Insights into Hebrews Chapters 9-13 We learned from the introduction to Hebrews that this book is considered by many to be the most intense theological writings of all the New Testament books. Hebrews declares Jesus Christ as being the ultimate fulfillment of the Old Testament law, priesthood, and sacrificial system. Hebrews teaches that faith is the foundation of a right relationship with God. The writer encourages believers to lay aside every weight and run the race with patience, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Hebrews also reminds us that God disciplines those He loves, and followers should live in holiness, hospitality, and obedience. A final encouragement is given for us to remain steadfast, faithful, and persevere in the grace of God through Christ. As we continue through the book of Hebrews, please reference those Chapters in your Bible covered as this email will not repeat the text but add the context and historical setting and other significant meanings of the passages. It is highly recommended that you follow along with the most accurate Greek to English extraction today, The Pure Word, but please feel free to use your preferred version of the Scriptures as well. For those that have missed the first few chapters, you can find them here: Chapters 1-4, Chapters 5-8, Chapters 9-13 Hebrews Chapter 9 v. 1-10: The first covenant was written on stone tablets, and the second covenant is written in our hearts. The first covenant had remission of sins through the offering of sacrifices by the priests – but this had to be repeated over and over again. The first covenant was set aside because we were not able to keep the covenant. The new covenant had remission of sins through following Jesus Christ. The first covenant had a tabernacle. The first section had a lampstand, the table, showbread (the sanctuary or holy place). The second section had a golden censer and the ark of the covenant containing manna, Aarons’ rod, and the two stones of the law (the holy of holies). Above it where cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat which rested on the ark of the covenant. Daily the priests would go into the first part of the sanctuary. Only the high priest would enter into the holy of holies which he offered a sacrifice of blood for the people (Lev 16). As long as the tabernacle was still standing it was not possible for man to approach God (in the Holy of Holies). The Holy Spirit was signifying that the way into the Holy of Holies was not yet available to man as long as the tabernacle was standing. When Christ was crucified, the veil which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was rent in two from top to bottom signifying that man could now come into God’s presence through the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ. v. 11-15: Christ came as our High Priests with a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, and not with the blood of goats, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all having obtained eternal redemption. Christ is our Mediator of the new covenant and those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. v. 16-28: A testament (will) does not come into force until after the testator dies. Jesus established the covenant, but it did not come into force until Jesus died. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. After his death and resurrection, Christ entered into heaven itself to appear in the presence of God for us. Being the pure and perfect Lamb of God, it was no longer necessary that Christ be sacrificed again as He has conquered death for all that follow Him. It is appointed that all men die once, and after that, the judgement. So, Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. Hebrews Chapter 10 v. 1-10: The law was only a shadow of things to come and not the very image of things so that it could never make us perfect. It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away our sins. The Old Testament is all about Jesus Christ in preparing the hearts of man preparing the way for the messiah. God did not take pleasure in the sacrifices of burnt offerings under the old covenant. - Sin offering – to cover sins in general
- Trespass offering – cover sins I deliberately made against God
- Burnt offering – offerings of consecration of your life to God
- Meal offering – showing our service to God
- Peace offering – communion; eat with God
v. 11-25: Each day, under the old covenant, the priest would have to offer sacrifices perpetually over and over again; however, Jesus Christ (bringing the new covenant) offered Himself as the perfect offering once and for all and this will never have to be repeated again. Through the Holy Spirit, He writes His law and binds them into our hearts and minds. Our sins and our lawless deeds He will forget and never remember again. Therefore, we can enter into the Holy of Holies into the presence of God covered by the blood of Jesus. This new covenant is based on the promise of God which is faithful so therefore hold fast and don’t let go of the hope (without wavering) for He has promised. v. 26-39: The new covenant abolishes the old covenant, and you can’t go back to the old system (the author made this abundantly clear in Chapter 6). The only way to God is through the new covenant and the blood of Jesus Christ. Our only choice is to be covered by the blood of Christ and follow him through the leading of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and be joint heirs with Christ in heaven having eternal life, or to reject Christ and live according to the flesh and be judged and experience eternal damnation. The just shall live by faith. Hebrews Chapter 11 A declaration of what faith does: It is the substance (substantiating) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen. Rephrasing it another way: Faith is the assurance and conviction about something that you hope for, which cannot be seen. The author starts the discussion on faith by telling us that the world (our physical universe) was created from things that we cannot see (God who is outside time). Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. The author then takes us through the Old Testament and show us how various people, through faith, followed God: - By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain
- By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death
- By faith Noah prepared an ark for the saving of his household
- By faith Abraham obeyed to go to a place to receive an inheritance; dwelt in the land of promise
- By faith Sarah herself received strength to conceive and bore a son
All before died in faith, having received the promise and only seeing them afar off and were assured of them. They embraced them and they confessed that they were strangers in the land and God is not ashamed to be called their God and He is preparing a heavenly place for us. - By faith Abraham was willing to offer up Isaac, his only begotten son
- By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come
- By faith Jacob blessed each of the sons of Joseph
- By faith Joseph made mention of the departure of the children of Israel
- By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter
- By faith Moses forsook Egypt and fearing the wrath of Pharaoh
- By faith Moses kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood over the doorways so that the angel of death should Passover
- By faith The children of Israel passed through the Red Sea on dry land
- By faith The walls of Jericho fell
- By faith The harlot Rahab did not perish after she received the spies with peace
v. 32-40: The author expresses that there are many more in faith that followed God, naming only a few more (Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets). These walked through faith and subdued kingdoms, worked righteously, obtained promises, and stopped the mouths of lions. Women received their dead raised to life again while others, in faith, were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. Others, still in faith, had trials of mocking, scourging, chains, imprisonment, stoned, sawed in two, slain by the sword. Of all these, the world was not worthy. All of these living through faith, died without receiving the promise. Hebrews Chapter 12 v. 1-11: These prior examples of those walking in faith in the Old Testament is an example to us of what life should be. Life is also compared to running a race that is set before us as we look (to stare with awe and admiration) toward Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. We need to consider Jesus who endured hostility from sinners, even the death of the cross for us, lest we become weary and discouraged while running the race. Even as our earthly fathers chastise us when we do wrong, God will chastise us as his children to keep us on the right path. Even though being chastised is not pleasant and even painful, it will later cause us to conform more to what He desires and bear fruit of righteousness as He trains us in following His Will. v. 12-17: Pursue peace with all people and holiness because this is the only way to see the Lord (Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God). Our walk with God needs to be on a straight path, looking carefully least we fall short of the grace of God and have any root of bitterness in us. Holiness is a matter of your heart. v. 18-24: We are to no longer come to Mt. Sanai where the law was given to Moses but you have come to Mt. Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels, to the church of the firstborn registered in heaven, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to God the Judge of all and to Jesus our Mediator of the new covenant through his blood. v. 25-29: The purpose of Hebrew is to show that Christ is better than the law for He mediates a better covenant. The author then makes it clear that if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth (Moses), how much more will it be impossible to escape if we do not listen to Him who speaks from heaven (Jesus Christ). One day the entire material universe will be destroyed and the only thing that will remain is spiritual; therefore, place your thoughts and on spiritual matters and serve God. Hebrews Chapter 13 v. 1-6: We are to have brotherly love and entertain strangers. Some have even entertained angels without being aware of it. Minister to the prisoners as if you were chained with them. Marriage is honorable but fornicators and adulterers will be judged by God. Be content with what we have because God is all we need as He is your helper. If God is for us, who can be against us? v. 7-17: Jesus is never changing. He is the same yesterday , today and forever. We must not fall into salvation by work but go beyond the ‘law’ and bear His reproach with Him as we see the eternal glory with Him to come. We must therefore continuously offer praise to God by our lips and actions. We must do His good works directed through us by the Holy Spirit and share what we have, and this is well pleasing to God. Follow the governmental laws (unless they conflict with God’s laws) as they are set over you to watch out for your souls (social laws create an organized society so we can live peaceably with each other). v. 18-25: The author (again, assuming it is Paul) requests that he and his company be prayed for. May our Lord Jesus Christ make us complete in every good work to do His will, working in us what is well pleasing in His sight. We are Required by God to Study the Word for Ourselves! God's principle we are to follow is for us to "Prove all things by the Word of God” (1 Thess 5:21). That includes all ministers, teaching, preaching, doctrines, sermons, writings, opinions, and practices. Examine all by the light of the Bible. Any teaching that is not 100% supported by the Scriptures you are to reject wholly. Studying is not optional for Christians but required by God. In fact, we are commanded by God to “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim 2:15). The problem is that there is no such thing as a perfect English translation that tells us exactly what God’s word is. There is always a discrepancy between the original Greek (NT in this case) to English and mankind has created more than 450 different English translations which have thousands of differences between themselves. So which version should you be studying if they are all saying different things? The best you can hope for is to find a translation that mirrors as closely as possible the original meanings of the scriptures. How much easier would it be to study God’s Word if an English New Testament translation existed that took each of the original Koine Greek words and applied the original meaning along with the original parsing assigned to each of those words? This is something that even the King James scholars did not do because of the constraints placed on them by King James, their lack of knowledge of Greek, and their time constraints. The Pure Word is a New Testament reference that does just that! It is the perfect resource that every Christian should have to dive into God’s Word and use along with your preferred version of the Scriptures. Watch the official intro video now and see exactly how The Pure Word is an invaluable resource that should be used by every Christian, pastor, and Bible study group. Experience the gospel as they did in the first century, during the time of Christ, the Apostles, and the birth of the Church! Click Here for just a few of the thousands of reviews of The Pure Word. Revealing the Original Depth of Meaning as Written by the Apostles Over 1,900 Years Ago! | 
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