Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
A Study in Hebrews-Week 10
Hebrews Chapter 10 (Part 2) – Verses 19-39
Verse 19-22 – In typical Pauline fashion, he begins this section with “Therefore,” a conclusion to be drawn from the fact that we are now engaged in a New Covenant through Christ.
Since we have been saved, let us be confident in our salvation. Let us realize that the tearing of the veil in the temple was a picture of Christ’s physical death and His spiritual opening of the gates of heaven. Thus we can draw confidently in faith to God.
Verse 23-25 – The hope we have must be unswerving. If it swerves, it was false hope. We can draw near to God in our hope (ourselves) and in love (others).
We are to meet together for worship, to encourage one another and to demonstrate our steadfast hope. “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and (His) righteousness.”
Verses 26-31 – The phrase “no sacrifice for sin is left” gives us the explanation of what verse 26 is about: Going back to the sacrificial system, which would mean that Christ’s death had no purpose and was futile. But it did have purpose, was complete and will not have to be done again.
In verse 28 we see the Pauline doctrine that the Mosaic Law exacted the death penalty (Numbers 15:30 & 31; Deuteronomy 17:2-7). There is no comparison between rejecting the Law and rejecting God’s provision of salvation through Christ.
The sanctifying blood of the New Covenant is Holy, and to reject it is to “reject” the Holy Spirit, calling Him who He is not…the unpardonable sin.
Verse 30 reminds us that God has the right to judge. He is the perfect judge and His judgements, when contrasted with ours, are right and ours, if they contradict His, are wrong.
God is awesome, that is: He demands our fearful awe because of who He is (verse 31).
Verses 34-34 – Remember, Hebrews is written to the Jews as a commentary on Romans. When Jews turned to Christ, they were severely persecuted. They suffered. They were insulted, their land and property was confiscated and they were treated to all sorts of indignities.
But when one comes to Christ, one is given a strength that is supernatural. And the Jews were able to stand their ground in His power and were able to hold one another up. They knew that they had a posession that was superior to any earthly possession they could own.
Verses 35-39 – Here is Paul’s encouragement for the Jews to remain faithful (confident). The Lord will return and those who have exercised their faith will be vindicated (see Habakkuk 2:3 & 4).
Paul is certain that those who have truly accepted the claim of Christ on their lives will remain steadfast in their faith.
Thus we have the groundwork for the Hall of Faith, perhaps the most famous full section of the book of Hebrews.
Verse 19-22 – In typical Pauline fashion, he begins this section with “Therefore,” a conclusion to be drawn from the fact that we are now engaged in a New Covenant through Christ.
Since we have been saved, let us be confident in our salvation. Let us realize that the tearing of the veil in the temple was a picture of Christ’s physical death and His spiritual opening of the gates of heaven. Thus we can draw confidently in faith to God.
Verse 23-25 – The hope we have must be unswerving. If it swerves, it was false hope. We can draw near to God in our hope (ourselves) and in love (others).
We are to meet together for worship, to encourage one another and to demonstrate our steadfast hope. “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and (His) righteousness.”
Verses 26-31 – The phrase “no sacrifice for sin is left” gives us the explanation of what verse 26 is about: Going back to the sacrificial system, which would mean that Christ’s death had no purpose and was futile. But it did have purpose, was complete and will not have to be done again.
In verse 28 we see the Pauline doctrine that the Mosaic Law exacted the death penalty (Numbers 15:30 & 31; Deuteronomy 17:2-7). There is no comparison between rejecting the Law and rejecting God’s provision of salvation through Christ.
The sanctifying blood of the New Covenant is Holy, and to reject it is to “reject” the Holy Spirit, calling Him who He is not…the unpardonable sin.
Verse 30 reminds us that God has the right to judge. He is the perfect judge and His judgements, when contrasted with ours, are right and ours, if they contradict His, are wrong.
God is awesome, that is: He demands our fearful awe because of who He is (verse 31).
Verses 34-34 – Remember, Hebrews is written to the Jews as a commentary on Romans. When Jews turned to Christ, they were severely persecuted. They suffered. They were insulted, their land and property was confiscated and they were treated to all sorts of indignities.
But when one comes to Christ, one is given a strength that is supernatural. And the Jews were able to stand their ground in His power and were able to hold one another up. They knew that they had a posession that was superior to any earthly possession they could own.
Verses 35-39 – Here is Paul’s encouragement for the Jews to remain faithful (confident). The Lord will return and those who have exercised their faith will be vindicated (see Habakkuk 2:3 & 4).
Paul is certain that those who have truly accepted the claim of Christ on their lives will remain steadfast in their faith.
Thus we have the groundwork for the Hall of Faith, perhaps the most famous full section of the book of Hebrews.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
A Study in Hebrews-Week 10
Hebrews Chapter 10 (Part 1)
In this chapter we find a continuation of the theme of “superior sacrifice” of Christ and a comparison of the New Covenant with the Old Covenant.
The Verses
Verse 1 – The Law was only a shadow (Greek skian - a hazy outline). It is an image (Greek eikona - likeness) of things to come. Old sacrifices were a shadow, not substance. You cannot live in the shadow of a house…you need the real house. Likewise, we cannot live in the shadow (OC), we need the real thing (NC).
Verse 2 – Under the Old Covenant, sacrifices had to be repeated over and over because they never accomplished the remission of sin. Being aware of sin is not the same as being cleansed of sin. Christ is the only one who provides cleansing from sin.
Verses 3-4 – Each OC sacrifice was a reminder of sin, not a removal of it. Christ blots out our sins and remembers them no more (Hebrews 8:12).
Verses 5-8 – This is a quotation from Psalm 40:6-8; cf. Isaiah 50:4, 5. “A body hast thou prepared me” is in the Old Testament, “Mine ears hast thou opened” (Psalm 40:6; see also Exodus 21:1-6). A slave had his earlobe pierced if he had married a woman in slavery and chose to stay in slavery with her. Christ was crucified in a body that He might redeem the church.
Verse 9 – It is God’s will to do away with animal sacrifices, sacrificing Himself instead.
Verse 10 – We are consecrated through the offering of Christ by the will of God. You, if you are truly saved, are “positionally sanctified.”
Verse 11 – The priests stood of the daily offerings, and they were never completed…that is, they did not accomplish salvation.
Verse 12 – Jesus sat down (at the right hand of God). His work was finished – “one sacrifice for sins forever.
Verse 13 – As evidenced in Psalm 110:1, this is a reference to the second coming of Christ.
Verse 14 – The one offering of Christ did what many offerings could not do. If Christ cannot save you and keep you, then God has no way to save you and keep you.
Verses 15-17 – The Holy Spirit is God. This repeats Hebrews 8:10-12 and comes from Jeremiah 31:33 & 34. Verse 17 is added as the essential part of the Jeremiah quotation.
Verse 18 – Once sin is forgiven, it does not have to be forgiven again. Many times we pray for forgiveness for some sin and then hold on to it as though it has not been forgiven. We need to assimilate this verse into our lives and live as though the sin has been forgiven…it has!
To Be Continued
In this chapter we find a continuation of the theme of “superior sacrifice” of Christ and a comparison of the New Covenant with the Old Covenant.
The Verses
Verse 1 – The Law was only a shadow (Greek skian - a hazy outline). It is an image (Greek eikona - likeness) of things to come. Old sacrifices were a shadow, not substance. You cannot live in the shadow of a house…you need the real house. Likewise, we cannot live in the shadow (OC), we need the real thing (NC).
Verse 2 – Under the Old Covenant, sacrifices had to be repeated over and over because they never accomplished the remission of sin. Being aware of sin is not the same as being cleansed of sin. Christ is the only one who provides cleansing from sin.
Verses 3-4 – Each OC sacrifice was a reminder of sin, not a removal of it. Christ blots out our sins and remembers them no more (Hebrews 8:12).
Verses 5-8 – This is a quotation from Psalm 40:6-8; cf. Isaiah 50:4, 5. “A body hast thou prepared me” is in the Old Testament, “Mine ears hast thou opened” (Psalm 40:6; see also Exodus 21:1-6). A slave had his earlobe pierced if he had married a woman in slavery and chose to stay in slavery with her. Christ was crucified in a body that He might redeem the church.
Verse 9 – It is God’s will to do away with animal sacrifices, sacrificing Himself instead.
Verse 10 – We are consecrated through the offering of Christ by the will of God. You, if you are truly saved, are “positionally sanctified.”
Verse 11 – The priests stood of the daily offerings, and they were never completed…that is, they did not accomplish salvation.
Verse 12 – Jesus sat down (at the right hand of God). His work was finished – “one sacrifice for sins forever.
Verse 13 – As evidenced in Psalm 110:1, this is a reference to the second coming of Christ.
Verse 14 – The one offering of Christ did what many offerings could not do. If Christ cannot save you and keep you, then God has no way to save you and keep you.
Verses 15-17 – The Holy Spirit is God. This repeats Hebrews 8:10-12 and comes from Jeremiah 31:33 & 34. Verse 17 is added as the essential part of the Jeremiah quotation.
Verse 18 – Once sin is forgiven, it does not have to be forgiven again. Many times we pray for forgiveness for some sin and then hold on to it as though it has not been forgiven. We need to assimilate this verse into our lives and live as though the sin has been forgiven…it has!
To Be Continued
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
A Study in Hebrews-Week 9
Hebrews Chapter 09
The Verses
Verse 1 – Here we see a contrast being set up to distinguish the “earthly” sanctuary from the heavenly sanctuary. We also see the contrast between the “first” covenant (Old Covenant) and the new.
Verse 2 – The tabernacle is used to picture the spiritual. Here we see the floor plan and the furniture. (Don’t ever tell me that God is not organized or concerned with details).
Verses 3-4 – The “Golden censer” (KJV) is the Most Holy Place. It is an altar of incense. It speaks of prayer.
Verse 5 – Paul (whom I believe wrote Hebrews as a commentary on Romans to the Jews) does not want to go into detail about the tabernacle because it is not the subject. The subject is the priesthood…specifically the priesthood of Christ.
Verses 6-10 – The “Holy of Holies” was a temporary, makeshift arrangement. Only Christ can bring us to God (John 14:6)
Verse 11 – The better tabernacle does not belong to this natural creation. The better tabernacle is both spiritual and literal…it is real.
Verse 12 – Christ did not depend on the blood of animals, but on His own blood. “…having obtained eternal redemption…” is not a reference to Christ being redeemed, but of the completeness of His work to obtain redemption for His redeemed. His is a superior sacrifice to the earthly sacrifices of animals.
Verses 13-14 – If the blood of animals could produce redemption, there would have been no reason for Christ to die on the cross.
Verse 15 – Christ is now the mediator of the New Covenant.
Verses 16-17 – When we make a will, it does no good while we are yet alive. So Christ’s will was “made active” through his sacrificial death.
Verses 18-22 – The word “blood” occurs six times in this section. There was the ritualistic blood of the Old Testament contrasted with the saving power of the blood of Christ under the New Covenant.
Verse 23 – Earthly things need cleansing because of “original sin.” The Old Testament holy sacraments, artifacts and ceremonies were only pictures of the spiritual things to come.
Verse 24 – Christ did not enter heaven through earthly, man-made sacrifices, but through the perfect sacrifice of Himself. It is through Him that we, too, must enter the heavenly sanctusry.
Verse 25 – The priest had to repeatedly enter the sanctuary.
Verse 26 – Christ entered only once…and that for eternity.
Verse 27 – Christ had failed to save in His death at His first coming, there would be nothing afterward but judgment. He is not coming back to die.
Verse 28 – This is not a reference to the Rapture, but His coming as Sovereign to
judge the earth. Believers will not come into judgment.
The Verses
Verse 1 – Here we see a contrast being set up to distinguish the “earthly” sanctuary from the heavenly sanctuary. We also see the contrast between the “first” covenant (Old Covenant) and the new.
Verse 2 – The tabernacle is used to picture the spiritual. Here we see the floor plan and the furniture. (Don’t ever tell me that God is not organized or concerned with details).
Verses 3-4 – The “Golden censer” (KJV) is the Most Holy Place. It is an altar of incense. It speaks of prayer.
Verse 5 – Paul (whom I believe wrote Hebrews as a commentary on Romans to the Jews) does not want to go into detail about the tabernacle because it is not the subject. The subject is the priesthood…specifically the priesthood of Christ.
Verses 6-10 – The “Holy of Holies” was a temporary, makeshift arrangement. Only Christ can bring us to God (John 14:6)
Verse 11 – The better tabernacle does not belong to this natural creation. The better tabernacle is both spiritual and literal…it is real.
Verse 12 – Christ did not depend on the blood of animals, but on His own blood. “…having obtained eternal redemption…” is not a reference to Christ being redeemed, but of the completeness of His work to obtain redemption for His redeemed. His is a superior sacrifice to the earthly sacrifices of animals.
Verses 13-14 – If the blood of animals could produce redemption, there would have been no reason for Christ to die on the cross.
Verse 15 – Christ is now the mediator of the New Covenant.
Verses 16-17 – When we make a will, it does no good while we are yet alive. So Christ’s will was “made active” through his sacrificial death.
Verses 18-22 – The word “blood” occurs six times in this section. There was the ritualistic blood of the Old Testament contrasted with the saving power of the blood of Christ under the New Covenant.
Verse 23 – Earthly things need cleansing because of “original sin.” The Old Testament holy sacraments, artifacts and ceremonies were only pictures of the spiritual things to come.
Verse 24 – Christ did not enter heaven through earthly, man-made sacrifices, but through the perfect sacrifice of Himself. It is through Him that we, too, must enter the heavenly sanctusry.
Verse 25 – The priest had to repeatedly enter the sanctuary.
Verse 26 – Christ entered only once…and that for eternity.
Verse 27 – Christ had failed to save in His death at His first coming, there would be nothing afterward but judgment. He is not coming back to die.
Verse 28 – This is not a reference to the Rapture, but His coming as Sovereign to
judge the earth. Believers will not come into judgment.
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Saturday, January 07, 2012
A Study in Hebrews-Week 8
Hebrews Chapter 08
Chapter 7:25 begins the high water mark of Hebrews He died down here to save us; He lives up there to keep us saved. He is able to keep on saving us. “To the uttermost” is all the way through; completely; perfectly. “Intercession” is intervention. “We shall be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10).
The Verses
Verses 1-5 – “The true tabernacle.” He is the real/genuine tabernacle. A priest must offer gifts and sacrifices. Christ offers gifts and sacrifices. Christ did not offer gifts and sacrifices on earth. On earth HE was the sacrificial Lamb of God.
The earthly priesthood was a shadow (a picture) of the tabernacle of Heaven. Christ serves in the real tabernacle (Hebrew: משכן, mishkan, "residence" or "dwelling place").
Here we have a better sacrifice, a better priest, and a better tabernacle. He died down here to save us; He lives above to keep us saved.
Verses 6-13 – There are two covenants. Christ is the Mediator of the better covenant…the NEW COVENANT.
The first covenant was not adequate. It sought a righteousness grounded in the Law.
In Romans we learned that if we depend on the Law of the Old Testament we are doomed. Romans 3:21-23 – “But now a righteousness from God, apart from the Law has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteous from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”
There is nothing wrong with the Old Covenant, but it could only save perfect people. Romas 3: 20 – “Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the Law; rather, through the Law we become conscious of sin.”
The New Covenant causes people to be seen as perfect by God through Christ’s eyes when we place our faith in Him, His death, burial and resurrection.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 told us that the New Covenant was coming. 31 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
The church (a group of people redeemed from sin by Christ’s sacrificial death) is the beneficiary of the New Covenant. The Greek word "ecclesia" is correctly defined as: "The called-out (ones), gathered"
Verse 13 is important: "By calling this covenant ‘new,’ He has made the first one obsolete, and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear."
We are bound by the New Covenant, not the Old Covenant…and that should be shouting ground!
Chapter 7:25 begins the high water mark of Hebrews He died down here to save us; He lives up there to keep us saved. He is able to keep on saving us. “To the uttermost” is all the way through; completely; perfectly. “Intercession” is intervention. “We shall be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10).
The Verses
Verses 1-5 – “The true tabernacle.” He is the real/genuine tabernacle. A priest must offer gifts and sacrifices. Christ offers gifts and sacrifices. Christ did not offer gifts and sacrifices on earth. On earth HE was the sacrificial Lamb of God.
The earthly priesthood was a shadow (a picture) of the tabernacle of Heaven. Christ serves in the real tabernacle (Hebrew: משכן, mishkan, "residence" or "dwelling place").
Here we have a better sacrifice, a better priest, and a better tabernacle. He died down here to save us; He lives above to keep us saved.
Verses 6-13 – There are two covenants. Christ is the Mediator of the better covenant…the NEW COVENANT.
The first covenant was not adequate. It sought a righteousness grounded in the Law.
In Romans we learned that if we depend on the Law of the Old Testament we are doomed. Romans 3:21-23 – “But now a righteousness from God, apart from the Law has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteous from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”
There is nothing wrong with the Old Covenant, but it could only save perfect people. Romas 3: 20 – “Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the Law; rather, through the Law we become conscious of sin.”
The New Covenant causes people to be seen as perfect by God through Christ’s eyes when we place our faith in Him, His death, burial and resurrection.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 told us that the New Covenant was coming. 31 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
The church (a group of people redeemed from sin by Christ’s sacrificial death) is the beneficiary of the New Covenant. The Greek word "ecclesia" is correctly defined as: "The called-out (ones), gathered"
Verse 13 is important: "By calling this covenant ‘new,’ He has made the first one obsolete, and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear."
We are bound by the New Covenant, not the Old Covenant…and that should be shouting ground!
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