… I will put my laws into their mind, I will also write them on their heart… they will not teach every man his neighbor, for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them…”     (Jeremiah 31:33-34).

The Lord also clearly teaches here that He will forgive our sins and will remember them no more. By calling this covenant “new” he has made obsolete the “old” or former one, and it should therefore disappear.

There are two aspects of the new covenant that be broadly described as Sanctification & Justification.

Sanctification:

Under the new covenant, each believer is given a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ in cooperation with the Holy Spirit sent by him to maintain here what He mediates above.

Under the Old Covenant, the letter of the law kills. Paul wrote in 2 Cor 3:6:

“He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life”.

Under the New Covenant, behavior is affected by the regeneration brought about by the Holy Spirit. Right behavior starts to come naturally to the Christian.

John 1:3 teaches that “No one who is born of God will continue sinning, because God’s seed remains in him…”

Romans 8:5 teaches that “those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires”.

Justification:

The personal relationship is made possible under the New Covenant by the incorporation of the forgiveness of sin, through faith in Christ.

Eph 1:7  “In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

Under the New Covenant, not only are sins forgiven but He will remember the sins no more.

NOTE: If the glory of God’s New Covenant brings us forgiveness of sins against Him, and wipes them away from rememberance, maybe each of us should rededicate ourselves to forgive others of their sins against us and seek to remember them no more, as he has provided the best example to us of His will in this matter.

Hebrews 8: A Better Covenant

Application: The student will contrast the liberty of the new Covenant of grace with the bondage of the Old Covenant of the Law.

WE HAVE CLIMBED THE SPIRITUAL LADDER OF THE FIRST SEVEN CHAPTERS OF HEBREWS WHICH HAVE PROVEN TO WAVERING BELIEVERS THAT JESUS CHRIST, THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF GOD, IS SUPERIOR TO AND IS A BETTER WAY THAN DIVINE BEINGS SUCH AS ANGELS AND HUMAN BEINGS THAT CAME BEFORE SUCH AS PROPHETS, AND THEN MOSES, JOSHUA, & AARON.

OUR FIRST CHAPTER COMMANDS US TO KNOW THAT FROM THE TIMES OF JESUS ONWARD, GOD WILL SPEAK ONLY THROUGH HIS SON.

IN OUR REMAINING CHAPTERS WE SEE THAT HIS GOSPEL IS SUPERIOR TO THE WHOLE RITUAL OF JUDAISM AND COMMANDS A BETTER COVENANT THAN THAT KNOWN BY ALL THE OT SAINTS.

THE TYPES AND SHADOWS THAT CAME BEFORE ARE NOW NO LONGER VALID AS THE SUBSTANCE AND PROMISED REALITY IS PRESENT IN THE WORLD.

THE FULL MAGNIFICIENCE OF THIS TEACHING IS SUMMARIZED FOR US IN CHAPTER 7, VERSE 25:

“Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

(NOTICE HE IS ABLE – NOT WAS ABLE)

THE EMPHASIS HERE IS ON THE FACT THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LIVING.

HE IS NOT DEAD.

HE IS NOT STILL ON A CROSS WITH HIS BODY ROTTING AWAY.

HE IS NOT LYING IN A GRAVE FOR HE HAS RISEN.

NOW HERE IN CHAPTER 8 WE ARE TAUGHT THAT HE MINISTERS IN A SUPERIOR SANCTUARY BY A MUCH BETTER COVENANT, BUILT UPON BETTER PROMISES THAT HAVE NOW COME TRUE.

VERSES 1-5 TEACH US THAT NOW THE TOTAL (CALLED THE SUM) OF ALL WHICH HAS BEEN SAID IN CHAPTERS 1-7 ARE SEEN.

OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST HAS COMPLETED HIS WORK AND HAS OFFERED HIMSELF ONCE AND NOW SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER IN HEAVEN.

NO HUMAN PRIEST BEFORE WHO SERVED THE OLD COVENANT EVER FINISHED EARTHLY WORK AND WAS ELEVATED TO THAT STATION.

CHRIST HAS FULFILLED THE LAW AND THE TYPES & SHADOWS ARE OVER.

OUR REDEMPTION HAS BEEN MADE NIGH IF WE TURN TO HIM IN THE NEW COVENANT AND TRUST HIM AS SAVIOR.

HE SAT DOWN BECAUSE HE HAD FINISHED OUR REDEMPTION.

VERSE 2 CLEARLY SAYS HE IS A MINISTER OF THE TRUE TABERNACLE WHICH HE CREATED AND IS NOT OF MAN.

WHILE THE BEAUTY AND RICHNESS OF BOTH THE TABERNACLE AND THE TEMPLE WERE ARRANGED BY GOD THROUGH MOSES & DAVID,

NOW A TRUE TABERNACLE HAS ARRIVED IN CHRIST.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT VERSES 3-4 TEACH THAT THERE ARE STILL PRIESTS OFFERING GIFTS ACCORDING TO THE LAW, MEANING THAT THE TEMPLE STILL SEEMS TO BE EXISTING AT THIS WRITING.

BUT THEY SERVE THE SHADOW OF HEAVENLY THINGS ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN SHOWN TO MOSES ON THE MOUNTAIN.

SO THE TABERNACLE GIVEN TO MOSES TO BUILD WAS FROM A PATTERN FROM HEAVEN, AND THE PATTERN IS NOW ITSELF GIVEN TO MAN IN THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF GOD, JESUS CHRIST.

THE VEIL WHICH PROTECTED THE HOLY OF HOLIES FROM ALL BUT ONE MAN DENIED ACCESS TO ALL OTHERS.

WHEN JESUS DIED, THAT VEIL SPLIT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM FREEING ACCESS FOR ALL WHO BELIEVE TO COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE WITHOUT A HUMAN PRIEST NEEDED ANY LONGER.

CHAPTER 10, VERSE 20, WILL SHOW THAT THIS IS A NEW AND LIVING WAY TO GOD AND THAT IT HAS BEEN ARRANGED THROUGH THE VEIL OF HIS FLESH GIVEN FOR OUR SIN.

CHAPTER 11, VERSE 6 WILL SHOW THAT ALL THAT IS NECESSARY FOR A BELIEVER TO COME TO GOD IS FAITH THAT HE IS AND IS A REWARDER OF THOSE WHO SEEK HIM IN FAITH GIFTED BY GRACE.

CLEARLY WE ARE BEING TAUGHT THAT NOW A BETTER COVENANT HAS ARRIVED IN CHRIST AND ALL FROM THE CROSS ONWARD OPEN THAT COVENANT BEHOLDING HIM WITH THE EYE OF FAITH.

VERSES 6-8 TEACH US THAT THIS NEW COVENANT IS BETTER THAN THE OLD ONE FOR IT WAS BUILT UPON BETTER PROMISES AND THEREFORE IS A MORE EXCELLENT MINISTRY.

THE OLD COVENANT WAS BASED UPON THE LAW WHICH NO HUMAN COULD KEEP.

IT WAS DESIGNED TO REVEAL SIN AND IT ALLOWED A TEMPORARY WAY TO COVER SIN THROUGH ANIMAL SACRIFICE.

NO ONE WAS EVER SAVED BY KEEPING THE LAW, BECAUSE BOTH THE PEOPLE AND THE PRIESTS WERE CONTINUING IN SIN AND SACRIFICE WAS THE ONLY WAY GIVEN TO COVER THOSE SINS.

AS SIN MULTIPLED, SO DID MORE ANIMALS DIE TO SHED IMPERFECT BLOOD TO TEMPORARILY COVER IT.

THIS WAS THE SHADOW OF WHAT WAS TO COME  WHICH WAS A BETTER SACRIFICE, A BETTER PRIEST, AND A BETTER TABERNACLE, ALL GIVEN TO ARRANGE A BETTER REDEMPTION.

VERSES 7-8 SHOW THAT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO NEED FOR A NEW COVENANT IF THE OLD ONE BROUGHT PERFECTION BUT IT DID NOT AND WAS NOT FAULTLESS, BEING ONLY A SHADOW.

THERE WAS A NEED FOR A BETTER COVENANT THAT WOULD OVERCOME THOSE FAULTS AND WOULD BE GIVEN BY GOD TO DO SO THROUGH HIS MAJESTIC MERCY.

THIS NEW COVENANT WOULD REPLACE THE OLD ONE MADE WITH THE HEBREW FATHERS FOR THEIR DELIVERANCE FROM BONDAGE.

THE HEBREWS BROKE THAT COVENANT ARRANGED BY GOD.

EVEN AFTER TABLETS OF STONE WRITTEN BY THE FINGER OF GOD WERE GIVEN TO MOSES, THE PEOPLE DISOBEYED THE LAW WRITTEN IN STONE.

SO GOD PROMISED THROUGH HIS PROPHET JEREMIAH IN CHAPTER 31 THAT HE WOULD CREATE A NEW COVENANT, NOT WRITTEN IN STONE BUT WRITTEN IN THE HEARTS OF BELIEVERS AND IT WOULD RESIDE IN THEIR INWARD PARTS, NOT IN EXTERNAL STONE TABLETS.

THIS PROMISE WAS GIVEN OVER 600 YEARS BEFORE JESUS ARRIVED.

NOT ONLY WILL THE NEW COVENANT BE INTERNAL TO EACH BELIEVER, ONCE THEY HAVE ACCEPTED IT, THEY WILL TEACH OTHERS.

IN THIS NEW COVENANT IN VERSES 8-12 GOD PROMISES A CLEAR BUT STARTLING STATEMENT.

HE WILL DELIVER MERCY TOWARD THE UNRIGHTEOUSNESS OF MANKIND AND WILL IN THIS NEW COVENANT REMEMBER NO MORE THEIR SINS & INIQUITIES.

HERE WILL BE FULL FORGIVENESS OF SIN, NOT COVERING IT FROM YEAR TO YEAR IN ANIMAL BLOOD.

THIS IS COMPLETE PARDON THROUGH GRACE GIFTED BY FAITH.

VERSE 13 TEACHES THAT THE OLD COVENANT IS DECAYED AND IS READY TO VANISH AWAY.

THE SPIRITUAL KEY TO THIS NEW COVENANT PROMISE IS THE GIFTING OF AN INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT INSIDE EACH BELIEVER FROM THE MOMENT OF FAITHFUL SALVATION.

HERE IS WHAT GOD SPOKE OF SIX CENTURIES BEFORE IT BECAME REALITY.

THE SYSTEM OF SACRIFICE UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES DID VANISH AWAY AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE BY THE ROMANS.

THERE ARE STRONG DIFFERENCES TO UNDERSTAND BETWEEN THESE TWO COVENANTS.

THEY WERE INSTITUTED AT DIFFERENT TIMES:

• OLD = AROUND 1446 B.C.

• NEW= AROUND 33 A.D.

THEY WERE INSTITUTED IN DIFFERENT PLACES:

• OLD= MT. SINAI

• NEW= MT. ZION

THEY WERE SPOKEN OF IN DIFFERENT WAYS:

• OLD= THUNDERED FORTH IN FEAR & DREAD (EX 19)

• NEW= SPOKEN KINDLY BY JESUS IN LOVE & GRACE

THEY HAVE DIFFERENT MEDIATORS:

• OLD= MOSES

• NEW= JESUS THE SON OF GOD

THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN SUBJECT MATTER:

• OLD= DEMANDED CONTINUAL WORKS

• NEW= FUFILLS WORKS COMPLETED BY JESUS

THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN DEDICATION:

• OLD= BLOOD OF ANIMALS SPRINKLED ON PEOPLE (EX 24)

• NEW= BLOOD OF JESUS SHED ONCE FOR ALL SIN

THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN PRIESTS:

• OLD= HUMAN PRIESTS BEGINNING WITH AARON

• NEW= A PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS & A GREAT HIGH PRIEST IN THE HIGHER ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK

THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN SACRIFICES:

• OLD= ENDLESS REPITITION OF ANIMALS

• NEW= ONCE AND FOREVER SACRIFICE OF THE SINLESS SON

THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN GOALS:

• OLD= TO DISCOVER SIN AND CONDEMN IT

• NEW= TO DECLARE THE LOVE OF GOD & HIS MERCY & TO REMEMBER SIN NO MORE THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUS WORK OF CHRIST.

THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN PURPOSE:

• OLD= MADE NOTHING PERFECT, SIN MADE ALL THINGS IMPERFECT

• NEW= CAN & WILL BRING IN THE PERFECTION OF ALL WHO ACCEPT THE MESSIAH SENT & BELIEVE.

THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN DURATION:

• OLD= DESIGNED TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE NEW COVENANT, POINTING FORWARD TO IT.

• NEW= DESIGNED TO LAST FOREVER AS JESUS WILL RULE FOREVER STARTING IN THE 1,000 YEAR KINGDOM

THE SUMMARY OF ALL THESE DIFFERENCES IS CLEAR IF WE STUDY AND ACCEPT IT AS GOD PROMISED.

FROM ADAM TO MOSES, THROUGH 2500 YEARS, AND FROM MOSES TO MALACHI, THROUGH 1100 YEARS, THE PROPHETS WERE SPEAKING FOR GOD TO MAN.

BUT AT THE END OF 3600 YEARS THEIR REVELATION OF GOD WAS ONLY PARTIAL.

THEN AFTER A SILENCE OF 400 MORE YEARS, WHEN THE FULNESS OF TIME WAS COME, GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON, AND IN THAT SON THE REVELATION OF GOD TO MAN IS COMPLETED AND IS PERFECT.

AS WE SAW IN CHAPER ONE, GOD CONSIDERED IT SO BECAUSE HE SAID HE WOULD END THE SPEAKING OF PROPHETS, NOW AND FOREVER SPEAKING ONLY THROUGH HIS SON, WHO WILL UPHOLD ALL THINGS THROUGH THE WORD OF THIS POWER AND WHO IS FOREVER THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF GOD TO MAN.