Tag Archives: Hebrews

Meat and Milk

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Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 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. Hebrews 5:11-12

 

The Word of God is referred to as Milk and Meat, what does the author mean by this? Anyone who has been studying the Bible long enough, knows there are some easy doctrines to understand  and then there are some difficult ones. As that famous line in the movie “A few good men” it was said “You cant handle the truth”, often until we are mature Christians, some of the doctrines of the Bible are difficult to understand

 

When someone is born, they are an infant, a baby, you dont just start feeding a baby a steak! A baby starts off on milk and eventually as their digestive system develops they move to solid food. This should be the same with our Christian walk. When we first become Born Again, we are babies in Christ. Theres alot of things to learn, theres alot of things to experience, theres alot things to comprehend and digest during our walk. 

 

Therefor you dont start off giving a new Christian meat, you feed them milk and let them develop there way by the Holy Spirit get to a point of maturity. I think one of the biggest mistakes by “Street Preachers” is they are trying to feed meat to unbelievers. When talking to a non believer or new believer, keep it simple! Keep it about the gospel of Jesus Christ!

 

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 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. Hebrews 5:13-14

 

Now there also comes a time, when a Christian needs to mature and move on from milk and start eating meat! If you wonder why your not growing spiritual as a Christian, it could be that your still just drinking milk and not eating  spiritual meat! We should always be seeking to know God deeper and to understand his revelation further!

 

Just as with a baby, unless they starting eating meat , they will not grow and develop. The same with your Christian life, if you dont study your Bible, if you dont read books, if you dont have Bible studies/discussions with other Christians, your not going to grow spiritually. The Holy Spirit will be your teacher and advocate, its a process of sanctification to help you grow stronger in The Lord, Amen!

Jesus The High Priest Part 2

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For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. Hebrews 5:1-2

 

One of Jesus many titles is the High Priest, as we talked about in my first post about the importance of the High Priest, a mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5) However the issue with the Old Covenant, is the High Priest were mortal men, sinful men just like you and me. While God ordained men to take on this role, this could never fully satisfy Gods requirements

 

One of the roles of the High Priest is to offer sacrifice for sins, however as we look at Christ , we see he offered himself as the perfect sacrifice  because He is the sinless Lamb of God. Nobody else could fulfill this requirement, nobody else could take our place except Jesus Christ

 

And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

Hebrews 5:3-4

 

The mortal High Priest not only made sacrifices for other people sins, but made an atonement for his own sin as well. While Christ, the sinless Lamb of God, made the atonement for everyones sins. Nobody else can take this honor, nobody else could take the place of Christ. 

 

Aaron was called by God , just like many of us are, however he was a sinful mortal man , just like us all. Aaron worshipped the golden calf at Mt Sinai and needed to repent. Obviously he fallen short just as all of us have, but Christ is the perfect Son of God to redeem us all

 

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. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews 5:5-6

 

Jesus didn’t become the High Priest, the Christ, the Lamb of God, the King for his own glory. Jesus did this because he loves us and he loves the Father and he was obedient , even until the point of death.  Jesus is the High Priest eternally , there will never be another, Amen!

 

Word of God

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For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

 

There are many people today, even some “Christians” who don’t believe The Bible is the inspired Word of God. Why do so many people like to quickly dismiss the Bible? Why do Atheists, who claim they dont believe God exist, spend countless hours of their lives trying to disprove what the Bible says?

 

Because the Word of God, is alive , its active and its convicting people to their soul. Its The Bible was just another book, nobody would care about it. But because we know the Bible is the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16) Notice it states the Bible is like a sword, it cuts right to the soul, why? Because God is talking directly to us by his revelation. The Apostle Paul stated that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16) The entire Bible is inspired by God, not just parts of it, all of it. 

 

Jesus is the Living Word (John 1) , how do we know we can trust that the Bible is the Word of God? Because Jesus confirmed it, (Luke 24) everything that is written was written about or from Christ. If you reject the authority of The Bible, you reject God himself. 

 

Start reading the Bible in public and see what happens, people have strong reactions to Gods Word, why? Because its alive, its powerful, its convicting us of who we are! You will start to become transformed while the Holy Spirit opens your eyes and ears, its a double edged Sword

 

So next time you read or hear the Bible, understand this is Gods Word. These words have power to change and transform you. These words reveal who Jesus truly is, Amen!

Gods Rest

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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. 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. Hebrews 4:1-2

 

One of the great debates of Christianity is the Sabbath. The first thing we need to understand is what is the sabbath? The word sabbath in Hebrew means Rest, its to enter into Gods rest. 

 

As the author is quoting Psalm 95:11 , the Israelites would not be able to enter into God’s rest or sabbath, because of their disobedience to him. They hardened their hearts and rejected the gospel message.

 

For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. Hebrews 4:3-4

 

Notice those which believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, do enter into Gods Rest. How is this possible when God didnt allow the Israelites to enter into his rest? Because the blood of Christ, paid the atonement for your sin. You will never be at Rest with God until your sins are forgiven.  The only way your sins can be forgiven is through faith in Jesus Christ

 

And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Hebrews 4:5-7

 

God promised “Today, if you answer the voice of the Shepherd and follow Him, he will bring you into his Rest. Only if you dont harden your hearts as the Israelites did in the Wilderness. Those who believe they can be saved without Christ, will never fully enter into Gods Rest

 

For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Hebrews 4:8-9

 

The name Yeshua can be translated as either Jesus or Joshua, in this context the scripture is referring to Joshua who led the Israelites to the Promise Land. However Jesus will lead us to a greater Sabbath, a day of eternal Rest 

 

Gods Kingdom , where there will be no more death, no more suffering, no more disease, no more sin, it will be the ultimate Sabbath of all Sabbaths, Amen!

Don”t Harden Your Hearts

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Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Hebrews 3:7-8

 

Why do some people respond to the gospel, while others reject it? It all begins with the heart,when the Bible talks about a “heart”, its not talking about a physical organ in our body that pumps blood. Its talking about the spiritual center core of our being. Typically people dont reject God due to lack of evidence, they reject God because they have hardened their hearts to their Creator

 

As Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice  and I know them” (John 10:27) How many people hear the Savior’s voice but harden their hearts to answer the call? Their conscience inside them keeps telling them to turn around (Repent) but they wont listen to the moral compass God has written on our hearts (Romans 2)

 

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. Hebrews 3:9-10

 

The author of Hebrews compares us to the Israelites. God displayed His awesome power to the Israelites for 40 years , including freeing them from slavery, parting the Red Sea, providing Bread from Heaven, however some Israelites still hardened their hearts and turned away from God

 

This is like many today, we seen the awesome works by Christ, including the Resurrection, but many have hardened their hearts. They reject the calling from The Good Shepherd, and go their own way, which leads to permanent death. Its not an evidential issue they reject Christ, its a heart issue

 

So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Hebrews 3:11-12

 

There is no peace for the wicked (Isaiah 48:22) While God has given us free will to choose whether to answer the Savior’s calling or reject him, there are serious consequences for hardening your heart. You will never find Peace and Rest outside of Christ! Why? Because you are at war with God, you are a sheep that has gone astray!

 

The warning of hardening your hearts against the Living God cant be taken lightly. Eternity is a long time to be wrong! Jesus said “Come to me all you are weary and burden laden and I will give you Rest” (Matthew 11:28) You will only find rest in Jesus, outside of him is turmoil and death, Amen!

Jesus The High Priest Part 1

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Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Hebrews 3:1

 

As we study the Old Testament we see God ordained a line of High Priests, they were from the Aaronic bloodline. When we understand the role of these men, we also get a deeper understanding of who Jesus is, our High Priest. 

 

The High Priest in the Old Covenant , was the mediator between the Israelites and God. Unless you were a Prophet, who very few were, God did not speak to you directly. The only presence of God , at this time, was in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. If you wanted to be in Gods presence , you must go to the Temple and have the High Priest offer a sacrifice of atonement for your sin.

 

There was also a curtain or veil in the Temple, that separated the Israelites from the Presence of God in the Temple. The only one who could go behind that curtain was the High Priest, and this was only if that Priest was spiritually and physically “clean” at the time. If a HIgh Priest tried to go in the presence of God in a sinful state, he was immediately struck down by God, why? Because the holiness of God is beyond our human nature.

 

When Jesus came, he changed all of this. By Him being our High Priest, we can now go directly into the presence of God, Jesus is our Mediator between the Father. We have been declared righteous and justified because Jesus paid the atonement for our sins on the cross. While Jesus was on the cross, the Veil was Torn, as Jesus declared “It Is Finished” meaning we can now go into the Presence of God because of Christ

 

Jesus foretold that he would destroy and raise “The Temple” up after 3 days (John 2) Of course Jesus was referring to his physical body, his death and resurrection fulfilled it all. No longer do we need to go to a physical temple as he foretold the woman at the well (John 4) But we now worship God in spirit and truth because Jesus paid it all

 

Finally , Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, the presence of God now lives inside of us, as our bodies are now the Temple of God. Once you understand all of this, you understand how Jesus is our High Priest, the Priests above all Priests. Jesus paid it all so we can be reconciled back to the Father, Amen!

Lower Than The Angels

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Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:  Hebrews 2:7

 

When you understand what Jesus did for us, when you understand who He is and the sacrifice that he made for us, your never the same again. Think about the Lord of Lords, maker of the Heavens and The Earth, maker of angels and humans, lowering himself to become one of us, so he can pay the penalty for our wickedness

 

Those who are angry at God, for whatever reason, obviously dont understand the mercy and love God demonstrated here. We being rebels towards our Creator, not deserving any mercy or compassion, yet God took it to another level, He actually took our place in our death sentence. Amazing Grace doesn’t even begin to describe it!

 

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. Hebrews 2:8

 

Even though ALL Things are under subjection to Christ, he still became a mortal man and died for our sins. Can we comprehend this? When you truly understand the Gospel story, you will break down in tears. Because the power that God displayed here through Jesus Christ, is transforming and often beyond our comprehension

 

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Hebrews 2:9

 

Jesus tasted death for us all so we didnt have to. But you might say “I’m still going to die” Your sinful , corrupted body will die, but your soul will be with Christ. And on that day when the trumpet will sound, you will be give an incorruptible body made with the perfection of God

 

How do we obtain this? By Grace through Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ! You cant earn salvation, it was paid for by the blood of Christ. You must truly believe , repent, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, Amen!

The Great Escape

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How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; Hebrews 2:3

 

How shall we escape the wrath of God for the wages of our sins? Jesus Christ is our only hope, without Jesus we can’t escape our prison sentence for our crimes. However the good news (the gospel) is that Jesus provided us salvation by the shedding of his blood

 

God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? Hebrews 2:4

 

How can we know for sure Jesus is The Christ, the Son of God? God confirmed who Jesus is by the Resurrection, by the hundreds of eye witnesses who saw Jesus after the resurrection, the miracles and signs performed by the Holy Spirit! Because Jesus defeated Sin and Death, Jesus is who he said he is, Immanuel

 

For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Hebrews 2:5-6

 

God did not save the world through an angel or a regular human. God became flesh and paid the penalty for our sins. Who is justified to pay this ransom? The only one who is worthy is the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. He who knew no sin became our sin so we can become righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21)

 

Many today want to reject Christ, can you reject the resurrection? No its a historical fact. Many want to reject the penalty for their sin, can they reject the wrath of God? No we are all guilty of sin. Therefor if you care about your salvation, look to the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

God In the Flesh

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Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;  Hebrews 1:3

 

Some Christians are still confused on the divinity of Christ. They are still unsure whether Jesus is God in human form. Well hopefully the author of Hebrews can clear it up for them. In  this scripture the original Greek word used here is “charakter” meaning exact copy or representation. So let me ask you, who in the history of the world has been described as identical to God?

 

Only Jesus Christ has ever been described as the exact representation of God. Anyone else to make this claim, who would they think they are? Who else’s blood could cleanse the sin of the world? As Jesus said “Nobody is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18) So in order for Christ’s blood to be accepted as atonement for our sins, He must be God. Otherwise his sacrifice would not be sufficient enough for our salvation.

 

Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? Hebrews 1:4-5

 

Now other Christian groups will start saying “Well Jesus was an Angel or majestic being” However the scripture tells us clearer Jesus is above all the angels. Taking it another step forward, who did God ever call his Son except for Jesus Christ? 

 

Think about the angels for second, they refused to bow down before anyone except God Almighty, but they have no hesitation bowing down to the Lord Jesus. This should give you a clear explanation of who Jesus is and the deity that he posses

 

And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 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. Hebrews 1:6-8

Here there is a clear distinction between Jesus and all of the angels. As all the angels are commanded to bow down and worship Christ. Notice the title Jesus was given in the last scripture, “Thy throne O God”  Jesus is referenced as God and His Throne will reign forever!

 

Make no mistake Jesus is God in the flesh , the image of the Invisible God, and He will reign forever Amen!