Wednesday Bible Study: Hebrews Part IV

 

After the dire warning of the last chapter, you might think that the Hebrews found themselves well and truly warned.  But our author knew of at least one more misconception- and it was one so pervasive, the Apostles had suffered from it, too:

Act 1:6  So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 

How many times did He have to tell them, "My kingdom is not of this earth"?  And yet, these Hebrews also labored under this misconception.  And that comes across when the author spends most of this chapter on the subject of rest:

Heb 4:1  Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 

Heb 4:2  For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 

Heb 4:3  For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest,'" although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 

Heb 4:4  For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works." 

Heb 4:5  And again in this passage he said, "They shall not enter my rest." 

This may seem a little scattered to our minds, but let me make it linear.  WE have a promised rest, God's rest, to enter.  We enter it by belief in Jesus, as against the unbelief we discussed last chapter.  Those who were in unbelief would NOT enter that rest, and this is where their misconception started.  They saw that the original refugees from Egypt had failed to enter the Promised Land.  They assumed that the 'rest was entering the Promised Land, because:

Jos 24:13  I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.' 

And:

Jos 1:14  Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, 

Jos 1:15  until the LORD gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise." 

They thought the rest was in this world.  But they missed the part about "MY rest", as in 4:4,  For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works."   God was talking about a rest, a reward, not of this world.  The author drove this home with simple math:

Heb 4:5  And again in this passage he said, "They shall not enter my rest." 

Heb 4:6  Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 

Heb 4:7  again he appoints a certain day, "Today," saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." 

Heb 4:8  For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 

Heb 4:9  So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 

Heb 4:10  for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 

Both the phrase "They shall not enter my rest" from Psalm 95, and the "Today" passage, also from it, were written down hundreds of years AFTER Joshua had lived.  If the rest God was talking about had been the physical entering of Canaan, these would have been unnecessary.  So now the goal posts were set far ahead, from this world into the next.  They were now, officially, cut adrift from all they had known before.  And being human, that would give them two options to think on.

First: If this world means nothing, and we're not bound by Moses or under the thumb of angels, we can do what we want.  This is the reaction of the flesh, and probably most of us, on realizing what they had, might react in this direction.  Thus, the author reminds them of the awesome power of God:

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

Heb 4:13  And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 

And to our western eyes, we might have put the previous verse next:

Heb 4:11  Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 

So now, we must find a different way to that obedience than what we have done before.  We can't trust in angels, Moses, Joshua.  How do we get there? The second action, therefore, would be despair.  And the author had that covered as well:

Heb 4:14  Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 

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

This is a big tie-it-all-together verse for me.  If you remember my last trip through Proverbs, I explained how I saw Christ as Understanding there.  Not only is He understanding in the concept of helping us learn about God, He is understanding in the concept, as the ads say, that He gets us. All of us.  And He has both spiritually and physically connected us to God, thus He is the triple bond drawing us to that rest.  As much as the last chapter sounded a death-knell for those of the unbelief, this one ends on the bright, clear peal of faith:

Heb 4:16  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

Trader Joe's #1s

 

I saw an article about Trader Joe's supermarket (which we don't have where I am- OOOPS, I guess we do have one in town after all!) and their 15th annual customer's choice survey winners, and I thought it might be fun to look at them.

Their first overall most favorite item: Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips.  That would get a big "ICKK" from me, but whatever.  Tucked in between two flavors of dumplings in the runner up list was something called Kimbap, which apparently is Kim (seaweed you roll up) and Bap (rice you roll up in it).  I'm guessing the Asian community is well served here at TJs.

Beverages were topped by something I actually like- Spiced Apple cider.  I don't know as the rest of the list is a big favorite, and #5- Non-Dairy Brown Sugar Flavored Oat Creamer- I'm not sure even qualifies as a beverage...  Their top cheese is goat cheese, which ain't too bad. Wine-soaked Toscano is second, followed by Burrata (think creamy mozzarella).  Burrata gets a spellcheck squiggle- it thinks I mean 'bureaucrat'.  Uh, no.

Top produce?  

Of course!  Followed by "Teeny-tiny avocados", and Honeycrisp apples.   The top appetizer is creamy spinach/artichoke dip (which I will bequeath to Popeye).  Now I like #4 (Greek Spanakopita), but I had to wonder about #s 3 (Parmesan Pups) and 5 (veggie bird's nests). Puppies and bird's nests not on my menu...

At last some normalcy at breakfast with -believe it or not- hash browns.  However, we know which way the crowd leans when we see #2 (Chocolate croissants) and #4 (Double-chocolate croissants)...Lunch, however is back to Asian with a parade led by butter chicken with basmati rice.

After a quick tour of the body and bath aisle (Brazil body butter), we go to snacks where we know that lime- and- chili concoction waits at the top.  All but one of the remaining entries (Patio potato chips at 5) are corn based.  My sweet treat shock was to see Kringle on the list.  This pastry we got a taste for whenever guests from the Wisconsin plant would stop by, as they are immensely popular up there.  Alas, they CLOSED our Wisconsin plant (which WAS corporate headquarters) a couple months back, so we look to be kringle-less in the future.  The top was Sublime brand ice-cream samwiches.

They also have a hall of fame for items that got picked so many times they just coronated them so someone else could have a turn.  These include the store brand Mandarin orange chicken, store brand dark chocolate peanut butter cups, store brand peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets, store brand "unexpected cheddar" (creamy with a hint of Parmesan), and (vegan) soy chorizo....

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Now if I were voting for what I'D have best in our local Kroger, it would look like this: Beverage: if we forget for a moment my type 2 and subsequent sugar no-no- it would be a toss between Fairlife Chocolate milk and Naked Juices Blue Machine (which is sugar free but $9 for a sizable bottle).  As it is, Pepsi zero.  My top cheese would be a Murray's Raclette or triple-creme brie.  Produce would be banana; appetizer? Well, I eat it for a meal, but technically I could go with Authentic Asia shrimp wonton Dim Sum tray.  Bed and bath, whatever.  Just hand me the Suave shampoo and conditioner.  Snacks (as in salty) I like Lays white cheddar Poppables; sweet treat, well I have found a plethora of sugar-free chocolates, headlined by Atkins Crunchilicious bars (an every week purchase- think Nestle's Crunch bars without the sugar).

Well, hope this was entertaining; on the bright side, now I can case the Murray's stand for bureaucra- I mean, Burrata.

Martin update

 I am much better, thank you.  Whatever garbage this round was started letting loose of me Saturday morning, though it took some time to build up any strength.

Good news #1:  I did get an M10 in, just not the post.  So you won't have to put up with a long winded explanation of missing weeks like last year at this time, lol.

Good news #2- we actually had a 10-hour day at work today!  Although the prospects of a 40-hour week are about as thin as Cornstalk Man, every little bit helps.

Why this is quick:  I wasted too much time tonight, in addition to studying for the very hard Hebrews 5 post for next week.  Plus, I am involved in #Healthyfaithchat on Twitter (sue me, Elon!) and I needs must go pay attention.  Hopefully, I'll rattle the cage tomorrow with something nobody really needs to know.

We interrupt your regular programming...

 ...to let you know I have been a bit under the weather- there will be NO M10 show this week.

Wednesday Bible Study: Hebrews part 3

 

So the first two chapters, we overthrew the idol of the gnostic angels.  But things aren't always what they seem, and there were two more things they- and perhaps, we- fail to recognize always.  And one was an idol they didn't realize- the idol of Moses.

By the teachers of Judaism, Moses was the 'final authority'; and over time, his actual words began to supplant the Word that stood behind them.  The author would have to bring them TO Christ by bringing them PAST Moses:

Heb 3:1  Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 

Heb 3:2  who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. 

Heb 3:3  For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses--as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 

Heb 3:4  (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 

Heb 3:5  Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 

Heb 3:6  but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. 

So once again, without destroying the person behind the idol, the author begins to tear the idol around him down.  He admits to both Jesus and Moses being faithful, but- 

Heb 3:3  For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses--as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 

Jesus- 'the Builder of the House"- gets the greater honor.  If they are going to understand Jesus, they will have to get it through their heads that He IS God- and they have got to get Moses out from in front of Him.  You see, they had always had an aversion to being one-on-one with God...

Exo 20:18  Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 

Exo 20:19  and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die." 

And so Moses gradually became the idol that 'represented' God- much as the Catholic concept of Mary has today.  Despite the fact that God- and Moses- said:

Exo 20:2  "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 

Exo 20:3  "You shall have no other gods before me. 

Exo 20:4  "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 

Exo 20:5  You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 

Exo 20:6  but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

This command goes beyond physical idols to anything that stands between us and Christ.  And for many, Moses had become that.  In case they missed the first analogy, the author reinforces it...

 Heb 3:5  Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 

Heb 3:6  but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. 

And that analogy they COULD grasp.  Now actually facing Jesus, they had a choice to make:

Heb 3:7  Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, 

Heb 3:8  do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness...

Once again, the author loops back to Scripture they knew well- Psalm 95- to show them what they needed to do.  In effect, he showed them the second thing Moses had in common with Jesus- they rebelled against both of them.  The simple message of the second part of our chapter.  But now, the author had to make it real to them.  They had to grasp WHY the people had rebelled- and the consequences thereof.

Before I started typing, I was led to read today's section of my 'afternoon reading'- I'm now going back through Deuteronomy.  And what I saw ties in perfectly.  Praise God, for a Bible that so elegantly backs itself up!  The final lesson for today involves the last word of our chapter today:

Heb 3:16  For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 

Heb 3:17  And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 

Heb 3:18  And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 

Heb 3:19  So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. 

Unbelief.  We might see this as 'the opposite of belief'.  As in, "I don't believe you."  But it is MORE than that.  Think about it; why do atheists (many of them, anyway) fight us so hard over OUR belief? It is more than just I don't believe.  And Deuteronomy shows its true face:

Deu 7:9  Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, 

Deu 7:10  and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. 

And...

Deu 9:6  "Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people. 

As well as what we've already read...

Heb 3:8  do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness...

It's more than not believing- remember, these are people with whom Moses dealt, who had SEEN the Red Sea split, saw the manna fall, saw Korah and Dathan consumed.  These are people with whom Jesus dealt, who had seen the loaves multiplied, the dead raised, the blind given sight.  They could not be honest with themselves and say God wasn't real, that Jesus wasn't the Messiah.  They were stubborn, they hardened their hearts, and looked on God with HATE.

They would not just be unable to enter heaven.  They would be REPAID.

M10 show week #104

 

Elvis:  Okay, so that was a jolly trick ya played on me last week...

Oh, don't be sore.

I'm not... 'ceptin' my knees.  I'm too old ta be hidin' unner a desk that long!

Points for will power!  Anyway, here, you do today's show.

Can I have a co-host?  Like I do fer you?

Sure, have at it!

Hey, Noodle!  We're on!

N:  Sir, my name is Nardole: N-A-R...

E: We ain't got time fer that, my little billiard ball o' music!  Play the new song!

N:  Might I at least have a look at the set list... ah.  Coming in at #9, a gentleman whose real name is Skye Kothari, recording under the nom-de-plume of acloudyskye, with this week's sole new song on the M10....

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E: Technically, ya did a great job.  personality-wise, son, yer dry as a September fart!

N: I fail to see what the month of the year has to do...

E:  Never mind that!  We gotta set the Wayback Machine ta 1966...

N: "Wayback Machine"? 

E:  Good grief, son, ya never watched Mr Peabody an' Sherman?

N: Er, I'm afraid not...

E:  Well, step back fer a minit, I got work ta do.  Go gimme a Nesbitt's Orange, while I...

N:  A which?

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N:  I'll.... see what I can do...

E:  So's in 1966, The top single here wuz ... really?  On the week I do the show?  The Beatles an' We Can Work It Out.  The top rock in Australia wuz... really?  AGAIN?  The Beatles an' We Can Work It Out, with a double a-side a Day Tripper, which was #15 here by itself this week.  An' I suppose Canada had... nope, they had an outfit WE used ta call the Wrecking Crew, but on the label here they wuz the T-Bones, an' No Matter What Shape Your Stomach's In, which started out as a Alka Seltzer commercial, haw!  It was #11 this week in the USA, an' hit #27 in Australia, which is kinda surprisin' considering what happens on the Song Chris Woul'na Turned Off.

N:  Sir, your Nesbitts...

E: God bless ya, son!  Now here, do this bit while I refresh...

N: (Sigh) Now Chris found 9 songs on this week's list of 1966.  He chops it down to 3- just why, I don't know- and here are the results:

Third on his list is a song that peaked at #1 here, #2 in Canada, and #3 in Australia- nicely symmetrical- Simon and Garfunkel's The Sounds Of Silence, #2 on this week's Cashbox chart.

Second, a song that was just coming onto the chart at #85 this week.  It would hit #1 here, and #7 in Canada, as well as number... well, that's odd, it didn't chart in Australia!  Anyway, it was The Mamas And The Papas with California Dreaming.

E: Son, loosen up.  Ya don' haveta capitalize "and the".

N: I thought we were trying to make the pretense of this being a live recorded show?

E: Just go on, boy!  An' he wonders why I call 'im, "Noodle".

N: And Chris's #1 song he wouldn't turn off- It had peaked at #3, and was at #21 this week.  In .. oh, wait, that's odd... Apparently it didn't chart in Australia OR Canada!

E: So that means ya better fetch 'em a video...

N:  Certainly!  Here are the Four Seasons...

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E:  Not bad, little buddy!  That just leaves us with the rest a this week's M10... 

N: I suppose you'll be wanting me to do that...

E: Nah, September fart, remember?  Go see if the commisary has any more PBBs...

N: "PBB"?

E: Peanut butter an' banana samwiches! Now git!

9 and 8 flip this week- Levitation Room an' Heaven to 9, TCH an' Pretty Lady at 8...

7, down 4, Juliana Hatfield an' Sweet Is The Night...

6, down 2, boygenius an' Cool About It...

5's across the board- weeks on, last week, this week- fer Built To Spill an' Carry The Zero...

4, up 3, Thousand Foot Krutch an' Saint Asonia with Let The Sparks Fly...

3, up 3, TCH again, an' Heartbeat, It's A Lovebeat...

2 an' holdin', an one point away from bein' the first act ta hit M10 Superstardom (200+ points) on just 3 songs, Real Estate an' Water Underground...

An' this week's #1 yet agin...

....Juliana Hatfield an' Showdown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

N: Sir, I'm afraid I have bad news...

E:  Now what, Noodle?

N: (singing) Oh yes, we have no bananas, we have no bananas today-y-y-y....

Wednesday Bible Study: Hebrews 2

 

Since the topic of the angels continues into the second chapter, I thought perhaps we should get an idea of what we're dealing with.  From Wiki:

Evidently from works such as the Apocryphon of John, the Ophite Diagrams, On the Origin of the World and Pistis Sophia, archons play an important role in Gnostic cosmology. Probably originally referring to the Greek daimons of the planets, in Gnosticism they became the demonic rulers of the material world, each associated with a different celestial sphere.[6] As rulers over the material world, they are called ἄρχοντες (archontes, "principalities", or "rulers"). As with ancient astronomy, which thought of a sphere of fixed stars, above the spheres of the seven planets,[7] beyond the spheres of the evil archons (Hebdomad), there were the supercelestial regions which a soul must reach by gnosis to escape the dominion of the archons. This place is thought of as the abode of Sophia (Wisdom) and Barbelo, also called Ogdoad.

"Archons" were basically equivalent to 'angels' in the Hebrew mind of the time. You can note the names "principalities' and 'rulers'- names Paul uses to describe the ranks of angels.  "Barbelo" was in this theology the highest of the 'emanations of god"- in their minds, only Spirit was good, all matter was evil. 'God' manifested in increasingly lesser 'emanations', one of which were the archons, who developed matter and flesh.  Ogodad was the concept of there being seven emanations, or 'heavens'- where we get "Seventh heaven" from.  The author here had to debunk all this 'seemingly logical' crap from their minds BEFORE he could get to his main point:

Heb 3:1  Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession...

So this week, we look at the three points he presses home about angels- and Jesus- this time.

I.Angels didn't have the last Word- or the Best

Heb 2:1  Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 

Heb 2:2  For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 

Heb 2:3  how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? 

Yes the word of God's angels was reliable- it was reliable when one threatened to kill Balaam, it was reliable when Mary conceived.  But the author goes on to explain the layers of info the Hebrews had that were greater:

-Declared by the Lord (as at Jesus's baptism and on the mount of Transfiguration)...

-Eyewitness testimony of the Apostles (both these from the rest of 2:3)

-Signs, wonders, and miracles, performed both by Christ and His followers (first part of v4)

-And the gifting of the Holy Spirit, coming at Pentecost (Last of v4).

All of these should have been of greater weight than the testimony of angels.

II. Angels didn't get to run things

Think of this:

 Gen 1:26  Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 

From the beginning, man had dominion over the earth- not angels.  Remember the last line of last chapter?

Heb 1:14  Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? 

So the next section of our chapter starts with:

Heb 2:5  Now it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 

And yet, angels were certainly more POWERFUL than man...

Heb 2:6  It has been testified somewhere, "What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 

Heb 2:7  You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 

Heb 2:8  putting everything in subjection under his feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 

So, though man seemed less than angels, it was to men that God subjected everything.  This was a direct connection between man and God- so much for the seven 'emanations'. (BTW the "somewhere" was Psalms 8:4-6.  On the sidebar, I think this might be a clue that neither Paul nor Peter wrote this, as neither one ever phrased their many Scriptural quotes thus.  But, that's just me.)  But this was just the start, because, as the author said, we don't SEE that subjection yet- not since Genesis.

Heb 2:9  But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 

Now, He connects the prophecy of Psalms 8 to Jesus, who- though God- was made 'for a little while lower than the angels', for the purpose of bringing salvation.  And that means, despite the Gnostics, He had to take on flesh:

Heb 2:14  Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 

Heb 2:15  and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 

III.  You don't see angels getting saved, do you?

The final blow to the Gnostic doctrine comes when the author shows everyone the PRIORITY of men over angels:

Heb 2:16  For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 

Heb 2:17  Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 

Heb 2:18  For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. 

But wait, how do we KNOW God didn't help angels?  Well, first we have this... 

1Pe 1:12  It was revealed to them (the prophets) that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. 

So the Gospel is what we are talking about, something angels 'long to look into'- because they don't comprehend it, because they don't receive it.  Also...

2Pe 2:4  For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 

And...

Jud 1:6  And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day-- 

Angels don't get second chances.  And logically, why should they?  We have gotten second chances through Christ, because we act through faith in what we haven't seen- the angels were IN HEAVEN, and yet disobeyed.  They knew the truth of God, and turned away anyhow.

So at this point, the author has shredded the Gnostics' game plan.  Now that myth was dispelled, he (or she; I've seen it suggested that perhaps Priscilla was the writer) was ready to talk about facts- and 'Consider Jesus.'