Hebrews 12:7-29 (03/07/2024)

v. vii-xi

Hebrews 12:7–11 NKJV

7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

In this passage we need to remember the last six verses. This is speaking of the discipline of God. In the last six verses, it spoke of how God’s discipline shows us that we’re His sons, and here we find the converse idea. If God’s discipline is not given to us, we are not His sons. Even worse, those children are called illegitimate; this is speaking of shame. Then—and now—it’s embarrassing to find out that a child is a product of a marriage that is not both the mother’s and the father’s, revealing the lies of either the mother or the father.

If we’re not accepting God’s discipline, we are saying that we are His sons, but are not.

The author now appeals to real-life examples: the discipline of human parents. This language is echoed in v. vi, which says that God “scourges every son whom He receives.” Scourging is a physical pain, but it is said that God Himself does it, just like human parents.

The Bible speaks of important limits on physical discipline, and that a child should never be hurt dangerously or with intention to hurt. Rather, it must be to instruct them. This has been lost in modern-day culture, but God’s discipline does not disappear.

v. ix says that we paid respect to our parents, even when they disciplined us, whether it be physically, or by grounding, or any other procedure. But it leads to a question which asks where our loyalty is: do we honor God, even when He disciplines us? Does our punishment, which we deserve, lead us to blame God? Many people have done this across time, with no success. Some leave behind evidence and assume that God just doesn’t exist, rather than accessing the benefits of discipline.

How can there be any benefits to punishment? God chooses unexpected means to give His children these benefits. These are the benefits:

Strengthening in holiness: God knows the perfect way to perform this, even though human parents never have perfect judgment, but only disciplined “as seemed best to them”.

Peaceful fruit of righteousness: Notice how the condition on this benefit is “to those who have been trained by it”. Even when the punishment is painful, the profit is peaceable.

v. xii-xvii

Hebrews 12:12–17 NKJV

12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. 14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

How are we to answer when someone we know is disciplined by God? The answer of many is to point a finger and talk behind their back. But the biblical answer is the opposite: “strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees”. Not only this, but we’re called to check ourselves: “and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.” We’re all in a process of spiritual healing, with God strengthening us in holiness every day. The author first mentioned pursuing “peace with all people”, but does not forget to mention holiness. He didn’t forget it because it is so important: “without [holiness] no one will see the Lord”.

The so-called “progressive Christian” movement takes the focus off of Christ and holiness, but without holiness, no one will see the Lord. The secular idea of good enough=Heaven takes the focus off of holiness and onto the ability of self, but without holiness, no one will see the Lord. We cannot leave behind holiness if we want to live for God.

So, how do we maintain it? One way is “looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God”. We must work diligently to live Christianity in unity, working hard to not let any fall away. We can’t do this by manipulation; we can do it by encouragement.

There are ways to damage it, too (an unfortunately long list of ways):

Bitterness: Any root of this can not only cause trouble, but also defile people. It has defiled many people. Bitterness is lethal; we must guard ourselves from it.

Profanity: This doesn’t mean only words that come from our mouth, though it certainly includes it. The example given here is Esau, whose sin was exchanging a meal for a birthright. But what does this mean? Why is it bad? The idea of profanity here is sacrificing God’s gifts for the supposed gifts of the world. The world and its desires pass away, but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Even Esau regretted his profanity, but it was too late. Don’t let it be too late when you decide to leave it behind.

v. xviii-xxiv

Hebrews 12:18–24 NKJV

18 For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. 20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” 21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”) 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

What is going on in v. xviii-xxi?

This seems overly harsh, but that might’ve been the point. After so much unfaithfulness, Israel was called to the physical mountain whereupon Moses received the tablets of the Ten Commandments. This extreme measure was the only way in which Israel would see the scale of God’s holiness. Without understanding God’s holiness, they couldn’t receive the laws. The laws were intended for the nation of Israel, but now extend to us, at a time where God has called us to a new mountain, where there is no fear or danger: there is forgiveness on that mountain. Now, we have arrived at “the city of the living God”: Hebrews 11 talks about this “heavenly country” that the generations from a long time ago longed for. “The heavenly Jerusalem” is another name given to that glorious place. Notice how it’s not talking about the “Holy City”, where many do pilgrimages for supposed spiritual benefits. I’m not saying that taking a trip to the land where the Bible unfolded is a bad thing (I’ve done it too), but it shouldn’t be put on a pedestal. The goal that we must fix our eyes on is the heavenly Jerusalem.

What we will find there is not only a place, but a communion. It will be a huge reunion of God, “an innumerable company of angels”, and the “church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven”. First of all, we will not be angels, but we will be with angels. Second, the church is made up of those “who are registered in heaven”. The church is not made up of those who fill up a seat; they’re made of those who God has registered in heaven. Let us be part of those who are registered in heaven. Greatest of all, our communion will be with Jesus. Jesus, through His blood, became the Mediator of the new covenant. This is why we love Him: because He loved us first.

v. xxv-xxix

Hebrews 12:25–29 NKJV

25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

What are we to do with this knowledge of the last 24 verses? We cannot refuse God. He is the One who speaks. And the author accompanies this instruction with a reminder that looks very similar to the second chapter of Hebrews, which begins in the following way:

Hebrews 2:1–3 NKJV

1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

This is a second Old Testament example that could be considered very harsh, such that no one can escape. If God has the power to shake the earth and the heavens which He created, who’s to say that He won’t turn on us if we get out of hand? But the power of God is shown so much more clearly in His mercy, that He will not be shaken. He will never change, and in a few sentences the author writes, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Wherefore His transformation of Heaven and earth is something we can be ready for, and even glad for. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” (v. xxviii)

Let us see how to serve God acceptably, through grace. Just as God has given us grace, we must show grace towards others. Let us serve Him with reverence. God’s presence is holy ground, in which we must take off malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking. Let us serve Him with godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.

Why should we love a God who is a consuming fire? Of course, we should serve Him in such a case, but why should we love Him?

Remember that God knows those who are close to Him. What I mean by this is that God is a consuming fire for destruction if you are sinful, like the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. But if God is a consuming fire for your benefit, He will be your guard as He was to Israel, a pillar of fire to keep them safe in the desert.

Let us leave behind everything that makes us like Sodom and Gomorrah, and take up everything that God has commanded us, so that He may be our light and warmth.

Hebrews 12:1–6 (RVR60)

1 Por tanto, nosotros también, teniendo en derredor nuestro tan grande nube de testigos, despojémonos de todo peso y del pecado que nos asedia, y corramos con paciencia la carrera que tenemos por delante, 2 puestos los ojos en Jesús, el autor y consumador de la fe, el cual por el gozo puesto delante de él sufrió la cruz, menospreciando el oprobio, y se sentó a la diestra del trono de Dios. 3 Considerad a aquel que sufrió tal contradicción de pecadores contra sí mismo, para que vuestro ánimo no se canse hasta desmayar. 4 Porque aún no habéis resistido hasta la sangre, combatiendo contra el pecado; 5 y habéis ya olvidado la exhortación que como a hijos se os dirige, diciendo: Hijo mío, no menosprecies la disciplina del Señor, Ni desmayes cuando eres reprendido por él; 6 Porque el Señor al que ama, disciplina, Y azota a todo el que recibe por hijo.