Lessons From Hebrews – Lesson 7
Heb 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers [is] rejected, and [is] nigh unto cursing; whose end [is] to be burned.
The Bible is full of illustrations about nature. Natural laws are often used to illustrate spiritual laws. There are similarities. This should not be surprising. Spiritual laws and natural laws have the same Creator.
Good faithful working Christians produce good fruit. Disobedient backslidden Christians produce thorns. In this illustration the Christian is the field. One is producing good fruit the other is not. And notice it is not the field that is thrown away and burned. It is what the field produced. So the Christian is not thrown away, he is not burned. He does not go to hell.
What he produced is burned. We see this is how it works at the judgment seat of Christ where all Christians give an answer for how they lived.
1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Paul has been pretty strong with these Christians. They were thinking about a willful turning from worshiping Jesus to going back to Judaism. Paul had warned them not to do it and now he gives an illustration about producing thorns and briers that will be rejected. There are no rewards for producing that stuff.
Paul was being strong with them. And there are times when we all need that. However, that cannot be all that you give people. You can’t just pound away and pound away and pound away. There needs to be a balance. Paul is now going to give them some encouragement.
Heb 6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
Paul calls them Beloved. You know that I do love you. I had some hard things to say to you, but it is because I love you. It is for your best interest. Things will be so much better for you if you don’t make this mistake. Beloved he writes.
And then we are persuaded better things of you. I know that you can do it. I know that you can stay strong in the faith. I know that you really do love Jesus. I believe in you. Even though it has been hard and you are tempted. I believe that you will do the right thing.
How does it make you feel when someone tells you that they believe in you?
Does it help when someone encourages you, tells you that they believe you can make it thru whatever you are up against?
Then he says, and things that accompany salvation. Salvation is a wonderful eternal blessing. And salvation alone would be great. But there are things that accompany salvation.
Joy, peace, being able to walk with God thru this life. His promise to never leave or forsake us. The privilege of being able to pray anytime we want to a God who listens.
All then there are all the little blessings that God gives us in this life. The things that accompany salvation a blessing. Paul reminds them of this.
Heb 6:10 For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
We see here that these people had ministered to the saints and that they were still ministering. They had done may good works for Jesus. They did it out of love. Paul calls what they did a labor of love and they were doing this to show forth the love of Jesus. It says labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name.
They were doing a labor of love for Jesus.
Paul acknowledges the good they have done and reminds them that God sees it. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love.
If you go out and do something for God with the right heart. And then God forgot it. That would not be right. But God is not unrighteous. You will never do anything for God that He does not see and remember and one day reward you for.
Pro 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness [shall be] a sure reward.
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
God said in His word time and time again that what we do for Him will be rewarded. Going back on that promise would be unrighteous. Paul reminds them that God is NOT unrighteous. He does care about what we do for Him, and He will not forget.
You know it will be worth it all, when we see Jesus. Life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Christ.
Heb 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Paul’s desire was that all of them will have some precious stones at the judgment seat. He loves them and does not want them to have only wood, hay and stubble.
Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
The Bible never teaches that we should be lazy. We should not be a sluggard on the job site, we should not be slothful at home either. But the context here is standing strong for Jesus and doing good works for Him. We are not to be slothful. But some effort into following Jesus.
And Paul tells them that we have some great examples to follow. He writes, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. And now he gives the example of Abraham.
Heb 6:13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
Heb 6:14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
Heb 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
It was years and years after that promise was given before Abraham had Isaac. He had to have faith, and he had to wait. Abraham had to endure for a long while.
God has many things for us. We have been given many promises. But many of them we have to wait for. Don’t let the fact that it has not happened yet take away from your faith that it will happen.
When God promises something, you can be assured that it will happen. But it will happen according to His timing and not ours.
Heb 6:16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation [is] to them an end of all strife.
This is talking about a day when a man’s oath meant something. They would give an oath and that brought and end of the problem. It says an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
It seems as time goes on and things get worse and worse you can count on a man’s oath less and less. Congressmen and presidents will swear an oath to uphold the constitution and then turn right around and walk all over it. And it does not bother them a bit. No concern, no remorse that they broke their oath.
It is a sad thing, but a man’s word is supposed to count for something.
I know that we can’t really promise anything 100 percent. For example I can promise you that I will be here to teach next week. But there are many things out of my control. I could have a heart attack, get in a car wreck, or have a family member pass away. Maybe even the rapture might happen.
We can’t promise and be 100 percent certain that we can do it. But we should try. It should be an awful shameful thing to us to break our word.
Heb 6:17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath:
Back then an oath meant something to men. They took it seriously. God wanted to show the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel so He confirmed it by an oath.
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which [it was] impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Contrary to the belief of some God cannot do anything. He cannot lie.
It is not that He refuses to. It is impossible for Him. God cannot go against His Perfect Holy Nature. He cannot lie.
He is immutable. Immutable means to be unchangeable, invariable, unalterable. Not capable or susceptible of change.
I believe that the two immutable things are one God Himself. And two God’s Word. An immutable God gave His immutable word on the matter.
If God changed his plans. If he was controlled by a whim. If He willed one thing today and a different thing tomorrow, who could trust Him. Who could have any hope of heaven.
No one would know what to expect. You would have no assurance. You could not put any confidence in Him.
Put praise God He is immutable. I like the way this man put it.
The farmer ploughs and sows because he believes that the laws of nature are settled and fixed;
The mariner ventures into the unknown seas because the needle points in one direction.
We plant an apple tree because we believe it will produce apples. A peach because it will produce peaches. A pear because it will produce a pear.
But suppose there were no settled laws, that all was governed by caprice. Who would know what to plant? Who then would plant anything.
So if there were nothing fixed and settled, who would know what to do? If God should change his plans by caprice, and save one man by faith today and condemn another for the same faith tomorrow, of if he should pardon a man today and withdraw the pardon tomorrow.
What security could we have of salvation? How grateful, therefore, should we be that God has an immutable counsel, and that this is confirmed by a solemn oath!
No one could honor a God that had not such an immutability of purpose, and all the hope which man can have of heaven is in the fact that He is unchanging.
God and His Word is immutable. That might sound like a simple straight forward truth, and it is. So isn’t it amazing how many people don’t get it.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
God has decreed that salvation is only thru Jesus. He will never change His mind. He never will provide any other way.
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
1Jo 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, [even] eternal life.
God has promised that if you believe on the Son, then you have eternal life.
Joh 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
God has promised that all that come to Jesus will in no wise be cast out.
When God promises that you cannot loose your salvation. When He says your salvation is eternal. Then you can count on it. It cannot be changed.
It is impossible for God to lie. God and His word is immutable. Because of who God is and what He has said we have absolute assurance of salvation.
Heb 6:19 Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
We have an anchor for the soul. An anchor preserves a ship when the waves bet and the wind blows. As long as the anchor holds the ship is safe.
There has been many a sailor who was in a storm and their ship was in danger of being cast upon the rocks. Many of them wondered will the anchor hold. Is it strong enough. Is its hold firm enough. Is its hold on the bottom steadfast. Will I make it thru this storm?
As far as our anchor is concerned, we have no such doubts or fears.
Our anchor is infallible. Our anchor is steadfast and sure. It does not matter how strong the storms of life are that beat upon us. Our anchor holds. It will never slip. There will never be any danger of it ever loosing it’s grip.
Our anchor is Jesus Christ. And we are held in His grip.
Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father’s hand.
Joh 10:30 I and [my] Father are one.
We are held by Jesus and no one can pluck us out of His hand. We are also held by the Father. No man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.
We are held by the marvelous double grip of God.
Heb 6:19 Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
The veil separated the presence of God from the people. It was a picture that the way to God was not yet made manifest. But when Jesus died the veil was torn asunder by God.
Behind the veil was the mercy seat that was on top of the ark. It represented the throne of God. Jesus ascended and is now setting on the real throne. Jesus is on the real mercy seat.
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Paul has mentioned Melchisedec before in Hebrews he wrote,
Heb 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered,
Who was Melchisedec. There are two opinions. And I have seen men on both sides actually get all worked up and very upset about it. I have heard both sides. We will know without doubt when we get to heaven.
So what are the two theories. One is that Melchisedec was just a man who was given the great privledge to be a type, a figure, a foreshadowing of Jesus.
The other theory is that Melchisedec was a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus.
Jesus showed up several times in the Old Testament. He appeared as a man, but was not yet made flesh.
Gen 18:2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
Gen 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Gen 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Gen 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Gen 18:16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
Gen 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
Gen 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Gen 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Gen 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
Gen 18:21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
Gen 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
And you know what happened Abraham talked to the Lord and finally asked if He would spare the city if He found 10 righteous people there.
Gen 18:33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
Here we have Jesus. The Lord appearing in the form of a man in the Old Testament.
That is not an isolated incident.
Jos 5:10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
Jos 5:11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched [corn] in the selfsame day.
Jos 5:12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
Jos 5:13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, [Art] thou for us, or for our adversaries?
Jos 5:14 And he said, Nay; but [as] captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
Jos 5:15 And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy. And Joshua did so.
Joshua sees a man, goes to talk to Him and finds out that it Jesus.
Some might say that it was an angel who was the captain of the Lord’s host.
But that cannot be. Angels never accept worship. The person Joshua was talking to told Joshua to take off his shoes for he was on holy ground.
What made it holy? He was in the presence of the Lord.
So far we have seen two instances where a person described as a man shows up and it is actually a pre incarnate appearance of Jesus. We will not look at every time this happened. Just one more.
Dan 3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who [is] that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Dan 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful to answer thee in this matter.
Dan 3:17 If it be [so], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver [us] out of thine hand, O king.
Dan 3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Dan 3:19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: [therefore] he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
Dan 3:20 And he commanded the most mighty men that [were] in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, [and] to cast [them] into the burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their [other] garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Dan 3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, [and] spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
Dan 3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
I have never heard anyone give a credible argument against that being an appearance of Jesus.
And notice the wording real close. Is like the Son of God. It was Jesus but He was not yet incarnate. He appeared in the form of a man, but was not yet made flesh. He was the same person, but in a different form.
Thus the statement like the Son of God. We will pick up there next week and present both sides of who is Melchisedec. Next week we will also see some more great things about Jesus.