INTRODUCTION
WHEN WAS THIS EPISTLE WRITTEN?
This Epistle was evidently written as the ancient Hebrew economy was passing away in the growing glory of the Christian Church. Perhaps Jerusalem had already fallen under the arms of Titus.
TO WHOM WAS IT ADDRESSED?
It was addressed to Hebrew Christians, who were settled in a definite locality. See Heb_13:23. The writer is not certainly known. Luther thought that it was written by Apollos, and this view has had several learned advocates. But many ascribe it to the Apostle Paul, which was the opinion of the early Fathers.
WHAT WAS THE WRITER’S PURPOSE?
The object of this noble treatise is to counsel those to whom it was addressed to bear their persecutions with equanimity, and to forego, with contentment, the external attractions of the Temple service, because of the transcendent glories of Christianity surpassing those of the Mosaic ritual. The penalties of apostasy would therefore be the more terrible as the claims of Christianity were the more compelling.
OUTLINE OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS
THE NEW AND BETTER COVENANT
CHRIST THE SURETY OF THE NEW COVENANT
He Is Greater than Moses
5. Why were the children of Israel denied entrance to the Land of Promise? What is the application to us?
A REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD
Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS [your fathers did] IN THE REBELLION [of Israel at Meribah], ON THE DAY OF TESTING IN THE WILDERNESS,
WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED ME BY TESTING [My forbearance and tolerance], AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS [And found I stood their test].
“THEREFORE I WAS ANGERED WITH THIS GENERATION, AND I SAID, ‘THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS [nor become progressively better and more intimately acquainted with them]’;
SO I SWORE [an oath] IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST [the promised land].'” [Psa_95:7-11]
Take care, brothers and sisters, that there not be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to trust and rely on the Lord, a heart] that turns away from the living God.
But continually encourage one another every day, as long as it is called “Today” [and there is an opportunity], so that none of you will be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [its cleverness, delusive glamour, and sophistication].
For we [believers] have become partakers of Christ [sharing in all that the Messiah has for us], if only we hold firm our newborn confidence [which originally led us to Him] until the end,
while it is said, “TODAY [while there is still opportunity] IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME [in the rebellion in the desert at Meribah].” [Psa_95:7-8]
For who were they who heard and yet provoked Him [with rebellious acts]? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?
And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies were scattered in the desert?
And to whom did He swear [an oath] that they would not enter His rest, but to those who disobeyed [those who would not listen to His word]?
So we see that they were not able to enter [into His rest–the promised land] because of unbelief and an unwillingness to trust in God. [Num_14:1-35]
Comments by
F.B.Meyer
on
Hebrews 3:12-19
“HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS”
There is a peril lest familiarity with God’s words should beget indifference to them. The path may be trodden hard by the sower’s feet. That story of the Wilderness wanderings is for all time. Still men disbelieve and disobey; still they doubt that God is able; still they err in their hearts and therefore fail to understand with their heads; still they wander to and fro, with weary souls and restless feet. But if they who failed to believe in words given by Moses were wrapped around by the winding sheets of sand, what will not be the fate of those who refuse the words of Christ!
How wonderful it is that by just trusting we may be partners with our Lord of His rest, life, glory and resources, Heb_3:14! But we must listen to the inner voice, soft and low speaking in the Horeb of our hearts, 1Ki_19:12. Obey it, and you will enter into the rest of God; refuse it, and you will be as certainly excluded from the divine rest as they from Canaan.
Choose a Sermon on
Hebrews
by
Pastor Jeff Arthur.
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