A Letter to the HEBREWS - Chapter Seven

Melchizedek the priest

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 for ever.

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. 7 And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 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.

Jesus like Melchizedek

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. 13 He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 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:

‘You are a priest for ever,

    in the order of Melchizedek.’

18 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 for ever.”’

22 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 for ever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

26 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 for ever.

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Word by Word Meditations 

by Fred Ursell

Hebrews 7: “Melchizedek” (vv.1, 11, 15 & 17)

Five clear reasons identify this remarkable man from 2000 B.C. as a ‘type’ of Christ: 

[1] he “blessed” Abraham (v.1), as Jesus blesses believers;

 [2] “Abraham gave him a tenth” (v.2), as the Lord’s people pay tithes to our Saviour; 

[3] “his name means king of righteousness” (v.2), which is the royal, holy identity of our Redeemer; 

[4] “also, ‘king of Salem’ means king of peace” (v.2); 

[5] the prophecy of Psalm 110 v.4, quoted here in v.17, announced centuries ahead about Messiah, affirming “the LORD has sworn, and will not change his mind, ‘you are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek’.” 

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READING 

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Chapter Seven

Read by David Suchet

===

OVERVIEW 

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Overview

(The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/1fNWTZZwgbs

===

STUDIES

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Part 1

Study by David Pawson

https://youtu.be/kmUXH0_rQuQ

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Part 2

Study by David Pawson

https://youtu.be/NrW4pWjUzRQ

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A Letter to the HEBREWS - Chapter Six

1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about  Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.

4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case – the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realised. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

The certainty of God’s promise

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.’ 15 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. 17 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. 19 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 for ever, in the order of Melchizedek.

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Word by Word Meditations 

by Fred Ursell

Hebrews 6: “anchor” (v.19)

Are you drifting through life?  Can you feel currents dragging you in directions that you would not choose?  The world of Bible times knew nothing of engine-powered ships to contend with wind or wave. Travelling the oceans was an apt picture of all the limitations which people faced in seeking desperately to manage their lives. Just like the surge of the sea or the whims of the weather, so do our characters and circumstances tend to control us. 

The “anchor for the soul” (v.19) is defined as “this hope” (i.e. assurance) of  salvation, to keep us feeling “firm and secure.”  Are you steady yet?   

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READING 

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Chapter Six

Read by David Suchet

===

OVERVIEW 

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Overview

(The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/1fNWTZZwgbs

===

STUDIES

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Part 1

Study by David Pawson

https://youtu.be/kmUXH0_rQuQ

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Part 1

Study by David Pawson

https://youtu.be/NrW4pWjUzRQ

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The Anchor

Bishop T D Jakes

https://youtu.be/im7DbG6kh7s

SONGS

We Have An Anchor

Sang by Lor

Will Your Anchor Hold the Storms of Life

https://youtu.be/UQQO8v-0VBo

We Have an Anchor - a cappella hymn

https://youtu.be/1rkULIrHQZk

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A Letter to the HEBREWS - Chapter Five

1 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is  appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honour on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.

5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

‘You are my Son;

    today I have become your Father.’

6 And he says in another place,

‘You are a priest for ever,

    in the order of Melchizedek.’

7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Warning against falling away

11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

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Word by Word Meditations 

by Fred Ursell

Hebrews 5: “sacrifices” (vv.1 & 3)

One of the hallowed features of Jewish religious practice was that of animal sacrifices. What were they for?  Hebrews 5 v.1 tells us simply that they were “sacrifices for sins” (vv.1 & 3), but Scripture informs us that the “high priest … appointed (v.1) … has to offer sacrifices for his own sins” (v.3). Why?  “He himself is subject to weakness” (v.2) – i.e. imperfection. 

The epistle goes on to declare that Jesus was the “priest forever” (v.6) prophesied in Psalm 110 v.4. 

He offered himself, acting as both Priest and the sacrificial “Lamb of God  who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1 v.29).

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READING 

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Chapter Five

Read by David Suchet

===

OVERVIEW 

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Overview

(The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/1fNWTZZwgbs

===

STUDIES

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Part 1

Study by David Pawson

https://youtu.be/kmUXH0_rQuQ

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Part 2

Study by David Pawson

https://youtu.be/NrW4pWjUzRQ

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A Letter to the Hebrews 

Jesus is your Priest 

- Tim Mackie - (The Bible Project)

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A Letter to the HEBREWS - Chapter Four

A Sabbath-rest for the people of God 

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. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

‘So I declared on oath in my anger,

    “They shall never enter my rest.”’

And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: ‘On the seventh day God rested from all his works.’ 5 And again in the passage above he says, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’

6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it ‘Today’. This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

‘Today, if you hear his voice,

    do not harden your hearts.’

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus the great high priest

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

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Word by Word Meditations 

by Fred Ursell

Hebrews 4: “double-edged” (v.12)

Why is God’s word compared to a sword?  Because “it penetrates” (v.12) – it gets through stubborn thick-skinned resistant postures, and reaches “soul and spirit.”  It is a book with words that have a quality like no other - “it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  How could that happen?  

The explanation must be that it is “living and active” – simply because the Living God created it to have this fluid personal effect on every reader and hearer. It is “double-edged”, not like a pointed rapier, but cutting both ways, ‘wounding’ both believers or the unconverted in order to heal them.

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READING 

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Chapter Four 

Read by David Suchet

===

OVERVIEW 

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Overview

(The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/1fNWTZZwgbs

===

STUDIES

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Part 1

Study by David Pawson

https://youtu.be/kmUXH0_rQuQ

A Letter to the HEBREWS

Part 1

Study by David Pawson

https://youtu.be/NrW4pWjUzRQ

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Hebrews 4: 11-12-13

The reason why you sin - John Piper-

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