Hebrews 13, the final section of our Hebrews study outline

Hebrews 13

1) Brotherly love is of primary concern: For unity within the Church; for witness to the world; for effective ministry. 
Who is my brother? – Gal.6:10 – “Especially those who are of the household of the faith.” 
Eph. 2:18-19 – “You are of God’s household.” I Jn.3:1-2 –“We (believers) are the children of God.” There is to be a special bond of love between the members of the Body of Jesus Christ that goes beyond earthly ties of brotherhood, or love of neighbor and certainly beyond love of enemies. Jn.13:35 – “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
2) Hospitality for its own sake is in view here; the angel thing is secondary but important. Angels are real and they walk among us, period.
3) The prisoners in view here are the ones that have been in view all along (Heb.10:34); Christians who are persecuted and in prison for their faith in Christ. They are members of “the body” as the text states. If you want to visit criminals that are in jail for civil crimes that’s fine, it is just not a biblical mandate as some have interpreted it to be.
4) We live in a strange day when marriage is under attack and is no longer considered to be what it once was. The term marriage has been redefined and is no longer “honorable” as defined here in the bible. Surely this is a sign of the end of the age (II Tim.3:1-5) and of the demise of the Judeo-Christian ethic in America and of the perversion of morality in our modern world.
5) “Let your character be free from love of money.” (Not greedy but liberal and generous). Obviously this is something we can do or it wouldn’t be stated this way.
In other words – don’t be consumed with the pursuit of wealth to the point of losing sight of your dependence upon God’s desire, ability and promise to provide for your daily needs if you will ask Him. Our character is not set in stone. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can develop a more godly one. To lose sight of this is a trap to be avoided and one we can easily fall into. I Tim.6:6 – Godliness with contentment is great gain. II Cor.9:7- God loves a cheerful giver. Phil.4:11-13 - I have learned to be content...I can do all things through Christ (in all circumstances concerning want or in plenty). Phil.4:19 - My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Mt.6:11 – “Give us this day our daily bread.”
Jas.4:2-3 – You have not because you ask not... or you ask with wrong motives.
Mat.6:31-34 – “Do not be anxious then...about food, drink or clothing...God knows that you need these things. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”
6) “What shall man do to me?” Ultimately, concerning eternal things, man can do nothing to the child of God; but here in this world and for now in this time, unfortunately, man can do much in many ways. We live in a world filled with evil and evil doers. We have God’s promises to sustain us, but do not be deceived by misapplying those promises. Christians are not exempt from the consequences of the actions of evil men in the world. Particularly of such men who may be in positions of worldly power. But remember – “I have overcome the world!” Jn.16:33.
7) Beginning with the Apostles and including evangelist, teachers and pastors. This admonition is predicated upon the fact that God is the one who appoints the proper leaders in the Church. Eph.4:11.

The immutability of Jesus Christ; an attribute of deity only. Heb.1:10-12. Any teaching that would alter or reinterpret the original teachings of Jesus is to be rejected. Gal.1:6-9

9) There seems to be no end to the strange teachings that keep coming around, to challenge our complete salvation and freedom in Christ. A tenacious and persistent strange teaching (the particular one in view here again) is the ever present call to return to the bondage of the Law, including the dietary restrictions.

10) The food that we partake of from our altar; (“our altar” is the cross symbolically, or more literally that which is in heaven – see Heb.9:12; Rev.1:5). Our food is the Bread of Life. Jn.6:35.
Those that find Christ’s sacrifice to be insufficient and desire to be under the Law have disqualified themselves from partaking of the true life giving Bread.

11-12) The historical prophetic parallel between Old Covenant animal sacrifice and the one final New Covenant sacrifice is illuminated. What may have seemed like an insignificant detail is highlighted as a profound foreshadow of the necessity of the separation of the old from the new.

13) Let’s follow Jesus and leave the old behind.

14) Again; this world is about to pass away; God has promised to provide a new and unshakable home for us in the world to come; how foolish to cling to this world and loose the next world, which is far better.

15) Our “sacrifice of praise” includes our personal testimony of faith in Christ, our public praise and thanksgiving to God for His grace and mercy and our sharing of the gospel with others.

16) Do good to all men, as much as lies within your control and share the blessings of God in your life with others. Heb.12:14; Ro.15:19;

17) God has established a hierarchy in the Church; in the home; and in government. Eph.5:23; Ro.13:1.

18-19) A personal request from the author; he obviously believed in the power of prayer and he sought the support of the brethren through prayer on his behalf, so should we.

29-21) The beautiful Hebrews benediction;
Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

22) He is saying “Please take to heart what I have said!” This expresses every teacher’s desire for his students. “I have written to you briefly.” I have kept it short, sweet and to the point. Or perhaps an alternate meaning could be to say “I have written to you with urgency.”

23) We are part of a great community of mutual care and concern. Circumstances are in flux.

24) Personal and corporate greetings from saints to saints.

25) “Grace be with you all.” May I add, Amen.

Hebrews 12:18-24 - chart

As we approach the last chapter of the book of Hebrews the author is focusing on some of the key topics that he has addressed within the letter. He is again emphasising the superiority of the New Covenant that is for the followers of Christ over the Old covenant of the Law. He uses an analogy, found in 12:18-24 to make his strong point. He compares the bondage of Mt. Sinai to the freedom of Mt. Zion.
I have covered this material in the previous outline (found below) but I thought a chart would be helpful to further illustrate the point. I have included a third mountain in my analysis, Mt. Calvary.

Gal.4:21-31 – Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not listen to the Law?
The present Jerusalem (slaves under the Law) and the Jerusalem above (free under grace).
Children according to the flesh and children according to promise.
Children of a bond woman and children of the free woman.

Hebrews 12:14-29

Hebrews 12:14-29

14) The hallmarks of a child of God: Peace and Holiness. (At least they should be)

Peacemaker – pursue/ follow peace with all men.
Mt.5:9 – Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.
Ro.14:4-23 – seek peace in relation to the weaker brother, for his sake.
Gal.5:22-23 – the fruit of the Spirit is peace, seek to develop the attitude of a peacemaker. 
Eph.4:1-7 – be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
I Thes.5:14-15 – help the weak, be patient with all men.
II Tim.2:22-26 – pursue peace and don’t be quarrelsome but gentle when correcting.
Jas.3:17-18 – But the wisdom from above is first pure (holy and undefiled), then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
I Pet.3:8-11 – seek peace and pursue it.

Sanctified life – pursue/ follow holiness; in order to see (know) the Lord.
I Pet.1:16 – “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Ro.6:22-23 – Having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. (Whereas before you lived under the curse of death as the result of your sinful actions, your wages; now it is God who is at work producing holiness and a sanctified life; eternal life); Christ is our sanctifier – Heb.2:10-11.
II Cor.6:17 – “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord, “And do not touch what is unclean.”
II Cor.7:1 – let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Phil.3:7-14 – the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith ... Not that I have already attained it or have already become perfect ... I press onward toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
I Thes.3:12-3 – may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men ... may He establish your hearts unblamable in holiness.
Heb.12:10 – He disciplines us for our own good that we may share in His holiness.
I Pet.3:10-13 – What kind of people should we be?

Without sanctification and holiness one cannot see the Lord. (Now or in the future).
Mt.5:8 – Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
I Cor.13;12 – Then we shall see face to face.
Eph.5:1-9 – no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
I Jn.3:2-8 – no one who practices sin has seen Him or knows Him.
Rev.22:3-4 – His bond servants shall serve Him; and they shall see His Face.

15) See to it! This is something that we must do ourselves.
Live in the fullness of the grace of God.
Be on the lookout for bitterness in the fellowship because it can defile many.

16) Esau desired the material world with its comforts and appetites over the spiritual realm and the promise of better things to come. Be aware that this same spirit of worldliness is alive and well in the Church today and it is deadly.

17) There is a point of no return and there are consequences to our choices and to our actions.
18-21) The characteristics of the Old Covenant are highlighted to remind those who were desirous of returning to it, of the grave consequences of failing to keep it perfectly.
From the very beginning at Mt. Sinai it was a fearful thing; ominous and threatening- Ex.19:10-25; 20:18-22.
As we have seen throughout this entire epistle, this was a constant issue with these folks (Hebrew believers), they wanted to return to the familiarity of the Law.
Unfortunately, this problem has not gone away; many who declare themselves to be members of the blood bought Church of Jesus Christ are still seeking to be justified or to maintain their justification by keeping the Old Covenant laws, or by following some other set of rules and regulations.
It is the age old question of salvation by Grace alone through Faith in Christ alone versus Salvation through some kind of self performed works (Autosoterism/ self- salvation).
Ro.319-20 – No one will be declared righteous in His sight by keeping the Law.
Ro.6:14 – You are not under the Law.
Gal.2:15-21 – A man is not justified by observing the Law... I do not set aside the Grace of God,
For if righteousness could be gained through the Law, then Christ died for nothing.
Gal.3:6-14 – All who rely on observing the Law are under a curse.
Deut.27:26 – The Law requires complete obedience and conformity to all of its requirements. It is not possible for one to be justified by keeping the Law imperfectly; No man, with the exception of Jesus Christ, ever kept the Law perfectly. Therefore, no man outside of Jesus Christ can ever be justified by keeping the Law. Only cursing can come from trying and failing to keep the Law.
Ro.10:4 – Jesus Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

22-24) For the purpose of contrast; the characteristics of the New Covenant are highlighted.
The differences between the dispensation of the Law and the dispensation of Grace are striking and obvious to see.
We have come to Mt. Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.
Phil.3:20 - Our citizenship is in heaven
Lk.10:20 – “Rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
Eph.1:4 – He chose us, in Christ, before the foundation of the world.
Rev.13:8 – The names of the saved have been written in the Lambs Book of Life since before the foundation of the world.
(This is the correct understanding of this text. The order of the sentence structure in the Greek has caused some confusion as to the proper translation into English.
A proper smooth translation reads – “And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world, in the book of Life of the Lamb who has been slain.”)

25) “Do not refuse Him” (Jesus, the mediator of a New Covenant); “Take heed to the warning.” The implications are obvious; we are required to respond to the call of God and equally obviously we are capable of refusing to do so. “Do not turn away from Him who warns from heaven.”
Gal.4:21-31 – Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not listen to the Law?
The present Jerusalem (slaves under the Law) and the Jerusalem above (free under grace).
Children according to the flesh and children according to promise.
Children of a bond woman and children of the free woman.

26) His voice shook the earth then – Ex.19:18.
He has promised – Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens – Hag.2:6.
II Pet.3:10 – The heavens and the earth will pass away with a roar.
27) “Yet once more” – A removing of the old (world) and the replacing with the new (heavens and earth) – Hag.2:1-7 – The new will be far better than the old. (Just like the temple).
Heb.1:10-12 – He created them in the 1st place and He will recreate them. They will be changed.
Is.13:13; 34:4; 65:17; Ezek.38:20; Joel 3:16; Mt.24:35; Rev.21:1-7, 20-22.

28) Therefore; we have reason to rejoice like never before!
Rev.11:15-19 – “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.” This is a prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled.
(The entire 2nd half of the Great Tribulation period is released at the blowing of the 7th trumpet. All of the bowl judgments are “contained”, as it were, in the 7th trumpet. This declaration by the voice and that of the 24 elders are proleptic, they are made in the aeviternal heaven and amount to a declaration of the certainty of the outcome; following the initiation of the events mentioned, by the blowing of the trumpet. The statements are in the aorist tense, indicating a completed action that continues into the future; this is an affirmation that all of this will come to pass without fail.)
Mt.6: 10 – “Thy kingdom come!”
Mt. 25:34 – Come, now, finally, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
It is an eternal, unshakable kingdom – Is.9:7; Dan.2:44; 7:14, 27; Lk.1:33; I Pet.1:4-5.

Let us show gratitude to God, in practical ways.
Ro.12:1-2 – I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship...

With reverence and awe.
Ps.2:11 – Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Ps.89:7 – God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him.
Rev.15:1-4 – Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? (Before the bowls).

29) Our God is a consuming fire! (Deut.4:24).
Ex.24:17 – Like a devouring fire in the eyes of the children of Israel.
Ps.97:1-6 – A fire goes before Him and burns up His enemies.
Is.66:15-16 – For behold, the Lord will come in fire,
The Lord will execute judgment by fire and by His sword on all flesh.

Out with the old and in with the new.
All things that defile God’s good creation will be done away with.

Back to II Pet.3:1-18 – But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.... But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
All of the biblical writers are emphasizing the same thing; we have tremendous reasons to be grateful to God for our future inheritance of the eternal, unshakable, holy and pure kingdom of God. This should serve to inspire us and cause us to want to offer back to God our very best worship and service. This world is not our final home; there is a better one coming for us, soon!

Hebrews 12: 1-13

Hebrews 12

1) Therefore: again the author sums up the entire preceding chapter with clear admonition and instruction.

Take heart; be encouraged; don’t be discouraged or distracted from the goal; don’t let sin or doubt hold you back! Don’t run the race with any unnecessary weight tied to your back.

This great cloud of witnesses serves as our examples.

2) Always keep your eyes upon Jesus.

“He is the Author” - Άρχηγὸν (Archegon – beginning) – He is the originator of our faith, He is the prime example of faith in God and He is the object of our faith; He is where our faith in God’s provision for our salvation begins and ends (2:10) He has perfected our salvation.

“And Perfecter of our faith” - Τελειωτὴν (Teleiootain – bringing to an end) - The Finisher, the Accomplisher; He is the goal of and the end of our faith!

As Christians we are complete in Christ; our faith is in Him and His finished work on our behalf; which alone secures our salvation; He is the Beginning and the End, the Α and the Ω, the First and the Last; nothing is to be added and nothing taken away.

He despised the shame; He did not consider the shame of public humiliation as something to even take into consideration; He ignored it.

He sat down (1:3) – it is finished! Jn.19:30 - Tetelestai! (Same root word as in vs.2 - Finisher)

3) The student is not above the Master (Mt.10:24); if our Lord endured the cross with joy (Is.53:10-12), so should we endure our trials with the joy of knowing that our endurance is not in vain and that our hope is secure because we hope in the same God and Father that Jesus did;

God our Heavenly Father has a purpose in it all and we can trust Him in all things. He will cause it all to work out for our good (Ro.8:28).

4) Resisting sin (primary meaning in this context is “sinful men”) unto shedding blood (i.e. to martyrdom; as did so many in the previous chapter, and of course as Jesus did). Also our own sin is in view in the sense of our unrelenting battle to resist the influence of sin in our life.

5-6) Paradoxically and perhaps somewhat ironically, the fact is that Godly discipline in ones life is a confirmation of son-ship. (Prov.3:11-12)

7) The Greek word translated here as discipline/ chastening is very interesting;

παιδειαν (paideian – child rearing/ training; as found in Eph.6:4)

The love of a father for his child is shown through discipline as much as anything else; a lack of discipline from an earthly father to his child shows a lack of interest for the child’s well-being.

8) “All have become partakers” – same word used in 1:9; 3:1, 14; 6:4 (all have become sharers in discipline); If you do not share in the discipline of God’s sons then you are not a legitimate son.

This should be a source of encouragement for the child of God and not of despair.

9-10) God certainly deserves as much respect as our earthly fathers; it is for our own good and for our spiritual life and well being that our Father in heaven chastens, corrects and disciplines us. We need to always rely upon His wisdom and His goodness towards us.

11) The peaceful fruit of righteousness; Eph.5:9; Phil.1:9-11. (More fruit of the Spirit).

Beauty for ashes (Is.61:3) joy for sorrow, peace and righteousness; the result of godly training.

We must do our part, if we are to offer to God an acceptable service.

God is at work in our lives constantly offering guidance, correction and encouragement to help us to attain to greater maturity in Christ and to develop into a more useful servant of the kingdom of heaven. He has left nothing out on His part to accomplish His purpose for our good.

Jesus has done all that was necessary to provide us with a complete salvation that guarantees eternal life to all who will believe. There is nothing more to be done to attain our salvation.

But we have a part to play in living out our Christianity on a daily basis that is essential to our success and well being in our pilgrimage in this world;

And for our effectiveness as an acceptable servant of God, as we strive to fill our role in the body of Christ in a manner worthy of our calling.

God knows our weaknesses and our needs; that is why He has provided us with the marvelous gifts, helps and revelations that He has.

He loves us and wants us to have everything we need to succeed for living in victory over sin and Satan; over all of the temptations of the world the flesh and the devil.

But we must implement those gifts; we must utilize those helps, we must hear and seek to understand those revelations and respond in the ways that God has intended for us to do;

To make changes in our beliefs and in our actions in ways that will make us more Christ like in our submission to the Father and to the leading of the Holy Spirit. (The Holy Spirit is here to help us to do so, but it is up to us whether or not we will seek Him and yield to Him- Eph.5:18)

12-13) Again “Therefore” – indicating that we are to act upon the previous revelation and instruction concerning our chastening with encouragement derived from the reminder that so many faithful ones have gone before us and have endured great hardship in faith while waiting for the promise.

“Hands that are week and knees that are feeble” – we have a merciful and faithful high priest that understands our temptations and the weakness of our flesh. (Heb.2:14-18; Mt.26:41)

Our weakness and feebleness are NOT sin! Only our submission to them is, and that not without remedy!
I Jn.1:9

Also, as we were instructed in 10:24, 32-34, we are to remember the weakness of others and to stimulate each other unto love and good deeds as well as to encourage each other to endure in faith.

So we see that we are to not only seek to strengthen our own weak hands and feeble knees but also to help others who are struggling with the same weaknesses.

“Make straight paths for your feet” – make no provision for the flesh Ro.13:12-14.

 Prov.3:5-8 –    Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him; And He will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.

Hebrew 11:4 - 40

We walk by faith, not by sight.

(II Cor.5:7)

This is in no way a weakness or an inferiority as the unbelieving world insists that it is in its ignorance; quite the contrary, it is our unshakable strength and the assurance of our inheritance of God’s promises. Faith in God is a great advantage, not a liability.

Without faith we have no assurance. It is the evidence of our assurance, the very substance of things hoped for through our belief in God and our trust in God.

Is your faith weak? Then so is your assurance. Is your confidence in Christ’s ability to completely save in doubt, then you have no assurance. Is your faith in God strong and based upon His revealed truths, His revealed character and His revealed promises? Do you trust in the finished work of Christ alone for your salvation? Then, you have your assurance! Jn.17:3.

Heb.11:4) Able obtained testimony that he was righteous, because of his faith.

It was Jesus Christ Himself who declared that Able was righteous. Mat.23:35.

Able demonstrated his faith through his Worship. Gen.4:4.

His innocent blood still cries out for justice! Gen.4:10.

What do you think about the blood of the millions of innocents slaughtered in the holocaust of abortion? Do you think that God does not hear and that He will not judge justly? Rev.6:9-11.

5) Enoch was pleasing to God. Gen.5:22-24 – He walked with God and was translated into His presence. Think of it; it is possible for a man to please God! Do you believe that? Do you desire to please God? Do you seek to walk with God daily?

Enoch demonstrated his faith by his Walk. Gal.6:7; Jas.1:22; 2:26.

6) The centrality of the necessity of personal faith in anyone who would please God.

This is one of the most informative verses in the Bible regarding man’s relationship with God.

This verse also serves to explain why so many people in the world, both religious and nonreligious, fail to recognize or accept the fact that God is active in the world and that He intervenes in the affairs of men; they have no first hand experience of His presence or of His providence, because they either do not believe that He hears and answers prayer, or they do not even believe that He really exists at all. They Will not seek Him or yield to His Spirit in faith.

7) Noah demonstrated his faith and reverence for God by his Work.

Gen.6:8-9 – Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. He was a righteous man and blameless in his generation and he walked with God. (He had an ongoing personal relationship with God, like Enoch had).

God warned him about the coming flood; Noah believed God even though he probably had never actually seen rain before (Gen.2:5; 7:4) and he had certainly never seen or ever head of such a thing as a world wide flood, yet he went to work immediately to build the ark (something else that he had never seen before), he believed God, he acted upon his belief; he had faith.

By contrast; the rest of the world did not find favor in the eyes of the LORD. They obviously had no faith in or fear of God; and so the righteousness of Noah’s faith was a condemnation upon the rest of the unbelieving inhabitants of the earth. Jn3:18-19.

8) Abraham heard and obeyed God’s call and he believed God’s promise without ever seeing the promise land; he Went. Lk.9:57- 62.

9) He Waited for God to fulfill His word. He passed on his faith to two generations directly and to the entire household of the faith community ultimately. Ro.4:16; Gal.6:9.

10) Faith is waiting with anticipation and with full expectation of vindication for hope.

We with Abraham look forward to moving from tents/ temporary dwelling places; to The City of God/ permanent and built by God Himself upon unshakable foundations.

11) Sarah’s faith was rewarded; her faith was in God and in His promise.

12) Faith can receive supernatural blessings.

13) Think of it; all of these mentioned and more yet to be named, died without receiving the fullness of the promises and yet thy died in faith and their faith still lives and the promises will yet surely be fulfilled for them; because the one who gave them is faithful.

This is our example and this is our hope. Don’t settle in here; this is not our final home.

14) Keep pressing onward.

15) Don’t look back; cast off every encumbrance that holds you down.

16) Don’t settle for less than God has provided for you.

17) Do not be afraid to trust God in the difficult things; times of trial, of testing, of darkness and of temptation.

18) Remember the promise and the One who made it.

19) Even faith unto believing that God will raise the dead.

20) Exercise faith in the blessing of your children and for the future blessings of your loved ones.

21) Bless your grandchildren in faith; believing God for His faithfulness.

22) Count on God’s continual faithfulness even if it may be the case that you might die in faith before it comes to pass.

23) Trust God over men; even over men in power who may promise great things.

24) Do not be drawn away from God by the lure of worldly pleasures and power.

25-26) There are choices we must make in life, the choosing of which will demonstrate the state of our faith.

27-28) Moses demonstrated his faith through his actions and his choices.

29-30) The people followed Moses’ example and stepped out in faith (so should we).

31) Rahab’s faith delivered her family and herself from destruction, her faith was demonstrated by her choices and her actions.

32-38) The bible is filled with examples of people of faith, examples for our instruction and encouragement.

39) This fact serves as a further example of the strength of their faith in God and in His trustworthiness.

40) God has included us, the Church of Jesus Christ, in His plans for the demonstration of His rewards for the faithful people of God from the very beginning.

Hebrews chapter 11:1-3

Hebrews chapter 11    

page 23

1-3) The biblical definition of faith begins this deep and highly theological three verse prologue.

 Faith = the hupostais – the firm conviction; that which has actual existence, (1:3).

 (The opposite of hypothesis or speculative theory) – Assurance;

the substance of; the foundation of; the assurance of the substantial and foundational existence of the unseen realm of reality from which all of the things that exist in the seen realm; that is to say, the material realm, come from.

This amounts to a strong affirmation of the Judeo/ Christian world view; i.e.

Theistic dualism; simply stated: reality consists of the immaterial spiritual realm and the material physical realm.

Furthermore, and more to the point; God exists independently from the material realm.

He transcends it, precedes it, created it and although He enters into it, He is not restricted by it nor is He confined to it.

Things not seen would include; God; the act of creation; and the source of matter, time and space.

The faith in view here is very specific; it means “to believe God”,

This of course presupposes belief in God. (Heb.11:6).

It is an affirmation of the validity of and inspiration of the word of God, the Bible.

2. This faith is commendable in the sight of God, as is demonstrated by the approval of the men of old; which will be elaborated upon in the rest of the chapter.

3. “By faith we understand.” Credo ut intelligam. – 

I believe in order to understand.

Both Augustine (the Christian philosopher and Church father); and Maimonides (the Jewish sage and codifier of the thirteen principles of Rabbinic Judaism) taught and held to this axiomatic principle; which is clearly contained within this verse of scripture.

“The worlds (ages) were prepared by the (a rhema) word of God”:

Gen.1:1-3 – And God said... (Divine fiat; the power of creation through divine command).

Jn. 1:1 – The Logos (Word of God, is God) all things came into being by Him.

Col.1:16 – By Him (Jesus) all things, visible and invisible, were created.

“What is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”

So, here we arrive at a crucial aspect of the evidence of our faith.

We believe in the Biblical account of creation.

⇨ I am going to pause here from analysis of the text to examine the various views taken concerning the origin of the universe. We have considered some aspects of the various worldviews regarding the nature of reality (materialism, naturalism, dualism, theism, deism, atheism, etc.); and the origins of time, space and matter over the course of our studies together in the past (self creation, self existence, illusionism; and creation by a pre-existent transcendent, uncaused causal agent);

However, I do not want to pass over this opportunity to address the specific concept contained within this particular portion.

It is very important and it should help us to understand more clearly the other aspects of creation and reality that we have already discussed.

The question before us is; what is the universe made of and where did it come from?

page 24

Where did it all come from?

Concerning the origin of the stuff of creation there are three basic views.

They are: Ex Materia, Ex Deo and Ex Nihilo (from the Latin).

I. Creation from pre-existent material: “Creatio ex Materia”.

The materialistic view of creation holds to the belief that matter (physical energy) is eternal;

It can neither be created nor can it go out of existence, it merely changes form.

This, they contend is a basic and unbreakable law of the physical universe known as

The First Law of Thermodynamics. (This is actually not a correct understanding of the law which states

that the amount of energy in the universe remains constant; without comment as to how it got there).

There are two basic categories within this view:

1) Theistic creation out of pre-existent matter: God uses pre-existent matter to bring the universe into existence; (Platonism); both God and matter are eternal.

In this schema, God is the eternal Former (Demiurgos). He organizes chaotic eternal matter (chaos) into organized forms (cosmos) based upon eternal ideas (eidos) that exist within the eternal realm of forms.

God is seen as the organizer or the Former of all things, not the producer of them.

God is not sovereign over creation; matter exists outside of God.

He can shape and form it but it exists without Him and places limits on what He can do with it by its own nature.

2) Atheistic materialism: only matter and energy exist, and they are eternal. (A view shared by some agnostics).

The so called “God Hypothesis” is not necessary to explain the origin of the universe.

Matter has always existed. If you say that something has to exist without a cause, then it might just as well be the universe as God. (John Stewart Mills, Bertrand Russell, Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins).

Even consciousness can be explained through natural material causes (it is argued).

Once you grant the eternal existence of matter, then everything else can be explained in terms of natural evolution.

The formula for creation in this system is; “Time plus matter plus chance equals everything.”

< I will reserve rebuttal for creatio ex materia until after all other views are presented. >

II. Creation out of the being and essence of God: “Creatio ex Deo”.

Whereas the materialist view holds that all is matter; this view holds that all is spirit or divine mind.

God is all an all is one with God. This concept is better known as Pantheism.

Again, there are two basic categories within this view:

1) Absolute Pantheism: Only mind / spirit exists; matter is not real.

The western view holds that all is one, or more specifically, The One. (Parmenides).

Everything is one being. There can not be two or more beings because they would have to be different, but the only way in which they could be different is for one or the other to not be; the difference between being and non -being is the only real difference possible (according to Parmenides).

So everything that participates in being is one; all is one and One is all.

The eastern view holds that only God (Brahman) is real and that the universe is all illusion (maya).

Man lives in illusion, ignorant of the fact that he is God, until he looks within himself and he discovers that the depth of his soul is the depth of the universe and that he is in fact God. All comes from God and all is God.

page 25

2) Non-Absolute Pantheism: All things spring forth and flow out of the One, but not all things are the One. The many are in the One, but the one is not in the many.

All creatures are part of the Creator by way of emanation; like the rays of the sun bring the light of the sun, but they are not the sun.

The universe is made out of God. All things come out of Him, are a part of Him and return back to Him in the end.

This view was held by Plotinus and the Neo-Platonists. Augustine held this opinion for the early part of his philosophical career.

Modern manifestations of Pantheism have much in common with the ancient thinkers.

God and creation are eternal.

Man is God.

The world is made out of God.

New age thinkers like Shirley MacLain and Marilyn Ferguson promote this kind of thinking today.

III. Creation from out of nothing: “Creatio ex Nihilo”.

A word of explanation and clarification will be very helpful here at the beginning by way of silencing the critics and contrarians who would immediately cry foul at the concept of something coming out of nothing.

Let me say, without any shadow of a doubt that it is impossible for something to come from nothing in the sense of something coming into existence with no cause (this is the myth of spontaneous generation and is absurd);

All that hold to this belief in creatio ex nihilo would agree that if it ever was the case that there was nothing in existence; then there would be nothing now. The existence of something now proves the existence of the eternal nature of the Creator. 

The fundamental law of reality is “From Nothing, Nothing Comes” –  Ex Nihilo Nihil Fit.

It is now, and will always remain the case, that is impossible for nothing to give rise to something.

And if that is what we were saying then it would be nonsense.

But that is not what we are saying, despite the accusations of the zealots with opposing views.

However, to say and agree that something cannot be caused by nothing is not to say or to even imply that something cannot come after nothing. In fact, this is and must be the case.

Once there was no universe; no space, no time and no matter; then there was. Something came after the nothing,

Not from it, in the sense of being caused by nothing; the something that began to exist had a different cause.

The cause of something coming out of nothing is not nothing, it is God, and God is something, not nothing.

There was no preexistent material or space time fabric; there was nothing but God and He exists outside of the confines of material space/ time reality.

All things that begin to exist must have a cause (the law of causality); in other words, whatever comes into being must have an antecedent (preexisting) cause.

This is not the same as saying that all things must have a cause; only that, “whatever begins to exist must have a cause” (technically; every effect must have a cause).

We know from scientific observation and through philosophical reasoning that the universe had a beginning.

God is eternal and had no cause; God is not an effect; He is the cause of all that exists outside of Himself.

He is the necessary cause that must precede all effects, otherwise, there could be no effects; no uncaused effects. This in no way violates the law of noncontradiction. 

Thomas Aquinas addressed this question with helpful clarity:

“Creation must be out of nothing, which is the same as non-being; which is absolutely nothing”;

Not some kind of invisible immaterial something (that would be ex materia).

Neither is creation out of the essence or substance of God, it cannot be; for God is infinite and indivisible.

God is eternal and is necessary; the universe is temporal, finite and contingent.

There is a vast and irreconcilable difference between the Creator and the creation regarding essence and being.

Only the Judeo/ Christian doctrine of creation ex nihilo is consistent with reality as we observe it; with logic as we are forced to adhere to it; and with revelation as we have received it.

Heb.11:3 – “The worlds were prepared by God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”

Hebrews outline chapters three through ten

               Hebrews chapter three

1) Consider Jesus: In light of everything that we have learned so far in the first two chapters.

Consider His unique qualifications as “The Apostle and High Priest of our confession”:

To represent God to man and to reveal the eternal truths of God like none before or after Him;

To save and to keep forever those whom He saves through the all sufficiency of His own work;

To provide a glorious inheritance for all of His brethren through His own glorious excellence;

To receive the worship of angels and men because He is very God of very God;

To sit on the throne of the Kingdom of God and to rule and reign over all of creation forever;

To not only redeem the children of God from all ages, but also to establish the world to come;

To restore the right relationship between man and nature by His sufferings and death;

To atone for the sins of every man and to provide a way of escape from death to all by dying for all.

To be both the Author and Finisher of salvation for all who will receive it from Him through faith;

To sanctify many brethren by His own sanctification through obedience to the one Father in heaven;

To represent perfectly mankind and every man as very man of very man before God;

To defeat the devil and the power of death by His resurrection from the dead;

To offer a perfect propitiation as our eternal High Priest and mediator in the heavenly Temple;

To come to the aid of those who are tempted since He Himself was tempted in the same way.

2) Both Moses and Jesus were faithful to God in their appointed 

             

3-5) Moses is truly worthy of great honor; “The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend.” Ex.33:11; Num. 12:6-8 – the greatest servant in God’s house.

But the Son is counted more worthy than the servant.

Col.1:15-20 – Jesus is the Builder of God’s house, the Creator of all things, the Sustainer of all things, the Reason for all things the Head of all things, the First born from the dead, the Redeemer of all things, and the Fullness of all things.

6) We are His house “since” (see I Jn.2:19) we hold fast our confidence (faith) and hope to the end.  

We overcome and endure to the end because He overcame and was found faithful to the end.

I Pet.2:4 – “Living stones being built up as a spiritual house.”

I Pet.1:23 – “He caused us to be born again to a Living Hope.” We are kept by His power - I Pet.1:5.

I Jn.5:4 – “Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.” Faith not works – Eph.2:8-9.

II Tim.1:13 – “I know Whom I have believed...He is able.” Jn.10:28 – “No one is able...”

Jn.16:33 – “You will have tribulation but take courage;

I have overcome the world!”

Jn.17:4 – “I have accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do.”

I Jn.3:8 – “The Son of God appeared that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

Jn.19:30 – “It is finished!”

7) “Therefore” – another summary statement to build further upon what has come so far.

“As the Holy Spirit says” – Only a person can actually speak, this is not a metaphor.

Mt.22:43 – “David said in the Spirit.”

Act 1:16 – “The Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David.”

“Today if you hear His voice...” – He is speaking

(Ro.1:19-20; Ps.19:1), are you listening?

Think of how many ways He is speaking to you today; scripture, preachers, conscience, nature, circumstances, trials and tribulations, Christian friends, illness, opportunity and more.

8) Do not harden your heart...

      I am compelled to pause here and to address a very important topic that is an issue which divides the Evangelical Church into two emotionally charged camps.

It is the question of who is responsible for the hardening of the human heart against the things of God; does God harden men’s hearts and thereby prevent the majority of mankind from ever coming to Him, choosing to soften but a few hearts out of millions and millions over the millennia; or do men harden their own hearts and willfully resist the entreaties of a loving God.

      I think a good place for me to begin will be by addressing the contrast between the objective and the subjective perspectives of the matter. Let me cite from what I have stated in a previous article: from “I AM” a study on the I am sayings of Jesus; “There can be only one absolute subjective reality, (just as there can only be one actually infinite being). All other concepts of reality must be objective. God is the eternal absolute Subject, never the object. All being, happening and volition are object before God. Man is what he is only and always with reference to God. He is lost when He condemns him and he is saved when He saves him. God’s knowledge is always determinative. Not once in any circumstance is man ever the determining subject concerning the nature of ultimate reality. Man does of course have a subjective perspective of the world around him, but this view is not determinative of reality, it seeks to understand the objective truth as God knows it. The only exception to the rule is in the case of free moral choices made by men and angels, which God has sovereignly ordained to allow, but which He has comprehensive objective and determinative knowledge of.”

           From the standpoint of ultimate reality, God sovereignly controls all things, of this there should be no question, this is the objective truth; all things are object before God and are subject to God’s concept of them.

The question is; how does God’s sovereign rule over all things allow for things that are contrary to His will and His good pleasure to take place; or is that even possible? Well, it is not only possible; it is in fact the case that it does take place on a regular basis.

Ezek.33:11 – “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” – Yet, the wicked do die.

Lam.3:33 – “He does not afflict willingly” – Yet, He does afflict.

Hos.8:3-4 – “Israel has rejected the good (that God intended for them and had offered to them). The enemy will pursue him. They have set up kings, but not by me; they have appointed princes, but I did not know it.”

How very profound.

Zech.7:11-12 – “But they refused to pay attention, and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. And made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts 

had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.” 

Clearly God’s desire was to spare them wrath but they brought it upon themselves in spite of God’s will for them.

Lk.7:30 – “The Pharisees and the Lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves.”

What a sad and terrifying statement! Think about the implications of this and all of the other passages under consideration (there are many many more that could be cited).

Clearly, every man has control over his own heart when it comes to responding to the things of God.

If this were not the case then what sort of sense could the admonition to not “harden your hearts” possibly have?

        I know that others will want to quote such passages as Ro.9:10-23 and put the responsibility for the hardening of man’s heart on God; the idea being that something is right simply because God wills it (Voluntarism), and He wills whatever He pleases and nothing either within God Himself or outside of God puts any limits upon, or exercises any influence upon what He chooses; furthermore, we have no right or cause to even question that concept, because that explanation gives God the most glory (Theologism). But that is not what this or any other text says.

The process of God’s choosing is clearly explained throughout the Scriptures; as in Ro.8:29 – “He predestined those whom He foreknew”; I Pet.1:1-2 – “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”; and in I Sam 16:7 we see that God does things according to the standards that He chooses – “the LORD looks at the heart” and “I have found David a man after heart who will do My will” Acts 13:22.

Neither is the concept of Voluntarism compatible with the essential nature of God.

God’s attributes are all simultaneous as we have discussed at great length when we began our study of Hebrews.

God can not will to act in any way that is contrary to His unchangeable nature, including all of His attributes, to say that He must judge justly and thereby condemn all men and then to deny that He must love all mercifully is simply a contradiction; you can’t have it both ways. This being the case, then the idea that God’s will is supreme over all of His other attributes is wrong.

While it is true that nothing outside of God places any restraint on His will or actions, it is not true that nothing within God’s character and essential nature places any limits upon His will. Quite the contrary; God always wills in accordance with His own perfect and immutable nature. He cannot will evil; He cannot contradict His own Holy nature. God is always consistent.

Hebrews chapter four

1) Therefore let us fear.

In the sense that we be aware of the danger of; or that we “be afraid that” we should come up to the line of exercising faith in the gospel but never cross over into the actual possession of its promises; 

As they did in the wilderness. Heb.2:19; when they came up to the Jordan but would not cross over into the promise land. Num.13:1-3, 17-19, 27-33; 14:1-24.

The root word here in the Greek is phobeo; we get our English word phobia from it. It can carry several connotations from; terror, flight from being scared, dread, awe or reverence depending upon the context in which it is used.

The idea in context here is not that we should live in a constant state of fearing that we have believed in vain,

or that once having believed we can loose our faith and salvation;

But that we need to be sure that we have truly believed in the first place; to be aware that there is a danger of false assurance; there is a danger of putting off too long the acceptance of salvation. 

Phil.2:12 – Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; continue to walk in obedience to the things of God, which is a demonstration and confirmation of your salvation.

When we can play fast and loose with sin in our life and are OK with it, we need to take another look at our profession. “By their fruits you shall know them.” Mt.7:18-27 – Every believer will bear some fruit.

Ro.2:4-13 - Do not excuse sin in your life lightly. Getting away with sin does not mean you’re safe and saved.

Ro.6:1-2 - Do not presume upon the grace of God; what a bad idea!

“Lest any of you should seem to come short of it.” – This is speaking of the rest of sanctification or Canaan rest; the rest that leads to peace of mind; this sad state is the lot of the carnal Christian (I Cor.3:1-3), the Legalist (Gal.3:1-3) and the one with a weak conscience (I Cor.8:7).

The “rest” mentioned in verses 3, 9 + 11 refers to salvation rest.

The real question is;

Have you truly repented of your sin and believed in the promise of God for the forgiveness of your sin

through faith in Jesus Christ and in Him alone and completely?

This is Christian rest. Christ is our Sabbath rest. We must rest in Him and cease from practicing sin

and from reliance upon self effort and self righteousness.

Prov.1:7 – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Acknowledge that He is God. Heb.11:6

The root word here in the Hebrew is yawray – to revere, to reverence or to be in awe of.

Prov.28:14 – “Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.”

Ro.11:20 – “Do not be conceited but fear!” Not that once you have received eternal life that you may loose it, but that after having been exposed to the blessings and mercy of God and heard and understood the gospel, that you may reject the offer of salvation.

Just being a member of the group that God is dealing with is no guarantee of individual salvation, each person must come by grace through personal faith.

I Cor. 10:1-13 – “Be careful that you don’t fall.” Not fall is the sense of loosing salvation, but fall from a good testimony so as to make your brother stumble (I Cor.8:9-13), and into God’s disfavor and discipline (9:2).

2)  The hearing of the gospel must be united with the personal faith of the one who hears it.

Ro.10:17 – Faith comes from hearing the word of God; gotta have it, but it is not automatic or involuntary.

Hearing must be united with faith, your faith exercised by your own will.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NASB95)

For this reason we also constantly thank God that when       

you received the word of God which you heard from us,  

you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it  

really is, the word of God, which also performs its work  

in you who believe.

Ro.1:16 – The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

It is really quite clear and quite simple; is it not?

3-4) Only one way to enter into God’s rest: Through believing in God and His promise (vs.1)

His work is complete both in creation and in providing a completed salvation.

The Sabbath day is a type or a picture of the believers rest in Christ, not a ritual day of observance

under the law;

To keep the Sabbath day under the law is to deny and violate the Sabbath rest we have in Christ.

It’s just that simple.

You see, if you are not resting in the finished work of Christ on your behalf, then you are trusting in something else for you salvation, most likely your own good works.

If you’re not trusting in Christ to continue and to complete what He began in bringing you to salvation through you sanctification, then did you really trust Him in the first place? Or do you trust in yourself?

But there can be no rest in that because that requires continuous work on your part to keep it up.

 5-9) Those who disobey (do not believe in what God has promised) fail to enter;

But there remains a rest for the people of God.

“Today” after such a long time – He offers rest.

“Come unto Me and I will rest you.” – Mt.11:28-29 –

“you shall find rest for your souls.”

10) The one (the believer) who has entered His (God’s) rest has himself also rested from his (own) works

(of righteousness under the Law), as God did from His

(for they are complete).

11) Don’t make the same mistake, learn from their example.

Believe God; depend completely upon God (not in your ability or inability to defeat giants, for example).

It is unbelief that keeps one from coming by faith to Christ for salvation;

And it is unbelief that keeps one from enjoying the rest that God has provided through sanctification for those who will trust Him at His word to provide all that is required for life and living now and forever.

12-13) That is why we have the word of God; for our instruction. Depend upon it, use it, and prove

it for yourself.

14-15) We live in the day of grace, the Sabbath day of God’s provision for all who are in Christ.

He is our High Priest and He is superior to all others.

His sacrifice on our behalf is sufficient for all and for all time – Heb.10:12.

16) Don’t try to go it alone; draw near to the throne of grace with confidence in the time of need;

Lk.12:32 - “Fear not little flock, for your Father in heaven has chosen to give you the kingdom.”

There is good and helpful fear: such as the fear mentioned in this chapter.

Fear of missing out on the blessings of God due to our ignorance of His word, or our unbelief in His promises,

or our disobedience to His will.

There is the healthy reverential awe that every child of God should have.

And there is also bad and harmful fear; destructive and disabling fear.

We are warned against this kind of fear over and over again:

Ro.8:15 – “Not a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but a spirit of adoption as sons! ”

II Tim.1:7 – Not a spirit of fear and trembling, but of power, love and discipline.

We need to be able to tell the difference and act accordingly.

Hebrews chapter five

 Every high priest, that is to represent man before God, must be taken from among men; in other words –

He must BE a man.

This is a nonnegotiable requirement set by God; it is critical that we understand the significance of this statement.

It is a clear and unequivocal declaration of the full and normal humanity of Jesus Christ “Our High Priest and Apostle.”

And so we have seen the case that the author has been building for the qualifications of Jesus as our High Priest:

  a) 1:9 – Above Thy companions.

  b) 2:9 – We see Jesus...who by the grace of God might taste  

  death for every man.

  c) 2:10 - Author of their salvation...made perfect through

  sufferings.

  d) 2:11 – From one Father.

  e) 2:12 – My brethren.

  f) 2:14 – Flesh and blood.

  g) 2:16 - Descendent of Abraham.

  h) 2:17 – He had to be made like His brethren.

  i)  2:18; 4:15  – Tempted.

1b) In things pertaining to God; to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

Heb.2:17 – To make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Heb.1:3 – When He had made purification of sins.

Heb.9:11-14 – Once for all, having obtained eternal redemption; Christ...through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God.

Heb.10:14 – Through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all...has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

2) He can deal gently with us.

Mt.11:28-30 - “Come unto Me you that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

“I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.”

“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

2b) In our ignorance.

Jn.14:9 - “Have I been with you so long and yet you have not come to know Me?”

Lk.23:34 – “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

2c) Though we are misguided.

Lk.9:51-54 – “Do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven to consume them!”

Mk.8:33 – “Get the behind Me Satan.”

2c) He Himself is beset with weakness.

Heb.2:10, 14, 17, 18; 4:15 – Truly man.

Mk.14:32-39; Lk.22:40-44 – The agony in the garden.

Hungry – Mt.4:2; Lk.4:2

Thirsty – Jn.4:7; 19:28

Weary - Jn.4:6

Sorrowful - Deeply grieved - Mt.26:38

Depressed – Lk.22:44

Grief stricken – Jn.11:35

3) The superiority of Christ over Aaron.

There is a great difference between the Levitical priests, who not only presented sacrifices for the sins of others, but were also required to offer sacrifices for their own personal sins;

And Jesus Christ our High Priest, who although He shared in natural human weakness, He never required any sacrifice for sin Himself because unlike all other priests, He never submitted to or committed sin. Heb.4:15.

4-6) Like all legitimate priests, indeed all legitimate servants of God, Jesus was called by God to His ministry.

Ps.2:7 – “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.”

Oh what blessed words! Have you heard, as it were, those same words yourself? Has God called you His child?

Has god called you into His service?

Ps.110:4 – “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

He calls and assigns and empowers His chosen servants. cf. Acts 9:6, 16.

Jn.7:18 – “He who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth.”

Jn.8:54 – “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. My Father is the one who glorifies Me.

7) In the days of His flesh – the days of His mortality – the days of His earthly ministry.

Jn.1:14 – the Eternal Logos, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity; appeared in flesh and “Tabernacled among us.” ; I Jn.1:1-2 – We beheld Him and handled Him and fellowshipped with Him; the very Word of Life manifested in the flesh.

Ro.8:3 – “In the likeness of sinful flesh.”

Gal.4:4 – In the fullness of time... born of a woman.

Heb.2:14 – Flesh and blood.

Lk.24:39 – Flesh and bones.

He offered up loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him! True strength in humility and submission.

Ps.22:24 – “When He cried to Him for help, He heard... “My God My God” -22:1.

8) Think about this statement and others like it. What does this say about what our attitude should be?

About entitlement; did Jesus consider Himself to be “entitled”? Should we; as followers of Jesus be seeking to live a life of privilege and entitlement?

About suffering; did Jesus avoid suffering? Did He blame God and cry foul? Did He question God’s goodness and fairness?

About service; did Jesus try to negotiate what ministry He would have? Did He complain that He wasn’t being used to His full potential?

Is.50:5-6 – I am the bond slave of the Lord God and I submit to whatever He asks of Me.

Philp.2:8 – Obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Heb.10:5-9 – “I come to do Thy will.”

Lk.22:42 – “Not My will but Thine be done.”

9) Having been perfected. How can that be?

Lk.2:52 – “He grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men.” All to do with His humanity.

Regarding prophecy:

  Dan.9:24 – To complete all things necessary...; Dan.9:26 - to make it perfect; Messiah shall be cut off.

Regarding public ministry:           

  Lk.13:32 – “The third day I shall be perfected.”

Regarding the work of salvation:

  Jn.19:30 – “It is finished.” Heb.2:10 – Perfect through suffering.

Through His obedience, through His suffering, through His unique position as perfected man:

He became the source, the author, the captain, the cause of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.

He is the Firstborn, the Heir and the source of the inheritance and adoption of all the children of God.

Heb.2:14 – He destroyed the power of the Devil and the power of death.

Heb.9:15 – Through the power of His death and the resurrection He has become the Mediator of a new covenant, a new will and testament; the Benefactor and testator of the inheritance of eternal life.

Mk.8:34-35 – The key to perfect discipleship is obedience; just as it was the key to His perfection.

Heb.7:25 – Jesus is the only Savior that can save eternally, for the simple reason, He is the only one who has and can offer eternal life. (Acts 4:12; I Tim.2:5).

10) Designated by God a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek:

Gen.14:18 – Three titles – King of Righteousness, King of Peace, Priest of the Most High God.

He is a type or foreshadow of Christ who will bear the same titles and office.

Many believe he is a Christophany; a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ; like in Josh.5:13-15.

Ancient Hebrew tradition holds that he was in fact Shem, the son of Noah.

Oral Tradition—aggadah- lore or inner tradition. Passed down from the beginning of time by the Patriarchs,       

Sages and wise men. From father to son and teacher to student scrupulously preserving every detail.

Abraham was a contemporary of Shem (according to Gen.11:10-38; for most of Abraham’s 175 yrs.).

Shem was a contemporary of Lamech (grandson) and Methuselah. (From the other side of the flood)

Lamech and Methuselah were contemporaries of Adam. (Gen.5)

Ps.110 – A Messianic Psalm – Verse 1 - “Sit at My right hand”; Messiah’s present location.

“Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.” – The Interregnum, until after the Great Tribulation.

Verses 2-3 – The 2^nd coming.

Verse 4 – Our text – Our King Priest.

Verses 5-7 – Armageddon.

Zech.6:12 – The coming One; The Branch (Netzer/ Nazarene), He will sit (in peace) and rule (in righteousness) from the temple (He is High Priest) from His throne (He is King).

He will hold two offices: King Priest, after the order of Melchizedek. (He has completed His office as Prophet.

Heb. 7 – The entire chapter will serve to explain and magnify this beautiful concept of Jesus Christ our High Priest.

11) Concerning him; Melchizedek, we have much more to say (Ch.7)

12-13) What’s the hold up? 

14) Who because of practice:

Discipline – As we have pointed out many times; the root of the word Disciple is discipline. Paul uses many examples of military and athletic training to portray the Christian life. (I Cor 9:24- 25, 27).

Obedience – Obedience is better than sacrifice and offering. (I Sam.15:22).

Consistency – Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb.13:8).

I am the Lord, I change not. (Mal.3:6).

Loyalty – You will all desert Me, but I am not alone. (Jn.17:32).

Maturity – “Attain to the unity of faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” (Eph.4:13).

Love – “If you love Me you will keep My commandments.” (Jn.14:15).

“Have trained their senses to discern good and evil.”

            Chapter 6:9 - 9:28 summary:

            We have moved ahead in our study of the book of Hebrews over the last couple of weeks; and we have done so without a formal outline. I try to adapt our study technique to fit the particular section of scripture that we are discussing.
Sometimes an outline is helpful in aiding us to focus on the particulars, and other times it is more expedient to work directly from the text and to read and comment as we go, in order to build and maintain momentum and to get in touch with the authors intent and concerns without interruption.
We read from 6:13 - 9:28. This section highlights the superiority of the new covenant over the old and specifically explains the superiority of the high priesthood of Christ over that of Aaron.
I want to recommend that those of you that are following along with our study, read through this section in one sitting and reflect on how it relates to all that has come before in the book.
Key points include; The preeminence of Christ's high priesthood;
His calling according to the promise of God directly;
His eternal life as the requirement for the efficacy of His mediation;
His present and continuing ministry of intercession for those who draw near to God through Him;
His sufficient and once for all sacrifice for all through His death and resurrection followed by His offering of His own blood on the heavenly altar;
The eternal inheritance of those He has justified and sanctified through the covenant that was ratified and enacted by His death, that is to say, the death of the Testator;
The superiority of the blood of Christ over that of animals;
The fact that this was the eternal plan of God from the beginning and that the Law and it's sacrificial system were introductory shadow and pictures of the real thing that was fulfilled in Christ;
The fact that by the will of the Father the Son has perfected for all time those who are sanctified by His work;
And that Jesus Christ is coming again literally to reign.
I hope you will find the time to read this section and to meditate on these beautiful truths from God's holy word.

Hebrews chapter 10

1) The Law has only a shadow of the good things to come.
Plato’s cave – The prisoners chained inside the cave can only see the shadows on the wall in front of them as the true forms move past the light of the outside illuminating fire.

Shadows and foreshadows in Scripture present only a shadowy representation of the true reality yet to be revealed at the proper time.

To those under the Law, it seems as though it is the fullness of revelation and reality.
It is familiar to them and they want to hold onto it for dear life because they have nothing else to replace it with and nowhere else to go for their sin problem.

The good things to come: Shadows now come to light.
include:
True atonement → the actual forgiveness of sins.
Purification from sin → deliverance from the punishment, power and presence of sin.
Fellowship with God → acceptance into the Holy presence of God.
Glorification → eternal life.
Perfection → Christ like maturity.

The law produces a consciousness of sin and the need for a solution to it:

Acknowledgment of guilt and the need for repentance.
The satisfaction of justice; a death required, blood sacrifice needed to put away sin.
New life must be supplied for the condemned sinner.

The rituals of the Law are not the “very form” of things but are mere shadows of them.

Plato’s theory of forms:
In order for anything to exist in the material world physically or actually;
There must exist the formal idea of the thing in the metaphysical realm of real ideals.

The metaphysical idea that exists in the realm of ideals is the essence of a thing;
Plato calls this it’s Form, and the manifestation of the thing in the world he calls a Receptacle of the idea, but the receptacle is not the idea itself, it is a sort of a representation of the true thing which actually exists eternally in the metaphysical plane.
It is, as it were, a shadow of the true thing.

For example: we see many things in the world that we call chairs, all sizes, shapes and kinds of chairs; but we recognize each one as a chair and we call them chairs; although they are vastly different.
The reason, according to Plato, that we can do this without confusion is because the idea of chair-ness exists perfectly in the realm of ideal forms.

Some Christian thinkers have adopted a model of thinking about ideal forms based upon the platonic concept but with a twist.
For the Christian thinkers; God’s mind is the eternal realm of ideal forms that gives meaning to all things in this world of diversity and multiplicity.

This kind of thinking has lead to some interesting conclusions:

The correspondence theory of truth;
Reality is that which corresponds to that which actually exists as it is known to the mind of God.

Esse est percipe: To be is to be perceived.
In order for a thing to exist, it must be perceived.
God is the Great Perceiver.

I mention these ideas in an effort to demonstrate and illuminate the concept that is before us; that being that all things represented by the Law take their shadowy representations from the real forms of those things that actually exist perfectly and ideally in heaven.

Back to our text:
For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

2) The author of Hebrews, like the Apostle Paul, employs logical principles of analysis to his arguments.
In this case he is arguing for the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old.
His presentation is rationally sound and can be stated by way of the standard syllogism:

Sacrifices of animals under the law were made for the cleansing of sin.
Sacrifices had to be made over and over with the blood of animals, because the consciousness of sin remained in the worshipers year by year.
Therefore those sacrifices did not permanently cleanse from sin.

Christ offered Himself as an offering made for the cleansing of sin.
Christ’s sacrifice was once for all through His own blood, by which He obtained eternal redemption and He will return to those who await Him without reference to sin.
Therefore those who draw near to God through Christ are cleansed from sin forever.

3) Continual sacrifices serve to remind of the continued presence of condemning sin.

4) It is impossible for animal blood to take away the sins of men;
A more perfect substitute was required; the blood of a sinless man.

5) The reason for the incarnation of the Son of God.
“Sacrifices and offerings Thou hast not desired,”
“But a body Thou hast prepared for Me.”

This weeks study and the next three pages of our outline of Hebrews:

6) “No pleasure” – It is not that God was not pleased when the people obeyed His law;
But that it was not sufficient nor was it designed to put away sin permanently.

7) “Behold I have come to do Thy will O God” – Mk.14:36 – “not what I will, but what Thou wilt.”
Lk.4:14-21 – “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (I have come as prophesied)

 The stated necessity for a better sacrifice.

9) The solution to the failure of the Law to put away sin permanently; the New Covenant in His own blood.
This was the will of the Father from the beginning; “Behold, I come to do Thy will.”

10) By this will (the Fathers will) we have been sanctified through the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ (the body that God had prepared for Him for this purpose and according to this will)
Once for all. Again, eternal security for all who are sanctified in Christ.

11) Time after time.

12) One sacrifice for sins for all time.
Sat down; Heb.1:2-3.

13) Waiting; only the Father knows the day and the hour – Mk.13:32.
This is the “Interregnum” - the time between the 1st coming of the King to the earth to present the kingdom;
And the 2nd coming of the King to reign upon the earth.

Even though we may not know the day or hour of His coming; Jesus insists that we be not ignorant of the signs
of the times or of the season of His coming (Mt.16:2-3) as portrayed through prophetic fulfillment in our day,
like the regathering of the Jews and the reestablishment of their ancient national homeland (Mt.24:15-20, 32-34),
or the alignment of the nations in opposition to God’s chosen people being in their land again (Ps’83:1-8);
or the increase of false teaching in the nominal church (Mt.24:11),
or apostasy rising to unprecedented heights within the church (I Tim.3:1-5),
or the increase of terrorism and the proliferation of wars and disputes among the nations (Mt.24:6-7), etc.

14) Once again, the author repeats the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice for emphasis; so there will be no mistake.
By one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. (Heb.2:11; 10:12)

15) Again, as in Heb.8:10-12 the Holy Spirit is called as a witness to the fact that this was God’s plan and promise. (Jer.31:33-34)

16) This is an unconditional covenant instituted by the unilateral declaration and action of God Himself.
See Jer.31:31-40; 33:1-26: There can be no doubt that these promises are made to the literal descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and to the children of Levi, Judah and king David; in other words to the Jews.

Yes, God has included the gentile church in the inheritance of Abraham by faith in the God of Abraham (Ro.4:16);
But this in no way should ever be construed to negate these unconditional promises to the Jewish people.
To do so is to fall into the confusion of Replacement Theology which is to invoke the Abrahamic curse upon oneself (Gen.12:3; 22:3-4; 27:29; 28:13; Num.24:9)
(Ro.11:1-32) From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers (to whom the unconditional promises were made on behalf of their children)

17) “And their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Jer.31:34)
Is.43:25 – “I, even I am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake;
And I will not remember your sins.”
Ps.103:12 – As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Ps.32:1-2 – How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!
How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity. (Past, present and future)
Mt.26:28 – “For this is My blood of the Covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

18) Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Now, since Christ, sin is atoned for and there is no need for further sacrifices; in fact, to continue to offer them is to deny the sufficiency of the sacrifice that God has accepted and to regard Christ’s death as insufficient to put away sin once for all; as it is clearly stated in the scripture over and over again:
Heb.1:1 – When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Heb.2:9-10 – by the grace of God He might taste death form every man...bringing many sons to glory...
(He is) The Author of their salvation.
Heb.4:3 – for we who have believed have entered that rest.
4:10 – for the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.
Heb.7:25 – He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him,
since He ever lives to make intercession for them.
7:27 – He died once for all.
Heb.9:12 – He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
9:18 – He shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
(Let me ask a question, without malice but with great concern; are the denominations and sects within the Church that deny the doctrine of imminency eagerly awaiting Him? Do they qualify for this promise, or will they still be in their sin? What about the ones that deny the full efficacy of His atonement for believers?)
Heb.10:10 – we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
10:14 – For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

Hebrew terms used in the original passage, Jer.31:34.
Sins = hattat – the most common word for sin used in scripture, disobedience to God or sins against man.
Lawless deeds = awon – To twist or distort, to deviate from the way; iniquity, infraction, crooked behavior, perversion, transgression; Guilt with looming consequences.

Second parenthetical warning: Heb.10:19-39

19 – 22) The language here is allegorical and it speaks of the priesthood of believers
now that Christ has inaugurated and established a new and living way into God’s presence for us.
A new (fresh sacrifice) and living (His resurrection for our justification – Ro.4:25)
“Through the veil” – into the Holy of Holies as it were.
Let us draw near with confidence, with a sincere heart and in full assurance of faith concerning our acceptance into God’s presence.
We have been sprinkled clean with the blood of Christ as it were, like the ancient priests were required to sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifices for cleansing.
We have been washed with the pure as it were, sanctified in Christ (I Cor.6:11), like the priests were required to wash themselves according to the law before they could perform their duties.
The point is that the way is now open before us to serve God with confidence and a clear conscience.
Not because of our own performance or our own righteousness, but because we are sanctified in Christ.

23) Our new position of confidence is based upon God’s faithfulness and Christ’s perfect and sufficient sacrifice, not upon our own faithfulness or upon our own perfection.

24) We are all part of the Body of Christ and we need to support one another and encourage one another to continue on in the faith and to seek to attain to maturity in Christ.

25) We are to gather together on a regular basis for worship, prayer, fellowship, study and work for the Lord; there are to be no “Lone Ranger” Christians.

26) The reminder and warning:
We, here in the context, is the editorial use of we; meaning any person who rejects the offer of forgiveness by the grace of God through faith in Christ and instead continues in unrepentant sin.
There is no other acceptable sacrifice for sin, the old ones are obsolete.

27) Outside of Christ’s sacrifice for sin there is only judgment for sinners; it is certain and it is terrifying; fiery and all consuming; it is prepared for the adversaries of God.

28) Consider the law and the long standing history of the severity of the consequences of breaking it.

29) Now consider how much more severe the consequences that await the one who has been offered forgiveness and has thrown it back in God’s face, as it were, and regarded Christ’s sacrifice as useless and a waste of time.
This is an insult to God! It is an insult to the Father’s plan and will; it is an insult to the Son’s obedience to the Father and to His suffering and death; and it is an insult to the Holy Spirit who has sincerely presented the offer and has graciously explained it to the sinner.

30) God is holy and just, and He is going to judge all men; and He will punish all sin, one way or another.
The Judgments:
1) The judgment of sin for all Christians: Col.2:13-15 – At the crucifixion of Christ.
2) The judgment of sin in the life of the believer concerning chastisement (Heb.12:7):
I Cor.11:31-32 – any time during life;
I Jn.1:9 – keeping short accounts with God concerning current sin.
3) The judgment of the works of all Christians: I Cor.3:10-15 – The Judgment Seat of Christ – II Cor.5:10; Ro.14:10 – The Bema, immediately following the Rapture and just prior to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.
4) The judgment of the Antichrist and the False Prophet: Rev.19:20 – at the end of the battle of Armageddon.
5) The judgment of the living nations: Mat.25:321; Joel 3:2 – The sheep and the goats; to take place after the Great Tribulation period, based upon their dealings with Israel.
6) The judgment of Israel at the end of the Great Tribulation: Ezek.20:37-38.
7) The judgment of the righteous dead; the Old Testament saints and the Tribulation martyrs; just prior to the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom: Dan.12:1; Rev.20:4.
8) The judgment of Satan and the fallen angels: Mt.8:29; 25:41; II Pet.2:4; Jude 6; Rev.20:10 – at the end of the Millennium.
9) The Great White Throne judgment of the wicked: Rev.20:11 – just prior to the creation of the new heavens and the new earth.

31) It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. A fearful thing;
Heb.10:27 – This is speaking specifically of the fear that the wicked will experience at the end of days.
A full and sober recognition of this fear should drive the sinner to his knees in repentance.

 page 22
Hebrews 10:32-39

32 – 34) After all this heavy talk and the stern warnings, a word of encouragement is in order.
“Remember the former conflict of sufferings”; Philp.1:29-30 – “granted to suffer for Christ’s sake.”
“When you were first enlightened and you first believed”: (What was your personal experience when you first believed? Did your friends and family rejoice with you, or was there a different response when you shared your new found faith with them?)
Enlightened – photizo – when you were made to see the truth of the gospel; when the Spirit of God illuminated the scriptures and filled you with the saving knowledge of Christ.
II Cor.4:6 - the illuminating light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Saving faith is based upon knowledge, the revealed knowledge that only God can impart to the receptive mind;
it is not a leap in the dark; it is a leap into the light; it is not an irrational strictly emotional experience devoid of informational content; saving faith is always predicated upon understanding, agreement with and personal acceptance of God’s revealed truth. (Ro.10:17)
Remember how those difficulties seemed like nothing at the time; because your faith was so new and strong.
II Tim.2:3-7 – Once again be like a good soldier; an athlete; a hard working farmer.

33 – Even when you were made to be a public spectacle; a gazing stock;
Theatrizomenoi – a theater; put on a stage, as it were.
Sharers – koinonos – had fellowship with them in their difficulties while they were suffering reproach and tribulations for the sake of Christ.

34 – You showed sympathy – sumpatheo – had compassion; were touched with their feelings and their struggles.
Even when you suffered financial loss or the loss of your own property for the sake of your faith in Christ, you did not despair because of the knowledge of your better possession and greater inheritance in Christ.

35) Don’t get discouraged; don’t loose the confidence that you once had; remember the resolve that you had in the beginning and hold on to your faith in God and in the finished work of Christ.

36) Patiently wait for the fulfilling of the promises of God for you. Remember, He is faithful (vs.23)
Heb.6:15 – Remember Abraham; our father in the faith and our example of patiently waiting for the promise.

37) FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME,
AND WILL NOT DELAY.
Hab.2:2-4 – The principle of certainty regarding the fulfillment of prophecy and the need for patient endurance.
Heb.10:13, 25 – don’t loose hope, especially now as we are approaching the culmination of all things; God is faithful.

38) BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK,
MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.
Heb.11:6 – Our faith is pleasing to God; think of it, we can please God! (We can also displease Him by our lack of faith)
Our faith is not empty wishing; it is, as stated in our remarks on vs. 32; based upon the reality of God’s illuminating revelation of truth to the receptive mind.

39) But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
The destruction spoken of here is the same as in 6:8 – True Christian believers who are being warned, through the use of hyperbole, that if they neglect the blessings of God and fail to grow in their faith, that there is a chance that they could hypothetically “fall away” as it were; in a way that would essentially nullify their faith and render them useless to God. Their testimony is ruined, their service is worthless and they are as close to being cursed as a Christian can be, short of actually loosing their salvation (which is impossible as Romans 8 and John 10 prove).
Compare 6:9 – But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.