In this chapter we read about Melchizedek again. In these opening verses of this chapter, there is some clarification, I think, as to whether Melchizedek is an allegorical incarnation of Christ.
Aside from being the King of Salem (verse 2), and actually meeting Abraham (who gave him a tithe from the plunder that Abraham had gathered up when he beat the socks off the kings during that mighty war), Melchizedek, in verse 3, is described as: Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Now, I don't claim to be an expert Bible scholar. Rather, I believe that God speaks through the Bible and he says what he means to say, so when verse 3 tells me that Melchizedek is "made like unto the Son of God," I don't infer from that passage that Melchizedek was a predecessor incarnation of Jesus Christ.
Melchizedek was a most high priest. He wasn't even a Levitical priest and yet he got Abraham's tithe. Bible scholars go back and forth on what to make of Melchizedek's genealogy not being mentioned in the Bible.
Some say his not having a mother or father makes him pretty special. Then others say that he was a man, so he must have had a mother and a father. I mean, he didn't just spring up out of nowhere.
Besides the Bible didn't record the family tree of every single person who walked the earth at this time in Bible history. At some point, the family tree of mankind (that started with Adam and Eve at its base) branched off to the point where every little twig of a family failed to get recorded.
Nowhere is it written or suggested that the Bible is a complete written history of the entire world.
However, it is a complete history of the line of Adam and Eve all the way to Jesus Christ. I mean, there's no reference in the Bible about London being incorporated as a city in 43 A.D.
There's no reference about the first wrestling match in Japan in 23 B.C.
And I can't find any reference to the Romans first use of soap which they learned about from the Gauls in 50 A.D.
Plutarch isn't mentioned in the Bible and yet he was supposed to be one of the best historians that the Greeks had to offer. He was born in 47 A.D.
The first date in Mayan chronology is -3372. The Mayans aren't mentioned in the Bible at all.
But much is made of the fact that Melchizedek's parentage is not recorded. It would have been recorded if God had wanted it recorded. He didn't so it wasn't.
But it is important that Melchizedek received Abraham's tithe. Abraham was supposed to give a tithe to the high priest at the temple. The fact that he gave the tithe to Melchizedek says what? That Melchizedek was a higher priest than a Levitical priest? That's what Biblical references to Melchizedek say when he is referred to as the "priest of the most high God."
Maybe this will help explain. "Once a year, on the Great Day of Atonement, the earthly high priest of the Jews was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of animals in order to make propitiation for sins. The author of Hebrews discovers a parallel between this high-priestly figure and the Lord Jesus, who by his death on the cross as a lamb of sacrifice has shed his blood once for all, and with that blood has passed into the heavenly sanctuary."
A further parallel is drawn between Jesus and Moses. Just as Moses brought the Jewish people through the wilderness to the threshold of the promised land on earth, so Jesus brings men to the promised land of heaven..." (van Unnik, W.C., The New Testament In History and Message," Harper & Row, Publishers, New York, 1962., p. 150)
Keep in mind that in this letter to the Hebrews, no claim is being made that Melchizedek is an immortal being. To the contrary, in verse 13 we read this: For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
So Melchizedek had his lineage in another tribe, not the tribe of Levi. And Jesus' lineage is from the tribe of Judah.
And why is all this talk about the rules of priesthood going on? Well, we get a good clue as to the reasoning in verse 19: For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by which we draw nigh unto God.
And in verse 24: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Jesus, you see, because he is a man, becomes a priest. He becomes a priest because he is appointed to be a priest. And because he is God, his priesthood lasts forever. Now Jesus can say that people can come to God through him -- forever!
Jesus does not need to offer sacrifices like other priests were doing in the temple. The temple priests could only offer animals. Quite differently, Jesus became the sacrifice. He died in our place. Translation: King James Version
Historical references are from "The Timetables of History"
##
Friday, October 19, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Hebrews 6: 1-20
This chapter contains another stern warning to the Hebrews. We find it in verses 4-6: It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who has tasted the goodness of the word of God, and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
That's a stern warning, indeed. For if we reject Christ in our lives, we are crucifying him to ourselves.
And who would want to commit this kind of spiritual suicide?
Oh, no! As Christians, we need to keep the death and resurrection of Christ very much alive in our hearts. Because he rose from the dead, we are given the key to eternal life. Rejecting Christ undoes all that and it's the same as if our sins had never been forgiven.
This passage in Hebrews warned those guys to get back with the program of living a life of redeemed people who claimed the gift of salvation from God. The warning in these verses is just as serious for us today.
We just cannot let ourselves wander off into fields of temptation where Christ doesn't matter.
And it's pure folly to live our lives with this notion that when times get rough, or times get short, then we'll get ourselves back to worship like we're supposed to. The message to the Hebrews is that it's easier to stay connected than it is to get reconnected.
So don't go wandering off. Keep Christ alive in your heart.
Then this letter to the Hebrews takes on a note of promise, starting at verse 9: Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case -- things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Remember the promises, the Hebrews are asked.
All down through the ages, prophets and leaders from Moses forward, the people had to be reminded that God had made a promise to them. And then, because Jesus came to earth, died and was resurrected, all people who believe in Christ can have that same promise for themselves. In this very act of God's divine love, all of us can read the promises God made to Abraham and know that we, too, have this very same promise. We became children of God through Jesus Christ.
We become heavenly heirs and inherit the kingdom of heaven through Christ's suffering and death and resurrection.
From verse 13, we read (NRSV): When God made a promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Human beings, of course, swear by someone greater than themselves, and an oath given as confirmation puts an end to all dispute.
In the same way, when God desired to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it by an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God would prove false, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to seize the hope set before us.
We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.
Keep in mind that "this hope that enters the shrine behind the curtain" is a reference to the curtain separating the Holy of Holies. This curtain in the temple marked the boundary beyond which only the High Priests were allowed to go.
It is beyond this curtain where the Torah was stored, when not in use for worship.It is this huge, heavy curtain in the temple at Jerusalem that was torn in half -- from floor to ceiling -- at the moment of Christ's death. Jesus went behind that curtain -- even though he was not a Levitical high priest. But he became the most high priest when he died for our sins.
Melchizedek was also described as a "most high priest." Melchizedek had occasion to minister to Abraham. And even though Melchizedek was called a most high priest, he was not from the tribe of Levi either. So he and Jesus shared the fact that they were both referred to as "most high priests." Neither of them were Levitical high priests.
That was a very big deal to the Hebrews. And it is to Bible students even today.
Incidentally, the tearing of the temple curtain coincides with an earthquake that occurred at the time of the death of Christ. This is a real moment in recorded time. I can't find my reference at the moment but I remember reading that this particular earthquake is purported to have been in the range of a 7.5. That's a huge earthquake.
From Wikipedia, I found this: The church historian Eusebius of Caesarea (264-340) in his Chronicle, cited a statement of the 2nd-century chronicler Phlegon of Tralles that during the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (AD 32/33) "a great eclipse of the sun occurred at the sixth hour that excelled every other before it, turning the day into such darkness of night that the stars could be seen in heaven, and the earth moved in Bithynia, toppling many buildings in the city of Nicaea. In the same passage, Eusebius cited another unnamed Greek source also recording earthquakes in the same locations and an eclipse. Eusebius argued the two records had documented events that were simultaneous with the crucifixion of Jesus. (read more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifixion_eclipse)
Christ entered the Holy of Holies and takes us with him into that special place. His death and resurrection wills our soul with the hope of eternal salvation.
We become gifted in the promise of God, just as Abraham had.
So, whenever you get in a position where you tend to lose hope, when you feel yourself slipping back into the humanness of your temptations, when you want reassurances of the promises of God, put a paper clip at the top of the page in your Bible that will mark Hebrews 6 for you. Let this chapter be one of your Biblical anchors that will keep you moored to Christ.
And just like the Hebrews had to be reminded, we too have to be reminded sometimes that there's one thing for sure in all of heaven and earth and that is: God's promises come true. And how do we know that? Because it is impossible for God to tell a lie. It says so in Hebrews 6:18.
Believe it!
Note: Just to make a clarification about the Temple Veils. They were big -- 60 feet long, 30 feet wide and the thickness of a man's palm. They were so heavy, says one writer, that it took 300 priests to move them into place. The Veil being torn from top to bottom was of such significance because it meant that God's own hand torn it in half. Other notes about this event and the resulting requirement for the Sanhedrin to move out of this area of the temple to a trading area, can be found at: http://www.ensignmessage.com/archives/mysteriousevents.html##
That's a stern warning, indeed. For if we reject Christ in our lives, we are crucifying him to ourselves.
And who would want to commit this kind of spiritual suicide?
Oh, no! As Christians, we need to keep the death and resurrection of Christ very much alive in our hearts. Because he rose from the dead, we are given the key to eternal life. Rejecting Christ undoes all that and it's the same as if our sins had never been forgiven.
This passage in Hebrews warned those guys to get back with the program of living a life of redeemed people who claimed the gift of salvation from God. The warning in these verses is just as serious for us today.
We just cannot let ourselves wander off into fields of temptation where Christ doesn't matter.
And it's pure folly to live our lives with this notion that when times get rough, or times get short, then we'll get ourselves back to worship like we're supposed to. The message to the Hebrews is that it's easier to stay connected than it is to get reconnected.
So don't go wandering off. Keep Christ alive in your heart.
Then this letter to the Hebrews takes on a note of promise, starting at verse 9: Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case -- things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Remember the promises, the Hebrews are asked.
All down through the ages, prophets and leaders from Moses forward, the people had to be reminded that God had made a promise to them. And then, because Jesus came to earth, died and was resurrected, all people who believe in Christ can have that same promise for themselves. In this very act of God's divine love, all of us can read the promises God made to Abraham and know that we, too, have this very same promise. We became children of God through Jesus Christ.
We become heavenly heirs and inherit the kingdom of heaven through Christ's suffering and death and resurrection.
From verse 13, we read (NRSV): When God made a promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Human beings, of course, swear by someone greater than themselves, and an oath given as confirmation puts an end to all dispute.
In the same way, when God desired to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it by an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God would prove false, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to seize the hope set before us.
We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.
Keep in mind that "this hope that enters the shrine behind the curtain" is a reference to the curtain separating the Holy of Holies. This curtain in the temple marked the boundary beyond which only the High Priests were allowed to go.
It is beyond this curtain where the Torah was stored, when not in use for worship.It is this huge, heavy curtain in the temple at Jerusalem that was torn in half -- from floor to ceiling -- at the moment of Christ's death. Jesus went behind that curtain -- even though he was not a Levitical high priest. But he became the most high priest when he died for our sins.
Melchizedek was also described as a "most high priest." Melchizedek had occasion to minister to Abraham. And even though Melchizedek was called a most high priest, he was not from the tribe of Levi either. So he and Jesus shared the fact that they were both referred to as "most high priests." Neither of them were Levitical high priests.
That was a very big deal to the Hebrews. And it is to Bible students even today.
Incidentally, the tearing of the temple curtain coincides with an earthquake that occurred at the time of the death of Christ. This is a real moment in recorded time. I can't find my reference at the moment but I remember reading that this particular earthquake is purported to have been in the range of a 7.5. That's a huge earthquake.
From Wikipedia, I found this: The church historian Eusebius of Caesarea (264-340) in his Chronicle, cited a statement of the 2nd-century chronicler Phlegon of Tralles that during the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (AD 32/33) "a great eclipse of the sun occurred at the sixth hour that excelled every other before it, turning the day into such darkness of night that the stars could be seen in heaven, and the earth moved in Bithynia, toppling many buildings in the city of Nicaea. In the same passage, Eusebius cited another unnamed Greek source also recording earthquakes in the same locations and an eclipse. Eusebius argued the two records had documented events that were simultaneous with the crucifixion of Jesus. (read more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifixion_eclipse)
Christ entered the Holy of Holies and takes us with him into that special place. His death and resurrection wills our soul with the hope of eternal salvation.
We become gifted in the promise of God, just as Abraham had.
So, whenever you get in a position where you tend to lose hope, when you feel yourself slipping back into the humanness of your temptations, when you want reassurances of the promises of God, put a paper clip at the top of the page in your Bible that will mark Hebrews 6 for you. Let this chapter be one of your Biblical anchors that will keep you moored to Christ.
And just like the Hebrews had to be reminded, we too have to be reminded sometimes that there's one thing for sure in all of heaven and earth and that is: God's promises come true. And how do we know that? Because it is impossible for God to tell a lie. It says so in Hebrews 6:18.
Believe it!
Note: Just to make a clarification about the Temple Veils. They were big -- 60 feet long, 30 feet wide and the thickness of a man's palm. They were so heavy, says one writer, that it took 300 priests to move them into place. The Veil being torn from top to bottom was of such significance because it meant that God's own hand torn it in half. Other notes about this event and the resulting requirement for the Sanhedrin to move out of this area of the temple to a trading area, can be found at: http://www.ensignmessage.com/archives/mysteriousevents.html##
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Hebrews 5:1-14
What does it mean that Christ completely obeyed the Father for us? How can you, in turn, seek to obey the Father?
This chapter introduces instructions about how high priests are to be picked out.
In verse 1, we read: Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.
Not only that, but they can't nominate themselves to be priests. It's not like the nominating committees for church council offices in this day and age. You know how it is. People get running scared when it's time for the church council to be elected. Especially when they get a call from someone they know is on the nominating committee.
But in those early days of the Hebrew church, it was God who called people to serve. Try to turn him down!
In verses 4-6, this matter is cleared up: No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father." And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
That "other place" referred to above is an exact quote from Psalm 110:4b -- "you are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
So who exactly was Melchizedek? The first Biblical reference to Melchizedek goes all the way back to Genesis 14:18-20: Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed by Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.
What could it possibly mean that Jesus Christ is a priest in "the order of Melchizedek?"
Christians believe that Jesus, like Melchizedek, was not a Levite. Because of this, neither of them would not qualify for Levitical priesthood.
If you want to explore a diversion into Melchizedek and the fact that the Bible offers no lineage, no recorded family tree, for this man, there is plenty of information available from a wide view of Internet sources.
One view says that just because Melchizedek's geneology is not recorded probably means that he was not a big enough player in Biblical history -- that is, compared to Abraham -- to have his lineage printed up. I'm not sure I believe this. Melchizedek is mentioned several times in the Bible, and always in a position of comparison with Jesus Christ.
That does not say "unimportant" to me.
Truth is, Melchizedek has a place in Bible history. But we can't trace his Biblical genealogy to Levi, so he couldn't qualify as a Levitical high priest.
Jesus, on the other hand, is the Son of God. Because of his divine lineage, Jesus' ability to be a high priest more elevated than Melchizedek is assured by God himself. All his life, Jesus was dutiful and obedient. And without sin. Even at the very end of his life, during his anguished suffering and death, Jesus cried out loudly to God above to be spared the painful suffering.
He was not spared.
But Jesus submitted and because he submitted to death, we learn in verses 8-11: Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
But the Hebrews seem to have forgotten all that.
In this chapter, they're like big babies. They've been lollygagging about when, in fact, they should have been teachers bringing others to the Lord. They were told that, quite frankly, they were slow to learn.
Might just as well have called them ignoramuses.Now they had to learn the most basic, most elementary truths about salvation all over again.
To make it perfectly plain to them, the Hebrews are told (verses 13-14): Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
##
This chapter introduces instructions about how high priests are to be picked out.
In verse 1, we read: Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.
Not only that, but they can't nominate themselves to be priests. It's not like the nominating committees for church council offices in this day and age. You know how it is. People get running scared when it's time for the church council to be elected. Especially when they get a call from someone they know is on the nominating committee.
But in those early days of the Hebrew church, it was God who called people to serve. Try to turn him down!
In verses 4-6, this matter is cleared up: No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father." And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
That "other place" referred to above is an exact quote from Psalm 110:4b -- "you are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
So who exactly was Melchizedek? The first Biblical reference to Melchizedek goes all the way back to Genesis 14:18-20: Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed by Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.
What could it possibly mean that Jesus Christ is a priest in "the order of Melchizedek?"
Christians believe that Jesus, like Melchizedek, was not a Levite. Because of this, neither of them would not qualify for Levitical priesthood.
If you want to explore a diversion into Melchizedek and the fact that the Bible offers no lineage, no recorded family tree, for this man, there is plenty of information available from a wide view of Internet sources.
One view says that just because Melchizedek's geneology is not recorded probably means that he was not a big enough player in Biblical history -- that is, compared to Abraham -- to have his lineage printed up. I'm not sure I believe this. Melchizedek is mentioned several times in the Bible, and always in a position of comparison with Jesus Christ.
That does not say "unimportant" to me.
Truth is, Melchizedek has a place in Bible history. But we can't trace his Biblical genealogy to Levi, so he couldn't qualify as a Levitical high priest.
Jesus, on the other hand, is the Son of God. Because of his divine lineage, Jesus' ability to be a high priest more elevated than Melchizedek is assured by God himself. All his life, Jesus was dutiful and obedient. And without sin. Even at the very end of his life, during his anguished suffering and death, Jesus cried out loudly to God above to be spared the painful suffering.
He was not spared.
But Jesus submitted and because he submitted to death, we learn in verses 8-11: Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
But the Hebrews seem to have forgotten all that.
In this chapter, they're like big babies. They've been lollygagging about when, in fact, they should have been teachers bringing others to the Lord. They were told that, quite frankly, they were slow to learn.
Might just as well have called them ignoramuses.Now they had to learn the most basic, most elementary truths about salvation all over again.
To make it perfectly plain to them, the Hebrews are told (verses 13-14): Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
##
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Hebrews 4:1-16
The note for today is: "Find time today and everyday to rest in the Lord."
This chapter talks about two kinds of rest: God's rest and the rest he insists that his faithful followers take part in.
So what is God's rest?
God rested after his created the world. And then, when he had completed all things necessary for a smooth running of the world which he handed over to Adam, administratively, God rested on the seventh day.
But in verse 3 there were differences in this command to rest: Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,"So I declared on oath in my anger, "
They shall never enter my rest.'"
And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest."
In order for me to be able to wrap my thoughts around this, I have to backtrack a bit to the time when the Israelites were gifted with manna from heaven. God specifically told the Israelites (Ex. 16:31) that they were to pick up only enough manna for the Today.
It required a lot of faith to resist hoarding. Some of the Israelites did hoard. Guess they weren't sure that God would keep his promise to supply them with the nutritious manna that fell from heaven.
The problem was that in their hoarding, their disbelief was met with a bunch of manna that got worms in it when it was stored.
It was like God saying to them, "Look, I told you people that I would give you fresh manna every day. You are supposed to have faith in my promises and not hoard any manna for tomorrow."
Okay, so now fast forward to God's promises here in Hebrews that the people who have faith in him are to rest on the seventh day. I repeat, in verse 3, God said, "Now we who have believed enter that rest ..."
This command continues in verses 8-10: For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.
There it is as plain as day: work as hard and as furiously as we want, but on the seventh day, we are to rest. So put your feet up and enjoy your day of rest and have faith that God will give you energy aplenty for tomorrow to get your work started up again.
God wants us to show evidence of the faith we have in him.
Farmers have a saying that work done on Sunday has to be re-done on Monday. For that reason, you seldom see farmers out in the fields working on Sunday.
And don't think you can ever sneak around and do something that God wouldn't be aware of. Read this in verse 13: Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
And are we ever tempted? You bet we are!
Consider this: We have Jesus, the Son of God, who encourages us to hold onto the faith that we say we have.
Jesus, as our high priest, has been tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
##
This chapter talks about two kinds of rest: God's rest and the rest he insists that his faithful followers take part in.
So what is God's rest?
God rested after his created the world. And then, when he had completed all things necessary for a smooth running of the world which he handed over to Adam, administratively, God rested on the seventh day.
But in verse 3 there were differences in this command to rest: Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,"So I declared on oath in my anger, "
They shall never enter my rest.'"
And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest."
In order for me to be able to wrap my thoughts around this, I have to backtrack a bit to the time when the Israelites were gifted with manna from heaven. God specifically told the Israelites (Ex. 16:31) that they were to pick up only enough manna for the Today.
It required a lot of faith to resist hoarding. Some of the Israelites did hoard. Guess they weren't sure that God would keep his promise to supply them with the nutritious manna that fell from heaven.
The problem was that in their hoarding, their disbelief was met with a bunch of manna that got worms in it when it was stored.
It was like God saying to them, "Look, I told you people that I would give you fresh manna every day. You are supposed to have faith in my promises and not hoard any manna for tomorrow."
Okay, so now fast forward to God's promises here in Hebrews that the people who have faith in him are to rest on the seventh day. I repeat, in verse 3, God said, "Now we who have believed enter that rest ..."
This command continues in verses 8-10: For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.
There it is as plain as day: work as hard and as furiously as we want, but on the seventh day, we are to rest. So put your feet up and enjoy your day of rest and have faith that God will give you energy aplenty for tomorrow to get your work started up again.
God wants us to show evidence of the faith we have in him.
Farmers have a saying that work done on Sunday has to be re-done on Monday. For that reason, you seldom see farmers out in the fields working on Sunday.
And don't think you can ever sneak around and do something that God wouldn't be aware of. Read this in verse 13: Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
And are we ever tempted? You bet we are!
Consider this: We have Jesus, the Son of God, who encourages us to hold onto the faith that we say we have.
Jesus, as our high priest, has been tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
##
Friday, October 12, 2007
Hebrews 3
Hebrews 3: 1-19
The point to ponder as you're reading this chapter is this: When you think of the way that Israel wandered do you ever say to yourself, "I would never have acted like that."
Is that really true?
Pray to God to show your weakness to you and ask for his help to correct your weakness.This chapter begins with a metaphor.
Moses is compared to a servant in the house.
God is the builder of the house.
Jesus, as God's son, takes better care of the house than a servant would.
We hear the Holy Spirit talk in this chapter. The Holy Spirit warns the Hebrews not to harden their hearts like they did in the rebellion when they were being tested in the desert.
So the Holy Spirit reminds the Hebrews that this is why he was angry with their ancestors.
In verses 10-11, he says: That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'"
A series of rhetorical questions begins at verse 16 and continues through the end of the chapter: Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to either, because of their unbelief.
This chapter defines rebellion as disobedience. As unbelief.
The children of Israel were rebellious. Even though they had hoofed it out of Egypt enjoying the umbrella of God's protection, Satan was wandering among them too. Can't you just see the evil one whispering in their ears? Redefining what he wanted the Israelites to think when they pondered what God had said to them through Moses.
Whether they were bored or tired or just in the mood to grumble, they did the one single thing that would get really tick God off. They made an idol and they worshiped this idol. And somehow, out there in the dry heat of the desert, they figured out how to make wine. Wine tastings led to debauchery. Adulteries followed. Probably murders too. Crimes of passion are easily wrapped around adultery.
They disobeyed God and this made him very angry.
And no matter how hard he ministered to them and preached to them, Moses couldn't stop the Israelites when they plunged themselves into some serious sinning.
So Moses didn't get to go to the promised land. He could only see it from afar.
Now the Hebrew people are getting another warning. It seems that they are on the brink of being disobedient. Rebellious. Sinful.
This chapter gives the Hebrews a stern talking to. A serious heads up.
We also need to look into our own hearts. We need to make sure that we don't become complacent in our faith. We need to make sure that we don't become fair game for the Big Liar who comes whispering when we are at the low points in our lives; when it's very easy to feel like God has abandoned us.
God does not abandon us. He is faithful to us every day of our lives up until the very moment when he welcomes us back home -- to him. Until we reach the other side of heaven's shores. But if we get bored. If we get mad at God because things didn't go the way we thought they should -- not the way God had in mind -- then we put on our shades and prance off with the slithering Big Liar! Then follow puny little alibis like when we say "I was so mad at God!"And you say that like you're proud of it!
##
The point to ponder as you're reading this chapter is this: When you think of the way that Israel wandered do you ever say to yourself, "I would never have acted like that."
Is that really true?
Pray to God to show your weakness to you and ask for his help to correct your weakness.This chapter begins with a metaphor.
Moses is compared to a servant in the house.
God is the builder of the house.
Jesus, as God's son, takes better care of the house than a servant would.
We hear the Holy Spirit talk in this chapter. The Holy Spirit warns the Hebrews not to harden their hearts like they did in the rebellion when they were being tested in the desert.
So the Holy Spirit reminds the Hebrews that this is why he was angry with their ancestors.
In verses 10-11, he says: That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'"
A series of rhetorical questions begins at verse 16 and continues through the end of the chapter: Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to either, because of their unbelief.
This chapter defines rebellion as disobedience. As unbelief.
The children of Israel were rebellious. Even though they had hoofed it out of Egypt enjoying the umbrella of God's protection, Satan was wandering among them too. Can't you just see the evil one whispering in their ears? Redefining what he wanted the Israelites to think when they pondered what God had said to them through Moses.
Whether they were bored or tired or just in the mood to grumble, they did the one single thing that would get really tick God off. They made an idol and they worshiped this idol. And somehow, out there in the dry heat of the desert, they figured out how to make wine. Wine tastings led to debauchery. Adulteries followed. Probably murders too. Crimes of passion are easily wrapped around adultery.
They disobeyed God and this made him very angry.
And no matter how hard he ministered to them and preached to them, Moses couldn't stop the Israelites when they plunged themselves into some serious sinning.
So Moses didn't get to go to the promised land. He could only see it from afar.
Now the Hebrew people are getting another warning. It seems that they are on the brink of being disobedient. Rebellious. Sinful.
This chapter gives the Hebrews a stern talking to. A serious heads up.
We also need to look into our own hearts. We need to make sure that we don't become complacent in our faith. We need to make sure that we don't become fair game for the Big Liar who comes whispering when we are at the low points in our lives; when it's very easy to feel like God has abandoned us.
God does not abandon us. He is faithful to us every day of our lives up until the very moment when he welcomes us back home -- to him. Until we reach the other side of heaven's shores. But if we get bored. If we get mad at God because things didn't go the way we thought they should -- not the way God had in mind -- then we put on our shades and prance off with the slithering Big Liar! Then follow puny little alibis like when we say "I was so mad at God!"And you say that like you're proud of it!
##
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Hebrews 2
Hebrews 2: 1-18
There are five warnings to the Hebrews contained in this book of the Bible.
The first of these warnings can be found in verses 1-4: We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
There are three points that come out of these first few verses. First of all, there's a discussion about angels.
Angels are messengers sent by God. They are heavenly beings that he created specifically to serve him.
In this web site: http://www.ibelieveinangels.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,157/ the author says that angels are sent by God to watch over the human race, to deliver his message, to guard and protect us from danger, to do battle with other spiritual beings on our behalf.
The author goes on to say that since the beginning of time, angels have delivered God's messages to mankind. Sometimes the messages are warnings of impending danger, sometimes instructions as to what to do in a particular situation, sometimes they are simply "there" as protection from enemy forces. Sometimes they bring joyful announcements as in the day they announced the birth of Jesus.
What we need to remember, though, are three truths about angels:
1. The ministry of holy angels will never contradict the Bible.
2. The actions of holy angels will always be consistent with the character of Christ.
3. A genuine encounter with a holy angel will glorify God, not the angel.
Holy angels never draw attention to themselves. They typically do their work and disappear.
Another web site that defines angels and gives us some Bible history of angels is found at: http://theshadowlands.net/angels.html#History
But back to this first warning in Hebrews: the messages of angels are binding. We ignore these messengers from God at our peril.
The second point that jumps out at me is that this message of salvation was confirmed by people who had heard it first hand. This indicates to me that the writer of Hebrews was not a person who walked with Christ.
Instead, the message of salvation was confirmed by those who had actually been with and heard Christ bring the message to them.
And lastly, the author of Hebrews says that God distributes gifts of the Holy Spirit. These spiritual gifts are given to each person.
Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? The Apostle Paul refers to individual spiritual gifts several times in his letters. He identifies 20 different spiritual gifts in Romans 12:-48; 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11; 1 Corinthians 12: 27-30; and in Ephesians 4: 7-12.
I would encourage you to determine what your spiritual gifts are.
There is an excellent inventory to help you figure this out at: http://www.acts17-11.com/gift_inventory.html
This is the inventory that Quint and I participated in and discovered what our spiritual gifts are at a church workshop several years ago.
The two of us share the gifts of intercession, exhortation, administration and teaching. This particular web site not only identifies the spiritual gifts by name, but also explains what each one is.
This chapter goes on to bring us more truths. Insofar as Jesus Christ is concerned, in verse 7: You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet.
Jesus was made man. By taking on flesh of humanity, (verses 14-18) by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death -- that is, the devil -- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
For Christ, the cosmic clock had struck the minute hand of his destiny for he came to earth to become human, and his destiny was to bring salvation to all mankind who are born into sin. His destiny was to die for our sins.
If he were not human, how is it that he could die?
And we know that he died. The Romans kept execution records. And we know that there was a horrific earthquake on that same day when Jesus died.
This was, no doubt, the earthquake that tore the curtain in the temple that separated the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. (Luke 23:45)
Christ's death was an act of atonement for all of humankind. Embraced within that atonement is the assurance of forgiveness for our sins. It is up to you to claim that forgiveness by confessing your sins, by your contrite spirit and your promise to God that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, you will not continually commit the same greedy little sins over and over again.
Don't be complacent about this forgiveness because there is not a promise of another atonement for you anywhere in the Bible.
Claim forgiveness today as the gift from God that it is. Salvation for you is assured. Get down on your knees in a place where it's just you and God, and have a conversation with him.
I pray that you will feel the presence of God in this place. Even if it's a tickle that won't stop. Might just be his way of letting you know he's got you in his sights and is listening to you. Heaven won't fall apart while he concentrates on hearing what you've got to say. He created lots of angels to be his servants. Listening to you is that important to him.
Believe it!
##
There are five warnings to the Hebrews contained in this book of the Bible.
The first of these warnings can be found in verses 1-4: We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
There are three points that come out of these first few verses. First of all, there's a discussion about angels.
Angels are messengers sent by God. They are heavenly beings that he created specifically to serve him.
In this web site: http://www.ibelieveinangels.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,157/ the author says that angels are sent by God to watch over the human race, to deliver his message, to guard and protect us from danger, to do battle with other spiritual beings on our behalf.
The author goes on to say that since the beginning of time, angels have delivered God's messages to mankind. Sometimes the messages are warnings of impending danger, sometimes instructions as to what to do in a particular situation, sometimes they are simply "there" as protection from enemy forces. Sometimes they bring joyful announcements as in the day they announced the birth of Jesus.
What we need to remember, though, are three truths about angels:
1. The ministry of holy angels will never contradict the Bible.
2. The actions of holy angels will always be consistent with the character of Christ.
3. A genuine encounter with a holy angel will glorify God, not the angel.
Holy angels never draw attention to themselves. They typically do their work and disappear.
Another web site that defines angels and gives us some Bible history of angels is found at: http://theshadowlands.net/angels.html#History
But back to this first warning in Hebrews: the messages of angels are binding. We ignore these messengers from God at our peril.
The second point that jumps out at me is that this message of salvation was confirmed by people who had heard it first hand. This indicates to me that the writer of Hebrews was not a person who walked with Christ.
Instead, the message of salvation was confirmed by those who had actually been with and heard Christ bring the message to them.
And lastly, the author of Hebrews says that God distributes gifts of the Holy Spirit. These spiritual gifts are given to each person.
Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? The Apostle Paul refers to individual spiritual gifts several times in his letters. He identifies 20 different spiritual gifts in Romans 12:-48; 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11; 1 Corinthians 12: 27-30; and in Ephesians 4: 7-12.
I would encourage you to determine what your spiritual gifts are.
There is an excellent inventory to help you figure this out at: http://www.acts17-11.com/gift_inventory.html
This is the inventory that Quint and I participated in and discovered what our spiritual gifts are at a church workshop several years ago.
The two of us share the gifts of intercession, exhortation, administration and teaching. This particular web site not only identifies the spiritual gifts by name, but also explains what each one is.
This chapter goes on to bring us more truths. Insofar as Jesus Christ is concerned, in verse 7: You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet.
Jesus was made man. By taking on flesh of humanity, (verses 14-18) by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death -- that is, the devil -- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
For Christ, the cosmic clock had struck the minute hand of his destiny for he came to earth to become human, and his destiny was to bring salvation to all mankind who are born into sin. His destiny was to die for our sins.
If he were not human, how is it that he could die?
And we know that he died. The Romans kept execution records. And we know that there was a horrific earthquake on that same day when Jesus died.
This was, no doubt, the earthquake that tore the curtain in the temple that separated the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. (Luke 23:45)
Christ's death was an act of atonement for all of humankind. Embraced within that atonement is the assurance of forgiveness for our sins. It is up to you to claim that forgiveness by confessing your sins, by your contrite spirit and your promise to God that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, you will not continually commit the same greedy little sins over and over again.
Don't be complacent about this forgiveness because there is not a promise of another atonement for you anywhere in the Bible.
Claim forgiveness today as the gift from God that it is. Salvation for you is assured. Get down on your knees in a place where it's just you and God, and have a conversation with him.
I pray that you will feel the presence of God in this place. Even if it's a tickle that won't stop. Might just be his way of letting you know he's got you in his sights and is listening to you. Heaven won't fall apart while he concentrates on hearing what you've got to say. He created lots of angels to be his servants. Listening to you is that important to him.
Believe it!
##
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Hebrews 1
Hebrews 1: 1-14
There is some dispute about who wrote the Book of Hebrews. It's been widely credited to the Apostle Paul.
But Paul identified himself in all of his other writings. There is no indication anywhere in the Book of Hebrews as to who physically wrote the book. We have to remember that all of scripture is from God, our Heavenly Father, through the Holy Spirit. Not sure if it matters a whole lot as to whose pen the Holy Spirit decided to use to bring these messages to mankind.
It does appear though, from the writings, that Hebrews was written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. That occurred in 70 A.D.
Again, scholars are of the opinion that whoever penned the book would surely have mentioned the temple being destroyed if it were written after the destruction. That's a good assumption if you think of the Bible as a kind of Fox News on the Plains of Moab. Maybe yes. Maybe no.
I like to view the authorship as the late Dr. Walter Martin did when he said: The Book of Hebrews was written by a Hebrew to other Hebrews telling the Hebrews to stop acting like Hebrews.
In truth, many of the early Jewish believers were slipping back into the rites and rituals of Judaism in order to escape the mounting persecution of Christians.
This letter, then, is an exhortation for these persecuted believers to continue in the grace of Jesus Christ. (read more at: http://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Hebrews.html)
The Apostle Paul was Jewish. Remember that his ancestry was from the Tribe of Benjamin. He was temple-trained by the Pharisees and was, himself, a Pharisee. That made him very well versed in all the laws that we just read about in the Book of Deuteronomy.
And when I say "very well versed," I am talking about being recognized as the #1 instructor of the law. If you could liken him to the law leader of his land, then comparing him to the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court would be close. The Apostle Paul was it.
As far as timing of the writing is concerned, we know that Pope Clement quoted from Hebrews in 95 A.D. Clement was pope from 88 - 97 A.D.
Timothy was alive at the time the book was written.
There is widely accepted belief that the Book of Hebrews was written about 65 A.D.
By this time Paul had already sent his letter to the Corinthians -- in 58 A.D.
The first Christians were massacred/martyred in 64 A.D.
St. Peter was executed in 67 A.D.Nero succeeded his father Claudius in 68 A.D. (Claudius had been poisoned by his wife Agrippina.)
Nero committed suicide in 68 A.D. The Jews revolted against Rome in 70 A.D.
Jerusalem was captured and destroyed also in 70 A.D. Vitellius was emperor at that time.
So back to the study of Hebrews: In the very first verse of the first chapter, the Hebrews are reminded that God spoke to their ancestors by using many prophets as his mouthpiece. But in the most recent times, God the Father spoke through his son Jesus Christ. It was through Jesus Christ that God made the universe. (verse 2b)
It is Jesus Christ who provided the purification for sins. And Jesus Christ sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (verse 3)
In verse 4, Jesus Christ is noted as being more superior than the angels. In fact, throughout this first chapter, the difference between Jesus and the angels is repeated. But make no mistake about it -- angels are ministering spirits whose duty it is to serve.
In verse 14, the chapter closes with this kind of job description for the angels: Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Those are powerful words. Are you among those who will inherit salvation? You are if you accept that Christ came to earth, lived and died for your sins. Salvation is yours to claim. It is a promise from God our Heavenly Father.
The next time you pray, say to God, "I'm really sorry for all the lame things I've done that must have broken your heart. I'm really really sorry. Please forgive me and give me the strength to resist Satan and all that is evil. I want your forgiveness and I thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for my personal sins, and the sin of mankind. But for my sins, I thank you for the gift of salvation."
##
There is some dispute about who wrote the Book of Hebrews. It's been widely credited to the Apostle Paul.
But Paul identified himself in all of his other writings. There is no indication anywhere in the Book of Hebrews as to who physically wrote the book. We have to remember that all of scripture is from God, our Heavenly Father, through the Holy Spirit. Not sure if it matters a whole lot as to whose pen the Holy Spirit decided to use to bring these messages to mankind.
It does appear though, from the writings, that Hebrews was written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. That occurred in 70 A.D.
Again, scholars are of the opinion that whoever penned the book would surely have mentioned the temple being destroyed if it were written after the destruction. That's a good assumption if you think of the Bible as a kind of Fox News on the Plains of Moab. Maybe yes. Maybe no.
I like to view the authorship as the late Dr. Walter Martin did when he said: The Book of Hebrews was written by a Hebrew to other Hebrews telling the Hebrews to stop acting like Hebrews.
In truth, many of the early Jewish believers were slipping back into the rites and rituals of Judaism in order to escape the mounting persecution of Christians.
This letter, then, is an exhortation for these persecuted believers to continue in the grace of Jesus Christ. (read more at: http://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Hebrews.html)
The Apostle Paul was Jewish. Remember that his ancestry was from the Tribe of Benjamin. He was temple-trained by the Pharisees and was, himself, a Pharisee. That made him very well versed in all the laws that we just read about in the Book of Deuteronomy.
And when I say "very well versed," I am talking about being recognized as the #1 instructor of the law. If you could liken him to the law leader of his land, then comparing him to the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court would be close. The Apostle Paul was it.
As far as timing of the writing is concerned, we know that Pope Clement quoted from Hebrews in 95 A.D. Clement was pope from 88 - 97 A.D.
Timothy was alive at the time the book was written.
There is widely accepted belief that the Book of Hebrews was written about 65 A.D.
By this time Paul had already sent his letter to the Corinthians -- in 58 A.D.
The first Christians were massacred/martyred in 64 A.D.
St. Peter was executed in 67 A.D.Nero succeeded his father Claudius in 68 A.D. (Claudius had been poisoned by his wife Agrippina.)
Nero committed suicide in 68 A.D. The Jews revolted against Rome in 70 A.D.
Jerusalem was captured and destroyed also in 70 A.D. Vitellius was emperor at that time.
So back to the study of Hebrews: In the very first verse of the first chapter, the Hebrews are reminded that God spoke to their ancestors by using many prophets as his mouthpiece. But in the most recent times, God the Father spoke through his son Jesus Christ. It was through Jesus Christ that God made the universe. (verse 2b)
It is Jesus Christ who provided the purification for sins. And Jesus Christ sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (verse 3)
In verse 4, Jesus Christ is noted as being more superior than the angels. In fact, throughout this first chapter, the difference between Jesus and the angels is repeated. But make no mistake about it -- angels are ministering spirits whose duty it is to serve.
In verse 14, the chapter closes with this kind of job description for the angels: Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Those are powerful words. Are you among those who will inherit salvation? You are if you accept that Christ came to earth, lived and died for your sins. Salvation is yours to claim. It is a promise from God our Heavenly Father.
The next time you pray, say to God, "I'm really sorry for all the lame things I've done that must have broken your heart. I'm really really sorry. Please forgive me and give me the strength to resist Satan and all that is evil. I want your forgiveness and I thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for my personal sins, and the sin of mankind. But for my sins, I thank you for the gift of salvation."
##
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