Progressive Dispensationalism
The Kingdom Hope in Hebrews
Copyright © Tim Warner
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The "Hope" in Hebrews
The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish believers. Most commentators
understand the central purpose of the book to be encouragement to
persevere in the Faith. Apparently, some Jewish believers had been
persuaded to abandon Christ and return to rabbinical Judaism. But,
merely exhorting Jewish believers to persevere does nothing to motivate
them to do so. The motivation for perseverance, which Paul repeatedly
laid out before the reader, was the ancient HOPE of Israel and
the
patriarchs.
Heb 6
17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of
promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath,
18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.
19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. |
That "anchor of the soul," the thing that gave the early Jewish
Christians "hope," is completely missed by virtually all modern
commentators! It was the hope of the Messianic Kingdom, including the
hope of the promises in the Abrahamic, New, and Davidic Covenants, to
which the writer repeatedly referred. This theme is so prevalent in
Hebrews, one wonders how so many can miss it.
The Failure of Modern Theological Systems
The sad fact is that
theological bias has
blinded the modern Christian to the real hope so prominent in
Hebrews. This is true of the two major theological camps,
Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology, which account for the majority
of modern Christians. While
Dispensationalists
admit the truth of a future Messianic Kingdom, their theology severs
Jewish Christians of this dispensation from the hope of Israel and the
Patriarchs. Dispensationalists look at Hebrews through a colored lens
that
blocks out any
connection between the Jewish believer and his Jewish heritage. In
their thinking, Jewish believers have been severed from their
connection to "Israel" are now part of the "Church." The Jewish
Christian, in dispensational theology, has the same "heavenly
hope" as the Gentile believer is alleged to have. In seeking to
maintain their dichotomy between God's plan for Israel and His plan for
the Church, they have effectively turned the Jewish Christian into a
Gentile, and severed him from the hope of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and
David.
Those who embrace Covenant Theology (Amillennialists, including Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant), have
completely dismissed the "Jewish hope" of a Messianic Kingdom on earth
as a false hope. They think the Jews wrongly took the Old Testament
prophecies literally. Like Dispensationalists, they think the hope of
the Jewish Christian is the same celestial hope they allege for Gentile Christians.
Neither
Dispensationalists and Amillennialists can afford to admit that the
Jewish Christian's hope is the literal fulfillment of Israel's
covenants, and the promised Messianic Kingdom, without fatally
undermining their entire systems. This article will will show that
the ONLY hope held out for the Jewish believer in Hebrews is the
earthly Messianic Kingdom, the ultimate and literal fulfillment of the
Abrahamic,
Davidic, and New Covenants. That being the case, both traditional
Dispensationalism and Amillennialism become untenable. If there is one
New Testament book that is saturated with the
basic premise of Progressive Dispensationalism, this is it.
Authorship
The Pauline authorship of Hebrews is disputed by some. But the general
consensus of the early Church was that its author was Paul, and the
Greek transcription was Luke's. The theology is definitely Pauline. But
the Greek style and grammar is superior to Paul's, on a par with Luke
and Acts. Our position is that Hebrews is the work of Paul, perhaps
dictated by him and written by Luke his companion. For the purposes of this article, we will assume Pauline authorship.
But, the issue of authorship will not have any real bearing on the
conclusions drawn in this article.
The Rabbinical Style of Teaching in Hebrews
One
of the reasons
Hebrews is so misunderstood is the failure to recognize the rabbinical
style of teaching in Hebrews. Paul routinely cited short
excerpts of Scripture from the Old Testament, without
expounding them, in order to bring an entire Old Testament passage to
bear on his
argument. The Jewish hearers, who were well versed in these Scriptures,
immediately knew the context and content of the entire passage,
and viewed the teaching of the writer in light of those Old
Testament
passages. Properly interpreting the book of Hebrews absolutely demands
that one
have a knowledge of the Old Testament passages from which the many
quotes were drawn. We must understand why he
used particular citations of Scripture in his arguments, and what these
citations would necessarily mean to the Jewish reader who was
intimately familiar with the quoted excerpts and their contexts. This
style is also seen in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, and to a lesser
degree in some of his other Epistles. But it dominates the book of
Hebrews, since the intended audience was Jewish, and used to this style
of teaching.
The Old Testament Text
New Testament writers frequently, but not always, used the Greek Old
Testament called the Septuagint (LXX) for their quotes of Scripture.
This Greek translation differs significantly in several places from the
Hebrew text. The use of the Septuagint is most pronounced in Hebrews
where virtually every quote comes from the LXX. Paul even based some of
his points on specific words or sentences in the LXX that do not appear in the Hebrew text we
have today. For this reason, we will be using the LXX when illustrating
the contexts from which these citations are derived.
(English Translation of the Septuagint)
The Hope of the Davidic Covenant
Chapter 1
The first chapter deals with the superiority of Christ to the angels.
This superiority is demonstrated by the prophecies of His coming
Kingdom, and Christ's destiny to rule the nations as King.
Heb. 1
5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, today I have begotten You"? And again: "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son"?
6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him." |
These three quotations (in bold) may not appear on the
surface to emphasize Christ's Kingdom. But, to Paul's Jewish readers,
all three have the very same reference, the Davidic Covenant, the
Messianic King and His Kingdom. The first, "You are my Son, today I have begotten You," is a prophecy from Psalm 2. Here is the context which Paul brings to bear on his point. "But I have been made King by him on Sion his holy mountain, declaring the ordinance of the Lord: the Lord said to me, Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and
the ends of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt rule them with a
rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces as a potter’s vessel"
(Psalm 2:6-9 LXX). This statement of David's, which on the surface
appears to refer to David himself, is in reality also a prophecy of
Christ, the everlasting King of the seed of David.
Paul then immediately quoted a second prophecy related to the Davidic Covenant, and the Messianic King. "And
it shall come to pass when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt
sleep with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which
shall be of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall
build me a house, and I will set up his throne for ever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son:
and my mercy will I not withdraw from him, as I withdrew it from them
that were before thee. And I will establish him in my house and in his
kingdom for ever; and his throne shall be set up for ever" (1
Chron. 17:11-14 LXX). This statement appears to be a prophecy of
Solomon. Yet, like the previous prophecy, it is also prophetic of Christ, the everlasting
King of the seed of David.
The third quote, "Let all the angels of God worship Him," is
not found in our Hebrew Bible. It is, however, contained in the
Septuagint Greek translation (LXX) Paul used as the basis for all his
Old Testament quotations in Hebrews. This quote comes from the last
verse in the "Song of Moses" recorded in Deut. 32. It refers to
Christ's triumph over the enemies of Israel, when He sets up His
Kingdom. "Rejoice, ye heavens, with him, and let all the angels of God worship him;
rejoice ye Gentiles, with his people, and let all the sons of God
strengthen themselves in him; for he will avenge the blood of his sons,
and he will render vengeance, and recompense justice to his enemies,
and will reward them that hate him; and the Lord shall purge the land
of his people." (Deut 32:43 LXX).
Paul continued by once again contrasting the role of angels with that of the Christ, the King of Israel.
|
Heb. 1
7 And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire."
8 But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God,
Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your
companions." |
Psalm
104:4 (LXX) was quoted by Paul, referring to the role
of the angels. He then contrasted this with a quote of Psalm 45:6-7,
which refers to Christ. Once again, an examination of the context of
this quote reveals another
prophecy of the reigning King of Israel. "Thou art more beautiful
than the sons of men: grace has been shed forth on thy lips: therefore
God has blessed thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Mighty
One, in thy comeliness, and in thy beauty; and bend thy bow, and
prosper, and reign, because of truth and meekness and righteousness;
and thy right hand shall guide thee wonderfully. Thy weapons are
sharpened, Mighty One, (the nations shall fall under thee) they are in
the heart of the king’s enemies. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and
ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of righteousness. Thou
hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God,
has anointed thee with the oil of gladness beyond thy fellows." (Psalm 45:2-7 LXX). Notice Paul clearly stated that this prophecy was spoken to "the Son." (But to the Son He says; "Your throne, O God, is forever..."). Paul interpreted Psalm 45 to be a prophecy of Christ's rule, His "Throne."
He then adds another prophetic Psalm.
Heb. 1
10 And: "You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
11 They will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment;
12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail." |
This citation is from Psalm 102. "In the
beginning thou, O Lord, didst lay the foundation of the earth; and the
heavens are the works of thine hands. They shall perish, but thou
remainest: and they all shall wax old as a garment; and as a vesture
shalt thou fold them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same,
and thy years shall not fail. The children of thy servants shall dwell
securely, and their seed shall prosper for ever" (Psalm 102:25-28
LXX). This passage refers to the transformation of the creation, the
heaven and earth shall be "changed." Yet, Israel will dwell securely in
Christ's Kingdom.
Finally, Paul quoted Psalm 110:1, a prophecy of Christ's present place,
at the Father's side waiting for His Kingdom to be established.
Heb. 1
13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool"?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? |
Again, the context is clearly the coming Kingdom. "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
The Lord shall send out a rod of power for thee out of Sion: rule thou
in the midst of thine enemies. With thee is dominion in the day of thy
power, in the splendours of thy saints: I have begotten thee from the
womb before the morning" (Psalm 110:1-3 LXX).
The emphasis of chapter 1
has clearly been the superiority of the Davidic King, Jesus the
Messiah, over the angels. The quotations Paul brought to bear on his
topic all refer to His coming Kingdom.
Chapter 2
Chapter 1 began by pointing out that "in these last days," God has spoken to Israel by His Son (as opposed to his former communication through Moses and the prophets). Chapter 2 begins with essentially the same point, "so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him."
(v. 3). He warns them not to drift away from the things Jesus
taught, and the Apostles who heard Him. Then true to the theme in
chapter 1, Paul again contrasted Christ's rule as King in "the world to come"
with the role of the angels.
Heb 2
5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. |
Here, Paul clearly stated that the subject of his discourse thus far is "the world to come." The Greek word translated "world" is not "aion" (age) but "oikoumene" (land). Literally, "...the land, the coming one, about which we speak."
There is no question Paul was referring to the coming Messianic
Kingdom, in which the whole world will be subdued under the rule of
Jesus Christ and His saints.
At this point in discourse Paul adds another component. In verse 6, He brought the saints into the
equation, and their role in the coming Kingdom.
Heb. 2
6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: "What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him?
7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; you have crowned
him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands.
8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in
that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not
put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. |
This is a quote from
Psalm 8:4-6 (LXX). In context, it refers to God's ultimate plan for
man, to rule over His creation. This was God's ideal. But, Paul then
says, "But now we do not yet see all things put under him."
Meaning, man is not yet fulfilling this role for which he was destined.
The fulfillment of this will occur when the saints rule the world with
Christ. But first, the saints needed to be "brought to glory" and to "salvation" through the suffering of their "Captain," as Paul explains in the next two verses.
Heb. 2
9 But we see
Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering
of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God,
might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are
all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of
their salvation perfect through sufferings. |
Christ, who is the King,
and His saints who will reign with Him, are all "of one." They are His
"brethren," and will share in His glory and Kingdom.
Heb. 2
11
For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all
of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You." |
Here Paul quoted Psalm 22:22. Notice the context, which is once again prophetic of the Messianic Kingdom. "I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I sing praise to thee.
Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye seed of Jacob, glorify him:
let all the seed of Israel fear him. For he has not despised nor been
angry at the supplication of the poor; nor turned away his face from
me; but when I cried to him, he heard me. My praise is of thee in the
great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. The
poor shall eat and be satisfied; and they shall praise the Lord that
seek him: their heart shall live for ever. All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the Lord: and all the kindreds of the
nations shall worship before him. For the kingdom is the Lord’s; and he
is the governor of the nations." (Psalm 22:22-28). Psalm 22 is
well known as a prophecy of the sufferings of Christ. Verses 1-21
describe the crucifixion. Yet, beginning with verse 22, the scene changes to the
victory of Christ as King of Israel! It is at this very point in the
Psalm, where it turns from Christ's sufferings to His Kingly reign, that Paul
began his quote. This is quite fitting, since Paul's point was that
Jesus had to "taste death" for His people first, before they could fulfill their destiny and reign with Him. That He will sing "in the midst of the assembly" (ekklesia) with His people refers to the rejoicing with His people in His Kingdom.
Finally, Paul brings to bear two more passages.
Heb. 2
13 And again: "I will put My trust in Him." And again: "Here am I and the children whom God has given Me." |
These two quotes come from Isa. 8:17-18. The first quote, "I will put my trust in Him," does not
appear in the Hebrew Bible, but only the LXX. The context is a prophecy of Christ's first coming, and
gathering out of Israel a faithful remnant of disciples. Apparently, Paul was
implying that his Jewish readers are among these "children whom God has given"
to Christ. They have put their trust in Him. And Paul wished for them
to persevere so that they may in the end be a part of the "assembly,"
the "brethren" among whom Christ will sing, when "the Kingdom is the Lord's." (Psalm 22:22-28).
The Hope of the Abrahamic Covenant
Chapters 3 & 4
We will deal with chapters 3-4 together,
since throughout these two chapters, Paul expounded upon a single Old
Testament text, Psalm 95:8-11. Let's consider this Psalm first, and
then see how Paul explained its significance for his Jewish readers.
Psalm 95:8-11 (94:8-11)
8 Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the
provocation, according to the day of irritation in the wilderness:
9 where your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works.
10 Forty years was I grieved with this generation, and said, They do always err in their heart, and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.
(LXX)
This Psalm was an exhortation to Israel, not to follow the example of
their forefathers "today" while God was speaking to His people Israel.
The negative example David used was the "rebellion" in the wilderness. The consequence of that rebellion was that Israel
wandered in the wilderness for forty years, until a whole generation
died off. Only their children went into the promised land. Paul turned
to Psalm 95, using this passage as both a warning and a future promise
for his Jewish brethren.
Heb. 3
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, 'They always
go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.'
11 So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.' "
12 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.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
15 while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses?
17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey?
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. |
Paul interpreted the first word, "today," as referring to a time still
present, the day when opportunity to hear God's voice was still open
for the Jewish people. "Today" simply meant before judgment falls. In
these verses, Paul's focus was on not hardening one's heart when
hearing God's call. And, like David, he used the example of the
Israelites at Kadesh Barnea for a warning.
However, in chapter 4, Paul went on to draw a most interesting conclusion from this passage regarding the future hope of Israel.
Heb. 4
1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. |
Paul drew a fascinating inference from Psalm 95. Since this was a warning from God, "Today, if you hear His voice harden not your hearts,"
and since Israel failed at Kadesh Barnea to enter into His rest, Paul
inferred that there is a future promise of entering "His rest" implied in this prophetic warning
for Israel in this Psalm. That is, in Psalm 95, the Holy Spirit was speaking of another
opportunity for Israel to enter His rest, since they failed to do so at Kadesh Barnea. Notice Paul's reasoning in drawing this
inference in the following verses.
Heb. 4
2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the
word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith
in those who heard it.
3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest," although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; |
Paul was not speaking here of Israel
simply achieving a generic "rest" from her enemies in the promised land under Joshua.
Paul's emphasis was on entering God's "rest," something quite
different from merely having rest from one's enemies. He got this idea
directly from Psalm 95, where David wrote, "they shall not enter MY rest." Notice in verse 3 Paul stated that "we who have believed do enter that rest."That
"rest" is the rest Israel hoped to achieve in the promised land,
the ultimate realization of the inheritance promise to Abraham. But
they failed to do so because of unbelief. "We," (Paul and Jewish
believers) are the ones who will realize the hope Israel had of
entering His rest, the inheritance promised to Abraham and his seed.
Paul then cited Genesis 2:2, where Moses spoke of God's rest - the seventh day. He then tied this in with "My rest" in Psalm 95. Notice:
Heb. 4
5 and again in this place: "They shall not enter My rest."
6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, |
The "it" that some must enter is the
"promised land," the inheritance that God promised to Abraham and his
seed. (see Gen. 15:13-21). Israel in the Old Testament did not enter
into God's rest promised to Abraham and His seed in Gen. 15:13-21,
because of their unbelief. Paul concluded, in verse 6, that the SAME promise of the land inheritance is still yet to be realized by himself and the rest of believing Israel.
Heb. 4
7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
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When Paul wrote, "'Today' after such a long time," he meant that
the prophetic warning written by David in Psalm 95 for "today," was
written "such a long time" after the rebellion in the wilderness. Yet,
this prophetic warning, "if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts,"
implied another opportunity for Israel to enter into God's rest. In
other words, centuries after Israel failed to enter God's rest, God was
going to give them a second opportunity to do so. This time, He
exhorted them not to make the same mistake their forefathers made at
Kadesh Barnea. Paul then made this amazing statement: "For if
Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of
another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God."
Paul has actually inferred "another day" from this Psalm. He has stated
essentially that the "rest" Israel received through Joshua was not
God's rest. It was not the ultimate fulfillment of the promise God made
to Abraham. His conclusion? Simply that God's Sabbath rest for His
people is yet future. And Jewish believers must persevere, after
hearing God's voice, they must not harden their hearts like their
forefathers did. Otherwise, they too will fail to enter God's Sabbath
rest. In verse 9, the Greek word is "Sabbaton." God rested on the 7th
day. And Israel's hope is to enter His Sabbath rest. While Israel in
the Old Testament looked for this "rest," they did not achieve it under
Joshua. It remains still as the hope of Israel. That "Sabbath rest" is
the same Kingdom of Christ Paul repeatedly spoke of in the first two
chapters.
We must not fail to point out the apparent support in this passage for
an idea that was quite prevalent in the early Church. That is, Christ
would return to establish His Kingdom at the end of six thousand years.
The Millennium was viewed as the "Sabbath Rest" by several of the Early
Church Fathers, based upon the same kind of thinking Paul displayed
here, tying in the future hope of Christ's Kingdom with God's Sabbath
rest at the creation. While this passage surely does not prove that
theory correct, it is certainly consistent with it. And one could
easily infer that this theory was indeed Apostolic from this passage.
In chapter 2, Paul established (from Psalm 22) the necessity of
Christ's redeeming Israel before they can reign with Him. In the
remainder of chapter 4 and all of chapter 5 he developed this idea
further, showing Jesus' current role as High Priest for His people.
Chapter 6
The
first part of chapter 6 deals again with perseverance, and the
consequences for those who turn back in unbelief (like those at Kadesh
Barnea). Paul then exhorted his Jewish brethren to follow the example
of those who have persevered in faith, and who will in the end inherit
the Abrahamic promises. (Later, Paul gave a long list of these "people
of faith" whom he tells his readers to imitate. They are those who will
ultimately realize the promises, as we will see in chapter 11).
Heb 6
11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,
12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith
and patience [endurance or perseverance] inherit the promises.
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,
14 saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you."
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute.
17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of
promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath,
18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to
lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay
hold of the hope set before us.
19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. |
This passage requires that we have an understanding of the Abrahamic
Covenant. We learn from Genesis 12:1-3 of God's initial promise to
Abraham. It consisted of two major things. First, that He would make
from Abraham's seed a great nation. Secondly, that He would give to
Abraham and his offspring the land of Canaan, from Egypt's Nile river
to Iraq's Euphrates river, as an everlasting possession (Gen.
15:18-21). Israel has never possessed all this land. And certainly,
their possession of parts of it was not permanent.
In verses 11-12, Paul exhorted his Jewish readers to persevere along
with the men of faith, in placing their hope in the future fulfillment
of the Abrahamic Covenant. That is, the future inheritance of the Land,
the "Sabbath Rest," mentioned in chapter 4. Paul then reminded his
readers that God not only made this covenant with Abraham, but
afterwards, He swore an oath to Abraham that He would bring this to
pass for Abraham and his descendants. In verse 14, Paul quoted from
Genesis 22. This is the passage where Abraham's faith in God's
promise was put to the test. After partially fulfilling His promise to
Abraham, by giving him a son in his old age, God commanded Abraham to
offer Isaac as a sacrifice to Him. You know the story. Abraham followed
God's instructions to the point where God stopped him at the last
moment. Then, after offering the ram instead of his son, God spoke to
Abraham out of heaven again.
Gen. 22:16-18
18 I have sworn by myself, says the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and on my account hast not spared thy beloved son,
17 surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is by the shore of the sea, and thy seed shall inherit the cities of their enemies.
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast hearkened to my voice.
(LXX)
God had formerly given Abraham a promise, that He would give him a son
in his old age, that this son would become a great nation, and that He
would give to Abraham and his offspring the land for an everlasting
inheritance. But, after testing Abraham's faith, God swore an oath to
Abraham, reaffirming the original promise. In Heb. 6:15, Paul points
out that it was after Abraham "endured" (that is, he persevered in his
faith by offering Isaac), that God swore the oath to him. Paul states
plainly that it was at this point that Abraham "obtained the promise."
In other words, had Abraham failed to persevere in faith, and had drawn
back from offering Isaac as a sacrifice, he may not have obtained the
promise. Of course, God foreknew that Abraham would persevere, and so
made the original promise with confidence.
In verse 16, Paul pointed out why God confirmed the original Abrahamic promise, "determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath."
That is, the reason God swore the oath to Abraham after he persevered
in faith, was for the benefit of the Jewish people — the "heirs of
promise." And what did God intend to demonstrate? It was "the immutability of His counsel."
That is, God WILL fulfill the promise He made to Abraham in its
entirety. God has staked His credibility on this one thing, the
complete fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. If God does not do so,
down to the smallest detail, then He is a liar, and cannot be trusted.
And that includes His giving Abraham and his descendants the land He
promised in Gen. 15:18-21, from the Nile to the Euphrates, as an
everlasting inheritance.
Paul then brings the fulfillment of the promise home for his readers. "By two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us." The "two immutable things"
are the original promise to Abraham, and the confirming oath He swore
to Abraham after he persevered in faith. Those two things were "the hope set before us"
(Paul and his Jewish readers). In this passage Paul has placed the
fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, including the everlasting land
inheritance, as the hope of both himself and his Jewish readers. It was
this hope that provided a "strong consolation" for the Jewish believer who had "fled for refuge" from the persecution. It is this hope that Paul wrote in vs. 19 was his "anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast." Paul's
hope was not to be whisked away to heaven, but to have an everlasting
inheritance in the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Uniting the Abrahamic and Davidic Hope
Chapter 7
In chapter 7, Paul turned his attention to a fascinating man whom
Abraham encountered, Melchisedec, "King of Salem" and "Priest of God."
This encounter is recorded in Genesis 14. In this encounter,
Melchisedec blessed Abraham, the one who had the covenants and
promises, and Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec. Paul viewed this
blessing as more confirmation of the Abrahamic promises. He then
suggested that Melchisedec was in fact a pre-incarnate appearance of
Jesus Christ. In this way, Paul showed to his Jewish readers that the
promise is so secure, it was even confirmed by Jesus Christ Himself!
Paul then turned to Psalm 110, which prophesied of an eternal Priest, not of the order of Aaron under the Law of Moses, but "according to the order of Melchisedec." Yet, this "Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedec" is more than just a "Priest," he is the Priest - King, as the context shows.
Psalm 110 (109 LXX)
1 The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2 The Lord shall send out a rod of power for thee out of Sion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
3 With thee is dominion in the day of thy power, in the splendours of
thy saints: I have begotten thee from the womb before the morning.
4 The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec.
5 The Lord at thy right hand has dashed in pieces kings in the day of his wrath.
6 He shall judge among the nations, he shall fill up the number of corpses, he shall crush the heads of many on the earth.
7 He shall drink of the brook in the way; therefore shall he lift up the head.
(LXX)
In Hebrews 7, Paul has once again not only held up Jesus Christ as the
Savior, the Priest of His people, but also as the King who will rule
the nations. It is through this Priest - King that Israel can have hope
of receiving the everlasting inheritance in His coming Kingdom. Paul
has, in a brilliant move using Psalm 110, tied together the Abrahamic
Covenant with the Davidic Covenant described in the first two chapters.
Psalm 110 is clearly a part of the Davidic Covenant, referring to the
King of David's seed who would rule Israel forever. Yet, this Davidic
promise included the statement that this King is also "Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec,"
then one who met Abraham, blessed him, and thereby confirmed the
Covenant God made to Abraham. Therefore, the fulfillment of God's
Covenant to Abraham is to come through the eternal King of David's
seed, who is in fact Jesus Christ (cf. Isa. 9:6-7 & Luke 1:28-33).
Paul was not the first to make the connection between the Davidic
promise of an eternal King, and the Abrahamic Covenant. Luke records a
prophecy of Mary, when the babe leaped in her womb. "
Luke 1:46-55
46 And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.
50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with His arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.
54 He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy,
55 As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever."
Luke went on to record a prophecy of Zecharias about his son, John the Baptist, immediately after his birth.
Luke 1:67-79
67 Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
68 "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began,
71 That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74 To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76 "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Notice in both of these prophecies, the fulfillment of the Abrahamic
Covenant is tied to the coming of the Davidic King. Also, notice that
Zecharias made specific reference to the "oath" God swore to Abraham
after he persevered in faith. That oath, as we saw from Genesis 22,
concerned the everlasting land inheritance. And Zecharias clearly
alluded to that as well in verses 74-75. That the Abrahamic land
inheritance would be realized through the Davidic King is a
foundational truth contained both in the Old Testament prophecies, and
in the Gospels. Paul has simply repeated it for his Jewish brethren,
pointing them toward this hope and encouraging them to persevere in the
Faith in order to assure their participation in the realization of this
hope.
The Hope of the New Covenant
Chapter 8
Beginning with chapter 8, Paul turned his attention to the New Covenant
prophesied by Jeremiah. True to Pauline theology as articulated in
Galatians, he shows the temporary place served by the Law of Moses (Old
Covenant), and its being superseded by the New Covenant prophesied by
Jeremiah. The problem that evidently led to the writing of this Epistle
was the turning back of some Jewish believers to Judaism, and the Law
of Moses. So, Paul next sought to illustrate three things: a) the
temporary nature of the Law of Moses, and that it was destined to be
superseded by the New Covenant, b) the New Covenant has come being
instituted by Christ, making the Old Covenant obsolete, and c) the New
Covenant is far superior to the Old Covenant.
Heb. 8
1 Now this is the main point of the
things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the
right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. |
Paul still had in mind his text from Psalm 110. The "High Priest" is Jesus Christ, "a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec" (v. 4). He is currently seated at the right hand of the Father, as the same Psalm said, "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool" (v.
1). Paul here began to focus in on Jesus Christ's present ministry in
heaven, during this period of waiting until His enemies are made His
footstool. In verses 3-5, he showed that the Tabernacle, and the
rituals according to the Law, served as merely earthly illustrations of
the true priesthood, and the true Temple in heaven, of which the
earthly tabernacle was merely a copy. In verse 2 above, he contrasts
Christ's Priestly ministry in the "true tabernacle which the Lord
erected" as opposed to the earthly tabernacle that Moses erected. The
superiority of the "true tabernacle" is obvious over the one erected in
the wilderness.
Paul continued, showing the "more excellent ministry" that Jesus
Christ has, as the Priest according to the order of Melchisedec over
the Aaronic priesthood under the Law. And this new priesthood comes
through the "New Covenant" prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
Heb. 8
6 But now He has
obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of
a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.
8 Because finding fault with them, He says:
"Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah--
9 "not according to the covenant that I made with
their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out
of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and
I disregarded them, says the Lord.
10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws
in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God,
and they shall be My people.
11 "None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none
his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for all shall know Me, from the
least of them to the greatest of them.
12 "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,
and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. |
Here again, Paul used the LXX. There is a textual variation between the
Hebrew and LXX in verse 10. "Laws" is plural in the LXX but singular in
the Hebrew text. For this reason, many suppose that "Law" (Heb - Torah)
refers to His putting the Law of Moses in their hearts, making the New
Covenant merely an internalizing of the Old Covenant. But, here Paul
once again cites the LXX's plural "laws," referring to the individual
laws contained in this New Covenant, which is "not according to" the Law given at Mt. Sinai.
In verse 6, Paul leaves no doubt that this New Covenant had already been inaugurated by Christ. "He has (perfect tense) obtained a more excellent ministry." And, "He is (present tense) also the Mediator of a better covenant."
In verse 8, God found fault with Israel, because they did not keep the
Mosaic Covenant. So, He prophesied through Jeremiah the New Covenant.
There is much debate today, particularly amongst Dispensationalists, as
to whether the New Covenant has actually come. The New Covenant is
connected to the land inheritance in some Old Testament prophecies.
Because of this, Dispensationalists see the need to isolate the New
Covenant from the "Church Age." Also, it was prophesied for "the house of Israel and the house of Judah,"
something incompatible with Dispensationalism's segregation of the
"Church" from Israel. Yet, Paul left no doubt that the New Covenant has
come. This is also confirmed in several other passages (cf. Luke 22:20,
1 Cor. 11:25, 2 Cor. 3:6, Heb. 9:15).
Yet, a careful examination of Jeremiah's prophecy quoted by Paul, shows
that it has not been fulfilled in its entirety. Yes, He has put His
laws in the hearts of those who believed on Him (cf. Rom. 2:28-29, 2
Cor. 3:2-6). But, Jeremiah also said, "they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them." This part of the prophecy concerns the day when "all Israel shall be saved"
(Rom. 11:26-29). So, even with the coming of the New Covenant, there is
a future hope for which Paul's readers looked, when "all Israel shall
be saved." When God "will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
Chapter 9
Paul next contrasted the priestly rituals under the Law of Moses with
the heavenly Priestly ministry of Christ under the New Covenant.
Heb. 9
11 But Christ came as High Priest of
the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle
not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He
entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal
redemption. |
The New Covenant Priesthood is as far superior to the Old Covenant
priesthood as the heavenly Temple is to the earthly tabernacle. Keep in
mind that this "Priesthood" of Christ under the New Covenant, is that
very "Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedec" which Paul took
from Psalm 110. Remember in that Psalm, the "Priest" ministers on
behalf of Israel during the time when "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." (Psalm 110:1 LXX).
This priesthood anticipates the remainder of the prophetic Psalm, His
kingly reign. So, Paul then expressed the same idea in the following
verses.
Heb. 9
24 For Christ has not entered the holy
places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven
itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another--
26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the
world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put
away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. |
This is a repetition of Paul's theme in chapter 2. Before God's people
could reign with Him, before man could fulfill his destiny to have the
whole creation in subjection unto him, he had to be redeemed. Now, for
those who are redeemed, and "apart from sin," who "look for Him,"
He will appear for the completion of their salvation, (which is the
resurrection and reigning with Him in that eternal inheritance). Once
again, the hope held out for Paul's Jewish readers is the hope of
Abraham and the Patriarchs.
Chapter 10
In verses 1-25, Paul continued illustrating the temporary nature of the
Old Covenant, and the superiority of the New Covenant. In verses 26-31
he gave a stern warning against falling away from the Faith of the New
Covenant, and its permanent consequences. He argued that if the
consequences of apostasy under the Law were severe (physical death),
the consequences of apostasy under the New Covenant are much more
severe (being eternal damnation). Finally, he encouraged his Jewish
readers once again to persevere in the Faith so that they may inherit
the promise to the Patriarchs.
Heb. 10
35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 "For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. |
The Faith Necessary to Enter the Inheritance
Chapter 11
Chapter 11 is well known as the "Hall of Faith." In this chapter Paul
set out to hold up the great men of God from ancient times as the
models of the kind of faith that perseveres. As usual, he turns to the
Septuagint.
Heb. 11
6 But without faith it is impossible to
please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that
He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
|
The last clause of this verse is a citation of Psalm 9:10 LXX. Again,
we need to bring to bear the whole context from which this quote was
drawn.
Psalm 9
1 I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will recount all thy wonderful works.
2 I will be glad and exult in thee: I will sing to thy name, O thou Most High.
3 When mine enemies are turned back, they shall be feeble and perish at thy presence.
4 For thou hast maintained my cause and my right; thou satest on the throne, that judgest righteousness.
5 Thou hast rebuked the nations, and the ungodly one has perished; thou
hast blotted out their name for ever, even for ever and ever.
6 The swords of the enemy have failed utterly; and thou hast destroyed cities: their memorial has been destroyed with a noise,
7 but the Lord endures for ever: he has prepared his throne for judgment.
8 And he will judge the world in righteousness, he will judge the nations in uprightness.
9 The Lord also is become a refuge for the poor, a seasonable help, in affliction.
10 And let them that know thy name hope in thee: for thou, O Lord, hast not failed them that diligently seek thee.
11 Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Sion: declare his dealings among the nations.
(LXX)
As usual, Paul's quotation comes from a prophecy of Christ's
victory over the nations in His coming Kingdom. The "reward" for those
who diligently seek the Lord is His coming Kingdom, the realization of
the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants.
Paul went through a list of great men of faith. But, of particular
interest to our study are his comments about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
the heirs of the original promise God made to Abraham. Before we
proceed, it should be pointed out that the same promise God swore to
Abraham and confirmed by an oath (including the land inheritance), He
also swore to Isaac, and to Isaac's son, Jacob, whom God renamed,
Israel. (cf. Gen. 17:19,21, 26:1-5, 28:12-15, 50:24). All three of
these men lived in the land of Canaan, but none of them realized the
everlasting inheritance of that land while they were alive. Their
inheritance of the promised land awaits the resurrection.
Heb. 11
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country,
dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same
promise;
10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. |
Paul's point here is that the three men, to whom God swore to give the
land, the patriarchs of twelve tribes of Israel, did not themselves
receive the fulfillment of the promise while still alive. Yes, they
lived in the "land of promise," but as foreigners and
strangers. It did not belong to them at the time. And it certainly was
not their everlasting inheritance, as God had sworn to them. These men
were awaiting something much more then what they had. They looked for a
city built by God.
Many commentators wrench this statement out of the context, and from
the historical promise God actually made to these men. They interpret
it as some celestial hope. Nothing could be further from the truth! The
"city" for which the Patriarchs looked was the city of Jerusalem, aka,
Sion. It is "the city of the Great King!" Paul was not alluding to some
city in heaven. Abraham never heard of such a "city." How then could
the Patriarch look for such a thing? Rather, Paul was alluding to the
hope of the Patriarchs, when God would fulfill His promise. It is
described by David in Psalm 48.
Psalm 48 (47 LXX)
1 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
2 The city of the great King is well planted on the mountains of Sion, with the joy of the whole earth, on the sides of the north.
3 God is known in her palaces, when he undertakes to help her.
4 For, behold the kings of the earth were assembled, they came together.
5 They saw, and so they wondered: they were troubled, they were moved.
6 Trembling took hold on them: there were the pangs as of a woman in travail.
7 Thou wilt break the ships of Tharsis with a vehement wind.
8 As we have heard, so have we also seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God has founded it for ever.
(LXX)
This is the city for which Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob looked. In verse 8
Paul said that they went to live in the place they would afterward
receive for an inheritance. They lived in Canaan, dwelling in tents.
That was the place of their inheritance. They did not look for a city
somewhere else, a city in heaven! Such an idea would have been
completely foreign to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! They looked forward to
a TIME when that very place in which they lived as foreigners would
belong to them, and in which the Lord Himself would establish "the city of the Great King."
This raises the question, however, of how Abraham could have known of,
and looked for, this Jerusalem spoken of by David and Isaiah, the “City
of God,” the “City of the Great King.” For the answer to that question,
we need only refer back to chapter 7, where Paul described Abraham’s
meeting with Melchisedec, “Priest of the Most High God.” This
mysterious character was considered by Paul to be far superior to
Abraham. So much so, that he was “made like unto the Son of God,” and
his “priesthood” remains continually. Paul actually stated in so many
words that the appearance of Melchisedec to Abraham was in fact the
“Son of God,” who is both “King of Righteousness” and the “King of
Salem,” (Salem being the ancient name for Jerusalem). Melchisedec
blessed Abraham, and brought “bread and wine” to Abraham when he
blessed him. It is no coincidence that Jesus, “the priest forever after
the order of Melchisedec,” in His first priestly act in the flesh, took
bread and wine at the last supper, saying, “this is My body” and “this
is my blood.” That the “King of Salem” met with Abraham, and blessed
him, implies that Abraham was aware of this “Salem” and also aware of
who this person really was. Why? Because as Paul states, Abraham paid
tithes to Melchisedec. He goes so far as to say that the whole Aaronic
priesthood, who were figuratively in the “loins” of father Abraham,
paid tithes to this man through Abraham’s act. The point was clearly
that the whole nation of Israel was in effect bowing down to this man
whose name means, “King of Righteousness” and who was the “King of
Salem.” Could Abraham have known all this, and not known about the
“City of the Great King” (formerly “Salem” and later “Jerusalem”)?
Hardly! Abraham “looked for a city, whose builder and maker is
God” because he looked for the day when the “King of Righteousness”
would reign as “the King of Salem” (“Salem” literally means “peace,”
and “Jerusalem” literally means “city of peace”). Abraham awaited the
city of Peace, because he awaited the return of Melchisedec, the Priest
– King.
Paul continued as follows:
Heb. 11
13 These all died in faith, not
having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were
assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers
and pilgrims on the earth.
|
Unfortunately, the Amillennial bias
of the translators has colored the translation of verse 13. And
Dispensationalists do not object either, because to translate it
correctly would upset both systems. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were not
"strangers and pilgrims" on planet earth. They were strangers and
pilgrims on the LAND, the very land that God promised them as an
everlasting inheritance. The Greek word is "ghV"
which literally means the soil, the land. By translating this "earth,"
the sense is given that the Patriarchs were seeking to get off this
planet and attain heaven. Nonsense! Such an idea is foreign to the Old
Testament promises, and foreign to the context of Hebrews. How could
they look for an inheritance in heaven, when the text plainly says they
lived in tents as strangers and pilgrims in the very land of their
future inheritance? Did they live in tents as pilgrims in heaven?
Hardly! They lived in the land of Canaan. And they looked forward to
the time when God would fulfill His promise to Abraham, and they would
receive all the land as an everlasting inheritance.
Heb. 11
14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore
God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city
for them. |
The word translated "homeland" in verse 14 literally means a place to
call home. They were not seeking some other place. They were seeking to
call the place in which they dwelled as foreigners, their "homeland,"
according to the promise of God. He went on in verse 15 to say that if
they had been unhappy living as strangers and foreigners, they could
have gone back to the land Abraham left, Ur of the Chaldees (Iraq).
But, instead they stayed there, living in tents, because they were
awaiting the fulfillment of the promise. They desired a "better
country" one that is "heavenly." The adjective "heavenly" here is not
expressing a location, but the source of both the promise and its
ultimate fulfillment. It is "heavenly" because the promise was from
heaven, and the source of its fulfillment will also be from heaven, as
opposed to something natural and earthly.
The "better country" in verse 16 is sometimes misunderstood as being
"better" than the land in which they were dwelling (Canaan). But, a
closer look at the text shows that "better" contrasts their future hope
with the land Abraham LEFT, Ur of the Chaldees. Ur was a prosperous
place. Yet, Abraham chose to leave that land behind, and go and live
out the rest of his days in the deserts of Canaan, because he was
seeking the "better homeland" that God promised to him. Paul wrote, "God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them," (that is, Sion, the city of the Great King, which will be the capitol of the promised land, and of the whole world).
Heb. 11
39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. |
This statement by Paul cements the idea that the fulfillment of the
Abrahamic Covenant, with its everlasting inheritance in the land of
Canaan, was the hope of Paul and the Jewish Christians. Why did
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob not receive their inheritance while they were
still alive dwelling in Canaan in tents? Paul answered that question.
God planned to include "us" in the fulfillment of His covenant. That
is, Paul and his Jewish readers were a part of the promise.
The Grand Finale!
Chapter 12
The first part of chapter 12 deals once again with exhortations toward
perseverance. The "cloud of witnesses" mentioned in the "Hall of Faith"
in chapter 11 were portrayed by Paul as watching from the grandstands
as the current runners in the Olympic race persevered to finish their
course. He again warned them of the consequences of quitting the race,
using Esau as his example. Esau was the firstborn of Isaac. His was the
birthright. He was the one to whom the Abrahamic Covenant would have
been fulfilled. But, Esau despised his birthright, and sold it to his
brother for a bowl of soup. Paul let that be a warning to his Jewish
audience. If they do not prize their birthright through the New
Covenant, their fate may be the same as Esau. Sure, he was sorry
afterwards. But he could not get it back even with many tears. What an
awesome warning! (cf. Heb. 6:4-8 & Heb. 10:23-31).
Finally, Paul contrasted the awesome display, when God came down out of
heaven upon Mt. Sinai to give Israel the Law, with the yet future day
when Christ will come down out of heaven to overthrow the kingdoms of
the world, and set up His everlasting Kingdom on the earth.
Heb. 12
18 For you have not come to the
mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to
blackness and darkness and tempest,
19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who
heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.
20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: "And if so much as a
beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow."
21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.")
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are
registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just
men made perfect,
24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. |
In Exodus 19, God came down upon Mt. Sinai. His coming was
accompanied by thick darkness, by fire and smoke, by His own awesome
voice, and the blaring sound of the trumpet. The sight and sound was so
awesome, all Israel trembled in fear of the Lord. Paul and his readers
were not there that day to witness this awesome event, when God gave
Israel His Law. They will be present, however, when this happens again.
Christ is coming down from heaven to the Mt. of Olives (Zech. 14:4-5).
The sun and moon will be darkened (Matt. 24:29-31). He will come with a
"shout" (1 Thess. 4:16), and with the sound of the "last trumpet" (1
Cor. 15:52 & Zech. 9:14). Paul says, "but, you are come to Mount Zion and the city of the living God." This is again a quote from Psalm 48.
Psalm 48 (47 LXX)
1 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
2 The city of the great King is well planted on the mountains of Sion, with the joy of the whole earth, on the sides of the north.
3 God is known in her palaces, when he undertakes to help her.
4 For, behold the kings of the earth were assembled, they came together.
5 They saw, and so they wondered: they were troubled, they were moved.
6 Trembling took hold on them: there were the pangs as of a woman in travail.
7 Thou wilt break the ships of Tharsis with a vehement wind.
8 As we have heard, so have we also seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God has founded it for ever.
(LXX)
Paul called Jerusalem "heavenly Jerusalem," not because it is in
heaven, but to distinguish it from the present city of Jerusalem, built
by man. It is that city, whose builder and maker is God, for which Paul
and his Jewish brethren looked. That is, the city of Jerusalem as
described in Isaiah 65-66.
Isaiah 65
17 ¶ For there shall be a new heaven and a new earth: and
they shall not at all remember the former, neither shall they at all
come into their mind.
18 But they shall find in her joy and exultation; for, behold, I make Jerusalem a rejoicing, and my people a joy.
19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and will be glad in my people: and there shall no more be heard in her the voice of weeping, or the voice of crying.
20 Neither shall there be there any more a child that dies
untimely, or an old man who shall not complete his time: for the youth
shall be a hundred years old, and the sinner who dies at a hundred
years shall also be accursed:
21 and they shall build houses, and themselves shall dwell in
them; and they shall plant vineyards, and themselves shall eat the
fruit thereof.
22 They shall by no means build, and others inhabit; and they shall by no means plant, and others eat: for as the days of the tree of life shall be the days of my people, they shall long enjoy the fruits of their labours.
23 My chosen shall not toil in vain, neither shall they beget
children to be cursed; for they are a seed blessed of God, and their
offspring with them.
24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will
hearken to them; while they are yet speaking, I will say, What is it?
25 Then wolves and lambs shall feed together, and the lion shall
eat chaff like the ox, and the serpent earth as bread. They shall not
injure nor destroy in my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
(LXX)
This is the thing for which Paul and his readers hoped, and must
persevere in the Faith. But, notice what Paul said next. Not only were
they to come to this restored Jerusalem, the city of God, but "to
an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of
the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to
the spirits of just men made perfect." There is no question that
Paul was referencing Isaiah 65-66 (LXX). The phrase, "general
assembly" is a direct quote from Isaiah 66:10. Below is the
entire passage Paul had in view here.
Isaiah 66
5 ¶ Hear the words of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word;
speak ye, our brethren, to them that hate you and abominate you, that
the name of the Lord may be glorified, and may appear their joy; but
they shall be ashamed.
6 A voice of a cry from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord rendering recompence to his adversaries.
7 Before she that travailed brought forth, before the travail-pain came on, she escaped it and brought forth a male.
8 Who has heard such a thing? and who has seen after this manner?
Has the earth travailed in one day? or has even a nation been born at
once, that Sion has travailed, and brought forth her children?
9 But I have raised this expectation, yet thou hast not
remembered me, saith the Lord: behold, have not I made the bearing and
barren woman? saith thy God.
10 Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and all ye that love her hold in her a general assembly: rejoice greatly with her, all that now mourn over her:
11 that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breast of her
consolation; that ye may milk out, and delight yourselves with the
influx of her glory.
12 For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I turn toward them as a river
of peace, and as a torrent bringing upon them in a flood the glory of
the Gentiles: their children shall be borne upon the shoulders, and
comforted on the knees.
13 As if his mother should comfort one, so will I also comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 And ye shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones
shall thrive like grass: and the hand of the Lord shall be known to
them that fear him, and he shall threaten the disobedient.
15 ¶ For, behold, the Lord will come as fire, and his
chariots as a storm, to render his vengeance with wrath, and his rebuke
with a flame of fire.
16 For with the fire of the Lord all the earth shall be judged,
and all flesh with his sword: many shall be slain by the Lord.
17 They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves in the
gardens, and eat swine’s flesh in the porches, and the abominations,
and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.
18 And I know their works and their imagination. I am going to
gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
19 And I will leave a sign upon them, and I will send forth them that have escaped
of them to the nations, to Tharsis, and Phud, and Lud, and Mosoch, and
to Thobel, and to Greece, and to the isles afar off, to those who have
not heard my name, nor seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory
among the Gentiles.
20 And they shall bring your brethren out of all nations for a
gift to the Lord with horses, and chariots, in litters drawn by mules
with awnings, to the holy city Jerusalem, said the Lord, as though the
children of Israel should bring their sacrifices to me with psalms into
the house of the Lord.
21 And I will take of them priests and Levites, saith the Lord.
22 For as the new heaven and the new earth, which I make, remain
before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name continue.
23 And it shall come to pass from month to month, and from
sabbath to sabbath, that all flesh shall come to worship before me in
Jerusalem, saith the Lord.
24 And they shall go forth, and see the carcasses of the men that
have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, and their
fire shall not be quenched; and they shall be a spectacle to all flesh.
(LXX)
In verse 10, the "general assembly" (panhgurei)
is exactly what Paul referred to in Hebrews 12:23. It is the grand assembly of
the saints of Israel in Jerusalem upon the return of Christ. It excludes the
wicked. Notice in this passage God will separate the wicked from the
just. The wicked will not be able to stand in the congregation of the
righteous (Psalm 1:5). The "general assembly of the congregation of the firstborn who are registered in heaven," is the believing remnant of Israel. "Firstborn" (prwtotokwn) here is plural, (lit. "the assembly of the firstborn ones"). It does not refer to Christ, but to Israel (cf. Ex. 4:22).
So, what about the "innumerable company of angels?" They also are mentioned in this passage. The Greek word translated "angels" is "aggelwn,"
which simply means "messengers." In verse 19 of Isa. 66, God will send
out a large company of "messengers" to proclaim His message (anaggellw - the verb form of "aggelwn")
to those who have never heard of his fame, to all the Gentile nations.
And they will bring to the city of God the rest of the Jews scattered
throughout the world.
Let's let Paul continue with his final warning, and appeal to prophecy.
Heb. 12
25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they
did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we
not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,
26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven."
27 Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those
things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the
things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
29 For our God is a consuming fire. |
Lastly, Paul appealed to the prophet Haggai. The book of Haggai was
written after the Babylonian captivity, when the Jews returned to
Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, as recorded in Ezra and Nehemiah.
Nebuchadnezzar had sacked Jerusalem in 586BC, destroying Solomon's
Temple. Some of the elder Jews, those who were alive seventy years
earlier and seen Solomon's Temple, were very disappointed with the much
more humble structure being built by Zerubabel and the workman under
his command on the former site of Solomon's Temple. The foundation for
the rebuilt Temple was much smaller. And the materials at their
disposal to complete the Temple were much more mundane than the huge
amounts of gold, silver, and other precious materials Solomon used.
This led to great discouragement among the Jewish people, particularly
the older men, and all those working on the massive project.
This is the historical setting for the prophecy in chapter two, which
Paul quotes in Hebrews 12. In order to encourage the workmen, and
Zerubabbel their leader and chief builder, God spoke to Israel through
Haggai the prophet about the future plans God had for His Temple in
Jerusalem. That is, one day that Temple in Jerusalem would far excel
even Solomon's Temple. This would occur when God shakes the heaven and
earth, and brings judgment upon all the heathen nations. This is the
passage that Paul chose to cite in Hebrews 12, in reference to the
future hope of his Jewish Christian readers.
Haggai 2:1-9 & 20-22
1 ¶ In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the Lord spoke by Aggaeus the prophet, saying,
2 Speak now to Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, of the tribe of Juda,
and to Jesus the son of Josedec, the high priest, and to all the
remnant of the people, saying,
3 Who is there of you that saw this house in her former glory? and how
do ye now look upon it, as it were nothing before your eyes?
4 Yet now be strong, O Zorobabel, saith the Lord; and strengthen
thyself, O Jesus the high priest, the son of Josedec; and let all the
people of the land strengthen themselves, saith the Lord, and work, for
I am with you, saith the Lord Almighty;
5 and my Spirit remains in the midst of you; be of good courage.
6 For thus saith the Lord Almighty; Yet once I will shake the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
7 and I will shake all nations, and the choice portions of all the nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord Almighty.
8 Mine is the silver, and mine the gold, saith the Lord Almighty.
9 For the glory of this house shall be great, the latter more than
the former, saith the Lord Almighty: and in this place will I give
peace, saith the Lord Almighty, even peace of soul for a possession to every one that builds, to raise up this temple. ...
20 And the word of the Lord came the second time to Aggaeus the prophet, on the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
21 Speak to Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, of the tribe of Juda, saying, I shake the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
22 and I will overthrow the thrones of kings, and I will destroy the
power of the kings of the nations; and I will overthrow chariots and
riders; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by
the sword striving against his brother.
(LXX)
The central focus of this passage is the final Temple in Jerusalem,
which will far surpass even Solomon's Temple in its greatness. It is
the Kingdom Temple. It will be constructed when Christ returns to
overthrow "the power of the kings of the nations (eqnoV
- Gentiles)." This great "shaking" is the great tribulation and
the Day of the Lord, when Christ returns to overthrow the Kingdoms of
this world, and establish His glorious Kingdom. Only what cannot be
shaken will remain, according to Paul. He then made this revealing
statement: "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which
cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God
acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming
fire." The "kingdom" for which Paul and his Jewish readers awaited was the one prophesied by Haggai, when "I
will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord Almighty. Mine is the
silver, and mine the gold, saith the Lord Almighty. For the glory of
this house shall be great, the latter more than the former, saith the
Lord Almighty: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord
Almighty."
Conclusion
What more can be said? The proof is overwhelming that the hope Paul
held out for himself and the Jewish believers was the fulfillment of
the Abrahamic Covenant, and Davidic Covenant, as well as many other Old
Testament prophesies of Christ's Kingdom. There is no cosmic destiny
for the Jewish believer, as both Dispensationalists and Amillennialists
suppose. The Abrahamic promises of an eternal inheritance in the
promised land are to be realized through Christ, both by His atonement
(redeeming His people so they can reign with Him), and by His taking
the Throne of David, overthrowing the kingdoms of this world, and
establishing His everlasting Kingdom, establishing the "City of God" on
Mt. Sion, and making the Temple in Jerusalem the "house of prayer for
all nations." The Amillennialist and the Dispensationalist must
manipulate the text of Hebrews into all kinds of contortions in order
to maintain their cosmic destiny.
So what about the Gentiles? Paul did not deal with this question in the
book of Hebrews. But, he did in other Epistles written to
Gentiles, such as Ephesians and Galatians.