Partakers Christian Podcasts

Highlights in Hebrews 30

Highlights in Hebrews

(with Roger Kirby)

Part 30 - Hebrews 11:8-19 The obedience of Abraham

The obedience of Abraham It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. 10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. Hebrews 11:8-19 (NLT)

A few daft people (like my wife and I used to) love to go trekking and sleep on the ground in a small mountain tent. But that is not most people’s idea of an enjoyable way to spend their holidays. The amazing thing about Abraham is that he not only set out on a long trek, sleeping in tents himself but also persuaded all his family, including his father, to do so. It was, of course, the senior male who was expected to decide what should happen. It seems that Abraham was such a strong and forceful character that he was able to determine what happened. It was a quite remarkable thing to do.

They lived in Ur, one of the greatest and best cities of the ancient world, where they would enjoy all the luxuries that were going. In some way, that is not explained, the Lord spoke to Abraham and instructed him to set out with his whole family on a journey to somewhere - he wasn’t told where. They journeyed north, then west, then south round what is known as the fertile crescent, a great arc of land round the deserts to the south. It proved too much for his father Terah, who gave up halfway and settled in the city of Haran. We can only imagine the big arguments that there must have been between Abraham who had received the direct instructions from the Lord about what they were to do and Terah, who hadn’t. Abraham will have been stuck there until his father died and he had complete control of the family.

It was probably in Haran, when the family was stuck there that he received his great commission from the Lord. He, and his descendants, were given the task of bringing blessing to all the world (Genesis 12: 1 – 3). So much had gone wrong. Adam and Eve had disobeyed the Lord, one of their sons had killed the other, the world had become such an evil place the flood was sent to sort it out and finally the tower of Babel had indicated the arrogance and conceit of mankind. To bring blessing to all that sort of thing was an immense task. In fact Abraham and his descendants, the people of Israel failed. Only when Jesus came as the ideal Israelite was any progress possible. But Abraham was not to know that. His job was simply to obey - as he did. We will probably never get as clear and startling a call as Abraham. Which, you may think, is just as well given how comparatively weak I am! But don’t get too comfortable. My wife and I were into our 50s before we got a call to go to Pakistan. We didn’t hear a voice, but received such an amazing sequence of events that it was quite clear what we were being asked - or was it told - to do. We did not realise that the best years of our lives were in front of us. Abraham can scarcely have enjoyed the call he received as much as we did ours.
If the Lord calls you to some surprising and unexpected venture - do not hesitate, GO

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 19

Psalm 19

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

 

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

² Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they reveal knowledge.

³ They have no speech, they use no words;

no sound is heard from them.

⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.

⁵ It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens

and makes its circuit to the other;

nothing is deprived of its warmth.

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,

refreshing the soul.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right,

giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are radiant,

giving light to the eyes.

⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure,

enduring for ever.

The decrees of the Lord are firm,

and all of them are righteous.

¹⁰ They are more precious thangold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the honeycomb.

¹¹ By them your servant is warned;

in keeping them there is greatreward.

¹² But who can discern their ownerrors?

Forgive my hidden faults.

¹³ Keep your servant also fromwilful sins;

may they not rule over me.

Then I will be blameless,

innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴ May these words of my mouthand this meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

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Highlights in Hebrews 29

Highlights in Hebrews

(with Roger Kirby)

Part 29 - Hebrews 10:32-39 - The power of faith!

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. NLT

With chapter 11 we start into the writer’s great gallery of Old Testament saints. The introductory verse starts off with 2, or is it 3, great words. The most important one is ‘hope’, then to support ‘hope’ we have ‘faith’ but that is not sufficient as just one other word. ‘Faith’ in common usage is often thought to be the same as ‘believe’ but believing all takes place in our heads. The following list of people of faith clearly shows that there is more to it than just what happens between our ears! There is a great deal of activity involved as well. We can call this either ‘endurance’ (10: 36), ‘trustworthiness’ or ‘faithfulness’. Let’s settle for the last of those - which is part of the meaning of the Greek word, which also means ‘faith’ in the more restricted sense.

To see what ‘faith’ has to do with ‘hope’ we must think a bit about what we mean by hope. It comes in three basic varieties. There is the hope of most people that they will be able to live a good and satisfying life. Some people, I suppose, just drift through life without thinking about where it is going and without any long term ambitions - but they are not us, or you wouldn’t be bothering to read these notes! The second sort of hope is our hope for what will happen to us when we die. Have we then a hope? The third and final sort of hope is the small hopes that we have every day. ‘I hope I will soon be rid of this cold’ we say. Or ‘I hope I get such and such a Christmas present’.

Our writer is not at all interested in that third sort of hope, but he is very interested n the first two. In his thinking the two of them are closely woven together. He talks about the way in which Enoch was taken up to God, about how Abraham was looking forward to ‘a city that has foundations’, and how they, and many others, were ‘seeking a homeland’. All these things are closely connected to their lives in this world and particularly their faith and faithfulness. They did not really understand where they were going. We, living after the life, death and resurrection of Jesus have a much better idea of what we are doing, where we are going and what the effects are going to be. We, if we put our trust in the Lord, thus having faith in him, can expect to be accepted by the Lord in the day of judgement and, filled with that knowledge, will strive to live a life of faithfulness throughout our time in this world. Our good and gracious God will accept us on the basis of our faith in Jesus but has also promised to reward us according to our faithfulness in our lives with him, ‘ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.’ (1 Corinthians 3: 11 – 16, NLT).

We are sure that this is the way life works because we have read the scriptures, seen how Jesus lived and died, and wondered at the great illustrations of warriors of the faith that we read about in this chapter. We may not have seen these things. But Jesus himself said, ‘Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.’ The people of old were accepted that way - so shall we be! Build for yourself a good foundation so that you will not be ashamed when you appear before the Lord on the day of judgement.

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 43

Psalm 43

1 Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.

Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.

2 For you are the God of my strength.

Why have you rejected me?

Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 Oh, send out your light and your truth.

Let them lead me.

Let them bring me to your holy hill,

To your tents.

4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy.

I will praise you on the harp, God, my God.

5 Why are you in despair, my soul?

Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God!

For I shall still praise him: my Savior, my helper, and my God

 

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Highlights in Hebrews 28

Highlights in Hebrews

(with Roger Kirby)

Part 28 - Hebrews 10:32-39 Not everything goes well!

We are holy!

… recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. (Hebrews 10:32-39)

There seems to be a strong tendency, at least in this country, to think that becoming a Christian and setting out to follow Jesus is a cure for all the problems we may otherwise have. That is not the way it works! Life for us is not likely to be as difficult as it was for the people this book is written to. We do not know exactly where they lived or what their background was ,but it is clear from this passage that not everything had been easy for them. They were probably Jews, since the book is called ‘to the Hebrews’ so they may well have had a lot of trouble from other Jews who did not believe in Jesus. Very soon after the foundation of the Christian church there was a lot of conflict between Jews and Christians, Paul being one of the chief culprits. Before long the Christians were thrown out of the synagogues all together. Then the ordinary citizens of the Roman empire will not have liked being shown up for the self centred and unpleasant people many of them were. It sounds as though the early Christians had a ministry to prisoners, which was not well received by other people. They had things stolen from their houses and could get no support from any judicial powers to recover what was stolen. Since this is going out all over the world some things like those may be your experience but that is not all that likely.

Our problems may be much more ordinary and personal. Perhaps they are physical, we simply are not well, or are suffering the products of old age and their tendency to drag us down. They may be social as we struggle with family, friends and enemies. They may be psychological and mental – there is no guarantee we will avoid such things by following Jesus. We should be better off as Christians as we turn away from bad habits of drinking or drugs and seek to follow a generally better life style. But following Jesus is not a general cure for all ills.

Why then should we follow Jesus? If not for our personal improvement, why? The answer is simple and devastating: because he is who he is. He is the Lord. He is the King of the Kingdom. He is the Lord of creation and of this world’s continuing existence. We should set out to follow Jesus because of who he is and not because of who we are. If, indeed, we did start to follow him from purely selfish motives he is a good and loving Saviour who will allow you to learn what your motives should have been and slowly, as you come to understand more, change your motives to those that they should have been in the first place. We can still ‘have faith and preserve our souls’ (10: 39) and receive a ‘better possession and an abiding one’ (10: 34) and receive the ‘great reward’ that ‘is promised’ (10: 35, 36). The necessary ‘endurance’ (10: 36) can be ours even if we did not really start for the best and right motives.

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 57

Psalm 57

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.”

A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you.
Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.
I cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes my requests for me.
He will send from heaven, and save me,
he rebukes the one who is pursuing me.

Selah.

God will send out his loving kindness and his truth.

My soul is among lions.
I lie among those who are set on fire, even the sons of men,
whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Be exalted, God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be above all the earth!
They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down.
They dig a pit before me. They fall into its midst themselves.

Selah.

My heart is steadfast, God, my heart is steadfast.
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises.
Wake up, my glory!
Wake up, psaltery and harp!
I will wake up the dawn.
I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples.
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your great loving kindness reaches to the heavens, and your truth to the skies.
Be exalted, God, above the heavens.
Let your glory be over all the earth.

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Highlights in Hebrews 27

Highlights in Hebrews

(with Roger Kirby)

Part 27 - Hebrews 10:26–31

A word of warning

If we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.(Hebrews 10:26-31)

Many countries require a person to have a visa before they are allowed into the country. The visa will often say how long they can stay in the country. If, after entering the country, they sneak back out of the country before the visa is up where there is no entry/exit point and then present themselves to re-enter the country at a proper entry point they would be likely to be in serious trouble.

That is something like what the writer is thinking about here. We received a visa to let us into the Kingdom of God when we first started to follow Jesus. Our writer says we simply cannot leave the kingdom for a while; live in the kingdom of the world; and then return to the kingdom. There is a very important and strong reason why this is so. We may belong to all sorts of clubs: golf, football, book reading or cookery etc., leave the club, cancelling our subscription, and return to it later. But unlike all these clubs the other factor in the kingdom is God himself. On entry to the kingdom we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. He cannot be accepted one minute and returned months or years later just because we want to do something else.

We effectively do that if we continue in deliberate sin. The Old Testament is very definite about this. There are two sorts of sin: unintended and ‘with a high hand’, that is defiantly, quite deliberately and intentionally (Numbers 15: 27 - 31).. The former can be remedied by offering repentance and sacrifice, but for the second there is no such remedy.

Unfortunately there seems to be a great deal of teaching around in this Western world in which God is a kind of benevolent grandfather figure who will accept almost anything from his grand-children merely patting them on the head and saying ‘don’t do that again - it is not nice’ or some such comment. We must not forget that we are dealing with the Creator and Sustainer of this world of ours and all the universe. He is a holy God who does not like - will not accept - impurity.

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 119

Psalm 119

' Aleph

¹ Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD.
² Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.
³ They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways.
⁴ You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.
⁵ Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!
⁶ Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.
⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.
⁸ I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.

b Beth

⁹ How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
¹² Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.
¹³ With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
¹⁴ I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
¹⁵ I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
¹⁶ I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

g Gimel

¹⁷ Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word.
¹⁸ Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
¹⁹ I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me.
²⁰ My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.
²¹ You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed and who stray from your commands.
²² Remove from me scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes.
²³ Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees.
²⁴ Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.

d Daleth

²⁵ I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word.
²⁶ I recounted my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees.
²⁷ Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders.
²⁸ My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.
²⁹ Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law.
³⁰ I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws.
³¹ I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame.
³² I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

h He

³³ Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.
³⁴ Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
³⁵ Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
³⁶ Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
³⁷ Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.
³⁸ Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared.
³⁹ Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good.
⁴⁰ How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness.

w Waw

⁴¹ May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise;
⁴² then I will answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in your word.
⁴³ Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws.
⁴⁴ I will always obey your law, for ever and ever.
⁴⁵ I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
⁴⁶ I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame,
⁴⁷ for I delight in your commands because I love them.
⁴⁸ I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.

z Zayin

⁴⁹ Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope.
⁵⁰ My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
⁵¹ The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from your law.
⁵² I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them.
⁵³ Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law.
⁵⁴ Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge.
⁵⁵ In the night I remember your name, O LORD, and I will keep your law.
⁵⁶ This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.

x Heth

⁵⁷ You are my portion, O LORD; I have promised to obey your words.
⁵⁸ I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.
⁵⁹ I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes.
⁶⁰ I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.
⁶¹ Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law.
⁶² At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws.
⁶³ I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.
⁶⁴ The earth is filled with your love, O LORD; teach me your decrees.

X Teth

⁶⁵ Do good to your servant according to your word, O LORD.
⁶⁶ Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.
⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.
⁶⁸ You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.
⁶⁹ Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart.
⁷⁰ Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law.
⁷¹ It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.
⁷² The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

y Yodh

⁷³ Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.
⁷⁴ May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word.
⁷⁵ I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
⁷⁶ May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.
⁷⁷ Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.
⁷⁸ May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts.
⁷⁹ May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes.
⁸⁰ May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.

k Kaph

⁸¹ My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word. ⁸² My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, "When will you comfort me?" ⁸³ Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget your decrees. ⁸⁴ How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors? ⁸⁵ The arrogant dig pitfalls for me, contrary to your law. ⁸⁶ All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for men persecute me without cause. ⁸⁷ They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. ⁸⁸ Preserve my life according to your love, and I will obey the statutes of your mouth.

l Lamedh

⁸⁹ Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. ⁹⁰ Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. ⁹¹ Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. ⁹² If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. ⁹³ I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life. ⁹⁴ Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. ⁹⁵ The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes. ⁹⁶ To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless.

m Mem

⁹⁷ Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. ⁹⁸ Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. ⁹⁹ I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. ¹⁰⁰ I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. ¹⁰¹ I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. ¹⁰² I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. ¹⁰³ How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! ¹⁰⁴ I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.

n Nun

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. ¹⁰⁶ I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. ¹⁰⁷ I have suffered much; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word. ¹⁰⁸ Accept, O LORD, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. ¹⁰⁹ Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. ¹¹⁰ The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. ¹¹¹ Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. ¹¹² My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.

s Samekh

¹¹³ I hate double-minded men, but I love your law. ¹¹⁴ You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. ¹¹⁵ Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God! ¹¹⁶ Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed. ¹¹⁷ Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for your decrees. ¹¹⁸ You reject all who stray from your decrees, for their deceitfulness is in vain. ¹¹⁹ All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes. ¹²⁰ My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.

v Ayin

¹²¹ I have done what is righteous and just; do not leave me to my oppressors. ¹²² Ensure your servant's well-being; let not the arrogant oppress me. ¹²³ My eyes fail, looking for your salvation, looking for your righteous promise. ¹²⁴ Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. ¹²⁵ I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. ¹²⁶ It is time for you to act, O LORD; your law is being broken. ¹²⁷ Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, ¹²⁸ and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.

p Pe

¹²⁹ Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. ¹³⁰ The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. ¹³¹ I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. ¹³² Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. ¹³³ Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. ¹³⁴ Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may obey your precepts. ¹³⁵ Make your face shine upon your servant and teach me your decrees. ¹³⁶ Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.

c Tsadhe

¹³⁷ Righteous are you, O LORD, and your laws are right. ¹³⁸ The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy. ¹³⁹ My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words. ¹⁴⁰ Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them. ¹⁴¹ Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts. ¹⁴² Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true. ¹⁴³ Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight. ¹⁴⁴ Your statutes are forever right; give me understanding that I may live.

q Qoph

¹⁴⁵ I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD, and I will obey your decrees. ¹⁴⁶ I call out to you; save me and I will keep your statutes. ¹⁴⁷ I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. ¹⁴⁸ My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. ¹⁴⁹ Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your laws. ¹⁵⁰ Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law. ¹⁵¹ Yet you are near, O LORD, and all your commands are true. ¹⁵² Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.

r Resh

¹⁵³ Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law. ¹⁵⁴ Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise. ¹⁵⁵ Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees. ¹⁵⁶ Your compassion is great, O LORD; preserve my life according to your laws. ¹⁵⁷ Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes. ¹⁵⁸ I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey your word. ¹⁵⁹ See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your love. ¹⁶⁰ All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

S Sin and Shin

¹⁶¹ Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word. ¹⁶² I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil. ¹⁶³ I hate and abhor falsehood but I love your law. ¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. ¹⁶⁵ Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. ¹⁶⁶ I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands. ¹⁶⁷ I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly. ¹⁶⁸ I obey your precepts and your statutes, for all my ways are known to you.

t Taw

¹⁶⁹ May my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word. ¹⁷⁰ May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise. ¹⁷¹ May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. ¹⁷² May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. ¹⁷³ May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. ¹⁷⁴ I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight. ¹⁷⁵ Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me. ¹⁷⁶ I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.

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Highlights in Hebrews 26

Highlights in Hebrews

(with Roger Kirby)

Part 26 - Hebrews 10:19–25

Our confident approach to the Lord

Therefore, brothers and sisters,] since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

The old pun on the word ‘therefore’ was that we should always ask what it is there for. That was never more true than the ‘therefore’ we have here in 10:19. In our last study we noted two things: that Jesus sat down at the right hand of Father God thus indicating his superiority over all; and that this is based on the new covenant, the newly declared purpose and will of God towards his people.

For our writer this was all brilliantly pictured in the way that, as Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27: 51). This was the work of God; if a man had been responsible it would have been done from bottom to top. The purpose of the veil had been to keep everyone out of the Most Holy Place, where God was. Only the High Priest went into this presence of God once a year on the day of atonement. That was now redundant. Everyone, or at least all the Lord’s people, now had clear unlimited access to the most holy place, which was Jesus. It is hard to see how the flesh of Jesus can be a way through the curtain. It was his blood shed which was effective. The Jerusalem temple was where God was, more than anywhere else on earth. No longer. Now it was in Jesus that God was to be found and, in the person of the Holy Spirit of Jesus, in every believing person. We have, so to speak, not to travel to Jerusalem to find God, but to reach down into ourselves. That must be counted both a huge privilege and a huge responsibility.

However we need to be careful. The next few verses say, “ let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Of those four things keeping our bodies washed would be by far the easiest if it didn’t really mean keeping our souls and spirits clean - nothing to do with soap, I’m afraid!

More significantly, note how the quotation starts with our faith and ends with the faithfulness of the Lord. This is our confidence. It does not have to rest solely on us but draws continuous strength from one who is a great deal more reliable than we tend to be.

When we get to 10:24, 25 we have “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” To give a picture of this: you can have a good going fire with many pieces of coal on it. But if you take one red-hot piece out of the fire and place it on the hearth all by itself it will very soon darken, cool, and lose all its heat. So it is with us if we remove ourselves from the company of other followers of Jesus.

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 115

Psalm 115

Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness!
Why let the nations say, "Where is their God?"
Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes.

Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.
They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see.
They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell.
They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound.
And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.

O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.
O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.
All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.
The Lord remembers us and will bless us.

He will bless the people of Israel and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly.
May the Lord richly bless both you and your children.

May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to all humanity.
The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord, for they have gone into the silence of the grave.
But we can praise the Lord both now and forever!

Praise the Lord!

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