PERSONAL JOURNAL/MEDITATION AND REFLECTION: Hebrews 9:11-28

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;

12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh,

14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.

17 For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.

18 Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood.

19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.”

21 And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood.

22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;

25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own.

26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come,” that is the New Covenant priesthood, “He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation”. Rather, Jesus entered into the heavens, the throne room of God and made the eternal offering in the true Holy of Holies. And He entered “not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” Jesus as the great high priest went into the very presence of God and offered up the perfect sacrifice that is able to take away the sins of men, that is His own blood. The blood of goats and calves could not do what had to be done. Therefore God designed for His Son to pay the death penalty for His chosen people. And so Christ sacrificed Himself before the Father.

“For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” In the Old Covenant the offering were made for the people’s sins and it cleansed their flesh, that is to say that it worked as a remover of sins before God as He looked on them in light of what Christ would do for them. However, year after year they would have to offer these sacrifices to God to be cleansed and the constant sacrifices served as reminders of their sin. So even if their flesh was cleansed, they were left with guilty consciences. Thus, moving from the lesser to greater, Christ’s sacrifice is far superior because it insures eternal peace with God, because one sacrifice has secured it. There is therefore no longer a reminder of sins, but a free and gracious conscience before God. Thus, we can serve Him in joy and hope and not in fear.

“For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where a covenant is, there must be the death of one who made it. For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.’” For a covenant to be set in action there has to be a dying. We see in the Abrahamic covenant a dying of animals and the death of the party if it is broken. The Mosaic covenant was enacted by the blood of animals. Therefore, Christ had to die for this New Covenant to be instituted and not only do the New Covenant members enjoy its inheritance, but all of the Old Covenant members who trusted in its promise. “And in the same way [Moses] sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with blood. And according to the Law, almost all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

“Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” This does not mean that the heavenly place was at all defiled, for God cannot dwell in a defiled place. Rather, this is making reference to the New Covenant people’s need of a sacrifice in order to enter the holy place of God. Until the blood was sprinkled on the holy place the sins could not be forgiven. “For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Thus, the New Covenant priesthood and sacrifice is much better, because in one act it does what the Old Covenant could never do. It has been away sins for an eternity – all of those from the past, every sin in our present, and including all sins to come in the future. Christ now acts as our high priest in heaven as a mediator and no longer as a sacrifice.

“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” And here is the great hope of the New Covenant, a longing and eager waiting on Christ return, who will not come to deal with sin for who trust in Him because that sin has already dealt with. Thus, though a judgment awaits us, it is not one to be feared or to be anxious over – but joyful over.

PERSONAL JOURNAL/MEDITATION AND REFLECTION: Hebrews 9:1-10

1 Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary.

2 For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place.

3 Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,

4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant;

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

6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship,

7 but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.

8 The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing,

9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience,

10 since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.

“Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place.” This is where the priest would enter constantly to offer sacrifices and gifts to the Lord for their sins. “Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat”. This is also referred to as the Most Holy Place, where the Spirit of God dwelt. This was a place reserved only for God and His high priest and the high priest could only enter in once a year on the day of Atonement to make an offering for his sins and the sins of the people. “But of these things we cannot now speak in detail.” Rather, the preacher wants to focus his attention on the greater issue at hand—Christ.

“Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship”. This was something that had to be done over and over and over, and the preacher wants us to understand that. The “priest are continually entering”. Their work is never finished. Now many priest did the work of offerings in the outer tabernacle, “but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance”. The Law prescribed offerings that had to be had for sin, but they like all men have many sins they didn’t even know about which they would not have made offerings for. Thus, God provided for them a way to deal with those sin done in ignorance. Once a year, the high priest of the people would enter into the Holy of Holies to make an offering for sins. He would go in with blood, for there is no forgiveness without blood, and offer it as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. But not only for the people, but also for himself, thus he is a weak mediator between God and man because he is as sinful and needs a sacrifice as much as the rest of us.

“The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing”. While the outer tabernacle still stands there is a blockade between us and God. There remains a separation between us because He cannot allow sinfulness to be in His presence. Thus, while the outer tabernacle still stands we cannot be in the presence of God. This the outer tabernacle ““is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.” Everything that the priest does, even with in being in accordance with God’s Word and will, cannot make the worshiper clear in conscience. There still remains a separation between God and the individual. The outer tabernacle must be torn down.

Because we know the end of the story, we can begin to see where the preacher is taking us. We know that that Holy of Holies is really just a type of the true tabernacle which is in heaven where the Father dwells. Thus, the outer tabernacle had to be removed and the veil torn down. All praise be to God that through Jesus’ death the veil was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51) because the thing the veil foreshadowed was torn for our transgressions. “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh” (Hebrews 10:20). Christ flesh was the veil and by it being destroyed in death, so now we enterance into the Holy of Holies in heaven before the throne of God, thus “let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (10:22).

PERSONAL JOURNAL/MEDITATION AND REFLECTION: Hebrews 8:1-13

1 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

2 a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.

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

4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law;

5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.”

6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

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

8 For finding fault with them, He says,

“Behold, days are coming, says the Lord,

When I will effect a new covenant

With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;

9 Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers

On the day when I took them by the hand

To lead them out of the land of Egypt;

For they did not continue in My covenant,

And I did not care for them, says the Lord.

10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel

After those days, says the Lord:

I will put My laws into their minds,

And I will write them on their hearts.

And I will be their God,

And they shall be My people.

11 “And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen,

And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’

For all will know Me,

From the least to the greatest of them.

12 “For I will be merciful to their iniquities,

And I will remember their sins no more.”

13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

“Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.” The preacher here gives us his whole reason for everything that he has said thus far: we have a high priest who sits in heaven at the right hand of God who ministers in the true tabernacle made by God. What could be more inspiring, more freeing to sinful men then to know that they have a mediator for them before a God who hates sin and this mediator is also their Lord. The very one who loves them and died for them is the same one who sits at the right hand and has been given all authority. Now that is comforting.

“For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.” Thus, Jesus, like all priest, has been appointed for the purpose of offing gifts and sacrifices. Here we see the fullness of the typology of the old covenant. The priest who made offerings according to the Law was pointing toward the greater fulfillment in Christ. Now, if Christ was still on earth He would not be making the offerings, because the Law has already determined that there are priest according to Levi and Aaron to make those offerings and Christ does not go against the Law, but fulfills it. Rather, the priests on earth make offerings and serve a copy of the heavenly things, where as Jesus makes His offering in the heavenly tabernacle.

“For if the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second.” If God had designed the first covenant to be an everlasting one with no weaknesses then He would not have called for a second one, but “finding fault with them, He says, ‘Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, When I will effect a new covenant With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not like the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not continue in My covenant, I did not care for them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, they shall be My people. And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.’”

Here the preacher gives us the new covenant found in Jeremiah 31. Days are coming when God will make a new covenant with His people. It will not be like the covenant He made with the fathers who turned away from God and did not trust in His Word. They turned away from Him and He did not care for them. But in the new covenant God will put His laws into the minds of His people and He will write them on their hearts. He will be their God and they shall be His people. No one will teach his fellow citizen or brother to know the Lord, because all of the new covenant people will know the Lord and God will not show any partiality with them. He will be merciful to their iniquities and remember their sins no more. For a people who was struggling with steadfastness, the preacher speaks of something so simple, yet strong and passionate. We no longer have to worry about falling away from God. If we are His then He will keep us. We will know Him, unlike the wilderness generation who, though seeing His works, did not believe His Word. And we have no reason to fear His presence, but we can rejoice in that He has been merciful to us and has no remembrance of our sins. Before Him, but the work of Christ, we are clean and precious. He is our God and we are His people.

What a great God we have. Who can imagine a God more amazing than Him? He has done all of this for us. We did nothing. We have accomplished no work to make this a reality, we have done nothing to deserve it, but God is His joyful splendor chose to do this for our great blessing. And “when He said, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. But what ever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” God gave us a new covenant to replace the one that was faulty and to do this He did it as the sake of His Son who suffered and died for our sins. Great is our God and in Him should we trust.

PERSONAL JOURNAL/MEDITATION AND REFLECTION: Hebrews 7:11-28

11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?

12 For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

13 For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.

14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

15 And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,

16 who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.

17 For it is attested of Him,

“You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek.”

18 For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness

19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

20 And inasmuch as it was not without an oath

21 (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,

“The Lord has sworn

And will not change His mind,

‘You are a priest forever’ ”);

22 so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

23 The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing,

24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.

25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;

27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

28 For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.

“Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?” The preacher now brings up Aaron because it was through Aaron’s sons that the high priest would come. With Aaron came a narrowing of the priest. But why does God call for another priest to arise if the priesthood of the Law was sufficient? There should not long be any need of another priesthood. “For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.” This shows that there was a weakness in the first priesthood.

“For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.” The preacher is clear on where he is going. He is not trying to hide his message until the end and then bring everything out. We know that He has been talking about Jesus this whole time and he is making an argument for why He can be a priest even though He is not of the tribe of Levi or Aaron, for He is of the kingly tribe of Judah as a son of David. “And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.” Thus, here is a greater priest, one better than the Levis, because His priesthood is not based on a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life—a priesthood that cannot be ended by death. “For it is attested of Him, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” What we have not is an eternal priest.

“For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Thus, God, by chosen plan, has set aside the former commandment in order to establish the new. What we must be very careful in doing here is not misunderstanding the plan and nature of God. God is completely perfect and so is His will. All the weaknesses of the old were there from the beginning and made that way for a reason. The Law made nothing perfect because it was never designed to. Instead of the Law was given as a sign, a type of something greater to come. And because of the Law and no being able to better see the new commandment through it we have a better hope, through which we draw near to God.”

“And inasmuch as it was not without an oath (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever’”); so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.” So just as the former priest received their position of honor by a oath, so has Jesus. He has not taken this position, but it has been given to Him by the Lord God. The Lord God made the oath, “You are a priest forever”, and the Lord God will not change His mind. The Lord God never changes His mind. Everything is worked out according to a great and mighty plan and because of that Jesus who has received an eternal promise has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

“The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” In the old priesthood, there were numerous priests because they kept dying. But Jesus has been made a priest according to an indestructible power. Thus, He is our priest now and forever, holding His position permanently. And because He is our priest forever, we do not need to look for another, because if we draw near to God through Him, He will save us forever because He always lives and is always able to intercede for us.

“For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.” For it was fitting, it was good for us, it is better for us to have a high priest who is not like normal men, but holy and separate from and greater than us, innocent in that He has no need to suffer, undefiled by the sin of this world, and separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens because He does not need to act like the priest of old who offered up sacrifices day in and day out for His own sin and then for the sins of the people, because He is righteous in that He has no sin and He offered up the perfect and only sacrifice able to save a sinner from the wrath of God—Him Self. The Law appoints men of weakness, but the oath appoints a Son who has been made our perfect sacrifice forever.

How great is this God who gave us the Law and let hundreds of years pass by under it, knowing that it has no possible way of saving anyone, only to use it as an example of what was to come in His Son who would suffer the full wrath of God for us if we draw hear to God through Him. And God did this for our good, so that by it we can better understand the death of our Lord and thus have a greater confidence in Him who made it, that He is for us, interceding before the Father. All praise be to the Father for the Law which gives knowledge and for His Son which gives life.

PERSONAL JOURNAL/MEDITATION AND REFLECTION: Hebrews 7:1-10

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

2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is 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, he remains a priest perpetually.

4 Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils.

5 And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham.

6 But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.

7 But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.

8 In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on.

9 And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes,

10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Now let us consider “this Melchizedek” from who’s order comes the priesthood of our high priest Jesus (Hebrews 6:20). He is “king of Salem, priest of the Most High God”. What we have here is a king-priest. Discussed in verse three, we have no account of this man’s origin, but we are simply told that he is a priest of the Most High God and the king of Salem. Now he “met Abraham as he [Abraham] was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him”. So we have Abraham, the great patriarch and father of Israel returning from the slaughter of the kings, which was the battle he made against the kings in saving his nephew Lott. While Abraham was returning from the battle with all of his spoils he runs into Melchizedek and Melchizedek blesses him. Not only was Abraham blessed by Melchizedek, but “Abraham apportioned a tenth of all the spoils to him. So here is the greatest figure in Israel’s history paying a tenth to this unknown figure. And so all we know about Melchizedek is that he is king of Salem and priest of the Most High God and “by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.”

Verse three shows this even more fully in that Melchizedek is “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.” Now this verse is not meant to make us think more highly of Melchizedek than we do of Christ. Let not our minds run off course from where the preacher is taking us. Melchizedek is not an angel, not the pre-incarnate Christ, not anything else, but he was the king of Salem and a priest. The reason for the preacher’s language is to show greatness of Christ’s priesthood. Notice that Melchizedek is made like the Son of God, not Jesus like Melchizedek. The preacher is simply showing that Melchizedek did not gain his priesthood from the Law or any other fleshly rule, but was made a priest by God and we need not ask any more questions.

“Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choice spoils.” Here is the patriarch, the father of the whole nation of Israel, the greatest man of their history and the one on whose promise they seek their salvation in; and here he is paying a tenth to some unknown character that shows up out of nowhere. Now the law is on who is to collect a tenth from the people. It is “those indeed of the sons of Levi who received the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descendents from Abraham. But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.” What we have here is confusing. How can this man, who is not of the sons of Levi, who has not received the appointment by the Law, receive tithes from Abraham, the father of Levi? The preacher doesn’t wish to deal with that and for us to try and discover some secret knowledge would be both a waist of time and bring nothing but fallacies to our thinking. Rather, the preacher is making the point that “without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.” The preacher has made his point—Melchizedek is greater than Abraham. Now what does this mean?

“In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.” The preacher again wants to greaten our understanding of Melchizedek by showing that he received a tithe, not based on the law of mortal men, but on the premise of one who lives on. Melchizedek is not with strained by a lack of genealogy. But rather, this lack of genealogy is superior, because Levi, the one who receives a tithe from his brothers, paid a tithe to Melchizedek while in his fathers loins. The Melchizedikian order is superior to the Levitical order and it is seen and true because Levi paid a tithe to the one greater than himself.

Now we need to make sure that we are not loosing focus of what the preacher is really trying to stress here. He isn’t trying to build up Melchizedek for the sake of making Melchizedek look better. Rather, he is building him up and the order of His priesthood to make Christ look better. Christ is the one who is coming into that order and the one who is greater than that of the Levis. The New Covenant priesthood is better than the Old. That is what the preacher is trying to stress here and we cannot loose focus of that.

PERSONAL JOURNAL/MEDITATION AND REFLECTION: Hebrews 6:13-20

13 For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,

14 saying, “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.”

15 And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.

16 For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.

17 In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath,

18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,

20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

“For when God made the promise to Abraham” in Genesis 12, God promised to bless and multiply him making him a great nation. He promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation even though Abraham had no children of his own. And since God “could swear by no one greater” than Himself, since He is the supreme of all things and above all things, He “swore by Himself.”

We need to take a few seconds to just step back from this and look at what the preacher has said. Let our hearts not pass over this without thinking deeply on the greatness of God he wishes to express. Here is a God that stepped down into the realm of earth to communicate with a man named Abraham and make promises to him for no purpose or reason outside of Himself. God did this out of His complete freedom. And He promised Abraham that He would make him a great nation. Abraham did not deserve this. Abraham was a pagan who was an enemy of the living God until the God of the universe called him. After He called him, God promised Abraham and swore to him by Himself since He can swear by no one greater because He is the greatest. The God who communicates to man and makes Himself known is the one and only living God who transcends above all creation.

“And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.” Abraham, though he had not received the promise when God made it, nor did he have a son to fulfill the promise given by God, he “patiently waited” and obtained the promise when God chose to fulfill it in His timing. Now, when a man wishes to end an argument he gives his word with an oath. By this the argument is ended because confirmation is given. “In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable of His purpose, interposed with an oath”. Not only has God given His word in a promise to bless Abraham, He gave an oath to show that the promise was unchangeable. “So that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.”

In Genesis 22:16 the angel of the Lord said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars in the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” God, having made the promise then chose to swear by Himself, making an oath, so that by two things that cannot be changed, the promise and oath, because God cannot lie make our confidence unshakeable. Therefore we who have taken refuge in this promise and oath have strong encouragement to take hold of, to cling to and trust in, because of the hope set before us that we are in the promise given to Abraham. The Abrahamic covenant is the source of our refuge and strength because we believe that God is faithful.

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” We can claim the Abrahamic covenant because we have Jesus who has entered in as a pioneer, our forerunner, for us. He entered within the veil, that is He has passed into the heavens and into the presence of God and has become our high priest interceding for us forever, never to be replaced, according to the order of Melchizedek. A new order that has replaced the old and one that is everlasting.

We continue to see the preacher of Hebrews stress the point that God is a God of communication; He is the God who spoke and continues to speak and desires to make Himself known. He has done this by making a promise and oath to Abraham and He continues to do this by speaking through His Son who has entered into the heavens and intercedes for us as our high priest forever. Because of this we should take strong encouragement. God made the promise to Abraham and has kept it fulfilling it in Christ by His death and resurrection. Why, after having such a great hope should we fall away? All praise to the God who has spoken and been faithful to the end, amen.

My Pastor's Birthday Video for His Wife

What Does God Think About Missionaries?

John Piper and the Prosperity Gospel

I watched this video and was driven to tears. I pray that it would impact you as it has me. May we live with Christ as our treasure and God as our joy and turn away from the things of this world and suffer that we might live for His glory and for the joy of the nations.

PERSONAL JOURNAL/MEDITATION AND REFLECTION: Hebrews 6:4-12

4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God;

8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,

12 so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

“For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance”. This is one of the most challenging text in the Bible to interpret because of difficult and uncommon language that seems to contradict what all else of Scripture teaches. But when we take a closer look at the text and chose not to take it out of the whole of the book of Hebrews we see that it fits beautifully into the main theme and focus of the author. The author of Hebrews is continuing to stress the importance of the spoken Word of God and our need to remain faithful to Him who has spoken that this warning really wrenches tight the severity of his message.

First, we must discuss the one the author is speaking of here. Notice that throughout the book the author speaks in first and second person. “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God”, ‘let us press on to maturity”. But here the author uses third person language. Why the difference? When he speaks to the readers of this book he is speaking to those who are of the faith and within the community. He is speaking to those he assumes to be believers. But here he is making reference those who are not true believers and this is seen by the fact that these leave the faith even though experiencing what appears to be great experiences.

Secondly, we cannot divorce chapter six from chapter three. This is all one book written by one author for one purpose. In chapter three he gives two conditional statements to who believers are. “Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope until the end” (3:6). Even more convincingly is 3:14 where “we have become partakes of Christ [presence tense] if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end”. What the author of Hebrews stresses is we are “Christians” if we persevere to the end. If we don’t persevere to the end it shows that we were never really Christians in the beginning. Thus Hebrews echoes that language of 1 John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.”

We do not want to use John to interpret Hebrews, but it is reassuring to see that the two authors agree on this stance. Now that we have a clear understanding of what the author understands in regard of holding fast to the faith we can look closer at the text at hand. What does it mean to be enlightened, having tasted of the heavenly gift, having been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and having tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come? Since these individuals are not believers these must be understood as being experienced in the context of the community of God and not personally in their own lives or in the spiritual sense. They have been enlightened in that they have seen and understood the truth. They have tasted and been partakes with the Holy Spirit in that they have experienced the work of the Holy Spirit within the community. As the Holy Spirit worked within the community they were there experiencing many of the outward signs of it. They have tasted the good word of God, having heard it and believed it, but not trusting in it. This should be understood as someone who believes something is truth, but not to the extent that it affects their lives. The belief the Bible speaks of is one that calls people to live life differently; any belief less than that is a non-saving belief. Lastly they have tasted the powers of the age to come. They have seen the power of God working by the Spirit through the people of God. Yet, even through all of this, the people did not place a saving, life changing faith, in the Son of God.

Then the preachers of Hebrews gives the punch, if professing believers experiences these things “and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.” The person who is brought so near to the work of the Spirit and the grace of God and professes to believe and be apart of the community, and then falls away can never be brought back into the fellowship of the people of God. For if they were to come back it would be like hanging the Son of God on the cross again and making Him be the laughing stock all over again. Christ is no longer the humbled man, but is the exulted king and will never again be the object of shame again. This verse does not teach that there will be people who backslide and then try to come back to Christ but He will not let them, but rather, the Father will never draw them to Christ again so as to protect the validity of the Son’s name. This is seen most clearly in the land that receives the rain so that it might bring forth good vegetation, but when it brings up thorns and thistles it is burned up because it is worthless.

The author of Hebrews has just given the harshest warning in the whole book, and then immediately transitions into a warm encouragement to those he loves, “But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.” He says, “Beloved, we don’t consider you to be like these people mentioned above. We have confidence in all of you. We are just concerned for you. We don’t want you to fall away. We don’t want you to lose your hope. We want you to stay faithful. We want you to listen and pay attention to what the Lord has said. We do this for your good, not to make you worry and feel unsure. We do this so that you will have confidence in Him, that as you stay with Him you are encouraged along the way.”

“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.” Notice the last things the author stresses, “still ministering to the saints.” He is confident in them because they are continuing. He isn’t saying that should have confidence because they once did some good things, but because they still are. Therefore continued faithfulness is where we gain our assurance that we are His. Thus he says, “we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Here he gives them the reason why he wants them to be students of the Word, so they can realize the full assurance of hope. Without understanding who Christ is and what He has done our faith in weak and he is concerned that if we don’t strengthen it we will fall way. So don’t be sluggish, but follow the example of those who went before you and through faith and patience, remaining faithful to the end, inherit the promises of God given to His people.