Hebrews 1:1-4 The Superiority of Christ: A Better Revelation

 vs. 1-2  God Spoke: In The Past

·         “God spoke” The major theme in these verses is that “God spoke.”  What is the significance of these two words?  What difference does it make in people’s lives that God has spoke?  How would life be different if God had not spoke?  (Or, what would be the difference if we didn’t know if God had spoken or not?)

·         In these verses, the author divides history into two periods.  What are they?  [A. In the past.  B. These last days.]  “The past” referred to all history before Jesus Christ.  “These last days” refers to all history since Jesus Christ came into the world.  Biblically, we have been living in “the last days” about 2000 years now.

·         According to this passage, how did God speak in “the past?”  (In the past God spoke…)

o        to our forefathers: God gave certain people a testimony that they were entrusted with to pass on. 

o        through the prophets:  The prophets were the “mouthpieces” of God.

o        at many times and in various ways:  The Old Testament revelation was unfocused and inconsistent.  In contrast, God has given us a superior revelation of Himself in the Son.

vs. 2-4  God Spoke: In These Last Days

·         In these last days, God has given mankind a superior revelation through Jesus Christ.   Why is Jesus Christ a superior revelation?  What are all of the things you can learn about Jesus Christ if Hebrews 1:1-4 were the only four verses of Scripture that you had?  Comment of each of these facts.  What do they mean?  Why are they important?  How do these facts show Christ’s superiority?  How do each of these move you to worship Jesus Christ?

·         2: God appointed Christ heir of all things.  What is an heir?  [An “heir” is someone who will one day take possession of what is given to him by his father.  Therefore, Jesus is superior because He will one day take unquestioned possession of everything.]

·         2: God made the universe through Christ.  Colossians 1:16 also says something similar to this.  Not only will Jesus inherit the world, He is the one who made the world!

·         3: The Son is the radiance of God’s glory.  What does the word “radiance” mean?  When we think of the radiance of a star, it is the shining forth of it’s light.  In the same way, Jesus Christ is the shining forth of the glory of God.  He puts on display the perfection and greatness of God.

·         3: The Son is the exact representation of God’s being.  The Greek word of “exact representation” is character.  This word was used of the stamp that was used to put an image on a coin.  The Greek word for “being” is hypostasis.  It means the very substance of God.  Therefore, Jesus Christ is the exact image of God’s being.  He perfectly represents God to us because He is God.

·         3: The Son sustains all things by His powerful word.  Colossians 1:17 also says something similar to this.  Not only did Christ create the world, He sustains/upholds it.  If He stopped sustaining the world, the world would cease to exist.  (And yet we think we are so independent!) 

·         3: The Son provided purification for sin.  Not only is Jesus the Creator of the world, the sustainer of the world, and the heir of the world, He also died for the sins of the world through His life and death on the cross.  (Although we will see that this purification is not automatic for the whole world.)

·         3: After providing purification for sin, Christ sat down at the right hand of majesty in heaven.  The main theme of Hebrews is the superiority of Christ, and specifically His superior sacrifice for sin.  A great deal of Hebrews is devoted to this theme.  Christ is superior to the Old Testament system of salvation because He has offered a complete and final sacrifice for sin.  The priests of the Old Testament could never sit down because their work was never done.  But when Christ came, He provided the complete and final sacrifice and was able to sit down because His work was finished.  See Heb. 7:27 and 10:11-12.  (By the way, this was one of the Reformers' big criticisms of the Roman Catholic church.  Since the middle ages, they have taught that the “mass” is an actual re-sacrifice of Christ.  The Reformers saw this as denying the finished work of Jesus Christ as taught in the book of Hebrews.)

·         4: Christ was declared superior to angels.  This is what we will be talking about next week as we continue to study Hebrews.

  “Jesus is not just another prophet; He is the perfect expression of God.  God will never need to send another divine messenger because Jesus faithfully revealed everything about God that we need to know for salvation.”  –Life Application Bible Commentary, Hebrews

 Hebrews 1:5-14 Christ Superior to Angels

Last week we saw that Jesus Christ is a better revelation to us from God.  In the Old Testament times, God spoke to man through the prophets, but now He has spoken to us through His Son.  Jesus is a better revelation because He exactly represents God…because He is God!  Now, the book of Hebrews will show how Jesus is superior to the angels.  The theme of Christ’s superiority to the angels will cover the rest of chapters 1 and 2.

vs. 5-6  Christ Superior to Angels: The Sonship of Christ

·         For the rest of chapter 1, the author is making the case that Jesus is superior to the angels.  He does this by giving several Old Testament quotes that refer either to angels or to the Messiah.  In context, some of these OT verses don’t seem to be talking about the Messiah at first.  For example, some of them are about King David.  However, the author of Hebrews realizes that these verses find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus.  In many ways, King David was a “type” of Christ.  To say that David is a “type” of the Messiah means that David is a foreshadowing of the Messiah.  For example, David was “the anointed one” as the King of Israel… and “Messiah” means “anointed one.”   So, these verses really do apply to Jesus because David was a foreshadowing of Him and these verses only find their true fulfillment in Him.

·         5: According to verses 5, how is Jesus superior to the angels?  [God declared that Jesus was His Son.  He never declared this to angels.  Note: In some places in the Bible angels are described as “sons of God.”  For example, we see this in Job 1.  However, when we look at the context of Psalm 2, where Hebrews 5 quotes from, we see that this was also a sonship that involved “making the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession” and that the Son “will rule over them with an iron scepter.”  Therefore, the sonship of Jesus is very different than the way that the angels are “sons” of God.  They are only “sons” because God made them.  Jesus is the Son of God who will inherit all power and authority.]

·         6: How does verse 6 show the superiority of Jesus?  [God commands the angels to worship Jesus!]  Now, if God is commanding angels to worship someone, what does it mean about that person?  [For one, it means that the person being worshiped is greater than the ones doing the worshiping.  But even more, if only God is to be worshiped, it means that the one being worshiped must be God!]

·         In verse 6 Jesus is called “the firstborn.”  Why is Jesus called the firstborn?  Does this mean that He came into existence one day?  [In Hebrew culture, the firstborn son had many special rights and privileges.  He received a double share of the inheritance.  He also was viewed as the preeminent son, the leader of all the others with the highest “rank.”  Therefore, this is what is in mind when Jesus is called the firstborn.  It means that He is the highest ranking.  (Also see Colossians 1:15 where Jesus is called “the firstborn over all creation.”)]

·         The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus Christ is not equal with God.  They believe that Jesus is the greatest of all created beings, but that Jesus is not really God.  Sometimes they even say that Jesus is Michael the archangel.  Also, they absolutely refuse to worship anyone besides Jehovah God, and therefore refuse to worship Jesus.  However, JWs also claim to believe the Bible.  So, from what we have studied in Hebrews so far, how could you build an airtight case that Jesus is truly God?  [Ask them, “Do you believe that only Jehovah God is to be worshiped?”  They will say, “Yes.”  Then point out to them that Hebrews 1:6 commands the angels to worship Jesus.  Therefore, Jesus must be Jehovah, the one true God.]

vs. 7-12  Christ Superior to Angels: The Authority and Eternity of Christ

·         7-12: What are some of the ways in which the verses quoted in 7-12 show that Christ is superior to the angels?  [Summary: Angels are merely servants, but Jesus is declared to be King.]

·         8: Jesus’ throne will be “forever and ever.”  What does the word “throne” imply?  [rulership]

·         8-9: What do these verses have to say about Jesus’ righteousness?

·         10: Again Jesus is declared to be the Creator.  This is obviously a huge way that He is superior to angels.

·         11-12: What do verses 11 and 12 tell you about Jesus?  [He is eternal and immortal.  Although the world He created will one day be destroyed, He will remain forever.]

·         11-12: Why should it matter to us that Jesus will remain forever?

·         11-12: Why should it matter to us that Jesus remains the same forever?

·         11-12: What should be more valuable to you, something good that will last a short time or something great that will last forever and ever?  Then, why do we spend so much time and energy pursuing the wrong things?  (What are some of these things?)

vs. 13-14  Christ Superior to Angels: The Enthronement of Christ

·         13: Verse 13 talks about the “enthronement” of Christ.  Jesus is seated at God’s right hand. 

·         13: What does it mean when it says, “…until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?  How does this inspire awe and worship in you for Jesus Christ?

·        14: What does verse 14 tell us about the work of angels? 

⁵It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. ⁶But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? ⁷You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor ⁸and put everything under his feet?  In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. ⁹But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Hebrews 2:1-9 Christ Superior to Angels, part 2

In chapter 1, the author made the point that God spoke.  In the past, He spoke through the prophets in various times and various ways.  But now, God has given us a superior revelation through Jesus Christ.  Then the author went on to show how Jesus is superior to the angels.  Now, the author gets to the application… Greater revelation means greater responsibility!

vs. 1-4  How Shall We Escape if We Ignore Such a Great Salvation?

·         1: According to verse 1, what might happen if we do not “pay more careful attention?”  [We may drift away.]  Think about the word “drift.”  Drifting means to move away from where you’re supposed to be.  Often this happens so slowly that you don’t notice it if you aren’t watching.  Is that true spiritually?  Examples?

·         1-3: As you learn to read the Bible better, learn to look for connecting words such as “therefore” and “for.”  When you see these words, you know that the author is presenting a logical argument.  Noticing these words can be a big help in figuring out the author’s flow of thought.  So… how do the words “therefore” and “for” help you figure out the flow of thought here?  (And remember, the chapter divisions are not in the original writings.)

·         1-3: “Therefore” means “based on what I just said.”  “For” means “because.”  Thus, the author is saying, “Based on what I just wrote in chapter 1, you better be careful to pay attention so you don’t drift away.  Why?  Because God took it very seriously if people disobeyed the old revelation, when God spoke through the prophets and the angels in the Old Testament.  In fact, every breach of the old revelation received strict punishment!  But now, remember, Jesus is the superior revelation to the old revelation.  So, if it was bad news to blow off God’s message back then, do you realize how bad it will be if you don’t heed God’s superior revelation through Jesus?!”

·         What does it mean to “pay more careful attention?”  Are you doing that?  How seriously have you been studying God’s Word this week?  Have you been doing what it says!  Do you think you have any excuse to be ignorant of God’s message? 

·         3: What do you think the author means in verse 3?  What other options are there for salvation besides Christ?  [Zip!]  Therefore, if you pass up God’s offer through Christ, what fate do you have to look forward to?  [Judgment.  Further, the judgment is even greater for those who have sinned against greater light.]

·         3: The message was “confirmed to us by those who heard him.”  This shows that these people did not hear Christ directly.  Instead, the message was told to them by others.  This is one clue that many of the people Hebrews was written to might have been second-generation Christians.

·         3-4: How was the message was “confirmed?”  [By signs, wonders, and various miracles.]  Therefore, what is the primary reason for signs, wonders, and miracles according to these verses?  [God gave signs and wonders to confirm that His message really was from God.  They were God’s stamp of approval to validate His messengers.]

·         3-4: Some theologians have pointed out that there are basically three periods in history where most of the miracles of the Bible took place: (1) the times of Moses, (2) the times of the prophets, (3) the time of Jesus and the Apostles.  Although there were some exceptions, most of the miracles fall into these three clusters.  Now, also notice that there are three different times when most of Scripture was written: (1) Moses, who wrote the first 5 books of the Old Testament, (2) the prophets, such as Isaiah, who wrote huge portions of the Old Testament, and (3) the time of Jesus and the Apostles, who wrote the New Testament in a very short slice of church history, about 60 years.  Because of these observations, and verses such as Hebrews 2:3-4, we see that the main purpose of miracles was to confirm God's inspired messengers and God's new revelation that was being given through them.  Therefore, because God is no longer writing the Bible, there is no longer the same need for miracles.  Yes, God can still do these things, but the main reason for their existence has been completed.  We now have God’s full and complete revelation for this age.  God gave miracles to Moses to confirm the revelation that He was giving through Moses.  God gave miracles to the prophets to confirm their message.  God gave miracles to Jesus to prove who He was, and He gave miracles to the apostles to confirm the message of the New Testament.  Thus, it makes perfect sense that we don’t see the same kind of miracles today as we see recorded in the Bible. 

vs. 5-9  A Little Lower than the Angels

·         5: Now the author continues to show how Christ is superior to the angels.

·         6-8: Are these verses about mankind, or about Jesus?  What evidence do you see?  (The quote is from Psalm 8:4-6.)

·         6-9: Psalm 8 originally referred to mankind.  Man is created a little lower than the angels.  That means that we are lesser beings than the angels are… at least at this time.  Psalm 8 also talks about man being given dominion over everything.  However, as the author of Hebrews points out, when we look around we realize that we don’t really have control and dominion over everything.  Adam and Eve were given dominion over all creation in Genesis 1:28, but when they sinned, they blew it and we now don’t have perfect dominion over the earth.  So is Psalm 8 wrong?  No.  Although we don’t see most of humanity currently fulfilling Psalm 8, there is one human who is… Jesus Christ, who is 100% God and 100% human.  When Jesus became man and veiled His glory, He also made Himself, in a sense, lower than angels for a short while.  However, after His sufferings He was raised and crowned with glory and honor!  And, as 1 Corinthians 15:23-28 supports, Christ is in the process of putting everything “beneath His feet.”  

·     9: What does it mean that Jesus tasted death for everyone?

¹⁴Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil– ¹⁵and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. ¹⁶For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. ¹⁷For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 2:10-18 Christ Superior to Angels, part 3

vs. 10-15  Not Ashamed to Call Them Brothers

·         Why did Jesus become human? 

·         10: Verse 10 says that Jesus was “made perfect” through suffering?  Wasn’t Jesus already perfect?  [Yes, He was already perfect, but He needed to become human and to suffer in order to become the perfect sacrifice for humanity.]

·         11: Who is “the one who makes men holy”?  [Jesus Christ]  Who are “those who are made holy”?  [Believers]  What does it mean to be made holy?  [“Holy” means “set apart.”  We are set apart from sin and made acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.]

·         11: Have you ever been ashamed of your brothers or sisters?  Have you ever wanted to deny being related to them?  Why is it awesome to think about the fact that Jesus chose to make us His brothers AND that He is not ashamed to call us brothers?

·         12-13: If you look up these verses that are being quoted, it might cause you to wonder why the author to the Hebrews can claim that these words are by Jesus and about Him when they do not seem to be in the original context.  For example, verse 12 quotes from Psalm 22:22 which is by David.  Now, all Scripture is the Word of God, and since Jesus is God, in a sense it is all from Him.  However, there is something deeper going on, although it is something foreign to our usual way of thinking.  The Old Testament contains many explicit prophecies to the coming Messiah, but it also contains many prophecies that the original readers would not have realized were prophecies.  Remember, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus spoke with two disciples and “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”  (Luke 24:27)  Jesus showed them many of the things that foreshadowed, or pointed ahead, to Himself.  Some of these are called “types.”  Certain people and even ceremonies, such as David or the sacrifices, were types of Christ.  This means that certain aspect of these people and things were designed by God to be a foreshadowing of the Messiah.  King David was one of these types.  The Messiah was specifically predicted to come from King David, and reign on David’s throne.  Jesus will do this literally one day.  In addition, Psalm 22 is what is known as a Messianic Psalm.  It has a double reference.  It originally refers to King David and his life, but many parts of it ultimately refer to Jesus and events from His life.  Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1 from the cross.  “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”  Psalm 22:18 found ultimate fulfillment when the soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garments.  And here in Hebrews, the author to the Hebrews applies Psalm 22:22 to Jesus, although it originally referred to David.  There are many other foreshadows and types in Scripture that the Bible clearly identifies.  It is probably wise to remain tentative about any of these that the Bible does not clearly identify.  Remember, the Scripture writers had revelation and inspiration from God that beyond the aid that God gives us when we read Scripture.  Many of these prophecies were of the type that you would not know it unless it was revealed from God.  Some are used more as illustrations form Scripture rather than predictive prophecies. 

·         14: Jesus needed to become fully human in order to pay for the sins of humanity.  Jesus isn’t 50% human and 50& God.  He is 100% human but still 100% God.  It’s not a contradiction.  A basketball can be 100% orange and 100% round.  Another good illustration is a TV with a built-in VCR.  In one unit, it has everything required to be a TV and everything required to be a VCR.  In the same way, in one person, Jesus had all that was required to be fully human and everything that was required to be fully God.

·         14-15: What does it mean that the devil has the power of death?  How does Jesus’ death free us from the power of death?

·         In chapter 39 of “The Passion of Jesus Christ” John Piper writes, 

“[The devil’s] power to damn human beings lies not in himself, but in the sins that he inspires and the lies that he tells.  The only thing that damns anybody is unforgiven sin.  …That is what Christ came to do- take the weapon out of Satan’s hand.  To do this, Christ took our sins on Himself and suffered for them.  When that happened, they could be used no more by the devil to destroy us.  Taunt us?  Yes.  Mock us?  Yes.  But damn us?  No.  Christ bore the curse in our place.  Try as he will, Satan cannot destroy us.  The wrath of God is removed.  His mercy is our shield.  And Satan cannot succeed against us.”

·         15: How does this set us free from the fear of death?

vs. 16-18  Made Like His Brothers

·         16-17: It would never happen… but even if a demon were to repent and trust Jesus as his savior, would the demon be saved?  [No.  There is no possibility of a fallen angel being saved.  Jesus did not become an angel, therefore He could not be a substitutionary sacrifice for their sins.]

·         16-17: How do you react to that?  Is that unfair? 

·         16-17: It is not unfair that Jesus did not choose to die for the angels.  There is no reason why He has to.  In fact, there is no reason why He had to die for us!  Do you think it would have been unfair of Jesus if He hadn’t died on the cross to give us a chance to be saved through Him?  If so, you haven’t grasped it yet!  If you think it is your RIGHT to be saved, you probably aren’t!  God would have been perfectly “fair” to let us all be judged eternally for rebelling against Him.  He didn’t have to give any of us a second chance!  (How does that affect your thinking as it sinks is?  It should take your appreciation of God, and your worship of Him, to a whole new level!)

·         17: How is it a comfort to know that Jesus is a MERCIFUL and FAITHFUL high priest for us?

·         18: What is the significance of verse 18?  How does the fact that Jesus was tempted help us in our struggle against temptation?

·         18: Do you think that Jesus ever gave in to sin?  [NO!!!  Hebrews 4:15 says that He was tempted in every way, just as we are- yet was without sin.  It is important to know that Jesus was completely sinless!  If He was not sinless, He could not have been the perfect sacrifice required to pay for the sins of mankind.]

·         18: A recent survey by George Barna said that 40% of “born again” teens believed that Jesus committed sins while He was on earth.  What do you think of that?  Why do you think so many supposedly born-again teens believe this?  (Unfortunately, I don’t think a person is saved if he thinks that Jesus was a sinner.)

·         18: Jesus never sinned.  Do you think this means that He experienced less temptation than we do, or that He experienced more temptation than we do?  Why?  [He experienced MORE temptation than anyone else.  Think about it… when you give-in to temptation, it stops.  It’s like someone being tortured for information… as soon as they give-in, the pain stops.  But if they hold out, they keep getting tortured worse and worse.]

·         18: Also, look up 1 Corinthians 10:13.  God never lets us be tempted beyond what we can bear.  So, if you can only bear a “level 8” temptation, God will never allow you to be tempted by a “level 9” temptation.   You would never even know what a level 9 temptation is like.  (Although, as you grow as a Christian, you will be able to bear worse temptation, and therefore you will experience worse temptation.)  But this also means that Jesus probably had to endure “level 100” temptations!  (Now, the Bible never gives ranks to temptations like this, but you know what I mean.)

·         18: How is it a help to you to realize that Jesus was tempted far worse than you?  [For one, it shows us how easily we give-in to temptation.  Also, it shows us that we don’t have to give-in.  Even more, it is comforting to know that Jesus Himself experienced the same trials and temptations that we experience.  We are not alone.  Jesus knows what it is like… and because He knows what it is like, it makes it easier for us to go to Him for help.  He knows how hard it is and He wants to help you!]

·      What is the point of all of this?  How does all of this flow into the big idea that the author of Hebrews was trying to make?  [He is still talking about Jesus’ superiority to the angels.  Jesus became a human being, not an angel.  He died for human beings, not angels.  Knowing this should help keep us from becoming too preoccupied with angels, or being tempted to worship them.  Instead, we should be extremely amazed and thankful for the attention and grace that He has shown to us!]

⁷So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, ⁸do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, ⁹where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. ¹⁰That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ ¹¹So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

¹²See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. ¹⁴We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. ¹⁵As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

¹⁶Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? ¹⁷And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? ¹⁸And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? ¹⁹So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

Hebrews 3 Christ Superior to Moses 

vs. 1-6  Greater than Moses 

• 1: Why should we “fix our thoughts on Jesus?”  Are we influenced by the things we fix our thoughts on?  How? (What things are your thoughts usually fixed on?  How does this explain your struggle with sin?)

• 2-6: Compare and contrast.  In your notebooks, make a chart.  On one column write all the ways that this passage says that Jesus is LIKE Moses.  In the other column write all the ways that Christ is better than Moses.

• 3-4: According to the author of Hebrews, Jesus is the “builder of the house” and the builder of everything is God.  Therefore, Jesus is God!  (And therefore obviously he is superior to Moses.)

vs. 7-19  Warning: Don’t Have a Sinful Unbelieving Heart 

·         For this passage to make sense, you need to know your Old Testament history.   God promised Abraham that his descendants, the Hebrews, would possess the land that was known as Canaan, which later became known as Israel.   After Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt and received the law, they were to attack Canaan and take possession of the Promised Land.  However, at Kadesh, the people did not trust God and rebelled against Him because of their fear.  Therefore, God told that unbelieving generation that they would NOT enter the land.  Instead, they would be forced to wander the desert for 40 years until everyone who was twenty years or older was dead, except Caleb and Joshua.  Then the next generation would take possession of the Promised Land.  After the people heard this, THEN they tried to take the land, but they were defeated because God was no longer with them. 

·         Note: I might take the time to teach Numbers 13-14 during the large group time.  However, ask your group recount the details of Numbers 13 & 14 and if it doesn’t seem like they learned the story, go back and read it again.  In fact, you might want to review it again no matter what. 

·         7-11: How Hebrews 3:7-11 interact with Numbers 13 & 14? 

·         What lessons does the author to the Hebrews want his hearers to learn from Numbers 13 & 14? 

·         12: Describe the kind of heart are we NOT supposed to have?  What are the three descriptions given in verse 12?  [Their hearts were (1) sinful, (2) unbelieving, and (3) turned away from the living God.  These are not three SEPARATE characteristics.  An unbelieving heart IS a sinful heart.  A sinful heart IS a heart turned away from God.  A heart turned away from God IS an unbelieving heart.] 

·         13: What does it mean to encourage one another?  What are we to encourage one another ABOUT?  (Self-esteem?  No.)  Read this verse IN CONTEXT with Numbers 13 & 14 in mind… how does that shed light on what it means to encourage one another?  [We are to encourage one another to TRUST GOD and to OBEY HIM just like Caleb and Joshua tried to encourage the rest of the Hebrews!] 

·         15: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”  Didn’t the author just write this in verse 7?  What should this tell us?  [The author is EMPHASIZING this point!  He will say it again in 4:7.  In fact, you will notice that this theme keeps coming us throughout Hebrews.  I believe that this sentence could be used as the main thesis of the whole book.] 

·         15: Discuss these two parts from verse 15.  What do they mean?  Where have you read these themes already so far in Hebrews?  How do they apply to us? 

o        If you hear His voice  [1:1-2 “In the past God God spoke… in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son,”  2:1, “pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard,”  2:2, “if the message,”  2:3-4, “this salvation… announced… confirmed to us by those who heard Him… God also testified to it by signs, wonders, and various miracles”] 

o        Don’t harden your heart  [2:1, “pay more careful attention… so we don’t drift away.”  2:2-3, “For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?”] 

·         PROJECT: In your notebook, take one page and create a chart with two columns.  Label on column, “If you hear His voice.”  Label the other column, “Don’t harden your heart.”  As you read through Hebrews during the next several weeks, record each time either of these themes comes up.  If you do this, you will gain a FAR better understanding of Hebrews than the people who don’t do it. 

·         14-19: Think about it… What were some of the incredible miracles that the people who Moses led out of Egypt saw with their own eyes?  [The plagues on Egypt, God appearing to them as a pillar of fire, the parting of the Red Sea, the drowning of Pharaoh’s army, etc.]  Who were the people who disobeyed God in unbelief at Kadesh?  [The same ones!]  What does this tell you?   

·         16-19: One thing that we should be able to learn from Kadesh is that God can do powerful things in the lives of people, and yet these same people can still turn away in unbelief.  This is the point that the author makes when he writes, “Who were they who heard and rebelled?  Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?”  (1) Unbelief is not because of a lack of evidence!  (2) Just because you are part of God’s community does not mean that you are a believer!  The author of Hebrews will talk about this more in next week’s passage as well.  But keep this lesson in mind!  If you keep this thought in mind, it will help you make sense of Hebrews 6 a lot easier. 

·         18-19:  Unbelief and sinful choices can cause permanent consequences.  (The Hebrews tried to take the land AFTER God spoke judgment to them… and they were defeated because God swore that they would never enter His rest.)  How should this affect your thinking and your life? 

·         (Backtrack) 14: What is the logic in this verse?  How do we know that we have come to share in Christ?  (Notice!  This is not saying, “You won’t share in Christ until you hold firmly until the end.”  Instead, it is saying that there is something in the PRESENT that is proven true by what will happen in the FUTURE.  It says that we HAVE COME to share in Christ.  This is a present reality, but the “holding firm to the end” still has to happen.  This is one of the examples of Scripture that is leading me more and more to believe that the doctrine called “Perseverance of the Saints” is Biblically true.) 

⁶It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. ⁷Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” ⁸For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. ⁹There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God; ¹⁰for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. ¹¹Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

Hebrews 4:1-11 God’s Rest  

Before reading from Hebrews, read Deuteronomy 1:6-8 & 19-46 and also Psalm 95.  

vs. 1-11  Failing to Enter God’s Rest

·         In order to make sense of this passage you need to keep in mind the story from Numbers 13 & 14.  Moses gives another recap of those same events in Deuteronomy 1:6-8,19-46.  Although God had promised the Hebrews “rest” in the Promised Land, almost all of the people failed to enter God’s rest.  That is the background for everything else in this section. 

·         1-2: What was the reason why some people failed to enter God’s rest?  Was it because they didn’t hear the message from God and His promise?  [No.  They heard the promise from God, but did not combine it with faith.]  Wasn’t it enough that God offered His promise to them?  Wasn’t it good enough that they had the message preached to them?  Why not?   What does it mean to combine the promise with faith?  [Many of God’s promises, like this one, are received by faith.  This means that the recipient needs to trust God in order to get the benefit of what is offered.] 

·         3: What does the first part of verse 3 tell us about entering God’s rest?  [It is entered by believing, by trusting God for this.]   

·         3-5:  What is the “rest” that the author is talking about at the start of verse 3?  [The rest that is still available to us today is salvation in Jesus Christ.  The deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt is a foreshadowing, or a “type”, of the deliverance from sin that Jesus Christ would give to believers.  The Promised Land was the rest offered to the Hebrews and it is a foreshadowing of the eternal rest that God offered to them and to us.  We enter into God’s eternal rest, eternity with Him, through faith in Christ.]   

·         4: I think that the author brings up God’s resting in creation to show that God is already in this “rest” and that we can enter it with Him.   

·         Why do you think that the author is describing salvation as “rest”?  [Obviously, a main reason is that Psalm 95 refers to the Promised Land as the rest that God offered to the Hebrews.  They were delivered out of slavery in Egypt and could have entered this land.  They would have had to fight to enter this land, but God would have been with them and it would have been theirs.  Then they would have had security and rest from their enemies.  In the same way, God offers us eternal rest from pain, guilt, condemnation, and deliverance from our captivity in sin.  It is also a rest from self-effort because this rest is offered freely by grace alone and is received by faith alone.] 

·         6: What kind of “disobedience” kept the people from entering God’s rest?  [Their disobedience was their lack of faith.  They did not believe and trust God and therefore did not take possession of the Promised Land as God commanded them to do.  Many people in churches and youth groups hear the offer of salvation time and time again but never actually trust God alone to receive it.] 

·         7-9: What is the importance of the word “TODAY” in verse 7?  (Remember, the author was quoted this verse THREE times now!)  What message is the author to the Hebrews trying to get across?  [There is still time to enter this rest.  This second rest is the offer of salvation that God still offers today.  BUT… do not harden your hearts or you also will miss it!  The opportunity is open now, but it will not always be open to you.] 

·         10-11: HOW do we enter this rest?  (Remember back to verse 3)  [The Hebrews who didn’t combine the message with FAITH failed to enter the rest.  But on the other hand, “we who have believed enter that rest.”  BOTH “rests” are entered by faith/belief/trust.  The events of Numbers 13 & 14 are a true story that illustrates truths about entering God’s rest… through faith, or on the other hand failing to enter through unbelief.  The “rest” of the Promised Land foreshadows and illustrates the “rest” of eternal life with God.  Enter by trusting Christ for this salvation!] 

·         For both rests, merely hearing the message is not good enough.  You must combine it with faith or you will fail to enter God’s rest.  Don’t harden your heart to God’s truth.  TODAY God’s is offering you His rest; TOMORROW that offer might be gone!  Did you ever have a really good coupon that you were about to use and then realized it just expired?  Multiply that feeling by a trillion. 

·         10-11: What does it mean that “anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His?  [I think this relates to the fact that saving faith REQUIRES a person to stop working for their salvation.  The whole book of Galatians was about this.  It is also clear from Romans 4:4-5.  Also in Philippians 3 Paul listed the credentials for his righteousness and then said that he considered them rubbish that he may gain Christ.  A big part of saving faith that is too often overlooked is the need to STOP trusting in anything else for your salvation.  If your trust is in Jesus Christ AND anything else, then you don’t really trust that what Christ did for you is enough!] 

·         Do you think it is common or uncommon for people to assume they are saved just because they go to church every week?  After all, they have heard the message, haven’t they?  If someone has been coming to youth group for a long time, they MUST be saved, right?  What are some lessons we need to learn from this?  How should this affect the way that we do ministry and as youth group or as a church?  

·         Some people suggest that God will give people a chance to receive Christ AFTER they die.  According to their thinking, it is never too late to turn to God.  In contrast, how could you use the book of Hebrews and the OT story of Kadesh to show what the Bible teaches about this matter?  (Do a role-play for practice.)

¹⁴Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. ¹⁶Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:12-16 Conviction and Confidence  

vs. 4:12-13  The Word of God: Living and Active   

·         12-13: What are all the things that these verses have to say about the Word of God? 

·         12: What does it mean that the Word of God is living and active?  [The Word of God is not a dry dusty book that does not relate to us today.  It is more relevant to our lives that anything else!  Even “old” stories about bronze snakes and the failure at Kadesh are incredibly important to our lives and what really matters!  Also, there is power in the Word of God… because it is GOD’S Word.  It is not a normal book.  The voice of God changes lives.] 

·         12-13: The Word of God has a way of cutting to the heart.  We can make ourselves look good to others, and we can even convince ourselves that we are all right.  But, when we let God do diagnostic surgery on us through His Word, we see the cancer in our lives that God needs to cut out. 

·         12-13: Why is it significant that the Word of God judges “thoughts and attitudes?”  Have you ever had something in your life that you thought was fine until you let it be judged by God’s Word? 

·         12-13: What can we hide from God?  [According to verse 13, nothing!]  Think about this… God knows you even better than you know yourself.    (Do you have any secret sins that you think no one knows about?)  

·         12-13: Have each member of your group look up one of these other verses that talk about the Word of God.  (You don’t have to look them all up.  Just do one for each person.)  Isaiah 55:11; Jeremiah 23:29; 1 Peter 1:23; Ephesians 6:17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:14-17 

·         12-13: It can be a painful process to let God’s Word do surgery on our lives.  Do we sometimes try to AVOID this surgery?  How & why? 

·         13: “To Whom we must give account.”  Why is this significant?  How should this impact your life? 

·         12-13: Why does the author of Hebrews start talking about the Word of God here?  How does that fit with the flow of thought?  [This always bothered me because I could not figure out how these verses fit with the verses that came before it.  However, as I kept studying Hebrews as a whole I finally noticed that everytime there is a warning passage it always makes reference to the Word of God!  For example, in 2:1-4 it talks about the message we have heard, and then says, “How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?  This also made me realize why the author started Hebrews with the theme of God speaking.  “In the past God spoke to our forefathers at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.”  The theme of “God speaking” started the book of Hebrews and echoes each time there is a warning not to ignore God’s message by hardening our hearts against it.  Also remember the fact that the author quoted Psalm 95:7-8 three times.  “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”  Even in this one phrase we see both a warning and a reference to the Word of God.  More and more, I see this as a main theme of the book… Today, if you hear God’s message about the supremacy of Christ, do not harden your hearts with unbelief or you will miss salvation.  So, the author always mentions the Word of God when he goes into these warnings.  Therefore it makes perfect sense that he would talk about the Word of God here.] 

vs. 4:14-16  Our Great High Priest: Tempted But Without Sin 

·         14: In the Old Testament, there were priests, and there was one “high priest.”  Here Jesus is called the “Great High Priest.”  We will be talking a lot more in the upcoming chapters about what it means that Jesus is our Great High Priest.  But as we can see from verse 14 we are supposed to “hold firmly to the faith we possess” because we have Jesus as our Great High Priest.  Therefore, grasping the meaning and reality of Jesus’ High Priestly role is something that helps us hold more firmly to our faith. 

·         15: Verse 15 gives us the first reason why knowing Jesus as our Great High Priest helps us.  What is it?  [Jesus can relate and sympathize with our struggle with temptation because He also was tempted.  He knows how hard it is!  And, because He never gave into the temptation, He experienced the full brunt of it!] 

·         15: If Jesus was tempted, but was completely sinless, it shows that being tempted with sin is not sin itself!  Sometimes the devil will try to accuse your conscience about sin that you were merely tempted to commit.  Temptations are not sin.  Don’t let the devil (remember, the name “devil” means “slanderer”) make you feel like a spiritual failure because of your temptations.  Jesus was tempted far worse that you, and He was sinless.  Being tempted isn’t sin; giving in to temptation is sin. 

·         15: Discussion question: When does temptation become sin?  For instance, if you are tempted to lust, when does it become sin?  How long do you think Jesus entertained the lustful temptations that the devil would place in His head?  [Remember, you can’t always help the first look, but you have a choice about the second look.  Also, when a sinful temptation enters your head, you have a choice to act on it or not.  You also have a choice to let it dwell in your head or not.  When you choose to let it dwell because it brings you pleasure, that is sin if that pleasure is something that is out of bounds for you.] 

·         15: By the way, realizing that temptation to sin is not the same thing as sin is helpful in thinking about the debate about homosexuality.  Some people make the claim that homosexuals are born with a desire to have sex with people of the same gender.  Therefore, they argue, how can we hold it against them if they are born with that desire?  Now, it might be true that some people are born with more of a disposition for same-sex attraction.  (Although it is probably a combination of causes, including experiences and the results of some choices.)  However, simply having same-sex attraction isn’t necessarily sin; it is a temptation.  Giving in to that temptation, either by a physical action or by lust (dwelling on those thoughts for pleasure), is when it becomes sin.  The message that the world and the media is sending everyone is that if you experience any same-sex attraction or temptation, then you are a homosexual and you should give in to this to be true to who you are.  But God’s Word says that we all have many desires that are not righteous and that we have the choice to give in to them or not.  In addition, I think that we should reject the way that the world classifies anyone with same-sex attraction automatically as a “homosexual.”  Think about this, a straight married man might be tempted to have an affair with another woman, but we do not call him an “adulterer” unless he gives in to that temptation.   

·         15: Again, this verse shows clearly that Jesus was completely sinless.  This is very important to remember.  (Why?) 

·         16: The result of these things is that we can come before God confidently.  Why are we supposed to come to Him?  We are to come to Him to receive mercy and grace TO HELP US.  When you are tempted… go to God for help!  If the Word of God convicts you that you have failed God, go to Him for mercy and forgiveness!  We can go to God in confidence because of what Jesus has done for us as our Great High Priest. 

·         In Closing: Instead of closing with group prayer, have everyone find a private corner of the room.  Tell them to pray asking God to search their thoughts and attitudes with His living and active Word.  Have them read silently from Ephesians 4:25-5:20.  As they are convicted about sins and warned about temptations, they should respond in prayer… going confidently, yet humbly, to God’s throne to receive mercy and to find grace to help in the time of need.

⁴No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. ⁵So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” ⁶And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

⁷During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. ⁸Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered ⁹and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ¹⁰and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

¹¹We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. ¹²In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! ¹³Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 5 Much to Say About the High Priest 

vs. 5:1-10  Selecting the High Priest   

·         1-4: In the Old Testament, the people were represented before God by the priests who offered sacrifices on their behalf.  The Hebrews were very familiar with this.  What are some of the facts about the Old Testament high priests that are listed here?

o        1: The high priest is selected from among men

o        1: The high priest represents us in matters related to God

o        1: The high priest offers gifts and sacrifices for sins

o        2: The high priest is able to deal with people gently because he himself deals with the same weaknesses

o        3: In the OT, the high priest is commanded to offer sacrifice for his own sin as well as the people, because he too is a sinner

o        4: Only God can appoint someone to this ministry.  You cannot claim it for yourself. 

·          4: “No one takes this honor upon himself.”  Numbers 16 tells the story of the rebellion of Korah.  God had decreed that the priests needed to be male Jews from the tribe of Levi and the clan of Aaron.  Korah and his followers were Levites, but not from the clan of Aaron.  They complained that it was unfair that they were prohibited from serving as priests.  Read Numbers 16:1-40 to see what happened.  It wasn’t pleasant. 

·         4: What are some ways that we are tempted to take honors upon ourselves?  What happens when we do this?  Why is it wrong?  [Sometimes we can forget that ministry is a privilege, not a right.  This goes for everything from leading, to being a praise leader, to being a preacher, to being a sponsor.   If we think it is a right, rather than a calling from God, we make it self-centered and dishonor God.  Also, if the calling really is from God, it won’t contradict God’s Word.  Korah and his followers could claim that they should be priests because they felt some sort of internal call in their hearts.] 

·         6 & 10: The book of Hebrews will discuss Melchizedek in much greater detail in chapter 7. 

·         7: How was Jesus saved from death?  [by the resurrection]  Jesus is a good high priest for someone to have because of the way that God responds to Jesus’ requests. 

·         8-9: When verse 8 says that Jesus “learned obedience” it does not mean that He was disobedient and then learned to be obedient.  It means that by suffering he went through the personal experience of obedience to God, which is different than just a willingness to obey.  Although He as a son, God’s son, he did not cling to those privileges and comforts, but instead did what was very hard to do.  This made Him the perfect savior for humanity.  Like Hebrews 2:10, verse 9 talks about Jesus being made perfect through suffering.  Jesus has always been perfect as God, but in order to become a perfect savior for humanity, He had to become authentically human, live a perfect human life, and suffer and die as a human.   

·         9: What does it mean that Jesus became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him?  Does this mean that we are saved by our works?  [The Bible is clear that we are not saved by works.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)  However, the Bible also commands people to believe on Jesus Christ for salvation, therefore, when we obey the call to trust Christ as our savior, we are saved.  Also, after we are saved God works in our live to make us more obedient to Him, so in that sense it is true that He is the source of salvation for all who obey Him, although we are not saved by good works.] 

vs. 5:11-14  Moving Beyond Milk 

·         11: The author wants to teach the people about Melchizedek, and how Jesus is like Melchizedek, but he can’t yet?   Why not?  [He says it is because they are slow to learn.]  What does it mean that they are slow to learn?  (How do you think people get this way?) 

·         12: What were the people expected to be by this time?  [They are called to be teachers, not mere learners.  They should know this well enough that they can communicate it to others.  .]  Are we all called to be teachers?  [In a sense, yes.  We don’t all have the “gift” of teaching, but that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t expect us to teach.  In fact, when you become a parent, you are required to teach your children about God, and you have the most responsibility before God to do this.  We might not all be in a formal role as teachers, but we all have people in our lives that we should be helping to grow in their knowledge of the Scriptures.  You really know something when you are able to teach it to someone else.  You should be learning from Bible Study with the goal that you will be able to communicate this to others later on.  If you come to Bible Study with that mindset, you will learn a lot more than if you are coming just for your own benefit.  I think you will find that this will greatly improve your learning as well.]  

·         12: Although they were supposed to be able to teach by now, they needed someone to teach them the basics all over again.  What’s wrong with this? 

·         12-14: Explain what the author means by milk and meat?  (Also read 1 Corinthians 3:1-3) 

·         12-14: When is milk appropriate?  What happens to a two month old baby if you feed it steak?  What happens to a baby if you never start feeding it real food?  HOW DOES DIET AFFECT GROWTH? 

·         Do you think that most Christians eat meat, or milk?  Do most sermons that you hear tend to be more milk or meat?  What about the Christian books that sell the most?  What seems to be the result of this in American Christianity? 

·         14: Why is the phrase “constant use” key?  Why is the phrase “trained themselves” also important? 

·         What is your diet?  How should you be improving it?  How can you improve your appetite for spiritual meat?  How can we work to improve the diet and appetite of our youth group?  How can we work to improve the diet and appetite of our entire church?  (Do you think you will be offered more meat or less meat when you are an adult?)  

·         For next time: Start reading chapter 6.  How can the flow of thought from the entire book of Hebrews so far help you to understand the meaning of this passage better?  

 4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

 7Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

 9Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. 10God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Hebrews 6:1-12 Falling Away

Hebrews 6 is one of the most debated passages in the Bible.  It requires a great deal of careful thought and study, taking into account the flow of thought for the entire book of Hebrews.  For the study on chapter 6:1-12, have provided you with a few discussion questions and then an article that I wrote summarizing two main views and telling the reasons for the view I have come to agree with.  If you are discussing this in a group setting, I am sure you will have no lack of conversation.

·         What do you think this passage means?  Why?

·         Do you think that the people who have “fallen away” were truly saved?  Why or why not?

·         Notice, if this passage is saying that you can lose your salvation, it is also saying that once you lose your salvation you can never get it back! 

·         Is it possible that these people were not really saved?  What things can be true of a person, and yet they still are not saved?   Think of examples from the Bible, or from common experience.  [Examples: They can… go to church; know the Bible well; pray earnestly; have deep emotional experiences at church… or Spring Break; make a commitment to follow Christ; have some spiritual truths made plain to them; teach Sunday School; have Christian parents; go to Christian school; be baptized; make confession of faith; do miracles; speak in tongues (there are Mormons who speak in tongues); do many good works; have strong feelings of love for Jesus; donate money to church and other good causes; take communion; be elders or deacons; be ministers or priests... and still not be saved.]   

·         What are some things that are ONLY true of people who are truly saved?  [Biblically, all truly saved people, and only saved people are…born again; regenerate; sealed by the Spirit; adopted by God; genuinely trusting in Christ alone for their eternal salvation.  (This list is not exhaustive.)] 

·         There were some in the early church who taught that baptism forgives all your sins, but that if you sin after baptism, there was no more forgiveness available.  Do you agree with that?  Why or why not?

·    In verses 7-8 the author writes about rain and the land.  What is his point?  How does this help you understand what he is intending to teach?

Application

·    How should this passage be a warning to you if you grew up in the church, in a Christian family, or in a Christian school?   

·    What’s the difference between being religious and being saved?

·    How easy is it to fool others, including parents, that you are a strong Christian?   Do you think people can even fool themselves?  How?

·    If someone is involved with youth group, does that mean that they are a Christian and that you can date them?

·     If you are a first-generation Christian, how should this be a warning for you about your future children?  

·     What does verses 11 and 12 tell you about how the author wants his readers to apply this passage? 

 16Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6:13-20 Hope and Promise  

vs. 6:13-20  God’s Sure Promise 

·         In Hebrews 6 the writer is telling his audience to press on to maturity in their faith, and not to abandon their faith.  In verse 11 he said, “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.”  Then in verse 12 he tells them not to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.  These two themes of “hope” and “promise” are the main themes of this next section we are going to study.  (Also notice that once again in Hebrews a warning passage is connected to a section discussing God’s Word, specifically His promise.) 

·         13-14: Much of the New Testament assumes that you know your Old Testament.  Christians should make it a goal to read through the entire Bible, including the Old Testament.  If you start reading the first five books of the Old Testament as we go through Hebrews you will be pleasantly surprised how often your knowledge of these books helps you understand Hebrews. 

·         13-18: Read Genesis 15 for some of the background for this passage. 

·         15: What did God promise to Abraham?  [A son born from Sarah.]  Did he receive what God has promised him?  [Yes… even though he had to wait about 25 years for this to come to pass.  Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.  (Gen. 21:5)] 

·         16-18: When Isaac was a boy, God tested Abraham’s faith by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac.  You can read this story in Genesis 22.  After Abraham passed the test, God gave him another promise in Genesis 22:15-18 saying, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky…”  Why did God swear by Himself?  [There was no one greater to swear by.  No one is greater than God!] 

·         17-18: God is truth.  He doesn’t have to swear oaths to make sure that He keeps His word.  So, why did He give an oath to Abraham?  [It was for Abraham’s benefit, to help him realize how absolutely certain God’s promise was.]  What were the “two unchangeable things?”  [Remember, God doesn’t need to take an oath for us to know that He is telling the truth.  So, Abraham had double confirmation of the promise: First, from God’s unchanging character and the fact that He doesn’t lie, and second from the oath that God swore.] 

·         18: According to verse 18, how does God mean to encourage us?  [By taking hold of the hope offered to us through His promises.]  What does it mean to “take hold of the hope offered to us”?  (What if we don’t take hold of it?) 

·         How are the concepts of “hope” and “promise” related to each other?  [God’s promise gives the basis for our hope.] 

·         19: What does it mean that hope is an anchor for our soul?  How is it an anchor? 

·         “My own weakness makes me shrink, but God’s promise makes me brave.”  -C.H. Spurgeon 

·         19: When the Bible uses the word “hope” it does not mean, “I hope so.”  Biblical hope is a certain hope.  It is something we look forward to with certainty trusting in God’s promises. 

·         Hope must be anchored in God’s promises, not our own wishful thinking.  Therefore, in order to have the encouragement of hope, you must learn to read and embrace the Word of God, the Bible.  Also, you must learn to read the Bible in context so you can accurately tell if the promises of the Bible actually apply to you or not.  (Warning: Bible promise books list many promises that are taken out of context and may or may not apply to you.)  You must know the promise is there, and you must take hold of it by faith, trusting God that He is faithful to what He says, and able to deliver. 

·         19-20: When we trust in God’s promises, it is like an upside-down anchor that extends into heaven to anchor us to God, keeping us from drifting away or being blown away by the storm.  (Verse 19 says that this anchor enters into the inner sanctuary behind the curtain in heaven where Jesus went.) 

·         What are some of the promised of God that are especially valuable and sweet to you?

·         20: Verse 20 says that Jesus went there as our high priest in the order of Melchizedek.  Back in chapter 4:14 the writer said that we can “hold firmly” to the faith we profess because we know we have Jesus as our great high priest.  Then in 5:10 he says that Jesus was designated by God to be a high priest in the order of Melchizedek.  Then from 5:11-6:12 the writer takes a break from this thought to encourage his hearers to press on towards maturity because these thoughts about Jesus as the high priest are not easy “milk” teachings, but “meat” teachings.  Thus, at the end of Hebrews 6, the writer talks about trusting in the promises of God as an anchor for our soul.  This anchor is attached to the inner sanctuary where Jesus went as our high priest in the order of Melchizedek.  Therefore, he has come full circle back to this topic.

Hebrews 7-13