Series Hebrews

Preface

As we come into this series, I want to start with this premise. I believe that mankind is created to be in the presence of God. That we have a deep yearning in our souls to be with Him. We can’t always explain it, in fact, many times we find ourselves searching our ambitions trying to find in them everything that can be found in the Lord’s presence. Meaning that as we study this book together, we are coming with the recognition that we all were created with a deeper desire in us than this world can provide. But we also want to recognize, that there are many believers who have known this to be true. Brothers and sisters in Christ who have aimed to be filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit through prayer, studying the word, and doing ministry. Yet, for whatever reason, it has been a struggle. Though they feel as though they have diligently sought the Lord, there is still this sense that something is missing. That they have been found in His presence, praying before His throne, studying His word, and even living out the calling as they willingly serve His kingdom. Yet, they do not know what it means to live in His all fulfilling presence. They have had glimpses of it, but quickly forget. Or they don’t forget, and they find themselves craving another moment where they would experience God’s all fulfilling presence in their life.

As we enter into studying Hebrews, we coming with a longing, a desire that arises from the depths of our soul (Ps. 42:7) and seeks the presence of God in our life. Recognizing that we can’t make it happen on our own, we are going to pray again and again for the Lord’s presence to fill us to the max, that through this study, we would humble ourselves in such a way to see Him clearly, in seeing Him clearly that we would stand in awe, in reverence of Him, and that through this exaltation and worship, the Lord would so fill our souls the the presence of His Holy Spirit that we would overflow with His joy and His fulfillment in our lives.

Tozer - Hindrances to God’s Presence

Moral Bankruptcy of the Human Soul

What the moral conscience of all men requires and cries out for is a fund of merit sufficient to pay that debt. That’s why every religion tries to establish this fund of merit but without success.

Good works are not sufficient

We must be pardoned, which can only come from God - “Pardon is a legal act beyond the capabilities of the person being pardoned; it is an outside force putting to rest the criminal’s past.

No human being is able to capriciously come into the presence of God at their own power of will or desire. “The human heart knows that it cannot enter into the presence of God, because it has rebelled against God. There must be something done to make it possible for that rebellion to end and be forgiven. The act of rebellion must be pardoned completely, and the revel restored to full citizenship in the kingdom of God, to be made a child of the Father. All of that was done in Christ.”

The Foul Scent of Sin Upon Us

We must have a change of clothes and be washed up. We wreak of wickedness and must be made clean to come before the presence of God. It is not the standard we set in order to come before Him, but it is His standard that we must rise to in order to have opportunity to be found in His presence. It is not just smelling pleasant or wearing nice clothing “To come into the presence of God, we must conform in every way to His standard.”

Some provision must be made. Not so that we can simply be forgiven, but cleansed. “This is what Christianity teaches. This is the witness the church gives to the world. Man’s moral conscience, crying for pardon and cleansing before the presence of the great God, has now found it by an even, an act of the eternal Son, who is the image of the invisible God and the firstborn of every creature, upholding all things by the Word of His power (Col. 1:15-17). He turned aside to do this awful act - this awesome, amazing, stupendous act - by Himself. He single-handedly purged our sisn. He alone could do it, so He did it alone.

“The Son operated alone and single-handedly fulfilled all the requirements for man’s redemption. Therefore, the foul scent of sin upon man can be washed and cleansed by the blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross. This standard allows us to come boldly into the presence of God.”

The lost concept of Majesty

“Not only our garments, but also our attitudes, and intentions need divine purification. We must come into His presence in a way that is worthy of Him.”

“Those who hold a low value of man have a corresponding low value of God. After all, God created man in His own image. When we cease to understand the majestic nature of man, we cease to appreciate the majesty of God”

Evolution has ultimately promoted a believe that man came from ooz, then birds, monkeys, and caveman. It is a low view of man that carries no majesty, just pointless life that has evolved over millions of years. This is not the majesty of men that we are called to live out in Genesis as stewards of creation.

Reclaiming our sense of Majesty on High

Jordan - How do you wet your spiritual appetite for elevating the majesty of God in your life? What is your capacity to imagine the Holiness of God? What is your capacity to imagine the transcendence of God? How willing are you to sit and to wonder about the greatness of God?

The mystery of finding the presence of God is not a formula or process that we can conjure. If we can rationalize and explain it with any percision, it is not the presence of God we have found.

too many of us have bought into a certain practice, curriculum, or leader. Believing that it is a sure way to find and to know the all fulfilling presence of God in our life. But there is no spiritual gadget or trinket. “The poor, undernourished, immature Christian goes from one religious gadget to another, ending up with an emptiness inside that they cannot comprehend.”

What spiritual gadgets have your tried to use to find the presence of God?

Thomas a Kempis “If you are to live an interior life you must learn to enjoy His intimacy, unhampered by any interruption from the world outside.”

“For a man to make real spiritual progress, he must deny himself; a man who has made this renunciation enjoys great freedom and security.”

Hebrews 1:1–3 ESV

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Hebrews 1:4–14 (ESV)

4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?

6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

7 Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.”

8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;

11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,

12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

Cross References:

Verse 5 - Psalm 2:7 “7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.”

The kings of nations rage - but Jesus is the true king who will break them of their ways - Serve the Lord O rulers of the earth and rejoice with trembling.

Verse 5b - 2 Samuel 7:14 “14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,”

Prophesied to David that God would send His very own Son through david’s line.

Verse 6 - Deuteronomy 32:43 “43 “Rejoice with him, O heavens; bow down to him, all gods, for he avenges the blood of his children and takes vengeance on his adversaries. He repays those who hate him and cleanses his people’s land.””

This is Moses’ last song for the people before he goes to His deathbed. Joshua is now the leader and Moses is giving his departing teaching, blessing, posture of worship.

Verse 7 - Psalm 104:4 “4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire.”

Ps. 104:1-4 speaks of greatness, splendor, and majesty of God. His angels cant fly without him. Their ministry comes from His glorious hunger.

Verse 8-9 - Psalm 45:6–7 “6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; 7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;”

A psalm exalting the anointed messiah to come.

Verses 10-12 - Psalm 102:25–27 “25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 26 They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, 27 but you are the same, and your years have no end.”

It is a Psalm of what Jesus will pray when He is afflicted and when He pours out His complaint to the Lord.

Verse 13 - Psalm 110:1 “1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.””

David worshiping the coming king. Anticipating all that He will do and what He will be like.

Hebrews 2:1–9 (ESV)

1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution,

3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,

4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.

6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?

7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor,

8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.

9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Cross Reference:

Verses 6-8 - Psalm 8:4–6 “4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,”

God is so Glorious, Majestic, and Masterful in all that He is. Yet He is still mindful of man.

Hebrews 2:10–18 ESV

10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13 And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 3:1–6 ESV

1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

Hebrews 3:7–19 ESV

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. 10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ 11 As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ” 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Hebrews 4:14–5:10 ESV

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.