Chapter 4:14-5:1-11 Exodus 28-29
What Is Arrested Development? Arrested Development: an abnormal state in which development has stopped prematurely; regression. Hebrews 10:39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
Warning #2 An Evil Heart of Unbelief The Danger Of Doubting Hebrews 3:12-13 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called Today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. NKJV
Truths To Remember To Avoid Doubting 1. Hold Each Other Accountable. 3:12-19 2. Remember With Fear The Severity With Which God Deals With Those Who Doubt His Goodness. a. Remember Joshua s example in Joshua 21-22 b. Rest in the Rest of God. 4:1-11 3. Never Doubt The Word of God. 4:12-13 4. Take Comfort In Your Great High Priest. 4:14-16 a. He Covers Our Nakedness. Exodus 28:42-43
Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that 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 cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Its Time To Get Know Our Great High Priest Hebrews ch4:14-16 into ch5:1-11 is the main point that the writer of Hebrews has been leading up to. Unless we fully understand what the jewish recipients understood about the High Priest we will be lost to this most profound encouragement to persevere.
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Clothing The priest s clothes were made for glory and beauty. He wore a tunic, undergarments, cap, and turban (or First The Trousers or Underwear. Ex 28:42-43 mitre) of fine linen. Turn to Exodus 28:1-4
Qualifications of the High Priest Only Aaron s descendants were allowed to be priests. Aaron was from the tribe of Levi. Numbers 3:10 Appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the sanctuary must be put to death. The High Priest was chosen by God specifically. It points to the fact that it is according to Gods prerogative in His choosing.
Qualifications of the High Priest Ephesians 1:11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan. Romans 9:14-18 For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Qualifications of the High Priest John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Before Aaron could be named High Priest or his sons as priests they had to be consecrated: Qadash to render holy or set apart by means of religious rites. Ex 29:v1 The act of consecrating (inaugurating) the priests was accompanied by ceremonial rites designed not only to lead the people to entertain exalted views of the office, but to impress those functionaries themselves with a profound sense of its magnitude and importance. In short, they were taught to know that the service was for them as well as for the people; they were to be the go-betweens. Now turn to 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Qualifications of the High Priest: Exodus 29:1 And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests: 1. Take one young bull: for the sin offering. 2. Take two rams: one for burnt offering and one for consecration. 3. Take unleavened bread: 4. Take unleavened cakes mixed with oil: 5. Take unleavened wafers anointed with oil (wheat flour) 6. Wash Aaron and his sons before the door of the tabernacle.
Qualifications of the High Priest: Exodus 29:1 And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests: v4-5 And Aaron and his sons you shall bring to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall wash them with water. 5 Then you shall take the garments, put the tunic on Aaron, and the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the intricately woven band of the ephod.
The Washing In The NT: The word of God is often referred to as water in the Bible because the Word acts as a cleansing agent which explains what Paul meant when he wrote concerning Jesus cleansing the church that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish (Eph 5:26-27).
The Washing In The NT: Ezekiel writes about where God says I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you (Ezk 36:25) while the author of Hebrews writes let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb 10:22).
The Washing In The NT: Lastly we have these sobering words from Jesus to Peter when Peter hesitated to have Jesus wash his feet in John 13:6-9 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, Lord, are You washing my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said to him, What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this. 8 Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet! Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.
The Washing In The NT: So water in the Bible represents the cleansing of the sinner by the washing of the water of the Word of God and the Blood of The Lamb; water is also the source of the living water that springs up into eternal life; Jesus referred to the coming of the living water as the Holy Spirit which at the time He spoke had not yet been poured out; and finally, God is this source of this living water in both the Old and the New Testament and those who drink from it will never die and indeed, shall never thirst again (John 4:14).
Have you been washed in the blood of the Lamb? Has the word of God rose up in your heart as springs of living water?