Call to Commitment

 

Chapter 9

 1. Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary.

2. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary;

3. and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All,

4. which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;

5. and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

 

The earthly sanctuary

 One of the reasons that I believe that every Christian should study the entire Bible, Old Testament and New, is because through it, God is revealed to us. That is its main purpose and nowhere outside the Bible is there a reliable revelation of Him. There is only one God and He does not change; The God of the Old Testament is the same God, who is manifested through Jesus in the Gospels. A. W. Tozer said that the most important issue in the life of the individual and the church is the concept of God.

 While we study, we learn to know the ways of God, which will seem very strange to us in the beginning, because His ways are totally different from the ways we have learned in the world. No secular school offers a course on the ways of God and even Jesus’ closest disciples had great difficulty in understanding His ways. In order to function as a Christian, each one of us must learn to walk in them. One of my favorite verses is Psalms 77:19, because it shows the complex nature and impossibility of finding His ways by natural means: “Your way was in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps were not known.” Spiritual insight is required. 

An expository study of the book of Hebrews

 

Chapter 8

 1. Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

2. a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

3. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer.

4. For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law;

5. who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moises was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

6. But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

7. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.

 

A position of perfection

 The Holy Spirit is glorifying Christ, just as Jesus promised He would do: “For He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (Jn.16:14). In the seven previous chapters, He was leading us to this main point. He is now presenting the One, who is the High Priest of a better order of priesthood than the Levitical order. In the last chapter, He showed us this type in Melchizedek, having referred several times to Psalm 110:4. He is the perfection of the High Priest that God had in mind in eternity. 

  (An expository study of the book of Hebrews)

 Chapter 7

1. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

2. to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,”

3.  without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

 

The person Melchizedek

 We have now left the milk of the basic principles of the doctrines of Christ and are deeply into teaching that is solid food. We have learned of the oath of God towards Abraham and his spiritual descendants. We have studied biblical hope that is anchored within the veil and draws us into the Holy of Holies. Now we come to the teaching concerning Melchizedek, and the writer has already referred three times to him in 5:6 and 10, and in 6:20, quoting each time from Psalms 110:4. In 5:11, he states, “Of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.” This is going to be very solid food.

I think, in this chapter, more than in any other portion in the Bible, the Holy Spirit establishes Scripture, not only as the greatest authority, but as the only authority for Christian doctrine. Under the anointing and inspiration of the Spirit of God, the writer develops a wide range of New Testament truth, regarding the order of Melchizedek, from a total of four Old Testament verses… Genesis 14:18-20 and Psalm 110:4. Taught by the Holy Spirit, he builds upon this foundation, not only upon what these verses say, but what they do not say. We will attempt to delve into a most intriguing study, a beautiful example of a revelation, in which the Spirit opens the eyes of the heart to give spiritual understanding!  

 Every word has significance. He first introduces the name of the person that he is presenting, Melchizedek, and then follows with the titles of his offices, as king and priest. He gives his encounter with Abraham, inserting it into the historical record from the book of Genesis. Abraham had just returned from rescuing his nephew, Lot, and his family from four kings, who had taken them captive. Immediately after Abraham accepts the bread and wine of Melchizedek, he refuses the reward of the king of Sodom. The type is most suggestive and means: Let all those who partake of the bread and the wine, which is the body and the blood of Christ, refuse the world’s offers. I remind you that this is no legend; it is an authentic story, written by the Holy Spirit with the lives of real people. Now the Author points the writer to the details that He placed in the account centuries before (1).

An expository study of the book of Hebrews 

 Chapter 6

1. Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

2. of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

3. And this we will do if God permits.

 

Six foundational principles

 Whenever I read these three verses in Hebrews, I always think of a classroom, in which the teacher is anxious for his or her class to advance and the greater part of the students want to learn. However, there are some people, usually sitting in the back of the room, who just don’t care. In fact, they create disturbances, hinder progress and they themselves have not even learned the basics of the course. This is a serious matter in the Kingdom of God, because there is a maxim at its core that says, “If you don’t go forward, you will surely regress.”   

 There are a couple things that we have to know in relation to this matter of progressing in the Christian walk. It does not mean that a believer leaves the gospel and goes on to ‘deeper’ things. It means that he goes deeper into the gospel. It does not mean that he leaves the foundation, but simply that he leaves off laying it, so that he can build upon it. In my version of the Bible, the NKJV, you will notice that it states, leaving the discussion, which seems to indicate that, in the writer’s teaching, he will now go on to more mature matters. Taking away the chapter division, it is a continuation of the subject of milk and solid food in the last verses previous to this chapter. Perfection in this case means maturity, which is precisely the subject matter at hand.

 Commentator Warren Wiersbe said: “When I was in kindergarten, the teacher taught us our ABCs. You learn your ABCs so that you might read words, sentences, books – in fact, anything in literature. But you do not keep learning the basics. You use the basics to go on to better things.  

  

Chapter 5

 1. For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

2. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.

3. Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins.

4. And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.

 

Defining high priesthood

 In the first four verses, the writer defines the office of high priesthood. The Jewish Christians are very familiar with it, but they need to be reminded of its basic principles. Now we, who are less acquainted with Jewish priesthood, can learn and profit from his writing. It is consistent with human nature to be taken up with superficial details, surrounding the things into which God has placed us, and tend to forget the main purpose for which He created them.

 The first consideration that we must understand is that a high priest was chosen among his peers. In order to fulfill the purposes of his position, he must have the inner qualities that will equip him for ministry. Because he is a part of the human race, he understands the inner trials and suffering of those, to whom he renders service. His ministry is lost, if he is not compassionate. It is a great lesson for all those, who take on leadership of any kind in the church. For one to simply take on the duties and responsibilities related to any office, is to miss the point completely. He must have a heart preparation, before entering into Christian ministry.

 

  An expository study of the book of Hebrews

                            Chapter 4

 1. Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.

2. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

3. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest,” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;

5. and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”

6. Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 

7. again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today”, after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

8. For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day.

9. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.

10. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

11. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

 An expository study of the book of Hebrews

                             Chapter 3

 1. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

2. who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.

3. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house.

4. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.

5. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,

6. but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

 An attempt to compare the incomparable

 Knowing their Jewish history, the believing Jews struggled in leaving it behind. God’s hand was powerfully and notably in all that they had learned since childhood. It was the task of the writer to show them that what God had done through the gospel was so much greater than their past. He addresses them as holy brethren, whose present calling was from heaven. God had separated them from the world around them and their Jewish nation hated them for it. They needed to see this as a high privilege.

   An expository study of the book of Hebrews

Chapter 2

 1. Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

2. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,

3. how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

4. God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

 

 An expository study of the book of Hebrews

 

1. God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,

2. has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

3. who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

 Jesus Christ is greater than the prophets. Who is He?

 We enter this chapter and this book with great anticipation. We want to see Jesus and we open our hearts for the illumination that comes only from the Holy Spirit. Before the writer gives the first piece of advice, he extols Christ and thereby our hearts are warmed and encouraged to be faithful to Him at all costs. It is for our eternal benefit that God, Who created and rules over heaven and earth, desires to communicate with us. As we begin to ponder this book, verse by verse, that is our first consideration. In the past and in the present, God has spoken from heaven and we have a Bible that contains 66 books, by which we look into things from His perspective (v.1).

  We marvel at the insight of the prophets and their wonderful relationship with God, but God sends One, Who is superior to the prophets. In His great love for His people, the Father searches heaven, looking for a more perfect way to share His thoughts and heart with us. He sent His Word personified… In these last days, He sent us God the Son incarnate, in order to communicate from human lips to human ears, the infinitely superior purposes, existing in His throne room (v.2). There is something in the nature of God that pleases Him to save the best for last.

 We live in the very last moments of the last days. Peter quoted the prophet Joel, who prophesied of them: “It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh” (Ac.2:17). We know, then, that the last days had already begun, when God poured His Spirit upon 120 disciples. Peter wrote in his second epistle that we should be patient, as we wait for the second coming of the Lord because, “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years…” (2 P.3:8). As the Lord sees things, a little less than two days have goneby since the time of the apostles. 

 Introduction to an espository study of Hebrews 

No particular author, time, place or church

 It is with obvious purpose that the human author is not named, therefore it is not wise to arrive at a definite conclusion. I think, that would be a mistake, because the evidence is not conclusive. However, that fact does not rule out private conjecture or even a personal opinion. I have to admit that I have come short of forming an opinion. I have never thought it necessary to do so and, in fact, I felt that the authorship was purposely withheld for a reason, which I will give a little later.  

 (Re-posted from June, 2015) 

Trying to encourage parents to teach their children the right things, I have been sharing the fact that, because I was raised in the church, I have hundreds of hymns in my head, sometimes including all the verses. They didn’t do me much good as a child, but now, it seems to me that these words come to me on a daily basis and I am blessed with their riches.

  This morning was a little different. A line and a tune from a contemporary song kept running through my head, “How deep the Father’s love for us” and I was stuck, because I didn’t know the song. I got out of bed, went to the internet and found these words:

 

 

 How Deep the Father's Love for Us

 How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure;

That He should give His only Son, to make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away;

As wounds which mar the chosen One, bring many sons to glory.

 

Behold the Man upon the cross, my sin upon His shoulders;

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there, until it was accomplished;

His dying breath has brought me life, I know that it is finished.

 

I will not boast in anything, no gifts, nor power, nor wisdom;

But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward, I cannot give an answer;

But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom.

Few Christian

This article taken from chapter 16

s these days know anything about a church that is not under man’s control, where only Christ is the architect with the plan and He is constructing beyond human knowledge. I wrote about the church in my book, God Made the Country, and I thought it might be good to post the last chapter. It will give an idea of the true church and how it functions, even in modern times, if Christ is the Head and has the control.

 

 THE CHURCH – A LIVING BODY

 “(The Father) put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.”            

                                                Ephesians 1:22-23                                                                                              

  A Christian of German descent in Wisconsin was  reading  a small-town newspaper from North Dakota. His eyes scanned the church announcements and suddenly he felt a compulsion to pray for one of these churches. It seemed strange to him, because the church wasn’t of the same denomination as his own church and he had never visited it. Every year he drove 500 miles to North Dakota to help relatives (who sent the paper to him) with their harvest. Months later, during the next harvest season, in his curiosity to discover the reason behind the strange desire to pray, he walked into the little church in Finley, ND.