December 23: Hebrews 11-13

December 23, Hebrews 11-13

Hebrews continued… Bakers Commentary for the summaries, and then my thoughts for application. These are some of my favorite chapters in the Bible.

• “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” 
• “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” 
• “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, for our God is a consuming fire.” 

Hebrews 11 “What is faith? The author answers this question by giving the readers first a brief definition and then the application of faith in the lives of many believers. The definition is not designed to be comprehensive; rather, it is introductory in nature. Using examples taken from life, the writer demonstrates the characteristics and qualities of faith.

After an initial reference to the origin of the world, the author chooses his illustrations from specific periods of history. First, from the period between creation and the flood he selects the names of Abel, Enoch, and Noah. These people lived by faith and experienced intimate fellowship with God. With these examples, the writer depicts a gradual progression: Abel’s faith eventually resulted in physical death; Enoch’s faith brought translation to glory; and Noah’s faith provided salvation for him, his family, and the animals.

Then, from the period of the patriarchs, the author selects incidents from the life of Abraham. He shows Abraham’s obedience relative to traveling to the land of Canaan, the birth of a son, and the sacrifice of Isaac. The patriarchs died without seeing the promises of God fulfilled: they longed for life eternal in a heavenly city. Also, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph looked to the future.

From the time of the exodus from Egypt to the conquest of Canaan, the writer gleans events from the life of Moses: his birth, childhood, education, and departure from Egypt. He also relates the faith of the Israelites in crossing the Red Sea and in marching around Jericho’s walls. A brief remark on Rahab’s faith concludes his comments about that era.

When the author comes to the period of the judges, kings, and prophets, he lists only some representative names. He summarizes the types of trials and triumphs that believers endured and enjoyed. Although he refrains from providing details, he intimates a relation between these persons and deeds of faith.

In his conclusion, the writer discloses that the Old Testament saints and the readers of his epistle share a common faith and together reap the benefits of a fulfilled promise. Believers are made perfect through the work of Christ.”

Hebrews 12 “This is a chapter of exhortations, commands, and applications. It is a rather practical chapter in which the pastor exhorts us, the believers, to live a Christian life. In his own direct manner, the writer exhorts us to stimulate our Christian hope by enduring hardship and affliction. He begins by encouraging us to exercise perseverance, to look to Jesus, to struggle against sin, to submit to discipline, and to overcome weakness.

He encourages us to pursue peace and holiness and warns us against apostasy, immorality, and godlessness. Esau serves as an example, for as Isaac’s first-born he should have received the birthright with its spiritual implications. Instead he despised this right and consequently rejected God. Before he continues to write about the subject of apostasy, the author contrasts the fear and dread of the Israelites who received the law at Mount Sinai with the joy and perfection of believers who come to the city of God at Mount Zion.

Once again he exhorts us to listen to the voice of God. Failure to heed his Word results in punishment. As the Israelites who rejected God did not escape, so we who have God’s revelation through Jesus will not escape if we fall away.

Therefore, the writer says, we ought to live thankful lives because we are part of the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. By living thankfully, we serve God in acceptable worship with deep respect and veneration.”

Hebrews 13 “The last chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews gives the letter a personal touch. The writer reveals his pastoral concerns for the believers and makes his desire known to be in their midst again.

The content of this chapter does not consist of some loosely connected exhortations. The writer encourages the readers to express their Christian love in the social context of their day: love for the brothers and sisters in the Lord, love toward the traveler in need of a roof over his head at night, and loving compassion and empathy for prisoners and people who are mistreated. From the love for the neighbor in the narrow and broad senses, the writer moves to the love in the home; that is, the bond of marriage, the husband’s relationship to his wife and vice versa. He includes the admonition not to love money, but to be content and trust God. The first section of this last chapter, then, delineates the requirements of the summary of the law, in reverse order: love your neighbor as yourself, and love the Lord your God.

In the second part of the chapter the author enumerates some ecclesiastical duties and concerns. He begins with an exhortation to remember those leaders whose service on earth has ended. Imitate their faith, he says, and look at the lives they lived. From the topic of church leaders the author goes to that of doctrine. Stay away from doctrines that deviate from the truth. Rather, consider the work of Jesus, who suffered and died in disgrace outside the city gate. Thankfulness for salvation comes to expression by confessing God’s name, doing good deeds, and sharing with others. Church leaders and church members ought to work together harmoniously so that the obedience of the members is a source of joy to the leaders.

The last section of the chapter includes a personal request for prayer, a beautifully worded benediction, an announcement of the writer’s intended visit accompanied by Timothy, greetings to leaders and people of the church, and greetings from Italian friends. The letter ends with the final greeting, “Grace be with you all.”

To sum it all up: 

• Now by faith are you living your lives this way? Even when disappointments come, and they will, is your faith deep enough to stay the course to receive the promises of God? God tells us, “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” Just because something does not work out how you wanted it to or hoped it would, God is still good all the time and worthy of our patience and praise.
• What is love? “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? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 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? 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. 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.” God disciplines those He loves - this is a huge part of our Sanctification. 
• The author of Hebrews adds so much in this book. We must worship God right. “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, for our God is a consuming fire.” 
• Then in chapter 13 we get a quick run down of holy living:

Let brotherly love continue. 

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 

Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 

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?” 

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 

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