Hebrews Summer Study!

Another summer project besides cooking was to get together with brothers & sisters who didn’t need to work during the day to read through a book in the Bible. I absolutely and thrillingly looked forward to each gathering. Great insights Ally, Timothy, Andy, Jackie, Molly, Adele, Darren, Lonny, Sarah, Vivian, Russ, Esther, Clark, Snow and Samuel on the verses we had questions about and the ones that stirred our hearts! Really enjoyed our sharing on life issues and most of all, spending time together to encourage one another like chapter 10 verse 24 says:

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The audience of this book is targeted towards believers. My understanding of the New Covenant was greatly increased as a result of studying with the group. We are not to take lightly of the blood, which has effectively saved us once and for all. We are to treasure this redemption deeply:

               …how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? (2:3)

Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? (10:28-29)

My confidence in coming before God is again reassured, knowing that this priesthood Jesus holds is much bigger and stronger than any earthly relationship. It’s a one-time done deal, yet ongoing and eternal. His work of salvation was chosen, appointed, and sealed in heaven and on earth:

…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (9:22)

God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. (6:17)

Others became priests without any oath, but He became a priest with an oath when God said to him: ‘The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’” Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. (7:21)

But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (10:12-13)

There is nothing on earth too difficult for Him to understand, or to change, to help, to create, to inspire, to love, to forgive:

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (2:18)

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. (4:15)

He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since He Himself is subject to weakness. (5:2)

The one major theme in this book besides revealing and defining Christ, the new covenant and salvation was “perseverance” through “faith”, both by yourself and with a group of believers:

·         we must pay more careful attention, therefore to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away [2:1]

·         …fix your thoughts on Jesus [3:1]

·         …if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast [3:6]

·         …encourage one another daily [3:13]

·         …if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first [3:14]

·         …let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of [entering His rest] [4:1)

·         Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest [4:11]

·         …let us hold firmly to the faith we profess [4:14]

·         Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace [4:16]

·         …let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity [6:1]

·         …show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure [6:11]

·         …imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised [6:12]

·         …be greatly encouraged [6:18]

·         We have this hope and anchor for the soul, firm and secure. [6:19]

·         We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus [10:19]

·         Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith [10:22]

·         Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful [10:23]

·         Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds [10:24]

·         Let us not give up meeting together [10:25]

·         Let us encourage one another – and all the more as we see the Day approaching [10:25]

·         Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded [10:35]

·         You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised [10:36]

·         Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see [11:1]

·         Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him [11:6]

·         By faith… by faith… by faith… x22… the word “faith, faithful” total x 26 [Ch.11]

·         Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. [12:1]

·         Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith [12:2]

·         Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart [12:3]

·         Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons [12:7]

·         Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. [12:12]

·         Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up [12:12]

·         See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. [12:25]

·         Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. [12:28-29]

·         Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name. [13:15]

Just as salvation has been fully prepared, so is punishment made ready:

·         It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have 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 [6:4-6]
·         Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. [6:7]
·         If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God [10:27]
·         Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? [10:28-29]
·         The Lord will judge His people. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [10:30-31]
·         If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? [12:25]

So who is Christ? Jesus was clearly introduced as:

·         Heir of all things [1:2]
·         Son of God [1:2, 5, 4:14, 5:5, 7:28]
·         Much superior to the angels [1:4]
·         The firstborn [1:6]
·         Radiance of God’s glory [1:3]
·         Exact representation of His being [1:3]
·         His throne will last forever, a priest forever, lives forever [1:8, 5:6, 7:3, 7:21, 7:24]
·         Anointed with the oil of joy [1:9]
·         Will remain, years will never end [1:11]
·         Everything is under him and subject to Him[2:8]
·         Crowned with glory and honor [2:9]
·         A merciful and faithful, permanent high priest in service to God [2:17, 3:1-2, 4:14, 6:20, 7:24]
·         The apostle [3:1]
·         Called by God [5:4]
·         Perfect [5:9]
·         Source of eternal salvation [5:8]
·         God’s promise of blessing through whom many descendants will be given [6:14]
·         Perfection, perfect forever [7:11, 7:28]
·         Priest in the order of Melchizedek [7:11, 17]
·         Descendent of Judah [7:14]
·         Indestructible [7:16]
·         The better hope by which we draw near to God [7:19]
·         Appointed by an oath [7:20, 7:28]
·         The guarantee of a better covenant [7:22]
·         Holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens [7:26]
·         Mediator of the New Covenant [8:6, 9:15]
·         Great priest over the house of God [10:21]
·         The author and perfecter of our faith [12:2]

What has Jesus done & continues to do for us?

·         Through whom God made the universe [1:2]
·         Sustains all things by His powerful Word [1:3]
·         Provided purification for sins [1:3]
·         At the right hand of God, the Majesty [1:3]
·         Suffered and tasted death for everyone [2:9]
·         Brings many sons to glory [2:10]
·         Makes men holy [2:10]
·         Share in man’s humanity to help mankind [2:14, 16]
·         Destroyed the devil [2:14]
·         Freed those enslaved by their fear of death [2:15]
·         Made atonement for the sins of the people [2:17]
·         Went before us behind the curtain entering the sanctuary on our behalf [6:19-20]
·         Able to save completely those who come to God through Him [7:25]
·         Lives to intercede for us [7:25]
·         Meets our need [7:26]
·         Sacrificed once and for all [7:27]
·         At the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, serves in the sanctuary set up by the Lord [8:1-2]
·         The ministry he received is superior to that of earthly priest’s [8:6]
·         Made the first covenant obsolete [8:13]
·         Officially put into effect the time of the new order [9:10]
·         Entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood; obtained eternal redemption [9:12]
·         Through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God [9:14]
·         Cleansed our consciences from acts that lead to death, so we may serve the living God [9:14]
·         Died as a ransom to set us free from sins committed under the first covenant [9:15]
·         Christ entered heaven Himself [9:24]
·         Appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself [9:26]
·         Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people [9:28]
·         He will appear a second time to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him [9:28]
·         Made perfect those who draw near to worship, made worshippers cleansed once for all so we would no longer need to feel guilty for our sins [10:1-2]
·         His body was prepared to please God [10:5-6]
·         Did God’s will [10:7, 9]
·         By completing God’s will, we have been made holy through His own sacrifice [10:10]
·         Offered for all time one sacrifice for sins [10:12]
·         Sat down at the right hand of God [10:12, 12:2]
·         Awaits for his enemies to be made his footstool [10:13]
·         Made perfect forever those who are being made holy [10:14]
·         A new and living way opened for us through his body [10:20]
·         Our hearts have been sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water [10:22]
·         For the joy set before Him endured the cross and scorned its shame[12:2] 

JESUS = ALREADY PERFECT FOREVER

US = ALREADY MADE PERFECT FOREVER BY JESUS, BEING MADE & WILL BE MADE HOLY

Other Topics: Melchizedek [Ch.7], sanctuary, tabernacle [Ch.9], old and new covenant, Holy Spirit [8:10, 10:15], faith [Ch.11], final exhortations for sacrifices that please God [Ch.13]

So what will be our response to Jesus’ done deal? It takes two:

Since Jesus, many have been forcefully advancing into the Kingdom. Hence, “The Kingdom is near.” Since Jesus came, we are already in the end times. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (9:26)

He who is coming will come and will not delay. But the righteous will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him. (10:37)

Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. (9:27)

And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. (10:18)

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. (3:12)

I remember this fitting verse from Bible Today the day we studied Chapter 11 on “faith”:

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. [Colossians 2:6-7]

And at the end of the book of Hebrews, a most perfect prayer and blessing for all saints through Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday and today and forever:

Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip us with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. [13:18, 20-21]

It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace. [13:9]

Thank You, God :)

Get well card from Sunday School student. Yes, have faith :)