The Jews would not have Him living. The unsatisfactory Christian undermines the very foundations of the Church. Thus in every case it is faith. When he punishes them by creatures, the instrument abates something of the force of the blow; but, when he does it by his own hand, it is infinite misery. Hebrews 5:11-14)." For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself, and all the people, saying, "This [is] the blood of the covenant which God hath enjoined unto you. Now this was under the old covenant, and had it been effective, once being cleansed, they should have no more conscience of sins. When he dwelt in Mesopotamia, he had a promise to bring him into Canaan; and when he got there, he had a promise of what was higher to lead his heart above. The manner in which we must do this--without wavering, without doubting, without disputing, without dallying with temptation to apostasy. (1.) All things here are but shadows. This shows that, beyond question, among the Jews of that day, Psalms 110:1-7 was understood to refer to the Christ alone. The greatest context of any book of the Bible is the "argument of the book." For example, the argument of Romans is "the righteousness of God." In various forms the root dike(right) occurs 60 times. Christians should know this in themselves, they should get the assurance of it in themselves (the Spirit of God witnessing with their spirits), for the assured knowledge of this will help them to endure any fight of afflictions they may be encountered with in this world. Therefore his sacrifice cannot and need not ever be made again. He has nothing more to do with sin; He will judge man who rejects Himself and slights sin. Actually, he is saying we should gather together all the more as we see the day of the Lord approaching. Remember the great reward it brings you! The point there is personal glory. There were some sins under the law for which no sacrifices were provided; but yet if those who committed them did truly repent, though they might not escape temporal death, they might escape eternal destruction; for Christ would come, and make atonement. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet. Our danger is that to become so involved in this world that we forget the other. The reason appears to be, because he is going to tell us of the Old Testament saints. There were five offerings that were made in the Old Testament. At first it was (ver. He does not think merely for the thrill of intellectual satisfaction but only that he may the more forcibly appeal to men to enter into the presence of God. The terrors of the Lord are known both by revelation and reason. Now there are two doors, two things that can be done for your sins. Then comes forth the wondrous counsel that was settled before either the sin of man, or the promises to the fathers, or the law which subsequently put man to the test. Now is the time for self-denying labour, and endurance in grace; by-and-by the account must be given to the Lord that appointed them. Rightly then we begin with Zion, and thence may we trace the path of glory up to God Himself, and down to the kingdom here below. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. [Note: Thomas, p. What infinite thoughts are those that God's word gives; as glorifying for Himself as elevating for our souls! It was, parabolically, like that of Christ himself. What was this "better thing"? But this time is not yet come. Then follows the heavenly glory, to which grace naturally leads; then the natural inhabitants of the heavenly land, namely, the angels "and to myriads of angels, the general assembly." What fellowship hath light with darkness? Oh how happy is the man to whom God does not impute iniquity." In Jesus there is at one and the same time the perfect revelation of God and the perfect offering of obedience. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry ( Hebrews 10:35-37 ). Will the Lord be pleased with thousands, of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? We are beset, surrounded with a world of temptations, assaulting us within and without, which we have need of patience to withstand; 3. Meanwhile Christianity gives the utmost force to every type and truth of God. He has so absolutely swept it away for those who believe on Him, that when He comes again, them will be no question of judgment, as far as they are concerned, but only of salvation, in the sense of their being cleared from the last relic or result of sin, even for the body. We must thankfully acknowledge the compassions our Christian friends have shown for us under our afflictions. As we have seen so often, the function of the priest was to build a bridge between man and God. If in these two verses we bear in mind that it really means "testament," growing out of the previous mention of the "inheritance," I am persuaded that you will have better understanding of the argument. evil, learn to do good" ( Isaiah 1:11-20). To mount Zion. where one competent to take up that word "for ever"? They had known God in His providence and dealings on the earth, though looking for a Messiah and His day. Apostasy is the mark and the brand of those in whom God takes no pleasure; and it is a cause of God's severe displeasure and anger. All that we can expect is to wait in terror for judgment and for that flaming wrath which will consume the adversaries of God. The apostle tells us the way and means by which Christians enjoy such privileges, and, in general, declares it to be by the blood of Jesus, by the merit of that blood which he offered up to God as an atoning sacrifice: he has purchased for all who believe in him free access to God in the ordinances of his grace here and in the kingdom of his glory. He demonstrates its vicarious nature and value from the sacrifices so familiar to all then, and to the Jew particularly, in connection with the covenant that required them Now his rapid mind seizes, under the Spirit's guidance, the other well-known sense of the word, namely, as a testamentary disposition, and shows the necessity of Christ's death to bring it into force. ." But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. Obviously far more people in the ancient world read Greek than Hebrew. Here the apostle sets forth the dignities of the gospel state. Here, (1.) Let him learn his error. I hope that you and I, who have met with great trials already, and have been supported under them by the grace of God strengthening our faith, shall not be at any time left to ourselves to draw back to perdition; but that God will still keep us by his mighty power through faith unto salvation." "But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by the better and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, nor by blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood entered in once into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption." And again, pointing not to our faithfulness, but the faithfulness of God. Thus another and a higher priesthood was incontestably acknowledged by the father of the faithful. It is I likely that the Hebrew believers were somewhat unruly. A man can stand almost any attack on his body; the thing that beats him is a broken heart. We have a great high priest.The danger was these Jews who had received Jesus, returning back to Judaism, taking a lamb, dragging a lamb to the priest again to make a sin offering for them. So far from that, in them there is a year by year reminder of sin. Dillow, p. But He that shall come will come and will not tarry. But have patience brethren, that after you've done the will of God you might receive the promise. The second was the trespass offering where I had deliberately trespassed against the law of God. But what at Zion? It is a trial of the patience of Christians, to be content to live after their work is done, and to stay for the reward till God's time to give it them is come. He is "minister of the holies and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not of man." That is to say, God is owned in His glory, as Creator of all by His word. He that possesses the one must not eschew the other. Now notice the law was only a shadow of the good things to come. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children." 65:17, Isaiah 66:22, -2 Peter 3:1024 -Revelation 21:13, 1-7) to live with them (Hebrews 4:1-9, Hebrews 12:2 -24), in all eternity in peace, love, and joy. That we should observe the approaching of times of trial, and be thereby quickened to greater diligence: So much the more, as you see the day approaching. Why turn back to "meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein?". Here it is the grand truth itself in its own character. But the Holy Ghost's testimony is not forgotten. 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having a high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Yet who beforehand would have anticipated either? Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, by a believing application of the blood of Christ to our souls. Having once settled these great things between God and our souls, we must be stedfast and immovable. Christendom precisely takes the middle ground of Judaism between these two extremes. No figure therefore would be more natural than that, if God intended certain persons called to have an inheritance, there should be a testament about the matter. The athlete will make his great effort because the goal beckons him on. For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will repay, saith the Lord. It may mean the worlds governed by dispensations; but still that the idea of the whole universe is in it cannot be fairly contested by competent minds. [Note: Cf. But as for you who believe in Jesus, wait not for the Romans; let Judaism be nothing but a corpse, which does not concern you. It is an enduring substance, it will out-live time and run parallel with eternity; they can never spend it; their enemies can never take it from them, as they did their earthly goods. "With Hebrews 10:19-39 the great central division of the sermon (Hebrews 5:11 to Hebrews 10:39) is drawn to a conclusion. He is only one of a series of existing objects, and consequently never can rise above that in his own nature. But they are trying to protect their national identity and they fight fiercely. This, managed with a true gospel spirit, would be the best and most cordial friendship. In its ordinary usage, it has a much deeper force. If only we were always at our best, life would be very different. His life is like a panelled tapestry; to look at one panel is to see only a little bit of the story. And for this simple reason: no place is given herein to man's importance. For you gave your sympathy to those in prison; you accepted the pillaging of your goods with joy; for you knew that you yourselves hold a possession which is better and which lasts. By His one offering we have been perfected forever. It only covered their sins. Bible Study Tools. For assuredly if Jewish children honoured their father and mother on legal grounds, much more ought Christian children on grounds of grace. May you be blessed of the Lord and strengthened in every good work for the glory of Jesus Christ. But this shows the main object of the Spirit of God in directing us for the type that applies to the believer now to an unsettled pilgrim-condition, not to Israel established in the land of promise. Every day, so long as the Temple stood, the following sacrifices had to be carried out ( Numbers 28:3-8). Here's a letter to help them keep going. Of course it is true that Jesus took His seat there, but more is conveyed in the true form of the text ( ) here. Even under the old covenant rebellion met with death. You can have Cooper's Town and everything else. The prophet tells his people that if they hold fast to their loyalty, God will see them through their present situation. And the story ended, which door?But as you see the story, you realize that we are the guilty princess, and that we rebelled against the Lord, who loved us so much that He came to prove His love by dying in our place. It is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." "Every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God." Christ never needed this, but we do. For if these sacrifices could achieve that, would they not have stopped being brought because the worshipper had been once and for all brought into a state of purity and no longer had any consciousness of sin? In their names and reputations (Hebrews 10:33; Hebrews 10:33), by many reproaches. We enter into the presence of God by means of the veil, that is, by the flesh of Jesus. But even the apostle felt his own need of the prayers of the faithful, not because he had gone wrong, but because he was conscious of no hindrance to his work from a had conscience. This was the burnt offering, and it was symbolic of just consecrating my life to God. the task of translating the Old Testament into Greek was begun in Alexandria in Egypt. 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