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.