Hebrews (W. 7) - Hebrews 6:13-20

The writer of Hebrews saw two things in this Old Testament text: he saw a promise, and he saw an oath. The promise was that Abraham would be blessed and that his descendants would multiply, and that they would be triumphant over their enemies. And the oath was in the words, "By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord." So God promises, and he takes an oath. Now this sets the writer to thinking about all the encouragement for hope there is in this Old Testament text.

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Flow:

Compliment Corey.

Open up with a hook.

Growing up I dealt with irrational fears. Things that would not

My parents backed up their promises with faithful actions.

Every. single. day. my parents showed up, picked me up just like they said they would. I would go home to a place of safety, and forget about those fears… until the next day.

I feel so bad for my parents, too haha. They would, very graciously, remind me of the same truth from different angles.

“Hayden. Did you have to sleep at the elementary school last night?” - No.

“Hayden, have we ever forgotten you?”

I’m not exactly sure when I got over the fears as a kindergartener, but over time a truth was buried deep into my heart: My parents were going to keep their word.

Question: Can I trust that God will keep His word?

YES. The writer of Hebrews has, think about this, reminded these believers over and over again that Jesus is better. don’t drift. Hold fast. Hold onto your confession.

Abraham’s example:

Receiving the promise.

Walk through the whole process.

** God promised Abraham and sealed it with an oath in Genesis 22.

Big question: Can I trust that God will keep His Word?

> How do I know?

Verses 16-17 - God is not a liar, two unchangeable realities: His Word and His Oath.

God’s Purpose Never Changes

From Abraham to bless all nations through His Seed. Who is the promised Seed? Jesus!

His purpose was and continues to be for people to experience refuge.

The heir of the promise Abraham was given was us!

Wow! You can be an heir to the promise of Abraham. As a matter of fact, you can be an heir to the promise of Abraham right now!

Every heir receives their inheritance when their loved one dies. Jesus is the promise and He died so we might receive the inheritance!

God’s Word Never Changes.

His oath for final confirmation.

verse 16 - He swore by Himself and gave a

His oath is unchangeable.

You can trust Him.

These two truths should then, give:

Strong encouragement

Hold Fast to the Hope

Remember the Refuge we Ran to

> What about when it seems like the promises of God don’t happen as quickly as I hoped?

What happens when I don’t feel the promises?

The

What is the outcome I’m praying for?

That people would feel hope and peace.

That those waiting for the promise of God would continue on.

That the gospel would be clearly communicated.

Our soul has an anchor in Jesus.

God keeps His promises, and all of His promises are fulfilled in Christ by faith.

2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV

20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

Hebrews 6:13–20 ESV

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

How do we know we can trust God’s promises?

Bottomline: Our soul has an anchor in Jesus.

Notice this context and this flow of this passage. “God desired to show the heirs of the promise… we who have fled.”

The promise God gave Abraham was also for us to see, and learn, and trust that He is who He said He is!

1. God’s Purpose Never Changes

Purpose is also promise!

Notice the Biblical example that the writer of Hebrews uses. He mentioned the Old Testament person, Abraham. What did Abraham experience?

Genesis 12 - the promise that God would bless him and his descendents.

He did not get it perfect.

He did not do it sinlessly.

Any yet, God’s promise remained.

Genesis 17.

Life surely didn’t go how Abraham had planned. But God was faithful to him. 75 years old called to move to a new place and was promised children. Two things that do not happen to a lot of 75 year olds. Forced to separate from his family, from his security, and from his future Yet, he did. In this move, he was forced to launch a military action to save his family. At 86 Abraham has a child with his maid, Hagar. He fell into the temptation to substitute God’s promises with their own way.

Then it’s silent from 86 to 99. 13 years of silence.

Then three men show up, and begin talking with Abraham. He and Sarah feed them and while they were feeding them, the angel of the Lord spoke up and said, “a year from now, you will have a son.” Sarah laughed, like we would naturally do.

Abraham did not get it completely right.

As a matter of fact, Abraham did not do it sinlessly. But the Bible said he suffered long. He was patient in waiting for the promise.

What does that teach us?

God is not expecting you to be perfect, but He is calling all of us to be patient.

How can I wait on the promises of God patiently?

Don’t Substitute God’s Promises

Don’t Compare God’s Faithfulness to a failed promise from someone else.

b. We should respond to God’s purpose

Abraham responded with patience.

Did he really though?

But what happens when the promise God gives seem to take too long?

Hebrews 6:15 ESV

15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.

Patiently waited means, “to suffer long.”

Abraham suffered a long time to see the promises of God fulfilled.

25 + years man! You’re talking about a long time. Abraham’s waiting was difficult, and he shows us in Genesis the temptations that happen in waiting:

Temptation of Substitution. With Hagar, Abraham subsitituted the promise of God with

The temptation of scorn. People laughing at how dumb Abraham looked.

The time of no strength.

In all of that, how Abraham did not get it perfect, the Bible says, “Abraham obtained the promise.”

2. God’s Word Never Changes.

Again, think of Abraham’s experience.

God’s promises do not depend on the strength of my faith, they depend only on the faithfulness of God.

Word is also oath!

2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV

20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

God gives His unchangeable promise and oath so that we might be encouraged to hold on!

but what about the promises in your life that just seem to be taking way too long to be fulfilled?

God is good to give us these

We are anchored in Christ in heaven!

Application:

Stay steadfast and keep going.

What does this mean for me?

The anchor and the priest both do their greatest work when they are unseen.