Greetings to you Steve and all the Sons of God who are washed in the
blood of the Lamb. We are a "holy nation" and a "royal priesthood"
created in the image of Christ Jesus and not of our own making.
Let us explore the Word of God in that holy epistles to the Hebrews.
What a glorious revelation and light the Lord has given us in these
holy words. Let us pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit that
we may understand the word of God according to his will. Father, we
come to your throne through that new and living way and ask you to reveal
your heart and will to us. We affirm in our hearts that we desire your
will and not our own. Let our words glorify you and your kingdom and
edify your children. Plow the fallow ground of our hardened hearts
that the Comforter may teach us. Let our words be your teachings.
We present these petitions in the name of Jesus our Lord.
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The focus of our study is the eighth ch. of Hebrews. The epistle to the
Hebrews is strong meat and should only be eaten by those who have developed
sufficient strength from the milk of the Gospels and foundational doctrines
of our faith--Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end of our faith.
In Him are all things and outside of him there is no salvation.
Let us begin by reading the entire eighth chapter and then summarizing
the chapters leading up to the eigth and following the eighth. A true
uderstanding Chapter requires an understanding of both the previous
chapters as well as an understanding of the earlier New T. writings. The book
of Hebrews was one of the last written and a proper understanding of
the book requires both a knowledge of the Gospels and also a knowledge
of the teachings of the earlier epistles. The epistle summarizes
Jesus's fulfillment of the old covenant and his establishment of the New.
The epistle captures the spiritual significance of both. The epistle
was written to the Hebrew people to convince them that Jesus was the
Christ who had fulfilled the old covenant and established the new.
Chapter 8
1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who
is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that
this man have somewhat also to offer.
4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts
according to the law:
5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of
God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things
according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of
a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the
second.
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will
make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by
the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant,
and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the
Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a
God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know
the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I
remember no more.
13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and
waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Before we go on a verse by verse reading of this chapter, let us look
at the previous chapters that are setting the tone for this chapter
and then look at the next couple of chapters to follow the thoughts of
chapter eight to their conclusion.
Ch. 1---There are two central thoughts. First, in these last days God speaks
through his son Jesus Christ who is the heir of all things.
Secondly, the symbol or sceptre of the Kingdom of God is righteous through
Christ Jesus and notsome worldly symbol.
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things,
by whom also he made the worlds;
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of
righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
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Ch. 2--This chapter captures the truth that God put everthing in heaven
and on earth that was of God under Jesus. That Jesus himself too one
the seed of Abraham for the salvation of all men.
8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under
him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under
him.
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is
not ashamed to call them brethren,
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Ch.3 and 4----The Lord is warning unbelievers not to reject Jesus Christ
the eternal High Priest that God has promised through lack of faith. He
tells them that Jesus is the real rest that was promised to the children
of Israel.
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from
the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through
the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast
unto the end;.................
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Ch. 5:----Christ fulfills the promise of the eternal rest that was prmised
when the children of Israel were about to enter into Palestine--the
mere symbol of the eternal rest that God was promising.
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you
should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did
not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said,.......
..............
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did
from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of
unbelief....
....
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and
find grace to help in time of need.
Ch. 5------Jesus is the eternal Melchizedek Priest who has come to
fulfill the Levitical and Aaronic priesthoods who were the mere symbols
and shadows of the eternal priesthood of Christ.
5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him,
Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedec. ......
.....
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that
obey him;
10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of
hearing.
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again
which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of
milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use
have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Ch. 6-----The epistle is here warning the Jewish believers not to abandon
the gifts of salvation and the Holy Spirit but to persevere in their faith.
because it is impossible to restore them to salvaion once they abandon
their faith in Christ.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly
gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to
themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
...............
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of
hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises......
..............
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth
into that within the veil;
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the
order of Melchisedec.
Ch. 7-------Jesus is confirmed as that eternal Melchizedek priest and
Levi and Aaron are shown to have paid tithe to Melchizedek while they
were yet in their Father's loins. With this new Priesthood, their had
to also be a change in the law, meaning in the covenant. Jesus was the
surety of that new Covenant.
9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received
the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of
Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. ......
...........
19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which
we draw nigh unto God. ....
......
22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason
of death:
24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Ch. 8---------------
,b>We will take up chapter 8 in the next post.
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