Hebrews 10
I. A Superior Person: Christ (1-6)
A. \\#Heb 1:1-3\\ Christ is superior to the prophets.
B. \\#Heb 1:4-14\\ Christ is superior to the angels.
C. \\#Heb 2:1-18\\ Explanation and Emphasis
D. \\#Heb 3:1-6\\ Christ is superior to Moses.
E. \\#Heb 3:7-4:16\\ Explanation and Emphasis
F. \\#Heb 4:14-5:10\\ Christ is superior to the High Priest
G. \\#Heb 5:11-6:20\\ Explanation and Emphasis
II. Christ’s Superior Priesthood (7-10)
A. \\#Heb 7:1-11\\ Christ’s Priesthood Is of A Superior Origin
B. \\#Heb 7:12-14\\ Christ’s Priesthood Is by A Superior Covenant
C. \\#Heb 7:15-23\\ Christ’s Priesthood Is by A Superior Promise
D. \\#Heb 7:23-28\\ Christ’s Priesthood Has A Superior Nature
E. \\#Heb 8:1-5\\ Christ’s Priesthood Has A Superior Tabernacle
F. \\#Heb 8:6-10:18\\ Christ’s Priesthood Is A Superior Ministry
1. \\#Heb 8:6-7\\ His ministry is based on a superior covenant.
2. \\#Heb 8:6, 8-13\\ His ministry is based on a superior promise.
3. \\#Heb 9:1-11\\ His ministry has a superior tabernacle.
4. \\#Heb 9:12-10:18\\ His ministry has the superior atonement.
5. \\#Heb 10:1-18\\ His ministry has the superior effect.
a. \\#10:1-10\\ Jesus’ sacrifice took away sin.
(1) \\#10:1-4\\ The Old Testament sacrifices did not do what
was needed.
(2) \\#10:5-10\\ Jesus’ sacrifice did what was needed.
(3) \\#10:11-14\\ Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient forever.
b. \\#10:15-18\\ The Holy Ghost and Scripture so testify.
G. \\#Heb 10:19-39\\ Explanation and Emphasis
Introduction: We are moving into the last of these very deep, middle chapters.
These chapters are a challenge in part because the truths being revealed are so
complicated and in part because the writer uses logic along with the Spirit of
God to teach us.
Even so, we have learned some very important truths.
\\#Heb 8:4\\ We saw that if God were going to use any earthly priests, it would
be His Levites. Any other religion who seeks to claim that role is a
fraudulent group.
\\#Heb 9:8\\ We saw that even the design of the tabernacle and the priesthood
demonstrated that our access to God was not complete.
\\#Heb 9:9\\ We learned that the Law could not cleans the conscience.
\\#Heb 9:12\\ We learned that Christ offered His own blood on the heavenly altar.
\\#Heb 9:13\\ We learned that the Old Testament sacrifices only purified the
flesh; that is, it provided a temporary, skin-deep covering for the saints.
\\#Heb 9:15\\ We learned that Christ’s death was the atonement even for those
under the first covenant.
In all of this section, we have learned that the Old Testament system was just a
a shadow, a figure, a reflection of the real work which was to be done in heaven
by our Lord Himself.
Today, we will learn more deep truths about the old and new covenants.
I. \\#Heb 8:6-10:18\\ Christ’s Priesthood Is A Superior Ministry
A. \\#Heb 8:6-7\\ His ministry is based on a superior covenant.
B. \\#Heb 8:6, 8-13\\ His ministry is based on a superior promise.
C. \\#Heb 9:1-11\\ His ministry has a superior tabernacle.
D. \\#Heb 9:12-10:18\\ His ministry has the superior atonement.
E. \\#Heb 10:1-18\\ His ministry has the superior effect.
1. \\#10:1-10\\ Jesus’ sacrifice took away sin.
a. \\#10:1-4\\ The Old Testament sacrifices did not do what was
needed.
(1) The writer has told us that the Old Testament system neither
made a way into God’s presence \\#Heb 9:8\\ nor cleansed
the sinner’s conscience \\#Heb 9:9\\.
(2) \\#1\\ Now he goes back to elaborate on how the Old
Testament system did not "perfect" the sinner.
(a) The word "perfect" is the same word which was used in
\\#Heb 9:9\\.
(b) It means to bring to an end, to conclude, to finish.
(c) The Old Testament system could not do for us what God
wanted done. Then why did He give it? The Law and all
of its commandments were a step between being eternally
lost and eternally saved and restored. When Jesus
came, He moved us to the next level.
(3) In fact, the Old Testament system was "a shadow of good
things to come… not the very image." The writer has
continually called the Law a mere reflection of the real
atoning system \\#Heb 8:5, 9:9, 9:23-24\\, which Jesus came
to provide.
(4) "can never with those sacrifices offered… make the comers
thereunto perfect" - Now, he plainly states that the Old
Testament sacrifices could never get a sinner to the place
of restoration that God desired.
(5) \\#2-3\\ "For then would they not have ceased to be
offered?" - His reasoning was that if the sins were gone—
removed by the sacrifices offered—there would be no need for
the annual atonement sacrifice.
(a) Throughout this section, the sacrifice that has been
discussed is the Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
sacrifice. That is the sacrifice which the High Priest
would offer once each year, first offering blood for
himself and then for errors of the people \\#Heb 9:7\\.
(b) \\#1, 3\\ "year by year… every year" - The fact that
this sacrifice was commanded every year, without thought
of whether new sins had been committed or not, implied
that this sacrifice was not just covering the sins of
the current year; but each Yom Kippur sacrifice also
continued to keep the sins of previous years covered as
well.
(c) Of course, we know that it was not possible for Israel,
or any nation of people, to go a year without sin; but
that is not the writer’s point.
(d) His thought is that the sacrifice was commanded "year by
year" \\#Heb 10:1\\, "every year" \\#Heb 10:3\\, thus
dictating that it had to be offered no matter whether
new sin had been committed or not.
(e) \\#3\\ Hence, the offering of the sacrifice showed "a
remembrance again… of sins every year."
i. A remembrance would not be Israel’s recognition of
new sins.
ii. A remembrance is a memory of old sins.
iii. The writer is saying that offering Yom Kippur was a
reminder of their old sins.
iv. Why? How is that?
(f) \\#Heb 10:4\\ will give that answer. It is because no
sins were ever removed with a blood sacrifice. Sins
were just temporarily covered.
i. From \\#Heb 9:15\\ we understood that the covering
was temporary in that Christ still had to pay the
debt.
ii. From \\#Heb 10:2-4\\, we see that the covering was
temporary in that each year a new covering had to
be made, not just for the sins of that year, but for
the sins of all the previous years.
(g) \\#2\\ "because the worshippers once purged should have
had no more conscience of sins" - The Old Testament
worshippers never had their conscience purged of sins
because their sins were never removed. As long as their
sins were still present, the guilt of the sins was also
present.
(6) \\#4\\ "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of
goats should take away sins."
(a) If the readers had not completely comprehended what the
writer was stating, he now spells it out for them.
(b) No sacrifical animal of any kind could ever take away
sin.
(c) If all of the animals sacrificed were added together,
they could not wash away the smallest sin of the most
moral sinner.
(d) They only provided a temporary, shallow covering which
needed to a new coat of blood to be applied every
year.
(7) So what kind of system is God going to provide that will
get the sinners to the place that God wants them to be?
(a) The new system will provide one final sacrifice.
(b) It will permanently remove all sin instead of
temporarily cover it.
(c) It will remove guilt over sin.
(d) It will provide open access to God.
b. \\#Heb 10:5-10\\ Jesus’ sacrifice did what was needed.
(1) \\5\\ "Wherefore when he cometh into the world" - This is an
obvious reference to Jesus.
(2) "he saith" - An obvious reference to the Godhead.
(3) \\#5-7\\ These is a loose quotation \\#Psalm 40:6-8\\.
(a) The Psalmist was writing of his own illumination, how
that he had just come to understand that God was not as
happy with a sacrifice as He was with a holy life.
(b) \\#5\\ "Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is
written of me" - As the Psalmist is thinking on these
things, the Holy Spirit causes him to think on the
One whose life will truly be Holy, and Who will gladly
give His life to fulfill what the volume of God’s Word
says of Him.
(c) \\#6-7\\ These two verses state the point the writer
wanted to emphasize.
i. God has never had joy "In burnt offerings and
sacrifices for sin."
ii. Rather, He has waited for the Son to come as "it is
written… in the volume of the book… to do thy
will, O God."
(d) The point being that even the Old Testament shows the
inadequacies of the sacrifices and points to a better
Sacrifice that was going to be made.
(e) The One to make that sacrifice would be the fulfillment
of the prophesies in the Bible.
(4) \\#8\\ "Above when he said" - Even more than what God was
saying in the Psalm, is what it implied. That is…
(5) \\#9\\ "He taketh away the first, that he may establish the
second."
(a) This statement has been made before \\#Heb 7:18, 8:7\\
\\#Heb 8:13\\.
(b) It is repeated because the writer continues to emphasize
that God always intended to replace the first covenant
with another.
(6) \\#10\\ "By the which will" - It is because of that very
intention of God that we have the benefits of the New
Covenant.
(7) Such as, "we are sanctified through the offering of… Jesus
Christ once for all."
c. \\#Heb 10:11-14\\ Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient forever. This
thought has also been stated before \\#Heb 7:27, 9:26-28\\.
(1) \\#11\\ "And every priest standeth daily ministering and
offering oftentimes the same sacrifices"
(a) The writer continues to compare the work of the Old
Testament priests to Jesus. This time, he is speaking
of the common priest and his "daily" sacrifices, not the
High Priest and his annual sacrifices.
(b) "which can never take away sins" - But regardless of
which sacrifice or which priest, the results are the
same. No sins were ever removed by their ministry.
(2) \\#12-13\\
(a) \\#12\\ "But" - A conjunction used to show a contrast or
the opposite of.
(b) "this man" - Another simple reference to speak of the
supernatural Man.
(c) "offered one sacrifice for sins for ever" - Not the many
daily sacrifices of the priest, but "one sacrifice" that
would last forever.
(d) And "after… sat down on the right hand of God" - One
sits after a work is finished. The fact that Jesus sits
on the right hand of God means He does not have to be
up offering sacrifices as the earthly priest did.
Jesus’ work of atonement is complete.
(e) \\#13\\ "From henceforth" - While our Lord is sitting,
He has started something new that He will continue to do
until the task is completed.
(f) "…expecting till his enemies be made his footstool."
Jesus waits for God to deal with all of the enemies of
Godhead. Even now, Jesus continues to subjugate
Himself to the Father.
(3) \\#14\\ "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them
that are sanctified"
(a) "hath perfected" - This is the same word used in
\\#Heb 9:9, 10:1\\. The work of Jesus has completed
in the sinner what God desired to have done.
(b) "by one offering" - And because of the superior nature
of the atonement, no other sacrifice or work will ever
be needed.
2. \\#Heb 10:15-18\\ The Holy Ghost and Scripture so testify.
a. \\#15\\ "Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us" - The
writer does not rely on what the Holy Spirit has revealed to him
alone, but gives Old Testament Scripture.
b. \\#16-17\\ These verses are quotes from \\#Jeremiah 31:33-34\\.
(1) "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those
days" - Jeremiah was prophesying the new covenant that God
would give to Israel.
(2) The New Covenant is the fulfillment of that promise.
(3) The point the writer makes is in \\#17\\.
c. \\#17\\ "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more"
(1) This is God’s promise to forgive and forget the sins of the
people.
(2) That is an element which the first covenant did not supply.
(3) It was promised, but could only be fulfilled by the coming
of Jesus Christ, God’s Lamb, to die for sin.
d. \\#18\\ "Now where remission of these is…"
(1) "Remission" means to be pardoned, forgiven.
(2) The emphasize the writer is placing on this further
demonstrates the profound difference of the Old and New
Covenants.
(a) The first provided a temporary covering.
(b) The second removed the sin forever.
(3) "there is no more offering for sin." Once the sin is gone,
no other sacrifice will ever be needed,
II. \\#Heb 10:19-39\\ Explanation and Emphasis
A. \\#Heb 10:91-21\\ Considering what we have.
1. \\#19\\ "Having therefore, brethren" - It has been a constant aim of
this book’s writer to show his fellow Hebrews what they had (or
could have) in Christ.
2. The writer lists two things those under the New Covenant now have.
a. "boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus"
(1) This is our benefit. Those under the New Covenant have the
access to enter into the Holiest, the place of God’s
presence, with boldness thanks to the applied blood of Jesus.
(2) \\#20\\ "By a new… way, which he hath consecrated for us"
The New Covenant offers a new path into God’s presence,
made possible by what Jesus has done for us.
(3) "By a… living way" - The way is alive because the One who
blazed it is alive.
(4) "through the veil, that is to say, his flesh"
(a) The writer compares the veil which separated the Holy
Place from the Holy of Holies to Christ’s body.
(b) Why? Because at the same time the flesh of Jesus was
torn asunder by death, the veil was torn asunder
\\#Matt 27:50-51, Mk 15:37-38, Luke 23:45-46\\.
b. \\#21\\ "and having an high priest over the house of God"
(1) The writer has already explained how our High Priest is so
much better than what the Old Testament saints had
\\#Heb 4:14-5:10, 7:1-8:5\\.
(2) Here, he simply alludes to Him.
B. \\#Heb 10:22-25\\ Let us make some commitments. (This section has been
referred to by some preachers as the "Lettuce Chapter," because the
writer mentions the phrase "Let us…" several times.
1. \\#22\\ "Let us draw near"
a. The challenge is to draw near to God.
b. God has gone through a lot of work to make it possible for sinners
to enter into His presence. He wants us to use what He has
provided.
c. And what should our condition be as we enter into His presence?
(1) \\#19\\ "boldness" - God does not want us to hesitantly,
fearfully enter His presence.
(a) He wants us to come with the courage and confidence that
He DESIRES us to do so.
(b) We are WELCOME in the presence of God because of the
more than sufficient atonement of Jesus Christ.
(2) \\#22\\ "a true heart in full assurance of faith"
(a) A "true" heart is a REAL heart, one that is genuinely
filled with the assurance that faith brings.
(b) Again, the point is that we have confidence in the work that
God has done.
i. That we have been forgiven.
ii. That we are welcome.
iii. That we are having fellowship with the Almighty God
through the work of Jesus Christ.
(3) "having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience"
(a) Because water is mentioned later in this verse, some
believe that the sprinkling referred to here is of
water. They use this verse in attempt to support that
water baptism can somehow purge the conscience of its
evil works.
(b) However, the context of the entire passage is the
atoning blood of Christ.
i. As the blood was sprinkled on the elements and the
participants of the old system…
\\#Heb 9:19, 21\\
ii. So we are sprinkled by the blood of Christ
\\#Heb 9:23-28\\.
(c) It is the sprinkling of Christ’s blood, not of water,
which removes our consciousness of evil.
(d) The heart condition spoken of in this phrase to enter
into God’s presence having no sin marking us.
i. Salvation purges away all of our past sins.
ii. Regular repentance and confession before God purges
away our present sin \\#1John 1:9\\.
(4) "and our bodies washed with pure water"
(a) This statement is a reference to the Old Testament
method of cleansing.
(b) Under the old covenant, people and certain items were to
be cleansed with water
\\#Ex 40:12. Lev 1:13, 6:28, 11:32\\.
(c) In fact, there was to be a laver of water for the
priests to wash in \\#Ex 40:20\\.
(d) Some believe Christ instituted baptism as a form of the
Jewish mikveh or washing.
i. The mikveh at the temple was a step-down-into
washing trough.
ii. Those who needed cleansing would walk down on one
side and walk up on the other.
iii. According to the Torah, complete immersion in the
mikveh was required.
iv. If so, the New Testament baptism would be the last
water cleansing a believe would ever need for
from that time on, he would be sanctified for God’s
service.
2. \\#23\\ "Let us hold fast our profession of faith without wavering"
a. This relates back to the theme of the entire epistle; namely,
do not abandon Christ for Judaism (i.e. take the final step and
trust Christ as Savior and Messiah.)
b. Even those who might eventually forsake Christ had some measure
of faith in Him or else they would not have been attending this
Hebrew fellowship.
c. "(for he is faithful that promised)" - A reason not to WAVER is
given.
(1) Because God will be faithful to you. God will keep His word
to you.
(2) Any covenant, regardless of whether it is the Old, the New,
or one between men, was an agreement between two.
(3) The writer is assuring the readers that God will honor His
commitments if they will trust Him.
3. \\#24\\ "Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good
works"
a. This challenge is not a challenge to believe as much as it is a
challenge to help others who do believe to do the right thing.
b. The overall goal is to encourage others to "love and to good
works."
c. No doubt this is primarily directed to those who believe,
although as much as the lost can, they should do these as well.
d. The unusual aspect of this challenge is in the verb the writer
selected to describe how this should be done.
(1) He used the word "provoke," which means to incite, to have
sharp contention."
(2) The is a description of someone who is emotionally charged
to accomplish something.
(3) So the writer is encouraging the believers to stir up an
emotional vehemency and fervor to do good works and to
demonstrate love.
e. The indication is that the believer’s commitment to love others
and do good things for them should not just be a head decision.
It should be a deep-rooted conviction of the heart which has and
does stir our emotions.
4. \\#25\\ Let us not forsake "…the assembling of ourselves together"
a. Neither is this challenge a call to believe, although heeding
it would surely help an unsaved person come to Christ.
b. This challenge, like the last, seems to be directed at those who
do believe.
c. The overall goal is to encourage believers to be the "called out
assembly" of God.
(1) The word church means "the called out assembly."
(2) There are two ideas in the word God selected to call His
people.
(a) They are the called out.
i. A church is comprised of those who have heard and
responded to the call of God for salvation and
service.
ii. This means the church is God’s, different and
separate from the remainder of the world.
(b) They are to assemble.
i. The word church means to assemble, to gather
together.
Ii. While there is a larger group of God’s called who
transcend every time and location barrier, this
verse verifies that it is the will and command of
God that the local believers assemble together.
d. The challenge is not to forsake the assembling that makes the
church the church!
(1) "as the manner of some is" - Obviously, even at that early
time in church history, some had already started to
diminish the value of church attendance.
(2) "and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" - The
writer warns that this behavior will become more prominent
as the falling away day \\#2Thess 2:3\\ and adjoining
day of Christ \\#2Thess 2:2\\ approaches.
e. The writer does not explain why Christians should not forsake
their assembling together.
(1) Rather, he simply commanded us not to fall into this pattern
of behavior.
(2) One thing is obvious. It will not be possible to fulfill
the writer’s challenge "to provoke unto love and good
works" if we forsake "the assembling of ourselves
together."
C. \\#Heb 10:26-31\\ For there are no other options.
1. The focus now turns back to those who have not yet trusted Jesus as
their Messiah.
a. The writer now takes those who have not trusted Christ further down
the road of life and eternity.
b. He answers the question, "What shall become of those who reject
Jesus as their Messiah? What will happen to those who return to
Judaism?"
2. \\#26-27\\ If the Jews that this book is written to abandon Jesus, they
will be guilty of willful sin.
a. \\#26\\ "if we sin wilfullly" - A willful sin is a stubborn,
deliberate sin of choice.
(1) Why would that be the case? Because they had "received the
knowledge of truth."
(2) As this book as already testified, these Hebrews, whether the
saved or the lost, had been blessed with powerful evidences
that Jesus was their God and Messiah.
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have
tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they
crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
(3) With such a great privilege comes a great responsibility.
(4) That powerful revelation was enough evidence to convince any
reasonable person and it made them more accountable before
God than ever.
b. "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins"
(1) In addition to that, there is no other means of removal sins
but through Jesus Christ.
(a) This book has proven that the Old Covenant never removed
sin but hid it, waiting for the Ultimate Sacrifice.
(b) Once Jesus made that sacrifice, the first covenant was
concluded.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that
which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
i. That means that the first covenant has run its
course and now has no bearing on a person’s standing
before God.
ii. Both Jews and Gentiles are now under the New Covenant.
(2) If one rejects the Offering of the New Covenant, there simply
is no other remedy for sin.
c. \\#27\\ "But a certain fearful looking for of judgment"
(1) All that remains for those Jews who reject Jesus Christ is a
specific, fearful judgment.
(2) That judgment is eternal damnation.
(3) Some believe and teach that the Jews have an alternative means
of salvation, one besides accepting Jesus as their Savior.
(a) Those who teach this heresy are called Christian Zionist.
i. They believe that the Jews have one covenant with God
and Christians another.
ii. In essence, they believe that the Jews are still
bound by the Old Testament and do not need Jesus’
death.
(b) An obvious problem with that believe is that no Jew has
been able to live under the old covenant since God
destroyed the temple in 70 AD.
(c) A second problem with that belief is that it is
contradictory to the Bible!
(4) These verses make it clear.
(a) There are no other options for removing sin.
(b) It is Jesus or hell no matter who you are.
3. \\#28-31\\ If you think God’s Old Covenant judgments were bad….
a. \\#28\\ "He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two
or three witnesses" - Death, after an offense had been confirmed
by two or three witness, was the typical judgment of the old
covenant.
b. \\#29\\ "Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy"
(1) The "sorer punishment" degreed for rejecting Jesus as Christ
is damnation. Physical death is nothing when compared to
eternal spiritual damnation.
(2) "worthy" - Yet the writer degrees damnation to be the "worthy"
punishment. He does so because rejecting Jesus as Christ is
so great a sin.
c. The writer then outlines some of the offenses these Jews will be
committing if they reject Jesus.
(1) "who hath trodden under foot the Son of God"
(a) The truth is that everyone who rejects Jesus as Christ
tramples on Son of God. How?
i. When you refuse to believe Jesus is the Son of God,
you call Him a liar.
ii. When you acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God
but refuse to accept Him as your Savior, you are
saying that what He did for you is not important to
you.
(b) Either way, you insult the holy Son of God!
(c) These Hebrews were especially culpable, having received
such personal and powerful confirmation of who Jesus
was.
(d) Indeed, for anyone who has a clear understanding of who
Jesus is, this sin would be especially heinous.
(2) "hath counted the blood of the covenant… an unholy thing"
(a) Again, the atoning blood of Jesus is referenced.
i. It is not merely the death of Jesus that secures our
salvation.
ii. It is the shed, applied, and atoning blood that
secures it.
(b) "wherewith he was sanctified" - This blood has sanctified
or set apart even those who reject Jesus Christ.
i. Whether a person accepts Jesus as Savior or not, the
blood of Jesus has paid for their sins. The
difference is that the Christian has ACCEPTED and
APPLIED the payment while the unsaved as not.
ii. Regardless, the sins of all mankind have been paid
for.
iii. So all the human race has been set apart by God for
salvation, even if they never allow God to save
them.
(c) To ignore or reject that blood atonement is to count the
blood of Jesus unworthy or unholy.
(3) "and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"
(a) Not only would their rejection be against the Son of God,
but it would also be against the Holy Spirit.
(b) It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to convict sinners
of their sin and to show them the reality of Jesus
Christ \\#John 14:26, 16:7-11\\.
(c) How could the Holy Ghost not be insulted after He had
so gloriously demonstrated who Jesus was to these
Hebrews? Yet, if you are unsaved and reading this
commentary, He has also demonstrated Jesus to you!
d. \\#30\\ contains two quotations from \\#Deut 32:35-36\\.
Deut 32:35 To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in
due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come
upon them make haste.
36 For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when
he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
(1) Both verses emphasize the fact that God is the One who
measures out retribution.
(2) In the second quote, God lays claim to being the sole Party
who will judge Israel.
(3) While that was normally intended to calm Israel’s fears; in
the case of rejecting God’s only begotten Son, it should
serve to do exactly the opposite. Note the next verse.
e. \\#31\\ "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living
God"
(1) The writer’s desire is that these Hebrews understand the
consequences of rejecting Christ, and that they be fearful
of it.
(2) As tactfully as possible, they are being told, the
consequences will be great.
D. \\#Heb 10:32-39\\ Stay with what you have started.
1. \\#32-33\\ Remember.
a. \\#32\\ "But call to remembrance the former days" - The writer is
not writing to a faceless audience. He had some acquaintance
with his readers and knew their past.
b. "after ye were illuminated" - Illuminated means to be given light
or understanding. It is a likely reference to the saved, meaning
the writer is directing the bulk of these comments to the born
again.
c. "ye endured a great fight of afflictions" - As difficult as it is
for some modern-day Christians to comprehend, in Bible days, it
often cost something to even consider Jesus as Savior, let alone
to accept Him and live for Him.
(1) \\#33\\ Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock" - Those
who tormented them, made them a spectacle of entertainment.
Their pain became a source of pleasure to their tormentors.
(2) "and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were
so used." - But being the entertainment for evil men was
only part of their situation. At the same time, they were
joining the elite rank of those who will inherit the crown
of life \\#Rev 2:10\\, given to those who suffer for Christ.
2. \\#35\\ Don’t throw away what you have done.
a. \\#35\\ "Cast not away… your confidence" - The exhortation is to
not throw away that in which you either have been or ought to be
confident.
b. The fear of persecution can cause those who are candidates for
salvation to harden their hearts and those who are saved and
otherwise dedicated to Jesus to recant His name.
c. "which hath great recompence of reward" - Standing for Jesus,
despite the persecution, will bring a great and eternal reward.
3. \\#36-37\\ "ye have need of patience"
a. To be patient means to hold on despite the suffering.
b. "that, after ye have done the will of God" - The will of God
for these believers is to trust Him and stay faithful.
c. "ye might receive the promise" - The promise is to be with Christ
forever, rewarded for serving Him, even unto death.
d. \\#37\\ "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come"
As alluded to in the last verse, the promise is to be with Jesus,
either by death or His return.
4. \\#38\\ Finish your course by faith.
a. "Now the just shall live by faith"
(1) Faith is not just the means of our salvation. Is is the means
by which the justified live and please God.
(2) This is a statement of fact not a request. Those who are
truly born again may lapse in their faith, but they cannot
long deny it. They will return to a walk of faith no matter
how great the price.
(3) The writer has mentioned faith many times in this epistle
\\#Heb 4:2, 6:1, 6:12, 10:22-23\\ because it is what the
non-believers needed to be saved and what the believers
needed to stay faithful.
(4) The next chapter is the great Roll Call of Faith chapter,
given to encourage the believers to do what they know will
please God even if it cost them their lives.
b. "but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him"
(1) Those who do abandon Christ now, whether they be lost or
saved, will find no favor in this writer’s heart.
(2) This statement would have an impact only if the writer and
readers had a close relationship.
5. \\#39\\ Don’t quit.
a. "Be we be not of them who draw back"
(1) Here the desire of the writer is made known.
(a) The writer does not know if they have the same heart as
his or not (i.e. whether they are saved or not).
(b) But He numbers himself with them and states what he knows
is true of himself and what he desired to be true of
them.
(c) Namely, that they would not turn from Jesus.
(2) "unto perdition"
(a) If one abandons Christ, there is no hope of anything
else.
(b) This verse becomes another of those verses that some
would say proves a saved person can lose their
salvation. They would say that if an illuminated
believer \\#32\\ draws back \\#38\\, he will go to
perdition \\#39\\, which is hell.
(c) However, like the other references in this book, the
writer continues to talk to two groups of people at
the same time. Some are saved who will come back to
faith \\#38\\; and some are lost who will not get this
close to salvation again \\#39\\.
b. Rather, we are "of them that believe to the saving of the soul"
(1) Again, this is the desire of the writer.
(2) He is saved and desires that those who are not would exercise
faith and become God’s child.
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