From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 1997 1:05 AM
To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup
Subject: Hebrews: Water Crossers
From: Mark Wilson
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Water Crossers
LETTER TO THE HEBREWS
The book of Hebrews is one of the most revealing of the epistles in
it's definition of Jesus Christ. Each chapter contains a further
revelation of Christ, the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of mankind.
It reveals Jesus Christ as both the Son of God and the son of man. As
much higher than the Angels. Greater than Moses. Much superior to
Aaron the high priest. He Himself is our sacrifice and God's final
sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Only His blood is adequate to take
away sins and cleanse our conscience so we may serve the Living God. In
this way the testimony of Christ unfolds throughout the letter.
There is no indication who wrote the letter. Some attribute it to Paul
but it may be significant that no one knows. Possibly God has hid the
human writer to emphasize that God in these last days has spoken through
His Son.
The letter originally was not addressed to any group but it was clear
to those that assembled the scriptures that it was written to the
Hebrews. Since we assume there are no accidents in scripture, the
name must be significant. In the law of first mention, we find the first
mention in scripture is significant to our unfolding understanding. The
first mention of the word HEBREW is found in Gen 14:13.
GEN 14:13-14 Then
a fugitive came and told Abram THE HEBREW. Now he was living by the
oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and
these were allies with Abram. And when Abram heard that his
relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his
house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as
Dan.
The word Hebrew is taken from a root word which means to pass over or
cross over. Some believe it refers directly to a river crosser. Abram
was born in Ur of the Chaldeas, in the area of the ancient site of
Babylon. In the area that is now called Iraq, where the gulf war was
fought. God called Abram out of that country to a land He would show
him. The land of Canaan, the area of the state of Israel. Between
Chaldea and Canaan was the river Euphrates. This was a great river that
flowed from north to south and separated that idolatrous, devilish and
satanic area from the land God established for Himself.
JOS 24:2-3 And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord, the
God of Israel, 'From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the river,
{ namely,} Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and
they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from
beyond the river, and led him through all the land of Canaan, and
multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac.
A Hebrew is a person who has crossed the river and is now living in
God's appointed land. A Jew then is not necessarily a Hebrew. This is
a preview and picture of Israel crossing the Red Sea, and after forty
years of wandering, crossing the Jordan river.
This is also a picture of our believer baptism. There is a body of
water between the world and Satan's authority and God's promised land.
God's salvation is to bring us out of the place Satan has possessed and
into a place that is adequate for the fulfillment of God's eternal
purpose. How do we pass over? By proper water baptism. We are not all
Jews but we should all be Hebrews. Water crossers.
In the New Testament, Hebrew is only used in reference to the language
of the Jews except in one place Paul said he was a Hebrew of the
Hebrews. Paul was a water crosser. If this epistle was just written to
the Jews it should have been addressed to the Jews. But, rather it is
addressed to the Hebrews. The letter was written to Jews who were
believers and therefore water crossers.
This is emphasized again in Noah and his passage through the waters in
the Ark. He passed out of a wicked and perverse land into a new land of
God's choosing.
1PE 3:20-21 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept
waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in
which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through {the}
water. And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you-- not
the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good
conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.... Even John the
baptist, who was a forerunner, helped believers become river crossers
when he baptized them in the Jordan river.
When Israel came out of Egypt they crossed the Red Sea, stayed a year
at Mt. Sinai, and God would have taken them directly into Canaan at
Kadesh-Barnea. However after forty years of wandering, all those over
twenty years old died in the wilderness. The next generation could not
cross at Kadesh-Barnea but had to cross at the Jordan river. There was
water between Israel and the promised land. After they crossed Jordan
they also were Hebrews, river crossers.
HEB 1:1-4 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in
many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to
us in {His} Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also
He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the
exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word
of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the
right hand of the Majesty on high; having become as much better
than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
The first comparison is between Christ and the prophets. In ages past
God did speak through the prophets and in many instances He used angels
to speak. But in these last days God has spoken in His SON. Then the
writer explains the far superior quality of Christ, who he is and where
He sits.
Then the writer says Christ is much better and much higher than the
angels and quotes some different scripture.
HEB 1:5-8 For to which of the
angels did He ever say, "THOU ART MY SON, Today I have begotten Thee"?
And again, "I will be a Father to Him And He shall be a Son to Me"?
And when He again brings the first-born into the world, He says, "
And let all the angels of God WORSHIP HIM. " And of the angels
He says, "Who makes His angels winds, And His ministers a flame of
fire." But of THE SON {He says}, "THY THRONE O GOD, is forever
and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.
In chapter 2 the writer says even the word of angels was impossible to
alter and God held all to that word, therefore, how much more the Word
of His Son. The emphasis of Hebrews is that it is God Himself who has
spoken, not man. God the Father reveals Himself to us by SPEAKING. It
should not be something incredible for God to speak to us but rather
something normal. In these last days God has spoken to us in His son.
More precisely, Jesus said it is the Holy Spirit who is speaking but
just what He hears.
JOH 16:13-14 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you
into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but
whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to
come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and
shall disclose {it} to you. God's Word contains all His attributes and
His Word imparts Life to us as He speaks. The point is this; The
speaking of God through the Angels and through the prophets is entirely
different than God speaking in His Son. God speaks directly in His Son
who is THE WORD OF GOD.
The revelation of the Son is both of His person and of his work. God
has appointed Jesus Christ to be the rightful heir of all things. All
things means ALL things. He is the one through whom God made the
universe and it is through Christ that all things hold together by the
word of His power. Jesus Christ is the RADIANCE OF GOD'S GLORY AND THE
EXACT REPRESENTATION OF GOD'S NATURE. Christ is God's Son and also His
legal heir and therefore will inherent all that belongs to God. When we
see Christ we see God's glory and we see God's nature in visible form.
Obviously words fail to express the magnitude of what the writer wants
to say. Our minds can hardly contain the thoughts.
When Christ made purification of sins on Calvary and what followed, He
took His seat at the right hand of the MAJESTY ON HIGH. This denotes
that Christ is seated in the highest place of God's universe. Right
beside God and equal with God and the Heir of all things. The further
argument about angels seems to be lost after this description of
Christ. Who can even think of the greatness of angels after comparing
them with the greatness of Christ. However, the writer doesn't stop there.
He says " Let all theangels of God worship Christ".
The writer of Hebrews finds ample proof in scripture of who Jesus
Christ really is. Then he says HEB 2:1 For this reason we must pay
much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away {from
it.} LEST WE DRIFT AWAY FROM IT, is the reason for the overwhelming
proof given. We must pay close attention to the WRITTEN WORD that God
spoke. Even the word of angels, once spoken, could not be revoked. How
much more the WORD OF GOD? Then Christ Himself spoke the words. Then
the Apostles spoke the words and the Holy Spirit confirmed the words
with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit. In other words: How
much more proof do you need?
Still the writer goes on to show that Christ is much superior to
Moses. Moses was a servant over his house but Christ is a Son over His
house. Moses was a part of Christ's house but Christ is the very
builder of the house. Therefore Christ is counted worthy of more glory
than Moses.
Because of what was said there is also a warning.
HEB 3:12-14 Take care,
brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving
heart, in falling away from the living God. But encourage one
another day after day, as long as it is {still} called "Today," lest any
one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have
become partakers of Christ, IF we hold fast the beginning of our
assurance firm until the end;
This exhortation warns of an evil and unbelieving heart. The result of
an evil heart is unbelief and the result of unbelief is to fall away
from the living God. This whole walk is a walk of faith. Without faith
we quickly go backwards. When men turn to their own reasonings they
soon turn to the LOGIC of unbelief. The history of Israel is a record
of a people of faith who began to walk according to their own
understanding and fell into unbelief. Then disobedience and rebellion
follows. Therefore the writer says Israel hardened their heart, they
provoked God, He was angry with them for forty years and God swore they
would not enter His Rest. The reason given is because of their
unbelief.
The warning continues in chapter 4. Let us FEAR lest any of you seem
to have come short of it. That is short of entering into His rest which
must be entered by faith. The warnings are directed to those who turn
back to the Old Covenant but includes all who do not maintain an active
faith and continually mix faith with the word we hear. As the word of
God comes to us, we must MIX FAITH WITH IT or it won't profit us.
Heb 4:12-13 should be included in the warning because he says the
word of God is able to penetrate right into the very center of our inner
person and discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. No
creature is hidden from His sight and is laid open and bare to the eyes
of God. In other words you can't pretend to follow Jesus Christ but
also participate in the old ways. There must be a clean separation
between the old and the new. You must be a Hebrew who has crossed
over to Christ and not returned.
Now in verse 14 the writer takes up the argument of our great high
priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. He
said we don't have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness
but one who was tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. If
you feel your faith slipping, draw near to the throne of grace and mercy
to receive grace and help in time of need.
Chapter 5 continues the same theme so Heb 4:14-15-16 should have been
included in chapter 5. He says the reason God took the high priest from
among men was because he could deal gently with the ignorant and the
weak because he also was ignorant and weak. Therefore God ordained that
the high priest had to offer up sacrifices for his own sins before he
could offer sacrifices for others sins. He was constantly reminded of
his own weakness and therefore could deal gently with the weakness of
others.
This is still true today. Those ministers who are not convicted of
their own weakness will be very hard and critical of the weakness of
others. He will minister condemnation instead of mercy and grace.
Then the writer takes up the way the Old Testament priests were
appointed. God did not ask for volunteers. God specifically called
Aaron. Whom God calls and ordains is His prerogative alone. God had
called and ordained Christ to be a priest after the order of
Melchizedek. This calling was first recorded in Psalm 2:7 and again in
110:4. All this was decided by God before Calvary. From this we see
that Jesus Christ was not a volunteer to be High Priest.
After all that, the writer reveals that even though Jesus was the Son
of God He still had to be perfected (as a man) in order to qualify as
High Priest. This High Priest, after the order of Melchizedec, must
also be a real man so He could sympathize with the weakness ans fraility
of mankind. This High Priest had to be taken from among men and
completes His work as the Son of Man rather than as the Son of God. It
was necessary for Jesus Christ to suffer many things and come to
perfection AS A MAN in order to be the source of ETERNAL SALVATION to
all those who OBEY HIM.
This can be taken as yet another warning to add to all the others in
this epistle.
There was much more that needed to be revealed about Melchizedec and
His eternal priesthood but the writer felt that these believers were not
ready for any advanced teaching. It appears that at one time they may
have been able to hear it but they seem to have become dull of hearing.
He felt that they could only receive a baby's formula of milk and not
yet solid food, which was held back for the mature.
In chapter 6 we generally only see the warning from verse 4 through
verse 8 but we may discern that the warning begins in verse 1. The
warning is advance from the primary and elementary teachings about
Christ and "GO ON TO MATURITY" or the completion of the full Christiamn
life. The 6 foundations listed here are:
(1) Repentance
(2) Faith
(3) Baptisms ,plural, ( in water and in the Holy Spirit)
(4) Laying on of hands
(5) Resurrection from the dead
(6) Eternal judgement.
After all these truths are firmly and experientially in our life we have just
begun with the foundation. We haven't built anything yet! We could say
we are just up to ground level!
Then the writer gives this very sharp and severe warning to any who
have become lax in their pressing into God and living within the
revelation thay have received. The warning is given to those who have
experienced these 5 levels of growth:
(1) Been enlightened
(2) Tasted of the heavenly gift { this is same word used in " Jesus tasted death"}
[ He voluntarily experienced death].
(3) Made partakers of the Holy Spirit
(4) Tasted the good Word of God.
(5) Experienced the powers of the ETERNAL AGE.
These believers had certainly advanced beyond what we
would consider the baby stage. This at very least indicates
considerable growth.
The warning is that there is no possible excuse for turning back or
falling away or backsliding at this stage of growth. He presents the
question of how will this level of backslider will be able to be
"RENEWED AGAIN TO REPENTANCE" and begin again. This would require the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ the second time because the first time had
already been used up.
While that warning seems unduly severe the next is even harsher. He
says in effect if a field has been planted and a crop is beginning to
grow but it produces nothing usable to the one who planted it, it is
rooted up and cast into the fire and is destroyed.
The writer affirms that they probably have not gone that far off course
as yet and that they will yet produce the fruit that accompanies
salvation. To say that these people were not "SAVED" is gross
ignorance.
>From verse 10 he indicates that God will certainly reward those who
faithfully continue to manifest love and service or ministry to the
saints. However, the desire is that each one show forth that same fruit
of service and not get lukewarm in their faith and patience and go on to
inherit the promises.
Abraham then is given as an example of one who had received tremendous
promises, confirmed with an oath from God, but he also had to patiently
wait until the full time until he could obtain the promise.
In that same way now we have been presented a great and magnificent
promise connected with God's eternal purpose and God has also sealed
that promise with His own oath. Not only is it inpossible for God to
lie about it, He also confirmed the reality of it with an oath. Now, by
these two unchangeable things, the promise and the oath, we may have a
certain and strong encouragement to lay hold of those promises and make
them a reality in our experience. This confirmed contract builds up an
overwhelming HOPE in us which becomes an anchor in our soul. A hope
both sure, certain and steadfast and a hope that enters inside the the
third veil ( that was torn when Jesus was crucified) where the Man
Christ Jesus has already entered as the first runner among many, and has
taken His seat at the right hand of God. He is the High Priest of a
whole Kingdom of priests after the order of Melchizedec that will also
overcome and take their seat with Him on His throne. That is the HOPE
SET BEFORE US that becomes an anchor for our soul.
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