Hebrews 8:1-13 The New Covenant

It has been so long since I last sent anything out from this wonderful book of Hebrews. Forgive me for being so lapse. Most likely you never even noticed! Getting used to my new job has been exhausting, but I love what I’m doing! However, my routine has changed somewhat, and this has made it harder for me to sit before the computer at home! It’s been so long that we were here, that I’m sure you have forgotten where we were. However, the good new is that chapter 8 is a summary and, therefore, a reminder!

In chapter 8, the writer of Hebrews summarizes what has come before as he stresses his main point:
Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,  and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being. . . But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. (Hebrews 8:1-2, 6-7)

I love how Jon Courson emphasizes the importance of having Jesus as our only High Priest and Mediator:

“What Jesus did for me on the Cross of Calvary opened the way for me to fellowship with the Father regardless of whether I have morning devotions, regardless of whether I made it to church last Sunday; regardless of whether I’ve been tithing or worshiping. Those are not the issues. Yes, it benefits me greatly to cultivate my walk with the Lord through prayer and worship, through tithing and devotions. But my relationship with the Father is not based on any of these things. It’s based on the High Priestly work of Jesus Christ. “So if you have need in any way, you can come boldly before the Father - even if you haven’t prayed in the past ten years. You can come boldly before Him because of one thing and one thing only: the High Priestly work of Jesus Christ and what he accomplished on Calvary. Nothing must be added to that; indeed, nothing can be added to that.” (Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: New Testament, P.1480-1481)

The point is that we have a NEW covenant that replaces the ineffective old one. God knew we would need a new covenant, because He knew we could not keep the old one. So He foretold the fact that the new covenant would be one written in our hearts, not on tablets of stone. The writer of Hebrews quotes the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:

The days are coming, declares the Lord,

    when I will make a new covenant

with the people of Israel

    and with the people of Judah. 
It will not be like the covenant

    I made with their ancestors. . . 
I will put my laws in their minds

    and write them on their hearts.

I will be their God,

    and they will be my people. . . 

By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear. (Hebrews 8:8-9a, 10b, 13)

This is the most miraculous thing that God does when we receive His gift of salvation: He writes His law in our hearts. He changes us from the inside out. We are transformed by His work in our minds and hearts. Paul tells us, in fact, that when we submit to God’s will for our lives, we will be changed:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

David knew the importance of having the Law in his heart:
I have hidden your word in my heart

    that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)

Jon Courson points out in his commentary that the first Christians did not have the benefit of small group studies in the book of Romans or in this book of Hebrews. They did not have the written New Testament in their hands. God’s Word was written in their hearts. Isn’t that amazing? We DO have the written word to help us! We have the testimony of those early believers and the exhortation in their letters to encourage and strengthen us through constant study. And, with the Holy Spirit living inside of us, God is able to transform our thoughts and hearts as we read His Word.

Shouldn’t we be turning the world upside down? If it ever needed it, now is the time! And now is the opportunity. At Christmas this year you may be the “token Christian” in your family (Greg Laurie’s words). You surely will have opportunity to share the good news about God becoming a man, the baby born to die for us. Praying this Christmas, as you think about that awesome act in history, that you will be filled with a new amazement at who Christ is and what He did on that cross! Halleljuah! What a Savior!

My sweet friend, Pamie, sent me this link to a musical video about that first Christmas that brought tears to my eyes. Take a few minutes to enjoy this reminder: http://www.godvine.com/Moving-Video-To-A-Christmas-Hallelujah-Reminds-Us-fb-gv--6471.html 

Hebrews 7:11-28 This Isn't Your Father's Priesthood!

If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?  For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. (Hebrews 7:11-12)

The writer of Hebrews understands that his readers are struggling with leaving behind the trappings of religion, especially the reliance on an earthly priest to represent them before God. So he argues the weaknesses of the former Levitical priesthood as he also demonstrates the superiority of Christ’s priesthood. He starts with the argument that the Law could not make us perfect. In fact, it just showed us how sinful we are, because we could NEVER keep it. It pointed us to our need for a Savior! Therefore, the priesthood under the law, was also inadequate. We needed Jesus to be our High Priest.

But how could Jesus be a priest when He wasn’t from the correct tribe of Levi? He was from the tribe of Judah. The writer declares Jesus was a priest, not by genealogy, but chosen by the Father, and appointed by an oath made by God:

For it is declared: “You are a priest forever,

    in the order of Melchizedek.” 
The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. 

And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: 

“The Lord has sworn

    and will not change his mind:

    ‘You are a priest forever.’” 
Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. (vs. 17-22)

One of the problems with the old priesthood is that the priests kept dying!

. . .but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (vs. 24-25)

Jesus is the eternal High Priest. He is constantly interceding for us! I heard Greg Laurie on the radio the other day talking about how he was able to meet Billy Graham. He said that he had known and worked with Franklin Graham for several years. One day Franklin asked Greg if he would like to meet his father. So Greg was ushered in to meet Billy, because Greg had a relationship with the son. In the same way, Jesus, as our High Priest, ushers us into the presence of His Father. We are able to go into the Holy of Holies through prayer with the Father, because we have a relationship with the Son. My guess is that when Billy Graham met Greg that day, he could have said something like, “Any friend of Franklin’s is a friend of mine” And I’m certain that’s the same way the Father feels about us when we meet with Him in prayer!

Remember this when you hear the accusations of the world or of Satan, the destroyer and joy-robber, who loves to whisper, “You are nothing! Worthless! How dare you think that God or anyone else could love you!” Our eternal High Priest, Jesus, is pleading your case even now with the Father: “Look at her, Father! Isn’t she lovely? She is one of ours. She is spotless and pure because she has believed in me! She is just as you created her to be! How we love her!”

For this reason, the writer of Hebrews can boldly claim the following:

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. (vs.26-28)

If you are relying on ANYTHING or ANYONE (yourself, your pastor, your dead grandmother who prayed for you) to save you, you will be eternally disappointed. Jesus is our only High Priest, who has been made perfect FOREVER! Amen.  

Hebrews 7:4-10 Tithing: Try it, You'll Like It!

In today’s passage, the author points to the significance of Abraham giving a tithe to Melchizedek:

Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor. (Hebrews 7:4-10 NIV)

Basically what this is saying is that by giving the tithe to Melchizedek, Abraham is acknowledging that Melchizedek is greater than he is. When Melchizedek blesses Abraham, this passage confirms that the greater blesses the lesser. The readers, who were steeped in Jewish law, would have questioned the priesthood of Melchizedek, since he was not of the tribe of Levi, which was the tribe given the priesthood by God. This author is saying that the priesthood of Melchizedek was clearly greater than that of Levi, since Abraham, the Patriarch, gave tithes to Melchizedek. Therefore,it would be as if Levi, as Abraham’s descendant, was giving the tithe. Can we all agree that Melchizedek was greater?? Having argued that, the author will turn next to how Jesus is like Melchizedek, with a superior priesthood.

But before we move on, we just can’t ignore this whole topic of tithing. Is there any topic that makes congregations squirm more? Mention money from the pulpit and you are guaranteed to tick off some in the pews! Why is that? Because deep down we believe that our money is OURS. WE EARNED it and we should be able to keep it. God doesn’t need our money, so why does He expect us to give it?

The truth is that all we have and all we are able to do are gifts from God. Tithing is a way of acknowledging this, and it is also the way God designed the church to take care of the needs of those who serve Him in ministry. The tribe of Levi was called to the priesthood, so their tribe was the only one which was not given any territory in the Promised Land. They could not earn a living from the land, and they were in service to God 24/7. So God provided for their needs with the tithe. So do we have to tithe today? No!

Because Jesus fulfilled the law, we are no longer under the command to tithe. In fact Jesus was harsh in his criticism of the legalistic way the religious leaders would tithe down to the tiniest part of their spices, while ignoring the weightier things that they should have been doing, like caring about the needs of the “least of these:”

“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.” (Luke 11:42)

You won’t find a command to tithe in the New Testament! However, the New Testament makes it very clear that Christians gave to the church for the care of pastors and to take care of the needy. I read an article by John Ortberg in which he purports that giving is “one of God’s great gifts to us.” He writes:

“What if tithing is actually one of God's great gifts to us? What if tithing isn't opposed to grace, but is actually a vehicle of it? I'd like to go back to one of the classic statements about the tithe in Scripture, and look at why tithing is in fact God's great tool to create generous people. 

He quotes the best-known promise in Scripture on tithing: 

You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:9-10)

Ortberg continues:

Tithing is like training wheels when it comes to giving. It's intended to help you get started, but not recommended for the Tour de France.

How do you know when to take training wheels off? The quick answer is: when they're slowing you down. How do you know when its time to stop tithing? For all of us not living in dire poverty, the answer is when you're giving way more than 10 percent. Tithing is a bad ceiling but an excellent floor.” (“Tithing: Law or Grace?” John Ortberg)

I like his thought that tithing (giving ten percent) is just the beginning. Paul tells us that God is more interested in our intention than with the actual amount of money we give. Paul’s exhortation is to be as generous as possible with our giving:

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor 9:6-7)

Giving back to God reveals the attitude of our hearts. If we hold on to our belongings with a tight fist, and begrudgingly peel a few bills out of our wallets for the offering plate, we are saying we can’t trust God with our money. We fear our financial future, because we can’t trust God with it. Yet, God promises to bless us to overflowing if we will just test him in this area. He dares us to open up our pockets to give back to Him in gratitude.

Try it. You’ll be amazed at how it straightens out the rest of your budget! You’ll find that a tithe is, indeed, just the beginning.

Hebrews 6:20-7:3 Who is Melkizedek and Why Should I Care?

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,  where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,  and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”  Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. (Hebrews 7:1-3 NIV)

I have backed up one verse before starting in chapter 7, because we need the context. The author has just stated that our hope is secure because Jesus is our high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. This begs the question, who is this Melchizedek? He is a mysterious person, given only four verses in Genesis 14, who appears, then is barely mentioned again.

First I need to set up the background. When Abraham was traveling around with his nephew Lot, they settled in a place called Bethel. However, the land wasn’t large enough for both of them with their herds and people, so Abraham suggested they part. Abraham selflessly suggested that Lot choose the land he wanted, and Abraham would take what was left. Lot looked out and saw the plain of Jordan, in the east, and found it was perfect, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt (Gen 13:10). So Lot headed east and pitched his tents near Sodom, where the people were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD. (vs. 12-13) This would not be a good move for Lot! He thought he was getting the best deal, but not so much.

If you know the story of Sodom and Gommorah, you know that angels had to forcibly remove Lot and his family from Sodom before God destroyed it. Even then, his wife, having been ordered not to look back, couldn’t help herself from gazing back at her precious home, so she turned into a pillar of salt. Well, even before the destruction of Sodom, Lot found himself in trouble there. There was a war between several local kings, and Lot and his family were carried off with all of their possessions as a result of this war. When Abraham heard what had happened, he gathered 318 trained men from his household, and they routed the men who had taken Lot and rescued his nephew and all of his family and goods. On his way home from this victory, Abraham met Melchizedek:

After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, 

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,

    Creator of heaven and earth.   
And praise be to God Most High,

    who delivered your enemies into your hand.” 
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:17-20)

That’s all that we know about Melchizedek. He was the King of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” and his actual name means “king of righteousness.” His name is mentioned one other time in the Old Testament, in what is considered a prophetic word, spoken by God the Father to Christ, the Messiah: 

“You are a priest forever,

    in the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4)

Melchizedek was both a king and a priest of the Most High God. It was not permissible under Jewish law to have both roles. Yet, Melchizedek did. And he blessed Abraham, and Abraham gave him a tithe. The author of Hebrews indicates that this man had no beginning or ending, no father or mother, and he was like the Son of God, a priest forever. So who was he, and why is it important that Jesus is called a priest in the order of Melchizedek? Well, many commentators believe that Melchizedek was actually a Christophany - an appearance of the Son of God before his incarnation as Jesus of Nazareth.

The significance of linking Jesus to the priesthood of Melchizedek is that it shows His superiority over Abraham, the revered father of the Jewish nation. The argument is that Jesus is even superior to the founder of the Jewish faith, which would be noteworthy to these Hebrew believers, who were in danger of going back into slavery to the law and tradition. But for now, note that Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe, a tenth of EVERYTHING! Tithing preceded the giving of the law. It is a natural response of worship. Abraham was acknowledging that God had brought him this miraculous victory, and in gratitude He gives back to God what was really God’s anyway. More about that next.  

Hebrews 6:16-20 The door's open! Come on in!

People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.  Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.  God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.  We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,  where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:16-20 NIV)

When a politician takes an oath of office, he ends the oath with, “So help me God.” When someone says that it signals that the oath is solemn and binding, because it’s been made in God’s name. Our verses today tell us that when God made His promise to Abraham, there was no one greater, so He swore by His own name. And because of this, the promise is more than just solemn - it’s “unchanging. . .an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” The Message puts this in modern language in this way:

When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. 

I love that there is something God can’t do: He can’t lie! His Word is unchangeable, just as He is. This is why our hope in Christ is an anchor. It is held by God’s very own Word. When we say we hope in Christ, we don’t mean we wish. It’s not like, “I wish I could get a new car.” This hope we have is a solid promise - a guarantee. This is why, when the entire world around us is changing and seems to be crumbling, we can remain unshaken. We know that we know that we know that God’s Word is true. We know that we have an eternal home. We know that our sins are forgiven and we are His. We know that He is coming back, and that He has the ultimate victory.

Jesus is not just superior in His person, but also in His promises. The author is telling the readers that Jesus is the solid anchor of our faith. And He is our eternal high priest. He is the One who enters the inner sanctuary to God. In the temple, the Holy of Holies was where the ark of the covenant and God’s shekinah glory was. Only the High Priest could enter in there once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to make sacrifices for the sins of the people.

 The veil of the temple, which separated the people from God’s glory, measured 60 feet by 30 feet and was 10 inches thick. Jon Courson says it was “so heavy it took one hundred priests to move it.” (Courson, Application Commentary: New Testament, P. 1472) Yet, you may remember that, when Jesus completed His work on the cross, the veil of the temple tore in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50-51). The way to the Father was open.

 We have no further need of a mediator between God and man, because Jesus, our only Mediator, has opened the way to the inner sanctuary. We are welcomed in! This is great news! You and I don’t need to send anyone in there for us to reach Almighty God. We are guaranteed an audience with our Father, because the Son is at His right hand! This is why Hebrews 4:16 boldly proclaimed, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Can I hear an “Amen!” to that???

Jon Courson points out that the Hebrew audience may have doubted Jesus’ qualifications as High Priest, since only those of the tribe of Levi could be priests, and Jesus was from the tribe of Judah. So he jumps into a comparison of Jesus to Melchizedek, which will move us into chapter 7. Remember that, back in chapter 5, verse 10, the writer had asserted that these believers were not mature enough to understand a discussion of Melchizedek. But now, he is going to launch into an explanation of this mysterious figure who has only a few verses devoted to him in Genesis 14. The superiority of Jesus’ priesthood will be our focus. This is deep stuff, so we will need to pay attention, and I will be entering into it with all humility! Help me, Holy Spirit!  

Hebrews 6:13-15 Part 2 Waiting. . . more waiting. . .

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. (Hebrews 6:13-15)

I am not the best “waiter.” I don’t like sitting in a freezing exam room for 45 minutes until a doctor can pop his head in; I feel my anger grow as I discover that, once again, I got in the wrong line at the store (if you see me at a store, NEVER get in line behind me). I want to scream at drivers who get on the freeway in front of me going 50 mph! I especially don’t like being put on hold, listening to REALLY bad elevator music, while I wait to get an answer to a simple question.

Yesterday, we focused on the promise of God. Today I want to go back to the same verses to look at the idea of waiting. We know that often there is a long time between the promise and the fulfillment. I have friends who have been waiting for years for their spouse or children to come to the LORD. I see couples struggling with infertility, or friends with a serious illness waiting for answers. Is God ignoring prayers? Will He EVER answer?

Sometimes the fulfillment doesn’t come in our lifetime. This was certainly true of Abraham. I can identify with the Hebrew believers in wanting the LORD to return NOW. What is He waiting for? 2 Peter 3:9 gives us the answer to that one:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Just as God has a gracious purpose in our waiting for Christ’s return, He is being gracious when He delays in answering our prayers. He is building our character, teaching us to be patient, to endure, to persevere, to trust. I love that God does not tell us what is in our future. I don’t think we could bear knowing that news ahead of time. Yet, somehow, over years of walking and trusting Him, we find Him faithful, no matter where He leads us.

Jon Courson says that one of the reasons God waits, is because what He has planned is so much better than what we could imagine. (Eph. 3:20). He uses the example of Zacharias and Elizabeth, who were very old and childless. They had given up the dream of ever becoming parents. Yet God gave them the boy who would grow up to become the greatest prophet in history, John the Baptist! I love what Jon Courson writes:

The language of eternity is faith. When the Lord has us ruling and reigning at His side, under His command, doing His bidding - whatever that means in the ages to come - He’s going to need men and women like you who are not second-guessing, not doubting, not faltering. Jesus taught about the faithful in this life who will rule over five and ten cities in the kingdom (Luke 19). In other words, Jesus is saying there is a destiny far beyond what any of us know or can imagine awaiting us in the next zillion years.

 And the language that must be fluently spoken by us if we are going to be ambassadors for Him in the realm and regions beyond is the language of faith. (New Testament Commentary , P. 1476)

What are you waiting for in this season? Are you waiting for a spouse? Are you wondering why you still have no baby in your arms, even though it is your greatest desire to love on a baby? Are you waiting for a clear diagnosis from the doctor? Are you waiting to find a job? Maybe you are waiting for the burden of overwhelming grief to subside. If God delays in answering, know that it is because He has the perfect plan for you - and that plan is part of His overall Kingdom plan - it’s for eternal purposes, not just our happiness. God is focused on our holiness, and He is working it into us in the waiting.

What can you do while you wait? Rest. Trust. Keep moving forward. Psalm 37:3-4 puts it this way:

Trust in the Lord and do good;

    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 
Take delight in the Lord,

    and he will give you the desires of your heart. (NIV)

God is the ultimate Promise Keeper. When He says He’s going to do something, He does it. That’s why believers, over centuries, have put their trust in Him. Rest. Trust. Keep moving forward. He is FAITHFUL! As we finish this chapter of Hebrews in our next passage, we will look at the imagery that the author uses to affirm that we have a God who can be trusted. Let’s take delight in Him!  

Hebrews 6:13-15 Soon and very soon. . .

Before we move into today's passage, I want to remind you of the context of this letter, Remember that the author is warning the Hebrew believers not to be sucked back into the emptiness and futility of religious ritual. They were being tempted to return to their traditions, which lead to legalism and bondage. Why are we always so eager to do things in our own strength and by our own will? Give us a tangible ritual to perform and we will feel like we have done something to help our spiritual state. If we just complete this ritual or recite this prayer, God will hear us and be pleased.

So this letter, then, is a strong warning to the Hebrew believers to continue to walk in grace. The work that Jesus completed on the cross and continues to do as He intercedes for us, is the ONLY thing which brings us to the Father. In this way, Jesus is the superior high priest; He is the only priest we need.

The first century believers, like us, lived in constant expectancy of the LORD’s return. This is our great and glorious hope - that one day Jesus WILL return as promised! Those believers were thinking it would be any day, and they were becoming a bit impatient to see it. The author may have thought that this delay in Christ’s return was influencing some to turn back to Judaism. So, he reminds them that God ALWAYS keeps His promises:

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,  saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. (Hebrews 6:13-15 NIV)

What promise did God make to Abraham? Well, He made several, but this one specifically quotes the one made in Genesis 22, right after Abraham had taken Isaac to Mount Moriah, where he was prepared to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. God had kept Abraham from slaying Isaac, and provided the lamb for the sacrifice. So the LORD made this promise to Abraham:

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” (Genesis 22:15-18)

When I first read this passage, I thought, “Wait a minute? Abraham waited patiently? What about taking Hagar, who was offered by Sarah, because they were tired of waiting for the promised son? The birth of Hagar’s son, Ishmael, brought nothing but problems between the Arabs and the Jews since then! However, last week I heard a radio pastor and then read in Jon Courson’s New Application Commentary the same idea that applies here: when the New Testament mentions Old Testament people, it’s always the positive side of that person - what they did by faith - not how they failed. This is a powerful demonstration of God’s grace in their lives. Their past failures and sin, just like ours, have been forgiven. So, when God sees them, and us now, it is through Christ! Hallelujah! We will see that clearly when we get to chapter 11.

We will spend more time on this passage next time. There is much to be mined here!