Melchizedek ( you read about him in Genesis 14:18-20) was a type of Christ and possibly the pre-incarnate Christ himself, blessed Abraham and received tithes from Abraham.This happened around six hundred years before the Law of Moses and the start of the Levitical priesthood 7:1-3

Unlike the Levitical Priests who had to offer sacrifices for sins again and again. Jesus sacrificed Himself for our sins once and for all 7:27 Ask yourself are there any past, present, or future sins He has not forgiven? This is a mystery but this does not mean that we have liberty to continue to sin deliberately. Romans 6:1-2, 1 John 1:8-9, 5:18. All our sins were in the future when Jesus died for our sins! Jesus also died not only for those who were alive at that time but also for those of faith who had already died. This is why Jesus our Great High Priest unlike the Levitical priests who were all subject to death, is a priest forever because of the power of an endless Life 7:16

Verse to remember

Because of God’s oath, it is Jesus who guarantees the effectiveness of this better covenant. Hebrews 7:22 N.L.T.

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If we are to mature as christians we need to move on from (but not away from) the basics of our faith. Baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal Judgements. Mature christians should be teaching these basics to New christians, and by being good examples putting what they have learnt into action. So that both young and older christians make real growth just as the Lord intends. Introductory courses to christianity are great and they are very good evangelistic tools. However unfortunately some folk never seem to move on they prefer the milk and are happier to go on the next beginners course rather than join a local church. I think its quite clear what the Holy Spirit is saying to us all “stop going over the basics of your faith again and again!” 6:1-3

In the first century, Jewish Christians who turned away from Jesus Christ and returned to Judaism deliberately cut themselves off from God’s forgiveness they became apostate. A deliberate abandonment of Christian faith is not backsliding these verses are not about falling into sin but about denouncing Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour. 6:6-8

We christians can have such assurance of salvation because not only do we have God’s own promise we also have God’s own oath. Remember! God is unable to lie, that is why the confident assurance of our personal salvation in Jesus Christ can never be shaken.

A verse to remember

This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain of heaven into God’s inner sanctuary. Hebrews 6:19 N.L.T.

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Jesus is our perfect High Priest because 1 He was appointed by God. 2 He experienced what it was to be fully human 3 He had no need to make any sacrifices for His own sins for He is sinless. 4 He made sacrifice for sin when He offered Himself for the sins of the people. 5 He understands and has sympathy for each of us. 5:4-9

Jesus was never disobedient we know this because as the spotless lamb of God Jesus never sinned. It means that Jesus learnt what it meant to be obedient and actively sought obedience even though He knew it would lead Him to suffer the most terrible of all deaths. Jesus was always morally perfect His obedience demonstrates to us that when we face the most trying of circumstances, He is able to help us to obey 5:8

There is a time to drink milk (pre-digested solid food) referring to one who has just been saved, and a time to eat solid food. A new born baby needs milk at first, but needs to progress to solid food to grow strong 5:13 Its similar for us if we don’t desire to make progress we are in danger of stagnating and becoming deaf to the voice of God. 5:14 is a promise for the mature, those who have put what they have learned into practice. They will be able to discern what is true and what is false. How very important this promise from the Lord for the days in we live.

A verse to remember

So even though Jesus was God’s Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered. Hebrews 5:8 N.L.T.

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Time is precious but please listen to the audio as well as reading the notes

Israel failed to enter God’s promised rest when they refused to believe the good report brought by Joshua and Caleb to enter the land of Canna. Instead they chose to accept the negative report the ten spies brought. However God gave their children another chance forty years later under the leadership of Joshua, but again they failed to fully press in and posses all the promised land. Their unbelief led to disobedience and a forfeiture of God’s promised rest. The writer of Hebrews understood that for some of the Jewish readers of Hebrews their faith was being put to the test. Should they continue to believe in Jesus entering into His rest, or return to Judaism and their old ways of trying to get right with God? 4:1

God rested from his labor after the six days of creation not because He was tired but because He was satisfied with His creation and saw everything He had made was good. Our ultimate rest will be in God’s new creation at the end of this present age. But we don’t need to wait until then. Our sabbath rest began when we first trusted in Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation. From first till last God’s promised rest is ours, God’s Rest is His personal gift to each one. The indwelling Holy Spirit is given to take the strain ( comfort, guide, and help us) so that what God calls us to do is done with God’s own strength 4:11

Question! how much of what we christians do, is the will of God and done in the strength of the Holy Spirit?

Hebrews chapter four shows us two wonderful ways God has chosen to encourage our faith 1 through His Word and by it He tests our motives. am I living in the soulish realm or the spiritual? 2 We can also Tcome to Jesus who is our great high priest He is merciful and dispenses grace just when we need it 4:14-16

Christ’s throne of grace is a place of rest for the weary traveller!

A verse to remember

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it. Hebrews 4:16 N.L.T.

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Time is precious! but please listen to the audio as well as reading my musings!

Pause for thought

Hebrews was written to encourage Jewish converts to Christianity to holdfast to their Heavenly calling. Because of their Jewish heritage it was relatively easy to give in to the pull of their former Jewish religion. Although Hebrews was written to Jewish believers its message is for every christian wether Jew or gentile in every age.

As Apostle of our confession Jesus represents God to His people (is the message and the messenger) As High Priest Jesus represents His people to God ( Jesus is able to represent us because he experienced all our frailties without sinning) 3:1-2

Moses was greatly revered by every Jew as a servant who served God’s Jewish household. But Jesus Christ is not only in charge of God’s entire household that now includes both Jew and Gentile, Jesus is the builder of that household, yet another reason for every believer to maintain their hope in Jesus Christ. 3:8

Israel’s rebellion in the wilderness happened in spite of seeing many miraculous signs and wonders, the final straw was broken when they refused to enter the promised land ( a type of Gods rest) The writer to the Hebrews uses this as a warning to Jewish Christians not to turn back but to keep on believing in Jesus Christ as the only WAY to enter God’s true rest. I think that rest refers to our present rest as we trust or rest in Christ. And can also refer to a future heavenly rest. 3:18-19, 4:1

memory verse

But Christ, the faithful Son, was in charge of the entire household. And we are God’s household, if we keep up our courage and remain confident of our hope in Christ. Hebrews. 4:6 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

We must pay attention to the truth that God has spoken to us through the bible (putting into practice what we’ve heard. James 1:22-25) if we do we shall be able to stand firm against the tricks of the devil if we don’t we are in danger of drifting away from not only the truth of the gospel but from God himself 2:1

Hebrews makes it clear that the message of salvation was spoken by Jesus Christ. This is why we must be even more diligent to believe it. God verified the message with signs wonders and miracles, anyone who drifts away after hearing the message of Gods Son is in grave danger.

Truth’s to hold firmly from this chapter. 1 The gospel message was brought from heaven to earth by Jesus v3 2 The world to come will be ruled and controlled by Jesus v8 3 Jesus became a human like us (lower than Angels) so that he could taste death for every human v9 4 Jesus the holy Son of God is able to make believers as holy as himself v11 5 Jesus calls us His brothers v11 6 Jesus became like us so that by his death he destroyed the devil and the fear of death in us v14-15 6 Jesus had to become like us so that He is able to aid us by being a merciful and. faithful High Priest v17

We can avoid drifting if we not only remember all that Jesus has done for us but keep thanking Jesus for everything He has done for us.

memory verse

Since He himself has gone through suffering and temptation, He is able to help us when we are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18 N.L.T.

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Although Hebrews was written to Jewish believers in Jesus Christ. (author unknown possibly Paul, Luke, Barnabas, Apollos?) whoever it was this book is relevant not only to Jews and early believers in Christ it is thoroughly up to date. Hebrews was written to those Jews who may of been considering returning to Judaism perhaps because of their lack of understanding of who Christ was. Hebrews was written to reveal Jesus true identity as God. It keeps todays believer Jew or gentile rightly focussed on Jesus and His ongoing ministry for His church 1:3.

As wonderful as were the many ways God spoke in time past, now God has not only spoken but revealed His own self through His Son. Jesus is the express image of who God is which is why every word He spoke and every thing he did, he did exactly as God His Father would of done Jesus did not do anything say anything His Father was not saying! Jesus did not only speak the word of God He is the word, Jesus always was the word from before the universe which was created by Him 1:1-3.John 1:1-14. Mathew 21:33 onwards.

The first born 1:6 could refer to Christ’s incarnation, or second coming. but in the context of this chapter probably means His preeminence. We must never forget that Jesus God the Son, has no beginning or end He always was and existed long before His incarnation 1:12

Jesus as ”Lord of creation” laid out the foundation of the earth, and He created everything in the universe and the universe itself. One day this ageing heaven and earth will pass away and in its place will be a new heaven and earth a home for God and His new creations. question as Christ created and sustains the whole of creation by His Word of command. How big a part did/does the Word play in your life?

A verse to remember

The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about Him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of His command. After He died to cleanse us from the stain of sin. He sat down in the place of honour at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven. Hebrews 1:3 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

Do you long as in the words of an old hymn “ Here from the world we turn Jesus to meet” ? then you would of enjoyed the company of the writer of Psalm 84 who was longing to meet God in the Temple courts. We can meet with God at any place at anytime, but as many have found stepping aside from the world to meet with God involves much more than finding a space in a church building or a even a place in the countryside. Do you remember the words of Jesus when speaking to the Samaritan woman? teaching us that whatever the perceived benefits of a quiet location its the preparation of the heart that counts. ” Neither on this mountain or in Jerusalem, the true worshippers will worship in spirit and in truth for the Father is seeking such to worship Him” (my paraphrase of John 4:21-24)

The Psalmist envies the sparrow and swallow who could just fly into Gods presence at will! consider the obstacles the OT worshippers had to overcome to be allowed into the temple? Hebrews 5. In a sense we Christians have more in common with the sparrow that flew at will into the temple and build its nest in Gods very presence than with the OT worshippers. Think how Jesus compared believers to the sparrow Mathew 10:29-31

The pilgrims way up to Jerusalem and the Temple passed through the Valley of Baca which was a dry desolate valley. This valley has become symbolic of times of extreme struggles and tears that every genuine pilgrim has to face. Those who ” set their hearts on pilgrimage” know that their pilgrimage leads them closer to God not away from Him. The pilgrim way passes through the valley of baca we don’t camp there!

As you pass through your valley trusting in the Lord it will become barren no longer but be filled with springs of rejoicing 5-7

Chorus to sing?

As I walk through that dark lonesome valley the Saviour will walk with me there, and safely his good hand will guide me to mansions he’s gone to prepare. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.

memory verse

No good thing will the Lord with-hold from those who do what is right Psalm 84:11 N.L.T.

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pause for thought

The writer of this psalm felt overwhelmed by trouble and afflictions, problems and difficulties of life can often weigh heavy and it’s in times like these that we are more likely to believe our feelings and think that even God has deserted us, instead of knowing that it is only God who is able to comfort and strengthen us 102:1-2

Whatever we go through in life we need to remind ourselves of three things. One we are not the first or indeed the last believer to be tested in this way. Two Jesus Christ experienced everything and more during His time on earth. Three Because Jesus went through the same experiences that we do, but without sinning He completely understands how we feel He not only sympathises but is able to help us in our need, there is still a throne of grace available to us. Hebrews 4:15-16

The whole Bible is the WORD of GOD this psalm underlines this ”let this be recorded for future generation” surely the nation yet to be created is the Christian Church? 102:18, 2 Corinthians 5:17. The apostle Paul wrote that the Old Testament scriptures were written for the benefit of the church Romans 15:4

God is eternal He has no beginning or end He will never age! He was around to help every generation that ever lived. He is not subject to change or decay, He’s never old fashioned He knows about every invention before mankind claims the patent. He is always the same and His years will never end PTL!

Like the Psalmist we can count our years how short they are! Our achievements seem nothing in the great scheme of things only what God does has any real value Psalm 127:1. God the Son, Jesus is the member of the trinity who laid the foundation of the earth 102:25, Hebrews 1:10-12. This creation will one day be no more, in its place Jesus the eternal son of God will complete a new creation 102:27 see Hebrews 13:8

Memory verse

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever Hebrews 13:8 N.L.T.

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David wrote this psalm from his own experience when as a shepherd boy he looked after his fathers sheep, and from his personal relationship with his heavenly Shepherd. Jesus the good Shepherd went further than David could imagine by giving His life for the sheep 1:1, John 10:11

Every Shepherd knows that his sheep need the right nutrition, but there are often discontented sheep amongst the flock ( speaking from my experience from my farming days as a shepherd) for whom the grass always seemed to look greener on the other side of the fence! David is making the point that only God knows what is best for His Sheep, When Jesus came He said he knew his own sheep by name and that He would be known by them John 10:14. We can rest assured that the Lord has prepared the very best for all who follow Him and that the grass that the restless sheep forage after may sometimes look greener but will always disappoint, in contrast here are the blessings that pursue those who follow the Great Shepherd of the Sheep our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ Hebrews 13:20

Sheep who follow the Good Shepherd will never be in want 23:1

lie down in green pasture rest, contentment, led beside still waters refreshment 23:2

He restores my soul free from anxiety, Leads me in the right path Jesus the WAY 23:3

For the Christian death is just a shadow death is no longer to be feared because Jesus has given eternal life 23:4

Rod and Staff for direction, examination and healing

Table and oil provision and Strength 23:5

Gods goodness and mercy (grace) will always be with us and we have the promise of our heavenly dwelling 23:6

memory verse

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6 N.L.T.

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