A Study of Hebrews is very relevant for our day. Just as the Hebrew Christians were doing in the 1st century, people are apostatizing from the faith today. There are many Christians that do not know whether we live under the commands of Christ or Moses or both. They do not understand the distinction between the two systems and so they believe they can live under either or both.
The hope of Heaven is lost on many today because of a worldly mindset. There are those religious folks today that have their hope set on the false doctrines contained in premillennialism rather than the Word of God.
We use the word “hope” in both the past tense and present tense. For example, “I hope I did right” or “I hope I am doing right”. We also use it in the future tense. The Biblical usage of the word “hope” is always in the future tense, looking for that which is to come.
In Hebrews 6:18-20, the Hebrews writer points out the certainty of the hope we have. Our hope is based on two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie about. Immutable means never changing or unvarying. The two immutable things are God’s promise and His oath. God has promised mankind salvation in Christ by the precious blood of Christ, 1 Peter 1:18-19. This promise included those Christian Jews the Hebrews letter was writing to who would forfeit the promise if they turned back to Judaism. Not only the promise, but God “willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath” Hebrews 6:17. Concerning these two, the promise and the oath, it is impossible for God to lie. He is a promise making God and a promise keeping God.
This hope is an anchor of the soul. This anchor is sure and steadfast. As sure, steadfast, and immutable as the promise and oath. As sure, steadfast, and immutable as the One who made them. For these Hebrews to turn back to Judaism was to turn away from their salvation, was to turn away from the promise and oath made to man, and to turn away from the God of Heaven who made them. If they turned from God there was no other means of forgiveness to be found.
Just as the Hebrews of the 1st century, we also would have no hope were it not for Jesus Christ. Christ has ascended into Heaven itself and this is where our hope is, Heaven, and on whom is it centered, on Christ. He is our Prophet, Priest, and King. Hebrews 1:1-3
Paul’s logic was “ungetoverable”. Jesus Christ is greater than the angels, therefore He is greater than the Law of Moses. Jesus Christ is greater than Moses, therefore He is greater than the Law that came by Moses. Jesus Christ is greater than Aaron, therefore He is greater than the Levitical priesthood or any earthly high priest. Heavenly hope for Jewish Christians could not be found through Moses or Aaron, through angels or the Law of Moses. It was (and is today) only through Jesus Christ and his Gospel that hope can be found and attained.
Abraham looked for a “city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” Hebrews 11:10. David looked to the time when “I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever” Psalm 23:6. Jesus told His disciples “In my Father’s house are many mansions” John 14:2. Paul looked forward to “a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day” 2 Timothy 4:8. Peter spoke of “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” 1 Peter 1:4. John on Patmos wrote of his vision “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away” Revelation 22:1. This is the hope that Paul is admonishing the Hebrew Christians to not forsake by going back to the Law of Moses.
This is the same hope Christians today can look forward to if we have been found faithful at the end of life’s journey, Revelation 2:10.
–Jerry Sturgill
