Lessons From Hebrews – Lesson 10
Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Paul has been showing that Jesus is better. He is a better High Priest and brought a better sacrifice. The Law and all those sacrifices and feasts were only a shadow of good things to come. Jesus is the very image of it all.
The shadow had its place and purpose. It provided evidence of the reality to come. The shadows were designed to make them expectant and looking for the reality to come.
A shadow is just that a shadow. It is never a complete revelation of its object. When I go outside in the sun, for example, and turn my back to the sun I will see my shadow. My shadow does reveal a lot about me like my general height and shape. But it will not show that I wear glasses or that I am bald.
A shadow only gives the general outline of the reality. And as far as scripture is concerned a shadow becomes irrelevant once the true form is seen.
They were impressed with the Old Testament ceremonies and symbols, which could never match the reality of Christ. They had become so comfortable living in the shadows that they didn’t want to change to the reality. They wanted the pictures more than the person.
The book of Hebrews was written to saved Hebrews who were thinking about going back to the ceremonies and rituals. Paul continues in this letter to uplift Jesus to them and to show how Jesus is better. What they were thinking about going back to was only a shadow.
Heb 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Heb 10:3 But in those [sacrifices there is] a remembrance again [made] of sins every year.
Heb 10:4 For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Paul shows the ineffectiveness of those sacrifices. He uses some simple logic. If that Old Testament sacrifice really worked, then why did it need repeated over and over again. If it really worked, then once would be enough.
I like the way one old time preacher put it. “Repetition of a symbol or shadow is like multiplying with zero; repeating the process never increases the result.”
The Old Testament sacrifices never finished anything, the Old Testament saint never had a guilt-free conscience. The New Testament saint has a finished sacrifice and has no more conscience for sins.
There is a big difference between the born again blood bought Christian and the religionist.
The Catholic has to keep on attending Mass and doing his works. He can never be certain if he has done enough. Many other groups have to keep doing this or that and they are taught that they can mess up and not make heaven. None of those groups will ever have a cleaned conscience about salvation. They cannot have assurance.
The believer may regret his sins and yes reap the consequences of his sins. He can be sorry for his sins and know he must confess it to God, but he always knows that his sins have all been Paid for. The truly saved have their conscience about that purged.
Verses 5 thru 10 point out that the driving force behind Christ’s incarnation and crucifixion was God’s will. Jesus said, I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
Verse 5 refers to the incarnation of Jesus. His better sacrifice required a body, because He had to die as our Substitute and Sin-bearer.
His coming was a part of His total obedience to His Father.
Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and [sacrifices] for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
All those Old Testament sacrifices would never please God. They would never satisfy His justice.
Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
I want to mention 2 things about verse 7. One Jesus came in obedience to do the Father’s will. Yes Jesus came because He loves us. He also came because it was the Father’s will. There was total agreement about it. God the Father wanted to send us a Saviour as much as Jesus wanted to come and save us.
The second thing I want to mention about verse 7 is it says the volume of the book it is written of me. The entire Bible is about Jesus. All of it. From Genesis to Revalation. I don’t understand these people who don’t want to use the Old Testament. Jesus is all throughout the Old Testament. He is there in type and picture and foreshadowing. He is pictured there in the ceremonies and the sacrifices. He is pictured there in the lives of Moses, and Joshua, and Isaac, and Joseph. Sometimes Jesus even shows up, like when He talked with Abraham.
The volume of the book is about Jesus.
Paul then gives a quote from Psalm chapter 40 in the next two verses.
Heb 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and [offering] for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure [therein]; which are offered by the law;
Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
God the Father’s will resulted in the crucifixion of His Son. When the Father’s will was fulfilled, He then cancelled the Old Testament sacrifices.
The first is taken away. Look at verse 9 again. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
You can’t get much more clear than that. These groups that keep trying to modify and keep going the Old in some way or other. Catholics or Mormons are two examples. They just don’t read their Bibles. God makes it very clear that He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Jesus did not come to improve the Law, No he came to fulfill the Law.
Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all].
The will spoken of is Christ’s submission and obedience to His Father’s will
The sanctification deals with our position or standing with God due to His obedience, and not ours. We are sanctified thru His sacrifice and not our own works.
And Paul adds once again the fact of a one-time sacrifice. We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all]. How many times has Paul brought that up? I haven’t counted. A lot.
Heb 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Paul mentions it again. One sacrifice for sins for ever. And then He sat down. It is finished. Are you seeing him hammer the point home. Paul is not trying to fulfill a quota here. He didn’t look and say this letter is a little short. Or I need some filler so I will repeat something.
He is doing it because they need it. Sometimes we need it. Have you ever been sitting in a sermon and you hear something and then the preacher mentions it again. And then next week you hear it again. When that happens, maybe we should sit up and take notice. Maybe God is trying to get our attention and hammer a point home.
Maybe that repeated truth is just what we need to hear and then heed.
Earlier in this chapter we saw that God the Father and God the Son were both involved in Jesus’ coming. And now we see God the Spirits part.
Heb 10:15 [Whereof] the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
The Holy Ghost is a witness to us. And notice the personal pronoun. The Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said.
The Holy Spirit is a he. He is a person as in personality. He is a Being – not just a force or influence. He should never be treated like the Charismatics and others do. He is not some force to wield.
And the Holy Spirit witnesses to the truth. The end of verse 15 says that he, speaking of the Holy Ghost. That he had said before, then comes the quote from Jeremiah.
Heb 10:16 This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
2 Peter 1:21 is scriptural proof that it was actually the Holy Spirit using Jeremiah as a pen. The Holy Ghost was speaking, Jeremiah was just writing.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost.
Since God the Spirit gave us the Bible, I don’t think that we should tinker around with it.
Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these [is, there is] no more offering for sin.
Once you get saved you have been released from all expectation of payment of any debt for your sin. Jesus’ offering took care of it once and for all. After you accept Jesus’ sacrifice; after you accept His offering, there is no more offering for sin. It is done.
I like this quote, “Jesus paid a debt He did not owe because we had a debt we could not pay.”
We now start a new section. Paul now starts to address the practical application for all that he has written so far. The argument thus far has been that Christ is the perfect sacrifice, the perpetual priest and has fulfilled all God’s righteous demands. The arguments have been given, now the applications are to be made.
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Because of and only because of His perfect sacrifice we can come courageously into His presence. The whole concept of courage and confidence before a Holy God was foreign to the Old Testament. The basis for our boldness is not our goodness nor something we can bring, but the blood of Christ alone.
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
The veil separated man from the presence of God. That veil in the temple was a picture of Jesus’ flesh.
Because His flesh has been opened, the veil separating men form God is also open. When Christ Died the veil was rent into and never to be hung again. The veil in the Tabernacle was a door which could only be opened annually by the High Priest bearing animal blood and then closed again.
Christ is the door. He said I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The door is open. There is now direct access to God.
Heb 10:21 And [having] an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 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.
Since we have this great high priest in Jesus; Since He has opened the door. Since He has provided a new and living way. A way that cleans the conscience. Since we can now come boldly to the throne of grace. Then let us draw near.
We have something wonderful that the Old Testament saint never had. So use it.
Let us draw near. Paul again includes himself. He is writing to saved people here. So Christian, let us draw near to God. Many people get saved but do not draw that near to God. They go to church once a week, but do not talk to God every day all though out the day.
And notice it says let us draw near with a true heart. We need to draw near to God in genuine sincerity and without hypocrisy. I have said it many times in this class. It is a heart matter.
Verse 23 lists another application
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that promised;)
Because of who Christ is, what He has done, and what He has given to us. Let us draw near and then let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.
So don’t quit after entering. God saved us and He keeps us saved. We have full assurance of salvation. It says for He is faithful that promised. His faithfulness is guaranteed.
Therefore we should strive to be faithful. We should be faithful out of love for Him. We should be faithful out of gratitude for what He has done. We should be faithful because it is only reasonable and the right thing to do. Because He is faithful and will not let us down, then we should try to be as faithful as we can be for Him.
Another application is to do more for Him. Verse 24.
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
We need to be faithful and part of that is to come together in fellowship. Not just to chit chat. That has it’s place. But one of things we are to do is to provoke each other unto love and to good works. I try to encourage you to do more for Jesus. He is worthy. We can all do more. There is always room for improvement.
But this encouragement to do more should not just come from the teacher. It says let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works. You need to encourage each other.
If you know of someone who is sick and needs a visit, or maybe they are just down and discouraged. Then go up to someone else here and say so and so needs a helping of the love of Christ, will you go with me?
Encourage them to help you love others.
How about putting tracks on doors on Saturday. You know it is helpful to have a partner. Encourage someone to join you. Every one of us is to be involved in provoking others unto love and good works.
The next verse is one that you hear often.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Verse 25 is not talking about lost people. It is talking to us. Saved people.
Many saved people do forsake the assembly. They are living in rebellion. They have all kinds of excuses don’t they. They don’t like the people, or the preacher, or the music, or or.
Frankly there is no excuse. God did not say don’t forsake the assembling if. He did not say as long as everything is perfect. God knows that we have a great need to assemble and so He tells us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.
People who refuse are also missing out. The local assembly is a refuge from this wicked world, it is a place of blessing, a place of instruction, a place of prayer, and worship to our great God.
God created it, Christ bled for it. What is your attitude toward the local assembly? Your attitude, your faithfulness, your loyalty will either make it, build it, and fill it, or it will break it, bust it, and kill it. We should never forsake the assembly.
That means that you will have to put up with some little things that you might rather have different.
Verses 26 thru 31 is a controversial passage for some. There is some false teaching out there that comes from these verses. Hebrews has some very serious warnings in it and here we have another one. We need to take all the verses of this warning together. Pulling just a part of it out of context will lead to error.
This section of scripture could be entitled SAINTS IN THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD.
Remember this book is written to saved people.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Again Paul uses the word we. He includes himself. This warning is for saved people.
For if we sin willfully. Notice a specific sin here is not mentioned. What I want you to notice is that it is talking about willful sin. This is not talking about getting caught in a weak moment and slipping up. We are talking about a willful sin. Sinning on purpose. Pre-mediating it. Saying I am going to sin willfully and then claim 1st John 1:9.
We are talking about sinning with full understanding because we have received the knowledge of the truth. But we chose to sin anyway in out right rebellion.
In the Old Testament presumptuous sinners who despised Moses’ law and broke it on purpose were stoned. Under the Old Covenant there were no sacrifices for deliberate, conscious and willful sins. Only punishment.
These Hebrews that Paul is writing to would have been very familiar with that. Willful sin = only punishment. That is what willful sin deserves. King David prayed with a broken heart after his willful sin. He deserved death according to the law, but pleaded for mercy and offered the sacrifice of a broken heart over his sin. And David did find mercy, but there were many consequences that came upon him.
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Grace provides immunity from the eternal judgment of hell. Praise God for that.
But grace does NOT provide immunity from judgment in the form of chastening. In fact, when we sin willfully, we should expect chastisement. It says a certain fearful looking for.
The point being made is that you sin willfully, and you should be expecting some chastisement.
It also says and fiery indignation. Our sinning willfully makes God displeased with us. That is putting it nicely.
Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
If you lived in the Old Testament time and despised Moses’ law, you were punished with death.
We are now under grace. You go despising the Son of God; you go putting His precious blood on the same level as animal blood.
Remember the context of the book. They were thinking about going back to sacrificing animals. Paul is saying if you do that you are counting Jesus’ blood as an unholy thing, you are doing despite to the Spirit of grace.
And if you despise the spirit of grace then you are worthy of a sorer punishment than death.
He does not say that you will get it. Just that you would be worthy of it.
I told you that the warning in these verses was pretty strong.
Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance [belongeth] unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
The Lord shall judge his people. This warning is for his people.
I will recompense saith the Lord. The Lord shall judge his people.
This is not talking about losing your salvation.
This is not talking about eternal judgment in hell.
This is talking about doing willful despite to the spirit of grace and receiving the chastening hand of God.
Heb 10:31 [It is] a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
That verse in its context is talking about Christians.
Fear of the Lord is a good thing. It is the beginning of wisdom.
Fear of the Lord is pure.
We need to have the proper fear of God. We need to take this serious warning to heart.
We should fear doing despite to the spirit of grace with willful, purposeful sin.
God will spank His children. And let me tell you, He has a big paddle.