Hebrews and Me Session 4 Hebrews 6:13-7:28

Transcription

1 Hebrews and Me Session 4 Hebrews 6:13-7:28 God s Promises, Melchizedek and Me Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25 Paul Dorosh Friends and Fellowship McLean Bible Church November 18, 2018

2 Hebrews Series Outline 10/ The Son, Prophets, Angels and Me 11/04 3:1-4:13 Entering God s Rest 11/11 4:14-6:12 Our Great High Priest; Beware! 11/18 6:13-7:28 God s Promises, Melchizedek & Me 11/ The New Covenant and Me 12/02 10 Shadow & Reality; Persevere! 12/09 11 Examples of Faith 12/ Discipline, Warning & Conclusion

3 Overview: Hebrews 1-8 The supremacy of Christ: Jesus is greater than angels (1:1-14); He is our brother (2:5-18); He is greater than Moses (3:1-6); He is the Great High Priest (4:14-5:10) Warnings: Don t drift away (2:1-4); Do not harden your hearts (3:1-4:13); Don t fall away (5:11-6:12) God s promise stands Jesus our high priest intercedes for us 6:13-8:13

4 Outline: Our Great High Priest Hebrews 6:13-7:28 God s promise confirmed by an oath (6:13-20) Melchizedek Greater than Abraham (7:1-10) Background: (Gen. 14:12-20) Jesus is like Melchizedek (7:11-28) Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. He always lives to intercede for us. 4

5 13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, I will surely bless you and give you many descendants. a Hebrews 6: And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. 16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. a Genesis 22:7. 5

6 God s Promise to Abraham Genesis 22: The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring a all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me. a Or seed. 6

7 Hebrews 6: Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. [Note: The two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie refers to 1) by His very nature, God cannot lie; and 2) He has sworn an oath on / by Himself.] 7

8 Hebrews 6: We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. What was God s promise to Abraham referred to in Heb. 6:13? How was this fulfilled? What is the hope set before us? How is this hope described in 6:19-20? See also 4:1 and 6:

9 God s Promise of Rest (Heaven) 1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. Hebrews 4:1 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. Hebrews 6:

10 Hebrews 7:1-3 Melchizedek 1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means king of righteousness ; then also, king of Salem means king of peace. 3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. 10

11 Hebrews 7:4-6 4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people that is, from their fellow Israelites even though they also are descended from Abraham. 6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 11

12 7 And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. Hebrews 7: In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9 One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor. 12

13 Background: Genesis 14: The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he went in pursuit 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. 17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him 13

14 Melchizedek Blesses Abram Genesis 14: Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand. Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 14

15 11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. Hebrews 7: He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 15

16 14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is declared: Hebrews 7:14-17 You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. a a Psalm 110:4. 16

17 Hebrews 7: The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. 20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: You are a priest forever. a a Psalm 110:4. 17

18 Hebrews 7: Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. 23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely a those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. a Or forever. 18

19 Hebrews 7: Such a high priest truly meets our need one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. 19

20 Melchizedek, Levites and Jesus According to these passages, how is Melchizedek greater than Abraham? How is Jesus like Melchizedek? (See especially 7:13-16) What prevented Hebrew (Levitical) priests from continuing in office? (v. 23) How is the priesthood of Jesus described? Why is this better than either the Hebrew (Levitical) priesthood or the priesthood of Melchizedek? (v )? 20

21 The Eternal Word: John 1:1-4, 14 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 21

22 The Alpha and the Omega 8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. 17 When I [the Apostle John] saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Revelation 1: 8,

23 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:

24 Resources Rhodes, Ron A life-changing encounter with God s Word from the book of Hebrews. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Navpress. 24