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Tag: Christ

  • Hebrews 10- Come in, Fear not

    Holy of Holies – The Inner Sanctuary

    Dominus autem in templo sancto suo sileat a facie eius omnis terra!

    וַֽיהוָ֖ה בְּהֵיכַ֣ל קָדְשֹׁ֑ו הַ֥ס מִפָּנָ֖יו כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ פ

    The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.

    Habakkuk 2:20 VUL, WlC, NIV

    Draw near to meet the LORD

    Hebrews 10:

    8 First he said, “You neither want nor are you pleased with sacrifices and offerings or with animals burned on the altar…

    11 Day after day every priest stands and repeatedly offers the same sacrifices that can never take away sins.

    The author of Hebrews brings the Law and well-known ritual of sacrifices of blood on the altar to compare the old and new covenants. He now asks us to approach the LORD in the sanctuary, the Holy Place.

    It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

    Hebrews 10:31 KJV

    He invites us into the Holy of Holies, a place of the presence of the LORD, a place where the priest offers blood sacrifices to cover our sin, a place so holy that only one high priest will enter humbly just once a year.

    Boldness in the Blood of Jesus

    Therefore, be bold, have confidence – fear not.

    Come into the sanctuary, the Holy Place of the Lord. For before you, Christ Jesus has entered with the Perfect Sacrifice as our High Priest – He IS our Perfect Sacrifice by His own Blood.

    We have climbed the holy mountain, entered the courts of the Temple with thanksgiving and sacrifice. And as the Lord’s chosen we have come to this place to worship the Lord. Our High Priest is no longer a sinful man, but Christ; and He invites us to enter the Temple.

    Walk toward the altar of sacrifice, that holiest of places just past the curtain. (For in fact, by the crucifixion of Christ on the Cross the curtain is torn.)

    Hebrews 10:19-39

    So let us come near to God


    22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…

    With sincere hearts sprinkled clean, our evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water, because our hearts have been sprinkled clean from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.  By the Blood of Christ, hold firmly to our confession of faith.

    Hold firmly, hold fast without wavering, since He who promised it is faithful.

    To do a good deed

    Here is our action and not our obligation or prescribed work for heaven.

    Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good.

    Hebrews 10:24 GNT

    [CSB] 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other…

    Others in the flock of faith, the congregation of believers, are important. Yet how can the saints encourage each other in Christ if they neglect time together?

    A teacher of the Law asked the Messiah, Christ Jesus, “What is the greatest Commandment?” He responded, ‘love the LORD and love one another.’ Of course the faithful want to love the Lord God, yet the second (a golden rule) often challenges us.

    The writer of Hebrews challenges Christians to incite each other to agape love AND good deeds. It is a personal love of others to do God’s good will. And he cautions of the Day when all will be judged.

    Jesus had warned: “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.” – Matthew 24:12 NLT

    Justified or Judged?

    Even in the first century followers of The Way often detoured in their own way. The love of some in the beginning of these last days had already grown cold.

    Sinners in Zion are terrified;
    Trembling has seized the godless.
    “Who among us can live with the consuming fire?
    Who among us can live with continual burning?”

    33:14 פָּחֲדוּ בְצִיֹּון חַטָּאִים אָחֲזָה רְעָדָה חֲנֵפִים מִי יָגוּר לָנוּ אֵשׁ אֹוכֵלָה מִי־יָגוּר לָנוּ מֹוקְדֵי עֹולָֽם׃

    Isaiah 33:14


    Warning against Deliberate Sin

    Heb. 10:26 [NKJV] For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

    HELL! even for one who has accepted Christ, but turns away.

    [CSB] 28 Anyone who disregarded the law of Moses died without mercy…29 How much worse punishment do you think one will deserve who has trampled on the Son of God, who has regarded as profane the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

    Scriptural support

    Once again the writer of Hebrews quotes familiar Old Testament scripture to support his teaching of a new and better covenant he introduced in chapter 8.

    30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”

    Deuteronomy

    32:35  לִ֤י נָקָם֙ וְשִׁלֵּ֔ם לְעֵ֖ת תָּמ֣וּט רַגְלָ֑ם כִּ֤י קָרֹוב֙ יֹ֣ום אֵידָ֔ם וְחָ֖שׁ עֲתִדֹ֥ת לָֽמֹו׃

    Habakkuk

    2:4 הִנֵּה עֻפְּלָה לֹא־יָשְׁרָה נַפְשֹׁו בֹּו וְצַדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָתֹו יִחְיֶֽה׃

    Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. – KJV

    Remember the early days

    32 … you endured a hard struggle with sufferings.

    35 So don’t lose your confidence, since it holds a great reward for you. 36 For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will you can receive what he has promised.

    37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay.. 38 My righteous people, however, will believe and live..

    We are not people who turn back and are lost. Instead, we have faith and are saved.

    Hebrews 10:39 GNT
    To be continued...

  • Hebrews 9- Covenant Ministry

    Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

    Hebrews 9:15B NLT

    It’s not an exact translation from the Greek, but the heart of the author’s message from his letter to the Hebrews. He now proceeds from the main point in Hebrews 8 that Christ is our High Priest to the nature of a new and better covenant.

    Old Covenant Ministry

    Priest before Tabernacle
    High Priest in Holy of Holies

    Remember how the sanctuary is a holy place to the LORD, separated from the sin of the world. Only the priests may enter as the worshipers stand near and the unclean kept distant. To think of the sanctuary as ‘only a tent’ would be contemporary error, for it is the Tent Altar where the LORD meets with His worshipers, hopefully accepting their sacrifices through the appointed priest.

    Hebrews 9:

    Now the first covenant also had regulations for ministry and an earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was set up, and in the first room, which is called the holy place, were the lampstand, the table, and the presentation loaves.

    He continues with description of the holy place familiar to all Jews from scripture.

    6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

    The High Priest alone enters the Holy of Holies, the inner room of the sanctuary, and that just once a year. (A special place to meet the LORD, within the confines of a Tent or Temple.) Then this author of the letter to the Hebrews points to the holy sacrifice.

    And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

    Hebrews 9:7B NLT

    A Revelation of the Holy Spirit

    We do not preach much about the Person of the Holy Spirit, once called the Holy Ghost. He is a revelation of the New Testament (or new covenant), which the writer of Hebrews unwraps here as when Christ is revealed.

    τοῦτο δηλοῦντος τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου μήπω πεφανερῶσθαι τὴν τῶν ἁγίων ὁδὸν ἔτι τῆς πρώτης σκηνῆς ἐχούσης στάσιν

    Hebrews 9:8 Greek NT
    • The Holy Spirit makes this the way into the Holy place.
    • The path into the Holy place had not been revealed while the outer or first Tabernacle was still standing. [This would also be evident by the succession from Tent to Temple to rebuilt temples made by man for worship of God.]
    • The author tells his first century Hebrew readers “[the first Tabernacle] is
      a symbol for the present time [the first generation after Christ’s anointing.]
    • Neither gifts nor sacrifices offered can make the worshiper perfect in conscience.
    • Since offerings [gifts or sacrifices to the LORD] are physical regulations and only deal with food, drink, and various washings.
    • God imposed ceremonial ordinances only until the time of reformation.

    This reformation of worship revealed by the Holy Spirit creates a new covenant with the Lord.

    But when the Messiah appeared as cohen gadol of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world), he entered the Holiest Place once and for all.

    Hebrews 9:11-12A Complete Jewish Bible

    I like this translation, for it provides a contemporary context to the readers of Hebrews. The Messiah appeared, the Tabernacle is a less perfect Tent and Christ entered the Holiest Place once and for all.

    Just a contemporary reminder for 21st century readers:

    “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name. For in Greek, the common language of the Roman Empire, Χριστός Christos is the anointed Messiah of God. We sometimes forget that faithful Jews had expected our Messiah for centuries ‘before Christ.’

    New Covenant Ministry

    Christ (the Messiah) appeared as High Priest. And He entered the Most Holy Place once for all time.

    Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood…

    Hebrews 9:12A KJV

    Think of the ritualistic sacrifices of the Old Covenant. Are we not repulsed by the slaughter and blood at the alter of sacrifice?

    Christ brings a cleansing of blood by His own Sacrifice!

    By His own Blood Christ obtained eternal redemption for the worshipers of God.
    פָּדָה Redeem your soul from sin through our Savior’s blood.

    then how much more the blood of the Messiah, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God as a sacrifice without blemish, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living God!

    Hebrews 9:14 Complete Jewish Bible

    Jesus, our Mediator

    15 Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance..

    [Don’t miss this:]

    .. because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

    The writer of Hebrews now presents a legal case for dissolution of the old covenant.

    • a death has occurred
    • a will exists and is valid because of the death
    • (for a will is never in effect while the one who made it is living.)
    • Moses initiated the first covenant by blood (quoting Exodus 24)

    Moses took the blood, splattered it on the people, and said,

    “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you concerning all these words.”

    Exodus 24:8 CSB

    The writer of Hebrews words it as a vow or covenant reminiscent of marriage.

    20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. – KJV

    21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. – KJV

    In fact, according to the Torah, almost everything is purified with blood; indeed, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

    Hebrews 9:22 CJB

    Copies cleansed

    23 Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these.

    Christ entered heaven itself (not a copy). He appeared on our behalf in the very presence of God. Once, not many times like a priest on earth.

    … But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself.

    Some versions translate this as the consummation or completion of the ages. Jesus speaks of the ages as both ending and forever. Believers would do well to consider it.

    And just as it is appointed for people to die once

    —and after this, judgment

    — so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many,

    will appear a second time, not to bear sin,

    but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

    Hebrews 9:27 CSB

    Do you look forward to the judgment? Have you considered the love of God to offer the Blood of His only Son to bear your sin? And do you await Christ’s completion of God’s new covenant?

    The writer of Hebrews continues with more good news in Christ’s sacrifice.

    To be continued...

  • Hebrews 7- Melchizedek king & priest

    This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against the kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him.

    Hebrews 7:1 NLT

    We’ve heard this before

    Who was this Melchizedek?

    The writer of Hebrews is about to give us our more mature teaching of scripture.

    He has rebuked the readers of his letter (most likely Messianic Jews) for their elementary teachings. For after all, they know the Books of Moses and should connect Christ to the promises of their faith.

    In Hebrews 5 he refers to Christ as a high priest like Melchizedek, quoting Psalm 110:4. And he returns to this imagery in Hebrews 6 and now chapter 7 where he makes his case.

    The Mosaic Law points back to Abraham in Genesis. To hear God’s call to the Hebrews, even before they fled Egypt with Moses, hear just a little of this story.

    It started with Abram

    Genesis 12:

    The Lord said to Abram:
     Go out from your land,
     your relatives,
     and your father’s house
     to the land that I will show you.
     2 I will make you into a great nation,
     I will bless you,
     I will make your name great,
     and you will be a blessing.
     3 I will bless those who bless you,
     I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt,
     and all the peoples on earth
     will be blessed through you.

    12:3 וַאֲבָֽרֲכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃

    … And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

    genesis 12:3 NASB masoretic text

    Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev… He then moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord. Several local kings (or tribal princes, if you prefer) waged war against each other. Then one clan captured his relative Lot, whom Abram rescued. The alliance of victorious kings celebrate their victory with the help of Abram.

    Melchizedek, King of Salem

    18 Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said:

    Abram is blessed by God Most High,
    Creator of heaven and earth,

    Genesis 14:18 CSB

    14:19 וַֽיְבָרְכֵהוּ וַיֹּאמַר בָּרוּךְ אַבְרָם לְאֵל עֶלְיֹון קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃

    El Elyon – GOD MOST HIGH has blessed Abram, says Melchizedek, ‘a priest of God Most High.’

    This is the foundation of scripture familiar to the hearers of the letter of Hebrews. Now the author explains.

    The Greatness of Melchizedek

    First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace.

    Good credentials. Yet the author of Hebrews then points out that Moses did not give us any genealogies to tell who this king of righteousness might be.

    Hebrews 7:

    NOTE: Versions in link above: CSB; NKJV; Complete Jewish Bible; NLT; NIV

    3 Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

    Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him.

    Hebrews 7:4

    We worship God, perhaps giving a tithe (tenth), but Abram gave a tenth to ‘the king of righteousness, king of peace.‘ The author then proceeds to quote Mosaic Law which instructs Levite priests to collect a tithe to the Lord. He presents the case for the Law and application, then asks for our mature look at the Messiah as Priest.

    11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?

    Melchizedek belonged to a different tribe than Abraham (and therefore, Levi). Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

    Jesus, Son of Man, descended in the flesh from David and Judah, son of Israel [Jacob], son of Isaac, son of Abraham – Jesus the Messiah is not a Levite priest. Therefore the Messiah is something more.

    And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies:
    “You are a priest forever
    According to the order of Melchizedek.

    Hebrews 7:15-17 NKJV [quote of Psalm 110:4]

    Melchizedek, Priest to GOD MOST HIGH

    וּמַלְכִּי־צֶ֨דֶק֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ שָׁלֵ֔ם הֹוצִ֖יא לֶ֣חֶם וָיָ֑יִן וְה֥וּא כֹהֵ֖ן לְאֵ֥ל עֶלְיֹֽון׃

    And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High.

    gENESIS 14:18 wlc; nasb

    Set aside the former commandment, because it is useless here, states the author of Hebrews. (The Law completed nothing.) 7:19 [NET] On the other hand a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

    Once again, the author points to God’s oath to Abraham from Psalm 110:4.

    110:4 נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם אַתָּֽה־כֹהֵן לְעֹולָם עַל־דִּבְרָתִי מַלְכִּי־צֶֽדֶק׃

    The LORD has sworn, and will not change his mind: “You are a Kohen forever in the order of Malki-Tzedek.”

    Psalm 110:4 Masoretic text & Hebrew Names Version

    The writer of Hebrews points to the priesthood, where Levites are appointed by birth rather than by an oath with the Lord. Jesus was not a Levite and neither was Melchizedek. The oath is a better promise, therefore he makes this case for both.

    21 but he [Melchizedek] became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him:

    The Lord has sworn
    and will not change his mind,
    “You are a priest forever.”

    22 Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

    Though the scripture comes from a Psalm of David, the text is not about King David, who also died. The author of Hebrews also notes that Levitical priests die.

    But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save[e] those who come to God through him.

    Hebrews 7:24-25A NLT

    He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

    26 He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin.

    Melchizedek like Jesus

    Some will make a case for the King and Priest of Salem as a “preincarnate” appearance of the Messiah Jesus. Certainly Christ IS our intercessor at the Altar.

    He [Jesus] has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. 27 Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day.

    Certainly both Melchizedek and Jesus may be described as a: “King of peace” שָׁלֵם and “King of righteousness” צָדַק. Malki-Tzedek מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק, transliterated into English from the Hebrew, from מֶלֶךְ (H4428) and צֶדֶק (H6664), meh’·lek – tseh’·dek. He is a King of Justice, of what is right in the place of peace.

    Abram gives him an offering of peace, the spoils of victory over the princes of evil. He stands at the altar of sacrifice on our behalf before the Lord God.

    The author of Hebrews, like David in Psalm 110, makes a case for the Messiah as a better intercessor for our sins.

    a text written later than the Torah, appoints a Son who has been brought to the goal forever.

    Hebrews 7:28c Complete Jewish Bible

    He will continue the case for Jesus as our Priest and intercessor in the next chapter of his letter to the Hebrews.

    To be continued...