“The Priest Is The Lamb” ( Hebrews 7:25, HCSB ) by Carley Evans

“But because [Christ] remains forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore, He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.”

Under the old covenant, the priest literally stands between the people and God. Annually, the priest offers an unblemished lamb as a sacrificial substitute for the people, their sins burning up along with the body of the lamb, the sweet fragrance satisfying the wrath of the Lord. The people come to God through the priest; God accepts them because of the lamb.

The author of Hebrews may as well shout. For under the new covenant — the better covenant — the priest “remains forever,” and “always lives to intercede for [the people].” Under the new covenant — the final covenant — the priest is the Lamb! And, the sacrifice is once for all. And, the Priest lives forever, always able to intercede for each and every one “who comes to God through Him.”

“If You Want To Know Your Self” ( Hebrews 4:12, WYC ) by Carley Evans

Ever look in the mirror, see your own eyes, and wonder, “Who is that?” Ever stare at a photograph taken by someone who knows you and think, “Is that me? That can’t be what I really look like to others.”

William Shakespeare, via his character Hamlet, writes:

“To thine own self be true; and it must follow, as the night the day, thou can not then be false to any man.”

In knowing your self, being honest to your self; you then must be honest and true with every other person, according to Shakespeare. Logically it follows then to know your self. God says to find your self — your real self — you must turn to Him. Once you find God and thereby your self, knowing both Him and your real self is best accomplished through the Word.

“For the word of God is quick, and speedy in working, and more able to pierce than any twain-edged sword [two-edged sword], and stretcheth forth [till] to the parting of the soul and of the spirit, and of the jointures and marrows, and deemer of thoughts, and of intents of hearts.”

The mirror is a fine instrument for checking your appearance, but if you want to know who you really are, open your Bible.

“Obsolete, Aging, Disappearing” ( Hebrews 8: 13, NIV ) by Carley Evans

God has a problem, early on, with the first covenant He makes with His people. He finds fault with them, and seeks another way of making His people right with Him. There is no denying there is something wrong with the old covenant, says the writer of Hebrews. (see Hebrews 8:7-8, NIV)

The key here is that God finds fault with His people, and He requires some way to resolve this separation of Himself from the people He has chosen. He cannot abide sin, but His law is not achieving the end He desires. He’s resorted to punishment, to discipline, to promises; but these do not lead His people to love Him consistently enough to turn from their evil ways. As a matter of fact, God knows His people are essentially incapable of turning to Him.

Therefore God looks forward to His new covenant in which He puts His law in the minds of His people. This law is inside; no longer an outside force. Rather this law is written on the hearts of God’s people. God declares:

“No longer does a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:10-12)

Yet, someone may argue that Jesus states emphatically that not a letter of the law is set aside. Since Jesus Himself fulfills every requirement of God’s law, no contradiction exists. The law is external for us; but for God’s Son, the law is always internal. Hence Jesus meets all God’s expectations for the people of God. Jesus gives us His own righteousness like a robe we wear on the outside while the Holy Spirit transforms us on the inside. Kind of like dressing for the cold while the glow of warmth rises inside.

“Enter God’s Rest” ( Hebrews 4: 11, NIV ) by Carley Evans

God rests on the seventh day after He creates the universe, every world, every living thing, and us. God calls us to a “Sabbath-rest” of our own, saying through His Holy Spirit that “anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God does from His.” (Hebrews 4:10) God’s “work has been finished since the creation of the world.” (Hebrews 4:3) We are to “make every effort to enter that rest.” (Hebrews 4:11) Then, the author of Hebrews adds, “so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:11)

What example of disobedience? The people disobeyed by not combining the message they heard with faith. (Hebrews 4:2) They heard the good news, but did not believe it. They heard His voice, but they hardened their hearts. (Hebrews 4:7) “So we see they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:19)

The author emphasizes that entering God’s rest happens in the present — Today, in fact.

“Encourage one another daily, as long as it is Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:13)

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:7,8)

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.” (Hebrews 4:9)

Rest from your own work. Make every effort to enter the Sabbath-rest God prepares for you.

 

“Both Are Made Holy” ( Hebrews 2: 11, NIV ) by Carley Evans

“Both the One who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.”

And because men are flesh and blood, Jesus also is flesh and blood. “He too shares in their humanity.” (Hebrews 2:14) “He is made like His brothers in every way in order that He may become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He may make atonement for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17) Jesus is flesh and blood so He may help those who are tempted, having been tempted Himself. “In bringing many sons to glory, it is fitting that God should make the Author of their salvation perfect through suffering.” (Hebrew 2:10) Because of this direct experience with suffering, Jesus as the High Priest “is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, since He Himself is subject to [human] weakness” though not to sin as other high priests. (Hebrews 5: 2) Rather, He “is tempted in every way, just as [they] are — yet is without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) Therefore, He is able to sympathize with people, in every way.

The author of Hebrews then calls Christians “holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling.” (Hebrews 3:1) The author calls these holy brothers “God’s house.” (Hebrews 3:6)

So, since Christians are the house of God and holy, “let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.” (Hebrews 4:14) “Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) Let us “fix [our] thoughts on Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest whom we confess.” (Hebrews 3:1)

“The Same” ( John 1: 2, KJV ) by Carley Evans

“In the beginning, God creates the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

“In the beginning,” writes John, “is the Word, and the Word is with God, and the Word is God.” (John 1:1)

God speaks and the world comes into existence. John confirms the Son of God is the Word. “All things are made by Him, and without Him is not anything made that is made.” (John 1:3)

Paul tells the church at Colosse that the Son of God “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for by Him are all things created.” (Colossians 1:15-16) The author of Hebrews writes the Son of God is “the brightness of [God's] glory, and the express image of His person.” (Hebrews 1:3) The Son “upholds all things by the Word of His power.” (Hebrews 1:3)

Jesus Himself says, “He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me. And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me.” (John 12:44-45)

And Jesus tells His disciples and us: “But the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father sends in My Name, He teaches you all things, and brings all things to your remembrance, whatever I say unto you.” (John 14:26)

“The same is in the beginning with God.” (John 1:2)

The Triune God is indirectly referred to in the Word of God; God implies He is “three persons in One” but never that He is a divided God. God is not three little gods in One. Praise be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Sinners Saved” ( Hebrews 7: 25, NIV ) by Carley Evans

God the Holy Spirit writes about sin in believers:

“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:12-13,NIV)

Jesus, the Son of God intercedes for believers. No need to intercede for those who do not sin.

“Therefore [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)

Jesus made one sacrifice for all sin.

“By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Hebrews 10:14)

“If we deliberately keep on sinning, after we have received knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” (Hebrews 10:26-27)

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (Hebrews 12:4)

Obviously, Christians are called not to sin; but we do. And thank God, Jesus’ sacrifice nails those sins to the cross and His shed blood washes them away. The Holy Spirit says, “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 10:17)

“Filled With Fear” ( Hebrews 10: 29, Darby ) by Carley Evans

“Of how much worse punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and esteemed the blood of the covenant, whereby he has been sanctified, common, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

What is insulting to the Spirit of grace? How do I fail to show esteem to the blood of the covenant? How do I trod the Son of God under my feet? How do I call my salvation, my sanctification ‘common?’

Likely numerous answers to those questions exist — which is rather odd considering we each have the same Holy Spirit dwelling within. I know some believe it is our sins which insult the Spirit of grace, trod the Lord God under our feet, and call common our great salvation. I think it’s adding to the gospel.

Jesus calls the Pharisees and scribes a “brood of vipers” — persons who make it impossible for people to follow God by loading heavy burdens upon them. Paul complains of the legalistic Jewish Christians who demand from others — circumcision, refraining from certain foods, and celebrating certain days — to follow Jesus.

The disciples are bewildered when Jesus tells the rich young man who obeys all the rules and regulations, but refuses to give his all and follow after the Lord, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” They ask Jesus, “Then who can be saved?” And Jesus, as always, gives them the perfect and only answer, “With men, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible.”

“Shadows Of What Is In Heaven” ( Hebrews 8: 5, NIV ) by Carley Evans

Everything created for the tabernacle in Moses’ day is created as a perfect pattern of Jesus who is the mediator of the new covenant — a covenant “superior to the old one, and [...] founded on better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6) The old covenant between God and the people of Israel has “something wrong” with it, “for if there is nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place is sought for another.” (Hebrews 8:7) A new covenant is needed because “God finds fault with [His] people.” (Hebrews 8:8) Because His people are incapable of obeying the rules and regulations established in that first covenant, God provides a means of “putting [His] laws in their minds and writing them on their hearts.” (Hebrews 8:10) God knows His people can not “remain faithful to [His] covenant” so that He must necessarily “turn away from them.” (Hebrews 8:9) God provides a new covenant — one which is not like the old. “No longer is a man to teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know [God], from the least of them to the greatest.” (Hebrews 8:11)

God says, “For I forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12) This is the answer — not that we love God, but that He loves us.

“Draw Near” ( Hebrews 10: 22, ESV ) by Carley Evans

Essentially we are encouraged to be confident before the Lord because Christ provides a “new and living way” as our “great high priest over the house of God.” (Hebrews 10:19,20) “Our bodies washed with pure water,” we are clean and able to approach the throne of grace because Christ always lives to intercede for us. We are to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience.” (Hebrews 10:22) We are not to hang back or “go on sinning deliberately.” (Hebrews 10:26) Rather we are to encourage one another to love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24)

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promises is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23) “By a single sacrifice, He perfects for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:13)

And everyone says, “Amen.”