NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES Hebrews 10:25 Lordian Day July 29, 2018 a. m. Heb. 10:25 is a verse that is very well known in the Church. I remember my pastor father referring to it quite often in my youth related to the local church. He was focused on Christians learning to live the Christian life and to love the Lord. When he graduated from Bible Institute, he was led to minister to small country churches. He said that Bible teaching wasn't just for big and wealthy churches. In my lifetime I have learned that the big churches tend to have popular pastors who really are not well-versed in the Bible. Dad desired that the small town and farm folk would be in church to be systematically taught. Saints that aren't gathering with other saints for the teaching of the word end up with difficulties in their present tense salvation. Last week we dealt with the three "let us..." passages in the preceding context. These tie directly into the gathering of Christians together in assembly. In these three verses (10:22-24) Paul encourages the readers of Hebrews to join with him in specific behaviors. (1) "Let Us Be Drawn Near (Made to Approach)...." Be Made to Approach Facing the Right Hand with a True Heart and Purified in Present Tense Salvation Hebrews 10:22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb. 10:22). (2) "Let Us Thoroughly Have (or Possess) Be Made to Thoroughly Possess the Confession Based on the Faithfulness of the Promise Giver in Present Tense Salvation Hebrews 10:23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (Heb. 10:23). (3) "Let Us Thoroughly Set Our Minds...." Actively Think of One Another to Stir Up Love and Good Works in Present Tense Salvation Hebrews 10:24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works (Heb. 10:24).
The gathering together of Christians provides an environment in which the "let us..." verses can best be accomplished. Christians need to gather together and be led by the Holy Spirit together with other Christians. The problem is that some Christians have the habit of forsaking or abandoning the fellowship of the saints. This has become a bad habit or custom on their part. The gathering of the saints provides an environment where saints should be able to function together because of the events indicating the last days of the Church on earth and the coming of our Lord in the air in the Rapture. We need each other. I need your spiritual gift and you need my spiritual gift. This is true of every grace believer. We mutually benefit one another in our growing in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord. Heb. 10:25 describes an impediment to inciting one another to love and good works. It doesn't work unless one meets together with God's people. The idea of forsaking is that of abandoning something that is available as an environment for spiritual Christians to function in relationship to one another. Each believer relates to other believers. Abandoning gathering together deprives the saint of the opportunity to share his or her spiritual gift and to be the recipient of the actions of the other spiritual gifts. The idea of abandoning or forsaking prevents one from sharing the environment stirring up or inciting one another to love and good works (I.). The local gathering of Christians should be the ideal environment for the joyful practice of the New Commandment to the Church. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (Jn. 13:34, 35). The love that needs to be stirred up is not love generated by the Christian. Rather is the fruit of the Spirit which is love shared with the Persons of the Godhead and most specifically Jesus Christ. It is supernatural love. Jesus Christ calls it "my love." 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. Christians possess a quality of God the Son's love and need to be incited to use it. The local assembly is the perfect for a Christian's doing obviously good works toward other believers. "Forsake" is a compound word composed of two prepositions and the root. The first preposition is en which simply means either "in" or "by." The second preposition is kata which is normally translated "down" or down from" and here it intensifies the action of forsaking. The root is the verb leipo that means "to be left, be inferior, fall short or lack." The compound verb is found 6 times in the NT. The shorter compound kataleipo occurs 24 times in the NT and means to leave, leave behind, abandon or depart from." The word we have here, egkataleipo, in Heb. 10:5 is found ten times in the NT and means "to forsake, abandon, depart from." It involves ceasing an activity that has been in process. It is a present active participle with a negative particle. It carries the idea of stopping something that is happening among some Christians. The participle links to the verb "let us consider" in verse 24 and so
carries the idea of "let us stop forsaking the assembling together. The following occurrences of the verb illustrate its significance. Jesus used this verb in His fourth saying from the cross. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me (Matt. 27:46)? And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani [Hebrew]? [Aramaic] which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me (Mk. 15:34)? The Second Person of the Trinity had never been separated from the other two Persons of the Godhead. He asks the question from His human nature because He felt totally abandoned by the Father. This demonstrates how serious this verb must be taken. David's statement concerning having his soul abandoned in Hades is directly applied to Christ. Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption (Ac. 2:27). For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption (Psa. 16:10). Peter uses this quotation to show that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was prophesied in the OT by David. Had Jehovah not left a seed for Israel, He would have destroyed them for their unrighteousness. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha (Rom. 9:29). Paul cites Isa. 1:9. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah (Isa. 1:9). Grace believers can be persecuted or pursued but they are not abandoned. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body (2 Cor. 4:7-10). Demas abandoned or forsook Paul because he had directed his agape love toward the present evil age. For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world (lit. the now age), and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia (2 Tim. 4:10). Demas wasn't the only one who had forsaken Paul rather Paul says that he was forsaken or abandoned by all. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge (2 Tim. 4:16). If the Lord tarries, we will see and study His promise that He will not forsake us later in this series. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Heb. 13:5). This literally says "I will never ever [double negative] at any point in time [aorist] possibly [subjunctive mood] leave you. I will never ever [double negative] at any point in time [aorist] happen to [subjunctive] forsake [or desert (or forsake) you!
The "let us "not be the ones forsaking" uses a reflexive pronoun indicating we are doing this to ourselves, that is willfully forsaking the assembling together. It is important to remember that the normal word for "assembly" is the word ekklesia (church). This is not the word used here though "church" or "assembly" is found twice in Hebrews in 2:12 and 12:23. Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee (Heb. 2:12). NASB 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect (Heb. 12:22, 23). The word here in 10:25 is episunagoge which also has two prepositions plus the root. It should be familiar because the word "synagogue" is a part of the form. Epi means "upon" and marks a settled place. Sun is our intimately together preposition for identifiable togetherness. The root is the verb ago which means "to lead." Hence it is a group being or having been lead together. This noun is only found here and in 2 Thess. 2:1 where it refers to the Rapture and our being led together in the air. Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him (2 Thess. 2:1). The verb episunago is found eight times in the Synoptic Gospels. Paul indicates that some of the saints in the Church in Jerusalem were abandoning the gatherings with other Christians. It had become a habit that had changed what had been a part of their previous normal behavior. The forsaking of some saints of the assembling together with other saints has become a habit or a custom (II.). "As is" or "even as" is a conjunction that indicates there were Christians who attended the Jerusalem church had developed this habit. Note the example of translations of ethos (habit) is the following three translations. DARBY... as the custom is with some. KJV... as the manner of some is. NASB... as is the habit of some. A habit is a pattern of behavior that tends to persist becoming a common habit or a custom (or customary activity). This applies to those who are capable of attending the assembly. There are two passages that I have used built on this root that illustrate this idea. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners (11 Cor. 15:33). Let me translate this verse. "Stop being led astray (or made to wander), bad associations corrupt good (or useful) habits." 1 Cor. 11 deals with the matter of order of authority and the problem with the headcovering or veil in the local church. Paul makes a strong statement to the Corinthian church. While they practice it for cultural reasons, it is not the habit of most of the churches of God. But if any man seem to be contentious (or fond of strife), we have no such custom (or habit), neither the churches of God (1 Cor. 11:16). We have no idea how many people were forsaking the assembling with the saints in Jerusalem. "Some" indicates an indeterminate number of at least one or more. Those who forsake meeting cannot
"love one another" in the meeting of the saints and thus are deprived of an opportunity to practice the New Commandment for the Church. It is in the assembling of the saints where believers can grow together and encourage one another in a multitude of ways. God provided this as the way to accomplish His plan for Christians. Without relating to one another, it is very difficult to have fellowship when a half of the formula is missing. The gathering of the saints is a place where Christians can encourage one another and be encouraged (III.). KJV Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. NASB Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. "Encouraging" is a present active participle emphasizing continuous activity at the time of assembling. The participle goes back to the verb "consider" or "focus our mind" in verse 24. The verb parakaleo literally means "to call to one's side." I have often taught that when one is called alongside to be leaned upon it is "exhort." When comes alongside to lean on another for encouragement, it is "comfort." This is for "one another" and so it is a two way street. We encourage one another and we are encouraged by one another. The next two words in the verse show the influence of the progression of time that is entirely evident to those who are observing. "As so much the more" emphasizes the importance of encouragement because of the coming of the day (IV.). As we have seen in this Hebrews series, it is a book filled with comparisons. Here we have a correlative demonstrative pronoun "so much" which frequently relates to size. "The more" is a comparative adverb that emphasizes a greater degree. In other words, there is more encouragement necessary as the day approaches. This gives an impetus for gathering with other Christians. The gathering of the saints should bring great encouragement in light of the imminent return of Jesus Christ for the Church. Every day in our lives, we are another day closer to the coming of Christ. We have no idea how near His coming in the air is, but we know that is much nearer than the day we were saved! Christians should all be aware that the day is drawing near (V.). KJV Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the
day approaching (Heb. 10:25). NASB Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near (Heb. 10:25). The evidence of the approaching of the day is obvious. Paul shifts here from the first person plural ("we" or "us") to the second person plural "you." "See" is in the present tense you are continually seeing with your own perception (active) the facts or the reality. Essentially Paul is telling the saints in Jerusalem to keep their attention on the coming of the day when Jesus Christ returns in the air. While it should be apparent that the day is the day of the imminent return of Christ for the Church there are other views that are erroneous. Some suggest that the fall of Jerusalem which happened shortly after Paul wrote to the Hebrews is the day. That makes no sense. Others make this the Day of Jehovah which they see as the coming of the Tribulation period or the Second coming neither of which make sense in the context. It is the next day on God's prophetic calendar the Rapture of the Church. The day is continually drawing near (present tense). It is on its way in the divine program. The participle ties beck to the verb "see" indicating that the day is closer as is obvious to observation. The organized meeting of Christians provides a perfect environment for each believer to show his or her love and to do obviously good works. There is reciprocity in the proper relationships of spiritual believers with one another. It is in the assembly of the saints where it is possible to encourage one another. This often occurs by the mutual use of the divinely provided spiritual gifts to the glory of God. Enjoying the pre-assembling of the saints before the Great Assembly in the Air with our Lord, DKS
NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES Hebrews 10:25 #73 Hebrews Series July 29, 2018 a.m. Introduction A. The Expectation of Specific Christian Activities by the "Let Us" Verses 1. "Let Us Be Drawn Near (Made to Approach)...." Be Made to Approach Facing the Right Hand with a True Heart and Purified in Present Tense Salvation Hebrews 10:22. 2. "Let Us Thoroughly Have (or Possess) Be Made to Thoroughly Possess the Confession Based on the Faithfulness of the Promise Giver in Present Tense Salvation Hebrews 10:23. 3. "Let Us Thoroughly Set Our Minds...." Actively Think of One Another to Stir Up Love and Good Works in Present Tense Salvation Hebrews 10:24. B. The Environment Provided by God for the "Let Us" Context 1. Assembling Together 2. Assembling with Other Christians C. Some Exceptions with a Bad Habit 1. Custom of Some 2. Habit of Some D. The Effect of Christians Encouraging Christians 1. Life in the Last Days of the Church 2. The Coming of the Day of the Rapture TRANS: Heb. 10:25 describes an impediment to inciting one another to love and good works. It doesn't work unless one meets together with God's people. The idea of forsaking is that of abandoning something that is available as an environment for spiritual Christians to function in relationship to one another. Each believer relates to other believers. Abandoning gathering together deprives the saint of the opportunity to share his or her spiritual gift and to be the recipient of the actions of the other spiritual gifts. I. NOT FORSAKING THE IDEA OF ABANDONING OR CEASING AN ACTIVITY THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR STIRRING UP LOVE AND GOOD WORKS Hebrews 10:24, 25a A. The Environment for Stirring Up or Inciting 10:24
-- 2 -- #73 Hebrews Series July 29, 2018 a.m. 1. Love 2. Good (Obviously) Works B. The Composition of the Verb "Neglecting" 1. The Preposition evn (en) "in" or "by" 2. The Preposition kata, (kata) "down, down from" {strengthens} 3. The Verb lei,pw (leipo) "to be left, be inferior, fall short, lack" (6x in NT) 4. The Verb katalei,pw (kataleipo) "to leave, leave behind, abandon, depart from" (24x in NT) 5. The Verb evnkatalei,pw (enkataleipo) "to forsake, abandon, depart from [ceasing from an activity] (10x in the NT) C. The Form of the Verb in Heb. 10:25 1. Present Tense Continuous Action 2. Active Voice Persons Act with Intent 3. Participle Ties to "Consider" or "Focus the Mind" in 10:24 4. mh, (me) Mild Negative Participle D. The Use of the Verb in the New Testament 1. By Jesus in His Fourth Saying on the Cross Matt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34 2. By David Concerning Jesus "You Will Not Leave My Soul in Hades" Ac. 2:27 cf. Heb. Psa. 16:10 Sheol 3. Jehovah Left Israel a Seed out She Would Have Been Like Sodom and Gomorrah Rom. 9:29 cf. Isa. 1:9 4. We Are Pursued and Not Abandoned 2 Cor. 4:9 5. Used of Demas' Forsaking Paul and Loving the Present Age 2 Tim. 4:10 6. Paul Was Abandoned by All 2 Tim. 4:16 7. The Lord Promised Never Ever to Leave or Abandon Believers Heb. 13:5
E. The Idea of "Let Us" Not Be Ones Forsaking Heb. 10:25 1. Ourselves Reflexive Pronoun -- 3 -- #73 Hebrews Series July 29, 2018 a.m. 2. The Assembling Together F. The "Assembling Together" of Christians 1. The Word evkklhsi,a (ekklesia) {Assembly or Church) Is Not Used Here (It is found in Heb. 2:12 and 12:23) 2. The Word Is a Feminine Noun evpisunagwgh, (episunagoge) a. evpi, (epi) Upon b. su,n (sun) Together c. a;gw (ago) To Lead d. A Group Being or Having Been Led Together e. Here and in 2 Thess. 2:1 of Gathering Together to the Lord f. The Verb evpisuna,gw (episunago) is found 8 times in the Synoptic Gospels 3. Note the Word "Synagogue" TRANS: Paul indicates that some of the saints in the Church in Jerusalem were abandoning the gatherings with other Christians. It had become a habit that had changed what had been a part of their previous normal behavior. II. AS THE HABIT OR CUSTOM OF SOME IS THE INCLUSION OF SOME WHO HAVE THE HABIT OF FORSAKING ASSEMBLING WITH SAINTS THE EVIDENCE THAT SOME CHOSE NOT TO MEET WITH SAINTS Hebrews 10:25b A. "As Is" or "As Even" -- Conjunction B. The Pattern of Behavior 1. Custom or Habit 2. 1 Cor. 15:33 3. 1 Cor. 11:16 C. "Some" an Indeterminate Number = One or More
-- 4 -- #73 Hebrews Series July 29, 2018 a.m. TRANS: It is in the assembling of the saints where believers can grow together and encourage one another in a multitude of ways. God provided this as the way to accomplish His plan for Christians. Without relating to one another, it is very difficult to have fellowship when a half of the formula is missing. III. BUT EXHORTING OR ENCOURAGING THE IMPORTANCE OF ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE SAINTS IN THEIR GATHERING TOGETHER Hebrews 10:25c A. While Continually Coming Alongside to Encourage 1. Present Tense Continuous Action 2. Active Voice Personal Involvement 3. Participle Back to "Let Us Consider" B. Called Alongside 1. para, (para) Alongside 2. kale,w (kaleo) To Call C. "One Another" (cf. 10:24) Two Way Street TRANS: The next two words in the verse show the influence of the progression of time that is entirely evident to those who are observing. IV. AS SO MUCH THE MORE THE IMPORTANCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT AS THE DAY IS COMING THE EFFECT OF THE PROGRESSION OF TIME Hebrews 10:25d A. So Much Correlative Demonstrative Pronoun = "So Much" (Size) B. The More Comparative Adverb To a Greater Degree TRANS: The gathering of the saints should bring great encouragement in light of the imminent return of Jesus Christ for the Church. Every day in our lives, we are another day closer to the coming of Christ. We have no idea how near His coming in the air is, but we know that is much nearer than the day we were saved! V. AS WE SEE THE DAY DRAWING NEAR THE IMPRESSION OF THE NEARNESS OF THE DAY THE CLOSENESS OF THE APPROACHING DAY Hebrews 10:25e A. The Evidence Clearly Presented You Are Seeing 1. The Shift from the First Person Plural to the Second Person Plural
-- 5 -- #73 Hebrews Series July 29, 2018 a.m. 2. The Seeing of the Approach a. Present Tense Continuously Seeing b. Active Voice Personal Sight c. Indicative Mood Reality d. 2 nd Person Plural "You" B. The Day Which Day? 1. Fall of Jerusalem? 2. Day of Jehovah Second Coming? 3. Rapture C. The Drawing Near 1. Present Tense Continuous Approach 2. Active Voice Action 3. Participle Ties to the Verb "See" TRANS: The organized meeting of Christians provides a perfect environment for each believer to show his or her love and to do obviously good works. There is reciprocity in the proper relationships of spiritual believers with one another. It is in the assembly of the saints where it is possible to encourage one another. This often occurs by the mutual use of the divinely provided spiritual gifts to the glory of God. Conclusion A. B. C. D. Hebrews 10:25 Translation 10:25: While not forsaking (present active participle nom. masc. pl.) the coming together of ourselves, as the habit with some is, but exhorting (present active participle nom. masc. pl.), and by so much more as you are seeing (present active indicative) the day drawing near (present active participle).