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
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
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
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 2nd 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.
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.
