Wednesday Bible Study- Hebrews part VIII

 

Joh 4:22  You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 

Joh 4:23  But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 

Joh 4:24  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." 

You might ask why I start with a selection from John in a post on Hebrews, and the answer is because it plays into the application of what we are about to look at.  Thus far, I have done Hebrews a chapter per post, but this week we are going to rocket forward, through about 3 chapters, because the author is at last tying up what he's been teaching his Hebrew readers these past 7 chapters.  The application we see here is thus:  Those who don't know the Gospel might worship, but it is a worship of what they don't truly understand.  And there are others who DO know what they worship, but don't know the power therein.

I have watched brethren of certain persuasions going through the same misconceptions we've seen in this book.  Maybe instead of angels, they go to Mary or the saints first- lesser creatures than the Savior they should be seeking.  Maybe instead of Moses, they thoughtlessly follow other such leaders without seeking God's word.  (Look up, 'biggest church in the USA', and you'll find a group led by a man who teaches we should 'toss out the Old Testament' because it 'doesn't speak to the people of today'.)  Maybe instead of the traditions of the Rabbis, it's the traditions of the "Church Fathers", anything that keeps us from the word.  But Jesus doesn't want us fighting over whether there should be a rail at the altar, whether we should receive the Communion host standing or kneeling, or whether we pray with hands folded or lifted- all of which I have seen argued intensely on social media- He wants us to worship in Spirit and in truth.  That is what the point of the last seven chapters have been.  So now, I want to hone in on certain key verses as we do like the author said a few chapters back and 'leave the elementary doctrine.'

Chapter eight, as it turns, is a whole-cloth repeat of our last post, right down to the passage from Jeremiah 31.  And he leads it off with a succinct summary:

Heb 8:1  Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 

Heb 8:2  a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. 

He sums up last time with the chapter's closing verse:

Heb 8:13  In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. 

In the next chapter, he seems to drift back to his earlier discussion; he's actually just doing a 'bullet-point' review, closing with something the Hebrews hadn't really considered previously:

Heb 9:9b  .... According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 

Heb 9:10  but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation. 

But only temporarily covered sin, not erasing the stain.  However...

Heb 9:11  But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 

Heb 9:12  he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 

Redemption, remission of sin entirely.  Why was this required?  Because the goal was to give us an inheritance in Heaven (v15); you can't have an inheritance without a will and testament, and that doesn't go into effect unless someone dies (vv16-17).  Even the original covenant God made with Abraham wasn't a testament, because the blood used was the blood of animals.  Not sufficient (vv16-19), but Jesus gave His blood to make the better sacrifice- one that would not have to be repeated over and over.

Now, he puts the final stake into their old ways...

Heb 10:16  "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds," 

Heb 10:17  then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." 

Heb 10:18  Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 

The sacrifice, the whole Temple scene, was no longer necessary.  And he wraps the whole thing up with three instructions- three "Therefore, let us" es...

- Heb 10:22  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 

They/we no longer had to wait trembling while someone else went in to the Holy of Holies once a year.  Covered by Christ's blood, we can go to God through Jesus anytime, for any reason.

- Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 

Remember, God swore an oath by Himself, and He cannot lie.  We don't have to worry about what Rabbi so-and-so says, or call out to Saint such-and-such for guidance.

- Heb 10:24  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 

Heb 10:25  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

Because it's not a one on one thing, but we brethren are in it together.  This is definitely the most neglected 'let us', just follow the "Arminian/Calvinist", "Rapture/no rapture", Mercy/Judgment" arguments on Twitter and see that.  Division is the first tool Satan uses there.

Finally, the author once more goes into that whole subject of turning back having once heard the Gospel.  Not that you can have Salvation and lose it, but you can fake it and pass in the eyes of man.  But...

Heb 10:31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 

By this warning, he reminds the believers to take it seriously; and warns the 'wanna-be's' that they better wake up.  But in this, he is not judging; he has faith that those who are actually paying attention get it:

Heb 10:39  But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. 

Next up:  The "Hall of Fame of Faith."