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FOUR MOTIVATORS TO FAITHFULNESS

 

Lauding Their Present Situation

Hebrews 12:22-25

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     The writer just finished a lengthy section about Old Testament examples who manifested faith in God.

 

B.      In this chapter, he reminds his readers of these Bible greats, but then points them to one even greater, Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

 

C.     The inspired penman also notes three other things that he hopes will encourage these Christians to remain faithful under great pressure to apostatize.

 

D.     Outline:

 

i.                    LOOKING UNTO JESUS (Heb. 12:1-4)

ii.                  LISTENING TO THE SCRIPTURE (Heb. 12:5-13)

iii.                LEARNING FROM AN OT CHARACTER (Heb. 12:14-17)

iv.                 LAUDING THEIR PRESENT SITUATION (Heb. 12:18-29)

 

I.                   LOOKING UNTO JESUS (Heb. 12:1-4)

 

II.                LISTENING TO THE SCRIPTURE (Heb. 12:5-13)

 

III.             LEARNING FROM AN OLD TESTAMENT CHARACTER (Heb. 12:14-17)

 

IV.              LAUDING THEIR PRESENT SITUATION (Heb. 12:18-29)  The writer now contrasts two mountains, one is physical Sinai and the other is spiritual Sinai.  “These verses were designed to produce one final argument to convince them of the superiority of Christ over Moses” (Wacaster, p. 518).

 

A.     We have not come to a Material Mountain (Heb. 12:18-21).

 

B.      There were come to Spiritual Sion (Heb. 12:21-24). 

 

But ye are come unto mount Sion…

 

Zion was the mount upon which Jerusalem sat.  It was the beginning place for the church, “for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:4; See also Acts 1:12).  Note how the elements on this mount stand in sharp contrast the elements of Sinai.

1.        The Description of Sion

a.       “…and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…” (Heb. 12:22b).

1)       Remember that the Old Law contained shadows of heavenly things (Heb. 10:1).

2)      Jerusalem was a physical city, but it was a shadow of the precious church of Christ (Rev. 21:2).

 

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride for her husband.

 

NOTE:  The church is a heavenly place wherein Christians sit with Christ (Eph. 2:6).

3)      Just as God’s presence was in the literally Jerusalem, now God dwells among His people, the church (II Cor. 6:16).

 

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?  For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell I them, and walk in them; and will be there God, and they shall be my people. 

 

b.      “…and to an innumerable company of angels…” (Heb. 12:22)

1)       The angels are created beings.  God has created literally thousands and thousands of them.  There are so many that they cannot be numbered (Rev. 5:11).

 

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders:  and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.

 

2)      They were present in the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai (Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19).  Most likely, there were part of the thunder, lightning, and smoke display.

3)      Under the new covenant, they work and serve as God’s ministers on our behalf (Heb. 1:14).

 

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

 

c.       “…to the general assembly of the firstborn, which are written in heaven…” (Heb. 12:23a).

1)       The word “assembly” means a group who are gathered for a festive occasion.

2)      Here, it is the assembly of the firstborn ones.

a)      The firstborn ones were those who were excellent or exalted.

b)     Some commentators believe it refers to those who first obeyed the gospel and had passed on.  Other commentators tell us that is could refer to the martyrs who had passed on to their reward.

3)      These individuals had their name written in heaven.  All faithful have their name written in heaven.  It is contained in the Lamb’s book of life (See Luke 10:20; Phil. 4:3).

 

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

 

d.      “…and to God the Judge of all…” (Heb. 12:23).

1)       These Christians were going through trials and tribulations.

2)      Christians are not to avenge themselves (Heb. 10:30).

3)      But they have a God who will judge all.  He will right the wrongs that have been done.  He will also punish the evildoers.

e.       “…and to the spirits of just men made perfect” (Heb. 12:23).

1)       The law could make nothing perfect (Heb. 10:1).

 

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offer year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect.

 

2)      Christ’s sacrifice could.  Thus, under the New Testament we can come to the spirits of just men made perfect (Heb. 10:14).

 

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

 

f.        “…and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant…” (Heb. 12:24).

1)       Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant. 

a)      He was a good man, but he was just a man.

b)     He had sins just like all men.

c)      He mediated an old covenant.

d)     That covenant could not take away sins.

2)      Our mediator is Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God.  He is the mediator of a new covenant, which was established upon better promises, especially the complete removal of man’s sins. (Heb. 8:6).

g.      “…and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel” (Heb. 12:24).

1)       Under the old covenant, the blood was sprinkled to purify the tabernacle, the people and to dedicate the covenant, but it was the blood of animals.

2)      Under the new testament, it was Jesus’ blood that was sprinkled (I Pet. 1:2).

 

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesu Christ:  Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

 

a)      It was a divine sacrifice.

b)     It was a perfect human sacrifice.

c)      The blood was sprinkled in heaven, not on earth.

d)     The blood only had to be shed one time.

3)      The writer compares the blood to Abel’s blood.

a)      Abel’s blood was shed when he was slain by Cain (Gen. 4:8).

-          Abel was a righteous man, but only a man (Matt. 23:35; Heb. 11:4).

-          His blood cried out from the ground unto God (Gen. 4:10).

-          It declared the wrong that had been done.

-          The cry was for revenge.

b)     Jesus’ blood was much better than Abel’s blood.

-          It was both human and divine.

-          It cries out through the heavens.

-          Its purpose is not revenge.  It is to redeem man from sin and iniquity.

c)      “If then the blood of a saint speaks so forcibly to God, how infinitely more powerfully must the blood of ‘the King of saints” (Rev. 14:3) plead!” (A.W. Pink, Electronic Notes, as quoted by Wacaster, p. 527).

2.       The Duty of Christians (Heb. 12:25-29).

a.       Refuse not Him that speaketh (Heb. 12:25)

1)       The prohibition (Heb. 12:25a).

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh…

 

a)      Refuse:

-          Strong (3868):  to beg off, that is, deprecate, decline, shun

-          Thayer:  to seek to avert, to refuse, decline, to shun, void

b)     A warning has been issued in this book to Jewish Christians.  The exhortation was for them not to return to the imperfect system of Judaism.  The writer now exhorts them saying:  “Refuse not him that speaketh.”

-          The one who is speaking is God.

-          To refuse to hear God is a serious matter (Luke 10:16).

 

He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

 

2)      The past (Heb. 12:25b)

 

...for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall we not escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.

 

a)      From Sinai, a mountain on earth, God spoke to the children of Israel.

b)     Those who did hear Him who spoke on earth were punished (Heb. 2:2)

 

…and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward.

 

c)      If they did not escape punishment who refused to hear God when he spoke on earth, how can we escape punishment if we refuse the one who speaks to us from heaven?  The answer is simple.  We WILL NOT ESCAPE!

-          We think of God being loving, kind, and forgiving.

-          We fail sometimes to remember the wrath of God. 

-          LESSON:  We are under a better covenant, therefore, we have a greater responsibility placed upon us to adhere to the new covenant.

b.      The removing of things that are shaken (Heb. 12:26-29)