Category: Devotions

These are difficult passages to read because they are not part of our culture nor the time we are living in. However, before we read the next verses, remember that this community of believers were facing pressure from within their own hearts and from persecution to return to Judaism. It would seem the authenticity of Jesus was something they were finding hard to defend. And even the important foundations of the gospel were being trampled upon. Are you really acceptable to God? Where is the ongoing sacrificial system that proves that to be so? Can you ever come close to God? How do you really know you are? Don’t you need a priest to be that mediator for you and a priest who is alive and practicing?

The answer to the above is this Judaism no longer works. In fact it was created not to work. It is weak, useless and calls out for something greater.

Let me put it another way. You working for your acceptance, striving to be as best you can by following the duties laid out by man, is pointless. Who do you think you are impressing? God? You needing someone, a Pastor, a spiritual guru, to bring you into the presence of God is a lie. Do you honestly think another human being no matter what their title can stand before God so innocent and pure and have the authority to bring you close to God?

Okay, let’s read:

“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? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. ¹³ He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. ¹⁴ For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. ¹⁵ And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, ¹⁶ one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is declared: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” ¹⁸ The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless ¹⁹ (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7 v 11-19)

So let us unpack these verses:-

• The try harder system doesn’t work, our priest needed to be different to that culture, v11. The Levitical priesthood was broken. With its many laws it was impossible to be good enough. It called for something new to come.
• The different culture was the tribe of Judah, of which Christ came from, but interestingly whose men were forbidden to be priests, v12-15. His priesthood broke the law. He was out of the box, different, not only of a different culture but it could never have been imagined. Instead of saying that is the proof Jesus was not the Priest of the Most High, it is the evidence that He is because nothing else was working.
• You cannot take your Christian experience and return to Judaism/try harder culture. It doesn’t work, the law never makes anyone complete and it never brings them into the presence of God, v18-19.

So today praise God that you are accepted by Him and then come before Him drawing near into His presence for the door is wide open.

It’s quite a question isn’t it?

Who is great? How do you know? Is it their wealth? Is it their position and title?

These thoughts have been occupying my mind of late.

It must be more than how the world measures it surely?

And what of those who didn’t have wealth? Mother Teresa? Martin Luther King Jr? Is it not influence not wealth that is the measurement?

Greatness is seen in the world through those who are able to conquer causing others to live under their shadow or be diminished in some way. Others are held back by the great one.

Let’s read some verses and you will see what’s in my mind this morning:-

“Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! ⁵ 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. ⁶ This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. ⁷ And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸ 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. ⁹ One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, ¹⁰ because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.” (Hebrews 7 v 4-10)

It’s not easy reading.

But basically the author is leading these believers away from abandoning Jesus Christ with their desire to go back to the way of Judaism because it is too tough to follow Christ.

Melchizedek received from Abraham.

Melchizedek blessed Abraham.

Abraham is the patriarch, the father of the faith. No one is greater in the eyes of the Jews.

The Levitical priests who are no higher than the people, for they are all descendants of their spiritual ‘father’ Abraham, tithed under him, it all pointed to him. They came after Abraham, they were ‘still in the body’ of Abraham, v10 meaning they were to come into being later. He was their past, present and future because all their activity was in the shadow of their patriarch. Such greatness!

And yet Abraham tithed to Melchizedek. And more than this he blessed Abraham who was carrying the promises, v6.

So how does this help our understanding of greatness? How do we measure greatness?

Here it is: It is not the one who has all the spoils of war (Abraham’s financial harvest) and it is not the one who has all the promises of blessing and future inheritance to come (Abraham’s promises were land, descendants, himself and the nations).

But it is the one who doesn’t want the whole but a tenth as a sign that he owns the whole. It is the one who blesses those promises that are in our lives.

The measurement of greatness is the one who wants the best for others and that can be seen by taking far less than they deserve or own and also who blesses, desires, wills if you want, that the other receives the promises that are in their life.

Melchizedek was greater than Abraham because he allowed him to have and carry the promise for more.

That’s greatness in the kingdom.

And this is why we should not walk from Christ. He provides for our life, He blesses our life and He proclaims the promises in His Word for our lives.

Greatness therefore is to live your life in such a way that:

• others benefit because of you
• others believe the best is yet to come because of you.

Remember that this community of believers were facing pressure to return to their Jewish roots and to abandon the sole Lordship of Christ. They are under intense pressure of persecution to let go of Jesus as their King and their Priest. What they battled with was the origin of Jesus not coming from the line of Aaron, their historical priest. But to let go of Jesus was to let go of their only hope. They/we are sinners who need saving from what we deserve which is God’s wrath and Jesus our High Priest is our only hope.

Over the next few days we will walk slowly through these verses to understand what the author is saying.

“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, ² 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.” ³ 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 v 1-3)

The only reference in the Scriptures is that of Genesis 14:18-20 and Psalm 110:4. Yet it appears they know about Melchizedek more than those verses tell of him and maybe more than we would expect. Maybe there was some Jewish folklore about him.

Melek means king and zedek means righteousness. He is also king of Salem which means peace.

Melchizedek blessed Abraham, he was superior to the founder of their faith.

Melchizedek received from Abraham, he was his king of righteousness and peace.

The Scriptures are silent about his background and origin. He is rootless and timeless and there is silence to these questions.

Which priest of God Most High came after Melchizedek? It wasn’t Aaron. It was Jesus.

They didn’t worry about the silence surrounding Melchizedek’s origin so why are they so hung up about the origin of Jesus now?

The motivation for these sentences is not that we compare Christ with Melchizedek but that Christ is in the order of him of which there was no one like him. That is until Christ came and not only succeeded him but was superior to him!

Jesus does not fit into our little boxes of understand and intellect. He is far too big for all the political voices of thinking and experience that we carry around. That’s the point.

Jesus is the High Priest of God Most High. He is the one to bless and the one to receive from what we offer, not just a tithe but our whole lives. He knows humanity which is essential as the High Priest. This is who Jesus is. And as such we must not walk away from Him or turn back to the Jewish system because anything else is inferior to who He is. There is no one greater and no one we can go to, other than the High Priest of God Most High, Jesus Christ!

Never surrender your life to any storm that comes your way. From moments of discouragement to depths of despair many have said ‘I give up’. But the Spirit urges you today to hold on.

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love

The above hymn of the 19^th century by Priscilla Owens asks questions of us:

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife? When the strong tides lift and the cables strain, will your anchor drift, or firm remain?

It is more than possible to answer with a loud and definite YES today!

The hymn was inspired by the verses we will read today.

“People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, ²⁰ where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6 v 16-20)

God delivers on what He promises, v16-17. God will never be guilty of perjury! God delivers on the 2 ‘unchangeable things’ which are His promise and His oath. His promise is one thing but His promises is secured by an oath. Now who has a higher authority to be able to make sure the promise is delivered on? God Himself. The ultimate final court of appeal which has the highest security attached to His promise for your life is Himself.

God does not disappoint, v18. Last evening I was preaching in an amazing Elim Church in Brazil where the stage became a mercy seat for those fleeing to ‘take hold of the hope’ set before them. Many ran to kneel and surrender their lives before God’s throne. Huge encouragement came over their souls. No one was turned away. Mercy was there for everyone. It was mercy or continuing to remain in condemnation and mercy won. His promise of mercy was secured by His oath sealed by His blood.

God is dependable, v19-20. You are secure. This anchor means you will not go down but you will stay the course and bring you home. The picture of the inner Holy of Holies is right here. Jesus has gone before us as our forerunner and the anchor is now on His intercession for us. He is there as High Priest of our lives and we are right back to understanding He is our intermediary and an eternal one. Which sets us up for this interesting figure of Melchizedek.

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love

We are moving on from the third warning passage of the letter and the author is setting the context up to declare the promise that the Christ would be a priest in the order of Melchizedek, forever. The importance of this is many, for one thing no one could claim Melchizedek’s origins, just like Christ, who is eternal.

The warning passage was calling them not to fall away but through faith and patience to inherit the promises God had given them.

Is there an example of anyone who has lived their life like this? Yes!

“When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, ¹⁴ saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” ¹⁵ And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.” (Hebrews 6 v 13-15)

That was the promise to Abraham: I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.

When we make a promise we make it to a higher authority than ourselves, to God. “I promise to God” or “I swear by Almighty God that I will tell the truth” all indicating you are making a serious promise. God never does that because there is no one higher than Him. And so they can never fail.

We have a Bible full of them.

We must hold on to what God has said.

Even when it looks impossible and Sarah was barren: I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.

During the day of joy as Sarah gave birth to Isaac: I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.

Especially during the day of the surrender to God of what He has given as Abraham prepares to sacrifice his only son: I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.

God won’t fail you.

His promises will hold for you during the many changing seasons of your life.

So hold on to what has said and what He has given you. Hold on and you will inherit the promises of God.

This is the final two sentences of the third warning in the letter and we discover the purpose of it. The Pastor wants them to survive and get to the end.

“We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realised. ¹² We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” (Hebrews 6 v 11-12)

To the very end.

The end of their life.

The end of their course, their race, all that they have believed has been fully realised and they then step into their inheritance.

Sunday 22^nd January 2017 I stood with a married couple with 2 small children for a photograph. This was their farewell from the church as they were being sent as church planters to an area where there was absolutely no Christian witness. It was for me a most poignant moment for I knew the struggle that they would face. I was in the region of the world where the Church is continually persecuted. Christians carried injuries to their bodies because they were Christ followers. I was told of how their houses got burnt down, their children set upon and their entire family despised as worthless. I asked the question, “What happens when it all gets too much?” The answer that came shocked me. “We stay.”

You may enter your day struggling to get through it. You face internal pressures from external circumstances that are causing you to wonder if you will ever be free. Physical problems, loneliness, financial instability, loss of work and broken relationships are making you feel like you are swimming against the tide. Let the persecuted Christians help you today. They have found something that is priceless. If we do what they do then we will be saved in our circumstance. They have discovered perseverance, endurance and they are diligent.

The Pastor does not want this first century community to turn back to a Jesus-less Judaism. The third warning ends and we need to hear it. Be diligent, keep hoping, don’t be lazy, have faith and have patience.

Radical candor. It’s a book title. But it’s far more than that.

Toxic cultures never experience radical candor.

It is to care deeply of the person you are challenging directly.

“Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” (Hebrews 6 v 9-10)

Even though we speak like this, meaning v4-6 and the stark warning if they fell away. “Even though we speak like this we are convinced about you.” 

This Pastor knows his people are under incredible pressure to drift away and warns them by an eye-opener. But then the softer approach comes in encouraging them, caring deeply for them, praising them. It’s a beautiful example of a great Pastor who is not afraid to speak the truth but at the same time it is done with deep love.

Radical candor. Extreme fearless honesty. Without deep care all you have is directedness and it hurts. Without honest feedback all you have is care and no discipleship. But with both, with empathy, aiming to understand where the person is in their well-being and with a concise, direct approach focusing on the issue at hand you have radical candor which produces greater effectiveness and brings the best out of people.

The warning of all warnings! It has led to so many debates on whether we can lose our salvation or whether we were ever saved in the first place. It is a shocker. Maybe that was the intent.

“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age ⁶ and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. ⁷ Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. ⁸ But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.” (Hebrews 6 v 4-8)

So who are these people?

They have once been enlightened. They were once in darkness but now have stepped into the light.

They have tasted the heavenly gift. They have experienced and participated in all that God has given, His Son and His Spirit.

They have tasted the goodness of the Word of God. Their leader has so far used various Bible references to support his teaching to them; they are people who hold to their Scriptures and also the gospel that has saved them.

They have tasted the powers of the coming age. They have shared in the Holy Spirit (v4) because they have already entered post-Pentecost and there is more to come.

So these people are true disciples, like you and me. However!

Though ‘it is impossible’ v4 seems actually to be so. These real disciples are at risk of being people ‘who have fallen away’ v6. Of course the book shelves are full of eminent theologians who have answers to this verse. For me, I know pastorally I have at times hung someone over a picture of total destruction if they went ahead with a moment of madness they were pursuing for themselves. I didn’t do that with everyone. But I did do it as a last resort because I loved them enough to try and describe the hell on earth that they would enter in to if they didn’t turn around. Is this what this Pastor is doing? Is this akin to their ancestors who failed to enter into the rest/ the Promised Land?

Where am I today with this? At times in my life I have been really fearful of losing my salvation and so have been at the many church altars getting saved all over again just in case. I think actually God wants me to live with confidence that I am saved even though I sin and come back for forgiveness etc.  There have also been times in my life when I have just coasted along with little passion and drive for God and I needed a powerful sermon or a friend to shake me up to get me back on track again.

The parables of the land are simply to back up the thinking of this leader who loves these believers. He wants the very best of them. They are being tempted to go back to Judaism that is clear in the letter. The persecution is too tough, they need to hang on to Jesus and the faith. This a reminder that if they abandon all that they know and have experienced then who is their Saviour? Who will die on a cross for them? And if they walk away then all that they have testified about the power of the cross then loses its power. The cross of love and beauty becomes what everyone thought as they looked at it, just a public disgrace.

So today. Once again don’t give up. Don’t walk away. If you have to dangle real true Christians who are being cruelly tempted and are in the severest of battles then say what you can to stop them making the worst decision of their life after making the best one.

Are you ready to move on? Without abandoning what you know He has more to show you!
How old are you? How long have you been following Jesus? How have you grown more in knowledge of Him? How have you experienced Him more? In what ways are you now more obedient?
Recently I tried to explain something to a friend and their response was, ‘Oh thank you, now I see, no one has explained it so clearly to me before.’ I thought at last there was a breakthrough. Then a few months later this friend was back struggling with the same issue. It was as if I had never had the breakthrough conversation. It is possible to be locked into a position of thought or a revelation and never be able to move further.
“Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.” (Hebrews 6 v 1-3)
There is an old joke amongst ministers that when a new Pastor takes over the church from a Pastor who is their friend they might provoke them by saying, ‘I am going to lay a proper foundation’. The writer to this community of believers tells them that there will not be another laying of foundation. What does he mean?
Continuing the warning theme to the community of believers this leader/Pastor is challenging their lack of maturity.
Not that we discard the basic elementary teaching of our faith or we tick it off as something already learnt but it becomes the spring board to move on to further truth. There are elementary truths about Christ that are so important that must not be bypassed or forgotten. However, there is more!
The elementary truths are listed and in pairs:
Repentance and faith; cleansing rites and laying on of hands; and resurrection and judgment.
We understand the first and the third pair; but what is the second pair about?
‘Cleansing rites’ might suggest baptism but it is plural and doesn’t use the right word for baptism alone. It is probably a mixture of Jewish ritual washings and Gentile Christian practice that either symbolised their roots or moved on from them.
The Pastor wants them to move on from these things because whether they are the basic wonderful truths of our faith or some precious practices that are symbols of what we believe, it is possible to get so locked in to a revelation that we shut ourselves off from what God is wanting to say and do.
Are you open for new revelations? Are you open for God to speak to you? He may use Scripture? He may speak through dreams and visions? So many ways. It will happen ‘if God permits’ meaning not that He is reluctant or undecided but that it is in accordance to His will and for His glory. Today ask God for further revelations. There is more.

After each chapter I want to pause and reflect and ask this question. Why?

If you are wondering if your sinful actions have disqualified you in some way then read this chapter.

Jesus is your High Priest who intercedes for you and the reason why He is good at that is because He has walked your life but was without sin, v1-4.

Jesus can see life through your perspective and as He does He understands you.

If you want to know about being called by God then read this chapter.

Jesus did not reach out for this role but it came to Him. A calling is a holy appointment, v5-7.

In the Old Testament there was no individual who was a Priest and at the same time the King. That was always seen as the role of the Messiah symbolised by one figure only, found in Genesis 14, Melchizedek. This individual symbolised the role that Christ would be given. He was chosen for this role. Others had through sheer ignorance tried to take it. For example, King Uzziah decided one day to try and look like a priest by offering incense and he ended the moment with a deadly leprosy. Be careful what you reach for. Let your appointment come to you, don’t grab and don’t be apathetic towards it either.

If you want to know how to survive a crushing period of your life then read this chapter.

Jesus offered up tearful prayers in the Gethsemane but demonstrated how to stay obedient to do the perfect will of God, v7-10.

Jesus’ suffering commenced with his anticipation of his own crucifixion and death and being cursed by His Father. You know the feeling of anticipation very well. It is not always the anticipation of Christmas or a birthday party. It can be a dark shadow experience that you know you have to go through. Perhaps you haven’t gone through this way before and you are afraid but Jesus is praying for you that you will hold on and stay obedient even in the darkest moment. And like Jesus you will be delivered at some point and in some way. There is always a resurrection for those who follow.

If you want to safeguard yourself from slipping away from the faith then read this chapter. 

It’s not only about hearing what the Word says but it is about doing. The community of believers were not growing how they should. Life is about discipleship, v11-14.

Following Jesus is to grow in knowledge and wisdom and that does take time. The time is not age-related but the time you spend in reading the Bible, hearing it being taught, praying and looking at your world through the perspective of your Priest and King.

That’s why Hebrews 5 should be read.