18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:18-24)
In the following seven verses the writer compares the grandeur of the presentation of the law with the magnificence of the new covenant.
Fear (18-21): When the law was presented the peoples senses were overpowered: touch, heat, light and darkness, and sound. They were so overwhelmed by the message and the occasion that they trembled in fear that more was to come. The impact upon Moses when receiving the law and God’s holiness was such that he was terrified.
Joy (22-24): In contrast, the readers who were under the new covenant had come (1) to Mount Zion and the new heavenly city of the living God; (2) to a place where they could worship freely with angels; (3) to fellowship with those who had gone before under the old and new covenants; (4) to the Lord who inspects and distinguishes against his nature; (5) to those who have become just or righteous through the blood shed by Christ which brings forgiveness and atonement; (6) to Jesus who is their approachable mediator; and (7) to sprinkled blood, not of lambs nor the blood of Able, but that of Jesus that guarantees acceptance for all believers.
Challenge: Who is your heavenly Father? Does he strike fear and hold you at arm’s length or does he bring great joy as the approachable and readily available Lord?
Having the reality of God's presence is not dependent on our being in a particular circumstance or place, but is only dependent on our determination to keep the Lord before us continually. Oswald Chambers
Hebrews: Closing Comments 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. 18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. (Hebrews 13:17-19) Obey Your Leaders (17): The author has moved on from encouraging believers to model their former leaders (13:7) and now commands them give their leaders joy by their obedience and submission. By their submission and obedience, they lighten the load on leaders and bring them joy in the responsibilities they bear. Pray for Me (18-19): The author asks for prayer for himself and those with him and assures his readers of the integrity of their ministry. He emphasizes the need to pray in terms of his desire to return to the fellowship quickly. Challenge: Do you stand behind your churches leadership in prayer and action? Do you encourage them by obedience and submission? The task of future Christian leaders is not to make a little contribution to the solution of the pains and tribulations of their time, but to identify and announce the ways in which Jesus is leading God's people out of slavery, through the desert to a new land of freedom. Henri Nouwen
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. (Hebrews 13:10-16) Contrast Then and Now (10-12): the writer makes a clear distinction between the practices and rituals of the old covenant with the new life in Christ. (1) Altar – the sacrificial system replaced by the cross; (2) No right to eat – the priest prohibited from eating the meat of sacrifices replaced by nourishment from Christ, the great Sin Offering (John 6:53-56) or communion (Mark 14:22-26); (3) Burned outside the camp – the burning of the residue of sacrifices outside the camp (Lev 4:11-12) was replaced by Jesus death on the cross outside the city of Jerusalem. Outside the Camp (13-14): The writer urges his readers to separate themselves from their past beliefs and rituals, set themselves Judaism (outside the camp), and by doing so, experience first-hand the suffering of Christ. By accepting Christ’s sacrifice, believers become sojourners in a foreign land and seek a permanent dwelling, a dwelling yet to come (see 11:10, 12:22). Further, the people moving from a camp (temporary) to a city, that is, becoming a new (permanent) spiritual community. Our sacrifices (15-16): In contrast to animal sacrifices, we are to offer the sacrifice of praise and meet the needs of others thereby sacrificing our time, talents and treasure. Challenge: Are you feasting on the Lord? Have you separated yourself from the past? Do you long for a permanent dwelling where you have unhindered fellowship with then Lord and offer a continual sacrifice of praise? Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. (Hebrews 13:7-9) Remember (7): The writer urges his readers to remember their leaders who were perhaps no longer with them but who ministered through the Word. They were mentors and as disciples they were to follow their example of faith. Jesus the Cornerstone (8): The author links the ministry and faithfulness of the leaders with a caution against false teaching by pointing to Jesus, the cornerstone of the leaders’ faith and his audience’s faith. For By Grace (9): The argument here is, to a degree, against legalism. That is achieving spiritual maturity through a regimen of eating or not eating certain foods. The author reminds his readers that, like salvation, maturity is by grace. Challenge: Who is mentoring you in the faith? What tools do you use for spiritual growth? Is growing spiritually a ritual or a discipline? “God will test you because he wants you to grow up. He wants you to mature. He wants you to develop a walk with him that is not based on your fluctuating emotions but on your commitment to him as you learn to walk by faith.” Greg Laurie
13 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Show Brotherly Love (1): The writer exhorts his readers to be set apart from the world by the love they show toward their fellow believers (John 13:35). Stedman sees this in terms of providing material support. (1 Peter 1:22). Be Hospitable (2): The writer urges believers to outside the Body by meeting the needs of other, specifically travelers as his Old Testament references imply (Genesis 18; Judges 6 and 13). Consider Prisoners and the Mistreated (3): Believers are to meet the needs of those who have imprisoned and others who are of have been persecuted. Preserve Marriage (4): Here the warning is to keep marriage inviolate and avoid defiling it with sexual immorality. God holds marriage (and the family) to be a sacred cornerstone of society. Be Contented (5): Because God will provide the needs of believers (Matthew 6:25-34), the author urges them to be satisfied with whey they have and to remain steadfast in their faith on the Lord’s promise to be personally present, that is, not depend on riches and stuff. Evidence (6): Believers are to demonstrate these characteristics as evidence of the Lord at work, a testimony to the world. Challenge: Does the Spirit make these qualities a reallity in your life? Be a laser illuminating the path for dark and dying world.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Listen to the Lord (25): The warning to his readers is not to disregard the words from the Lord spoken from heaven. The Exodus generation failed to heed the warning (on earth) at the giving of the law and suffered 40 years in the desert. The same will happen to the present generation of believers who do not act on, or persevere, in their faith and respond to the warning given by the Son from heaven (1:1-2). The warning is against apostasy, turning back from the truth they had heard. Shaken (26-27): The Lord’s voice shook the earth at Mount Sinai to emphasize the importance of the law. But in the future, there will be a final shaking involving not only the earth but all creation and that which will be shaken will be removed. There will be no escape from this shaking. This is drawn from Haggai 2:6 and refers to the time following the millennial kingdom and the creation of a new heaven and earth. The Unshakable (28-29): The author urges believers to give thanks to the Lord and reflect in amazement that God, who is a consuming fire, has brought them into his kingdom; a kingdom that cannot be shaken nor destroyed by fire (See 2 Peter 3:10). Challenge: Have you heard “the Voice”? Are you steadfast in the faith? Are you a part of the community that will not be shaken? Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire. In Christ God is a reconciling Father . Matthew Henry
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. (Hebrews 12:12-17) Endure (12-13): The author, drawing from Isaiah 35:3 and Proverbs 4:26 urges his audience to work together to raise spirits and encourage each other to preserve in the life to which God called them, that is, to be steadfast in their behavior, so they encourage each other and not hinder those weaker in the faith (lame). Peace with Everyone (14-15) Believers should make every effort to live at peace with others and pursue holiness or the gift of righteousness that flows from a close personal relationship with the Lord. Further, believers are called to guard against hostility or animosity (the bitter root of unbelief) that contaminates a holy life. Do Not Compromise (16-17) The writer warns his readers not to compromise their faith and descend into sexual immorality or to godlessness as Esau did. Esau gave up the permanent (the blessings of being firstborn) for temporary satisfaction (a bowl of soup). Upon realizing his mistake, he wept over the loss of his position but not his sin. This is the authors warning to his readers not to reject the inheritance that is available to believers. Challenge: Have you set aside the blessings of salvation for temporary gratification? Do you repent for your sins or mourn the loss of blessings? “Repentance is the true turning of our life to God, a turning that arises from a pure and earnest fear of Him; and it consists in the mortification of the flesh and the renewing of the Spirit.” John Calvin
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:7-11) Rightful Children of God (7-8): Having introduced the connection between discipline and God’s love as a father in the previous verses, the writer now emphasizes the need for endurance when faced with the difficulties of life. Believers are not to be discouraged in their struggles as it proves their position as a child of God and therefore, requires perseverance. The Father has expectations for his children, and his discipline prepares them to meet those expectations. For Their Good (9-10): The author continues by showing that if earthly fathers imperfectly discipline their children out of love, believers should expect the Lord to discipline them out of his perfect love. Further, an earthly father’s discipline generates a child’s respect. In the spiritual realm, believers gain a deeper love and admiration for the Lord through his discipline. Further, the Father’s discipline is life sustaining. Therefore, believers are to submit to the Lord and his discipline and respect his actions for the benefit they bring. Productive (11): The Lord’s discipline, while painful for a time, is intended to draw believers into a deeper, more productive relationship with him. Challenge: When you are mired in the struggles and challenges of Life, do you stop to consider the benefits. Do you see your struggles and challenges as an end in themselves, or a means to a healthy end. The job of a coach is to make men do what they don’t want to do, in order to be what they’ve always wanted to be. Tom Landry
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 12:3-6) Follow Jesus Example (3-4): For the third time, the author urges his readers to think about or give careful assessment of the hardship Jesus went through (3:1 and 12:2). This time the focus is on the Lord’s endurance in the face of trials and tribulations thereby setting an example for believers. Not only do they need to persist or stand firm in the face of oppression and opposition, but they need to stand firm against sins. He reminds his readers their difficulties have not led to martyrdom – the shedding of blood. God’s Discipline (5-6): The writer, concerned about his audience ignoring or taking too lightly the Lord’s discipline, quotes Soloman’s message to his son (Proverbs 3:11-12). This is a reminder that God instructs, trains, and corrects those he loves. Therefore, his readers are to endure hardships because they Strengthen one’s relationship with the Lord. Challenge: Are you encouraged when going through trials, tribulations and struggles. Do you see them as a means of refining your faith? Do you see difficult situations as preparation for life ahead? Divine discipline is God’s merciful expression of His love for children who deserve His wrath but will never receive it. Brian Chapell
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2) Witnesses (1a): The cloud of witnesses are the Old Testament heroes of the faith who have witnessed God working because of their faith. Those heroes demonstrate that the race can be run successfully, and the prize is great. Endure (1b): The writer exhorts his readers not to be encumbered by actions and sin that hold them back from a healthy, spirit-led life. The Writer encourages them to keep to the course the Lord has laid out. Sin drains the energy from holy living and the hinderances of our human nature impede our faith journey. Looking to Jesus (2): Once again, the writer urges his readers to keep their eyes or focus on Jesus (see Hebrews 3:1) and not ourselves. It is Jesus who put us on the path of faith and leads us spiritual maturity. Jesus was the pioneer and model for Christian living. Jesus was not concerned with the shame of the cross. Rather, he looked forward with joy to being seated next to the Father in heaven, just as we should anticipate being with him. Challenge : What distracts you from your faith? What weighs on your life? What is your focus? Do all in your power not to fall, for the strong athlete should not fall. But if you do fall, get up again at once and continue the contest. Even if you fall a thousand times…rise up again each time and keep on doing this until the day of your death. Anonymous
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39-40) Something Better: In conclusion, the writer states that those he identified or referenced in general were commended for their faith, thought they did not receive the promised permanent dwelling in their lifetime. For his readers and us, God has provided the blessings of indwelling Spirit under the new covenant. Having the Spirit inspires and encourages his readers and us to live our lives by faith. Faith is a Journey: First, there is saving faith; belief that Christ died for you. Then comes empowering faith, faith comes by believing in God’s promises. It grows as we experience the resurrected Christ in our lives and his transforming power. Further, believers see their actions making a difference in the lives of others. Faith increases as we believe it is God that works in and through us and by continue acting on that faith. Challenge: Do you have faith that God can transform your life? Do you believe that God can use you to transform the lives of others? What is your faith testimony? "Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe." Saint Augustine