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HEBREWS CHAPTER 12 KJV WEB See previous page Heb 12,1-17 (99a) Thy kingdom come >> Endurance (Thorn in the flesh) >> Enduring the will of God >> Enduring the word of God >> Endure obeying the word of God – We endure God’s reproof for the sake of discipline, which holds tremendous reward. On the one hand, if we are a disciplined, it proves we are His children. This provides the necessary tools to fulfill His purpose in our lives, but if we are without discipline, it proves we are illegitimate children. The Bible is a little stricter about salvation than the current generation of believers, who are permissive by comparison. See also: Rewards; Heb 12,1-3; 98i / Discipline; Heb 12,5-11; 4m Heb 12,1-15 (127g) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Goodness >> Rewards for doing good >> Sow the seeds of goodness >> Do not grow weary of doing good Heb 12,1-13 (187ab) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Die to the flesh >> The ministry of dying to self >> Die to self to minister to God >> Pick up your cross and follow Him Heb 12,1-6 (8j) Responsibility >> Responsible to defend God’s cause >> Preparing to die to self (43a) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Conform to the Resurrection of Christ’s death Heb 12,1-4 (12m) Servant >> Jesus is our example of a servant – Jesus is our example of going through hardship as a Christian in a world where people view faith in God as contemptible. The implication is that we will not grow weary and lose heart after we have endured hostility at the hands of unbelievers. The Scriptures encourage us to keep front-n-center the joy of our eternal destiny in Christ, not looking back or losing track of His eternal purpose that incorporates the trials of injustice. (188f) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Suffering righteousness (194a) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Run to God >> Run the race that is set before us -- These verses go with verses 13-15. There is a race we are running that is similar to the gauntlet that Jesus ran, but we cannot run this race while running with the world. If we have a backpack full of doodads collected over time that is shortening our stride, it is time we lighten our burden of bad habits, pet sins and evil passions and desires. The call of God is to liberate ourselves of these commitments before taking another step. We simplify our lives, taking off our sins and looking to the character of Christ as a model to emulate. Quickly we discover how difficult is the narrow way that we are following, yet knowing that victory is in our grasp, for the Lord is at our side. Heb 12,1-3 (35a) Gift of God >> God is willing to Give >> He is generous with the flesh of His Son – One of the functions of the cross was to encourage us to continue in faith and not to grow weary. Jesus’ death didn’t have to be as violent, bloody and painful as it was to accomplish the goal of dying for our sins, but He submitted to torture for our sakes so no matter what happens to us, we have reason to hope and believe in God’s love that He will not abandon us. If the Father allowed His Son to suffer, He will allow us to suffer too, and if He didn't abandon His Son to the grave, He won't abandon us either, no matter how dark our circumstances. (92b) Thy kingdom come >> The narrow way >> Trail of good works >> Ray of light leading to the face of Christ (96b) Thy kingdom come >> Positive attitude about suffering >> Abstaining from sin (97f) Thy kingdom come >> Attention >> Facing the direction of the Lord >> Focusing your mind on God (98i) Thy kingdom come >> Endurance (Thorn in the flesh) >> (Faith ↦ Suffering [Integrity] ↦ Glory [Reward]) – Where its says, “…who for the joy set before Him endured the cross…,” we could replace the word “joy” with hope (of reward). So it would sound like this, “…who for the [hope of reward] set before Him endured the cross….” Jesus' hope was the Church, meaning not even God does anything without a reward! Some people claim that seeking a reward is ignoble, as though we were serving God with less than pure motives, as though serving Him without hope were actually possible. It is no wonder people don't serve the Lord with phony doctrines, fake attitudes and ulterior incentives. Selfless altruism where the volunteer gets nothing for his services does not exist, nor should it. If Jesus doesn't do anything without hope of a reward, why should we? Our reward for serving Christ is a better resurrection (Heb 11-35). See also: Rewards; Heb 12-1,2; 121j (118h) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Eyes of your spirit >> Giving God your attention >> Resolutely focus on the glory of God >> Focus on Jesus (189e) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Martyr >> Tested for faithfulness to the death (209e) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Righteous saved with difficulty >> Righteous saved with hardship >> Righteous saved with endurance (229ia) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Partaking of Jesus’ suffering >> Suffering as a Christian -- These verses go with verse 8 (242f) Kingdom of God >> Opposition toward the Kingdom of God >> Persecuting the kingdom >> Persecuting God >> Persecuting Jesus KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12-1,2 (5c) Responsibility >> Advocate God’s cause >> Disciples finish the course (30c) Gift of God >> God knows our needs >> He is the source of our obedience – Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. As we follow Him, He will give us spiritual understanding about what we are doing. He wants us walking by faith, living a miraculous life, above the elementary principles of the world and above our sinful nature on a plateau that this world cannot attain, not a normal, natural life like the heathen. With God’s help we can run the race that is set before us, enduring our trials and persevering in His will, but if perseverance fails, endurance does too. The person who doesn’t know God’s calling cannot persevere, for he knows not what to do. As a result, his endurance is hampered and he will allow certain sins to remain. They will chip away at his endurance until he fails to overcome temptation, and he will eventually abandon the trail of good works that leads from one good work to another and blaze another trail that leads from sin to sin. See also: Spiritual warfare; Heb 12-1; 190e / Spiritual warfare (Legal protection); Lk 18,1-8; 46k / Apostasy (Church does not fear God); Rev 14-7; 41a (56e) Paradox ≻≻ Opposites ≻≻ Humble yourself as a defensive strategy (100h) Thy kingdom come >> Diligence >> Diligence in running the race that is set before us -- These verses go with verses 12-15 (113a) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> The anointing >> Heaven’s clothes >> Protection >> Covering (115k) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Working the grace of God >> Through obedience of faith >> Through diligence (121j) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Hope based on faithfulness >> Hope based on endurance – The joy set before Christ was His Father's promise of the Church, that He would be her Husband and she would be His bride, and the Father would marry them. This was the hope that Jesus took to the cross. Lk 9-53 says, "And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem." Without hope nobody can do anything. Hope gives incentive to endure hardship and gives us tenacity to accomplish goals. Without hope there is no reason to suffer, but with hope we can endure anything, knowing there is a reward waiting for us. Hope acts as a bridge between faith and love and is inadvertently associated with suffering, for without suffering there would be no need for hope. The person who works for a wage will put in 12 to 14-hour days for the hope of being paid, but if he didn’t get paid, he wouldn’t do it, so hope is linked to endurance. Hope is like crossing a river in the winter; we know it is going to be a really cold swim, but if we can see our car or the cabin on the other side, we will forge ahead, but if we’re lost and don't know if crossing the river would help, we won’t cross it. Hope therefore is based on knowledge, and the knowledge we have about Jesus is based on Scripture. So, when we read the Bible and it builds hope in us, we will be willing to suffer for the cause of the gospel and for the purpose of obtaining an eternal reward in heaven. Some people spurn the rewards, saying that it is selfish to seek them, but tell that to Jesus who went to the cross “for the joy [hope] set before Him.” See also: Rewards; Heb 12,1-25; 99a (125c) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Joy >> Joy is the result of investing in the kingdom >> Investing in a life of adversity – How many of us have heard of churches or been to one that teaches faith as something we believe for the sake of enjoying a better life (taught in prosperity churches). In contrast the truth that Scripture teaches is that God has given us this life as our investment that we offer back to Him, causing us to forego much enjoyment and many pleasures in order that we may gain Christ. He taught that this life is like a seed that we plant instead of eating it. If we eat the seed, it will only help us live for that day, but if we plant the seed, it will produce an eternal crop in heaven (Jn 12-24,25). This is what Jesus did; He lived for His Father, and when the time came for His true ministry, He gave His life a ransom for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Therefore, the cross embodies God’s faith in that it was the Father’s calling that Jesus should die for the sins of the world. In the same way, He has given each of us a calling, and to fulfill it is our purpose for being born; therefore, we are to seek God until we discover His purpose and then fulfill it just as Jesus fulfilled His, and we can be sure that endurance will be involved. That is not to say we should shun pleasure and happiness, but if it be our goal, it will invariably replace God’s will for our lives. (161j) Works of the devil >> Satan determines the world's direction >> Carried away >> Condemnation without basis of sin – If the world treated Jesus with contempt, the hostility of sinners is sure to find us too, and when it does, it portrays itself as being in the right and we in the wrong. Everyone involved in Jesus’ crucifixion appeared justified in the eyes of men and made Jesus look like a criminal and a fool, and the same is guaranteed to happen to us. To the degree that we live for Jesus is the degree that the world will treat us just as they treated Him, with utter contempt. We cannot expect to receive any kind of nobility or notoriety in this world, so if these things come to us, we can be sure that took a wrong turn somewhere and need to repent. The world will never treat us honorably because of our faith in Jesus. Many Christians have been martyred throughout the centuries; more were persecuted, beaten and treated shamefully, and what scars they left on the saints they considered the brand marks of Jesus. Heb 12-1 (1j) Responsibility >> Avoid offending God >> Carrying a false burden >> Weighs you down as you walk in the flesh (105c) Thy kingdom come >> Pure in heart >> Being a slave to a pure heart -- This verse goes with verse 3 (155i) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Witness of the believer >> The Church bears witness of the believer – Keep in mind that the context of this verse is chapter 11, the hall of faith that describes many of the patriarchs of the Old Testament, clarifying the faces in the crowd. Many have speculated that this cloud of witnesses pertains to some of our family members who have died and from the vantage point of heaven are rooting for us. There is no need to guess about that, because it meticulously describes this cloud of witnesses in verses 22-24 of the same chapter, indeed suggesting that some of them are our family members, and it also includes the angelic host. Dictated by the context, this cloud of witnesses is composed of those who are faithful in Christ, looking on as witnesses, encouraging us by their personal testimonies to remain faithfulness in Christ. (161l) Works of the devil >> Carried away by sin (162h) Works of the devil >> Being a slave to the devil (Addictions) >> Bondage >> Addicted to sin >> Being a slave to the nature of sin (187ha) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Die to the flesh >> Spirit versus the flesh >> Deny the flesh to walk in the Spirit >> Deny bondage to walk in freedom (190e) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Circumcision >> Undressing >> Take off your sins – Sin easily entangles our feet until we trip and fall, and while we are lying there, sin will try to keep us in a fallen state. For this reason we should strip all encumbrances and quit playing footsy with sin. If we keep just one sin (Joshua 7,10-26), it will slowly and eventually erode our faith, until it dominates our desire to do His will. Temptation will overcome us and we will come under its bondage, and then we will have to seek God’s help. He will deliver us, and we will start again from the point of failure. This is an ongoing process for the majority of us throughout our lives, for every person struggles with sin. We are not to fall into a pit of guilt and condemnation but confess and continue, realizing the things that happen to us are happening to everyone who loves the Lord. See also: Spiritual warfare; Heb 12-1,2; 30c (193j) Run To God (Key verse) (212h) Sovereignty >> God is infinite >> God is all knowing >> Nothing hidden >> God exposes things hidden in darkness (225o) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Parables >> Parables about running a race (241f) Kingdom of God >> Opposition toward the Kingdom of God >> Hindering the kingdom >> Obstacles in the way of the kingdom >> Obstacles that keep you from Jesus KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12-2 (43i) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Perfected by God (67c) Authority >> Jesus at the right hand of the father >> He is interceding for us there – Jesus seated at the right hand of the power of God is the main point of the entire book of Hebrews. Jesus Christ performs His duties as our Great High Priest from the vantage point of heaven. He is the author and perfecter of our faith, and He uses the devil and our temptations through the Holy Spirit to perfect us. (75d) Thy kingdom come >> Motives of the heart >> God’s motives (97c) Attention (Key verse) (104j) Thy kingdom come >> Pure in heart shall see God >> Shall see Jesus >> We shall see His face (137h) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Maturity >> Maturing in Jesus is hard work >> Maturity comes through discipline -- This verse goes with verses 7-11 (153l) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> God bears witness against the world >> Shame >> Living for Jesus exposes sin >> Suffering shame for the cause of righteousness – Jesus despised the shame of sinners against Himself; to despise something is to hold it in contempt. Jesus held the shame of sin in contempt, knowing that His Father would pour all our sins upon Him; He looked it in the face and despised it. He obediently accepted His fate for our sake, and He has called us to despise our sinful nature and stare down our temptations that regularly come to us, holding them in contempt as we endure them, even as Jesus endured the cross, for we are His brethren. He has called us to live in this world as we will live in heaven (Mat 6-10), no longer slaves of sin. He has called us to live without sin to the degree that we can overcome and rise above our failings through His grace and forgiveness. (194f) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Hate evil >> Condemning sin >> Judging evil (212b) Sovereignty >> God is infinite >> He is the creator >> The creation glorifies God >> God created all things through Christ (227d) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Rewards of heaven >> God rewards endurance >> Rewarded for overcoming sin (233a) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Seeking the kingdom >> Seeking the goals of the kingdom >> Seek the goal of the resurrection (233h) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Seeking the glory of God >> Seek His glory without wavering >> Seek His glory by faith Heb 12-3 (18a) Sin >> Unrighteous judgment >> Condemning Jesus (44i) Judgment >> Transformed >> Fulfill your ministry >> Calling from God >> Complete it (79c) Thy kingdom come >> Renewing your mind >> Compromising your convictions (82f) Thy kingdom come >> Three elements of prayer >> Our approach >> Meditation – We are to meditate on the fact that Jesus willingly went to the cross so we through our hardships and difficulties should not grow weary and lose hope. God would not put us through anything that He is unwilling to endure Himself. What about the people in hell? He assigns them a place where they will suffer forever. When Jesus died, it says that He descended to the place of the dead and preached to those who lived in the days of Noah and told them how big a mistake they made by rebelling against the Most High. In those days God’s complaint about them was that their hearts dwelled on evil continually (Genesis chapter 6), meaning that God is with our thoughts and knows every intension of our heart. However, this does not account for God deposing man in pits of hell where they will remain forever. God would never ask us to go though anything that He Himself would not endure. When we look in various places of the Old Testament, it speaks about God dwelling in smoke and fire; this is the Father’s environment of choice, and it seems He will remain in that state forever. The Bible doesn’t teach that God is in misery, for hell judges sin, and God is without sin, so He can dwell in the midst of smoke and fire and it doesn’t bother Him, but He remains there for their sakes. We go though hardship in this life, and so did Jesus. The writer of Hebrews is reminding us to consider these things in prayer, using the Scriptures as our direction and understanding. We can go though our trials with Christ, and He will be with us to help us through them all. He is with us, and it means more than when someone else is with us, who cannot help us, or may even add to our troubles. When God says He is with us in tribulation, He imparts His grace to help us through those hard times. See also: Hell is God's environment of choice; Heb 12,18-24; 221i (105c) Thy kingdom come >> Pure in heart >> Being a slave to a pure heart -- This verse goes with verse 1 (139b) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Encouragement >> The adversity of our brothers encourages us Heb 12-4 (105e) Thy kingdom come >> Pure in heart >> Abstain from wickedness (242g) Kingdom of God >> Opposition toward the Kingdom of God >> Persecuting the kingdom >> Worldly pressure >> World pressures you to forsake God – There are those who would interpret this verse to mean penance. There are those who whip themselves mercilessly until their backs are bloodied, but it only communicates to God that they are unwilling to accept Jesus’ sacrifice as full payment for their sins. Penance is religious paganism, not what the Bible teaches at all. Penance has no power to curb sin (Col 2,20-23), neither in regard to forgiveness of former sins nor in prevention of future sins. Those who would persecute us to the point of shedding blood have not yet done so, yet many martyrs have died for their faith since the book of Hebrews was written, and many are coming before Christ's return. Striving against sin refers in part to the struggle against denying the faith. Many a Christian has caved to the pressures of persecution and has denied their Lord and Master who bought them (2Pet 2-1), but we have encouragement to continue in the faith and stand against our persecutors with boldness that will cause them to pause. If they shed our blood for our faith, then so be it, but we will not sin and deny what we know about God, for if we don’t know Him then who does? Often our persecutors think they do, but if they did, they wouldn’t be persecuting us. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12,5-11 (4m) Responsibility >> Advocate God’s cause >> Disciples are chastened by the Lord – We see a child getting spanked for doing something wrong, but what we often overlook is that the consequence of doing wrong is the better part of the child. Discipline is not something that happens to us because we are evil, but is the cause of all that is good in us. Discipline is the means by which we attain the peaceful fruit of righteousness, suggesting that apart from discipline there is evil and unrest. At the moment it is sorrowful, yet afterward the child reflects on what he did wrong and changes his behavior, becoming a different person, one with parameters. He now understands that what he does can have consequences. There are certain limitations and fences that he should not cross, and this gives him a completely different worldview. The child cries when receiving discipline, not usually from pain, but from a need to amend his ways. Without discipline the child would continue down a dark path with far greater harm befalling him than a simple spanking. Discipline helps us realize we must learn to relate with other people and that we don’t own or control anybody. The most important lesson of discipline is that it teaches us we don’t have more rights than others, and the most important gift of discipline is the right to become a child of God. Discipline is what makes God real to us, for without discipline God is a blur. At the time we think God must hate us or given up on us, but when we reflect on our experiences, we see hope that God still loves us; in fact, we realize it through discipline. See also: Discipline; Heb 12-5,6; 138b (73f) Authority >> Respect Positions Of Authority >> Respect the Father’s Authority (100e) Thy kingdom come >> Diligence >> Diligence in the sight of God -- These verses go with verse 19 (239e) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Pursuing the knowledge of the kingdom >> Teachers >> Teachable students >> The teachable are taught by God Heb 12,5-10 (33i) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> Children need to obey their Father Heb 12-5,6 (51h) Judgment >> Judging the Church with the world >> No partiality among us with God (138b) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Reproof >> Jesus reproves His disciples for their unbelief – We should not distain the discipline of the Lord, especially when it pertains to our conscience. God speaks to our heart, and the discipline comes in listening when He tells us that we are sinning and need to repent. Repentance is an act of righteousness that is just as great as doing exploits for God. We are afraid to repent because it is an affront to our ego and an outward admission of sin, but we should brush these concerns aside, because repentance holds promise for the future. It can add whole new dimensions to our lives and leads to a deeper relationship with God and to a fuller anointing of His Spirit for the purpose of fulfilling His calling. We must be careful not to allow repentance to become a guilt trip instead of an occasion for restoration, for by it God is trying to tell us that we are controlled by dark forces that hold us in bondage to evil passions and desires. Whenever He convicts us of sin, we should rejoice in the same way that someone persecutes us, in that if we repent our “reward in heaven is great” (Mat 5-12). See also: Discipline; 138k (138k) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Exhortation >> The discipline of exhortation – It is more descript to say we are disciples of Jesus, for discipline is an integral aspect of the Christian life, but if we are without discipline, then we are not Christians (v8). “Christian” means Christ-like, but the connotation of “Christian” has changed since it was first used 2000 years ago. Now, the title can refer to anybody who goes to church and believes in a set of doctrines. The word “Student” is akin to discipline. When we go to work or school, these are usually militant environments, but do Christians discipline themselves? Many so-called "Christians" in the Church these days are unskilled in the Scriptures. When we talk to a so-called brother about Jesus and he only wants to run from us, he is no different from a common sinner in the world. If the word of God were truly in his heart, he would want to talk about his faith. If we were living in a country where Bibles were scarce, we would have an excuse, but Bibles are available in America, so what's our excuse for not reading it? See also: Discipline; Heb 12,7-11; 208g (238i) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Pursuing the knowledge of the kingdom >> Teachers >> Teachers "remind" their students >> Prevention against forgetting KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12,7-11 (137h) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Maturity >> Maturing in Jesus is hard work >> Maturity comes through discipline -- These verses go with verse 2 (208g) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Personal relationship >> Being the friend of God >> Father & son relationship – Discipline, a tool of faith, is of utmost importance to our relationship with God. The writer of Hebrews has contrasted our earthly parents to our heavenly Father, saying that they discipline their children in ways they think is best, suggesting that all parents make mistakes, while God disciplines us for our good, meaning He never makes mistakes, so we may share His holiness. We have strong confidence that we are the children of God in the true and right things He demands of us as we obey Him. If we receive disciple from the Lord, it proves we have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying. See also: Discipline; Heb 12,8-15; 156f Heb 12,7-9 (6g) Responsibility >> Being spiritual >> Ministering to God by dying to self (106f) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Hearing from God >> Attaining the hearing ear >> When He speaks and what He says – We endure all things for Christ's sake that we may share His holiness. We listen for the Holy Spirit in our heart and are ready to repent at a moment’s notice. We are not to be like the Israelites in verse 19 when God spoke to them, they begged that no further word be spoken to them. This was Israel’s big mistake; they refused to take instruction directly from the Lord, but demanded that He spoke to them through Moses. They should have endured the word of God. The new covenant came and replaced the law with the very thing the Israelites sought to avoid, the voice of God who speaks directly to our heart and teaches us right from wrong. What is the Church's reaction? People go to church and will hear the preacher, but they are unwilling to let God speak to them. They are making the same mistake Israel did. There are many things He would like to tell us about ourselves, but we cannot bear them, and we are unwilling to listen, but if we did, the alterations would fit us for a heavenly kingdom that is to come, and He would use us to bring that kingdom to light through the gospel. We must endure the voice of God speaking in our heart, no matter how critical He is of us. It takes discipline to acquire the hearing ear. If we listened to Him and repented of all the things He would like us to change, He would speak to us about other things such as His glory and power and anointing, and He would strengthen us to believe the truth. See also: Israel rejected the gospel; Act 20,24-27; 117h Heb 12-7 (4l) Disciples (Key verse) -- W e have the Bible to train our minds to believe the truth, and we have the Spirit to guide us, and we have the witness of the creation as proof of God’s existence, and this is why we are disciples of Jesus. (91d) Thy kingdom come >> The called >> His purpose answers "Why" -- This verse goes with verses 10&11 Heb 12,8-15 (156f) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Evidence of salvation >> You will know them by their repentance – Show me a Christian without discipline, and I will show you somebody who is not a Christian. Proverbs 12-1 says, “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” Solomon linked discipline to knowledge, while this passage linked discipline to knowing God. Therefore, anyone who hates discipline is ignorant of God. Discipline is not only a good thing; it is evidence that we are the children of God. See also: Discipline; Heb 12-8; 157e Heb 12-8 (157e) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Evidence of being hell-bound >> Being displeasing to God >> Walking in disobedience – The writer of Hebrews is saying that without exception every person who is going to heaven, who’s name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, is disciplined by the Lord; we are all disciples of Jesus. The term “disciple” is better than Christian, in that it includes the concept of discipline, which is what the Church needs more than ever. Those who adhere to the doctrines of easy-believism resist discipleship, for there are too many Bible verses that contradict their beliefs and lifestyles that they have devised over the centuries to excuse their sinful flesh. Easy-believism is: having an interest in going to heaven without any interest in serving the Lord. They say, ‘It was good for the early Church to be disciples of Jesus, but they did it for us so we don’t have to live that way.’ This is the attitude of prosperity teachers. On the contrary, first century Christians lived as disciples because they thought other generations would come after them that needed to believe in the unadulterated doctrines of the faith, but the fact that we refuse to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness communicates that we don't expect any further generations to come after us before the coming of the Lord. Just as America is financially living beyond its means and sacrificing its children's economic future, so the Church is doing the same to the gospel of Christ, leaving the next generation with certain handpicked false doctrines that they will continue to twist, praying once in a while and doing more good deeds than worldly people, using the heathen as their standard of faith instead of Christ, and for that they expect God to let them into His heaven. All Christians going to heaven are disciples of Jesus, but if we’re not, then we are illegitimate sons in need of salvation. See also: Evidence of salvation (Discipline); 172a / Eternal security? (God doesn't allow quitters in heaven); Heb 3-6; 121i (159c) Works of the devil >> Essential characteristics >> Counterfeit >> Counterfeit godliness >> Counterfeit Christian (172a) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Tares among the wheat >> Devils among the saints >> False brethren among the people of God >> Antichrists among Christians – Illegitimate (or bastard) children are defined as not having a father; conversely, a Christian is someone whose spiritual Father is God, suggesting there is no such thing as illegitimate Christians. The apostle John wrote in a similar manner in his epistle, giving evidence of salvation and evidence of being hell-bound, indicating frankly that a person who rejects the discipline of the Lord is on his way to hell. The writer of Hebrews is saying that this is a black and white issue, i.e., Show me a rebellious Christian without discipline and I will show you a false brother. There are just too many people in the Church today who make grandiose claims of their faith without any evidence thereof, being undisciplined in their walk, in the Scriptures, in prayer, in cultivating the hearing ear, in doing good works…. See also: Evidence of salvation; 157e / Discipline; Heb 12-9,10; 88g (217h) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> I never knew you >> Because you never did His will -- This verse goes with verse 14 (229ia) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Partaking of Jesus’ suffering >> Suffering as a Christian -- This verse goes with verse 10 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12-9,10 (36b) Gift of God >> Gifts from the Holy Spirit >> The gift of repentance (73i) Authority >> Respect authority in the family >> Respect your mother and Father (88g) Thy kingdom come >> Fear of God >> Fearing God's judgment is the beginning of wisdom >> Fear the consequences of your disobedience – Most children in the first century had fathers; but sadly today not every child has a father in the home. We live in an undisciplined generation with society becoming volatile and dangerous. People demand everything from others but demand nothing from themselves. The Bible does not speak for nothing; if we disobey the word of God, consequences will fall on us, and they are coming to America, and they are already here, and it is all because people have turned a deaf ear to the gospel and turned their hearts against the Lord and refused to serve Him. Some people will go to school and discipline themselves to achieve an education and get a job that pays big money, but they are unwilling to discipline themselves for the cause of righteousness, and it is killing this nation. Professionalism and education is a poor substitute for a pursuit of holiness through faith in Jesus Christ. See also: Discipline; 236c (133f) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> God has made His people holy (236c) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> All things are for your sake >> God’s purpose is for your sake – All parents say to their children that discipline is for their own good, but here the Bible says that they disciplined us as seemed best to them, meaning that discerning what is best is often a stab in the dark, whereas God actually knows what is best for us. We guess at what is right and wrong and what is true and false, but when God disciplines us, it is not what seems right to Him; it is right, and He disciplines us that we might share His holiness. People have goals in mind, and many try to use God to achieve them, oblivious that God has goals in mind for them too. Most people think God is overly critical regarding sin, though their lives are a mess and they don’t know why, and they ask God for help, and God tries to reveal His will to them, but they cannot hear Him, because they are on a different wavelength. He calls us to repent, whereas people are more interested in the things of this world, and they get angry and turn from the Lord because He does not give them what they want. He wants us to accept the last place in order to accomplish His purposes; meanwhile we seek the first place, though it is a lousy position to do the will of God. We can’t please God way up there where Satan dwells; God wants us to accept the last place to get as far away from the devil as possible. Everything has been taken from Satan, so whatever he thinks he has is merely a figment of his imagination. His place is the lake of fire, and if we seek the first place next to him, we may find ourselves next to him in the same lake. We need to humble ourselves and do the will of God and let the Lord reward us in secret, instead of seeking to be rewarded in the flesh, for the whole purpose of this life is to store up treasures in heaven. See also: Discipline; Heb 12-14; 191i Heb 12-9 (148d) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Works of the Church bear witness to Jesus >> Evangelism >> Natural advantage in the flesh regarding evangelism (237l) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> The Church is transferred to the kingdom >> Transformed from death to life Heb 12-10,11 (91d) Thy kingdom come >> The called >> His purpose answers "Why" -- These verses go with verse 7 (170i) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Outward appearance >> Temporary >> All suffering is temporary Heb 12-10 (94e) Thy kingdom come >> Perspective >> God’s Perspective on the Church (178c) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Presumption (Hinduism) >> Presuming the facts about the circumstances >> Presumption interprets our observations (229ia) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Partaking of Jesus’ suffering >> Suffering as a Christian -- This verse goes with verses 1-3 Heb 12-11 (41h) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Be like Jesus >> Seek His righteousness -- This verse goes with verse 23 (126f) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Peace >> Terms of peace (128l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Bearing fruit >> Living a fruitful life >> It is a way of thriving – Discipline is not much fun, but it ultimately leads to all the character traits we need to get along in the world. If we endure the word of God in our heart and endure the humiliation of admitting our sins through repentance, we can reconstruct our lives to fit into God’s word and into His plan and purpose for our lives, and eventually we will get where we want to go. Everyone is seeking happiness; in fact, it is engraved in our nation’s constitution; we have political freedom to pursue happiness, yet how many of us have gotten entangled in that pursuit? If we seek happiness, we will never find it, but if we pursue the will of God, happiness will rest at our doorstep with the peaceful fruit of righteousness. What would make us happier than to be at peace with God and and at peace with ourselves and with each other in the joy of the Holy Spirit? That is everybody’s hope who love the Lord! Nevertheless, people go to drinking parties, snort cocaine and dance all night, pursuing happiness according to the elementary principles of the world, yet eventually they will achieve just the opposite. Turmoil will be their lot in life, like the breaking waves of the sea crashing against the shore and casting up their shame like foam (Jd-12,13). (188h) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Sorrow >> Grieving over your own loss >> Grieving over your sinful nature (215e) Sovereignty >> God controls time >> God’s timing >> God views time in eternity >> God sees eras as moments (218h) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> Reaping the harvest >> Reaping the harvest of obedience >> The harvest of righteousness – There is reward at the end of God’s reproof, the peaceful fruit of righteousness. There are those who do not value such things, but this just proves they are not the true children of God. The Holy Spirit will train us to value discipline, exposing those who don’t value it as false brethren. (227c) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Rewards of heaven >> God rewards us for obeying Him >> Fruit of the Spirit is its own reward KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12,12-16 (9i) Responsibility >> Strengthen one another >> Be strong Heb 12,12-15 (100h) Thy kingdom come >> Diligence >> Diligence in running the race that is set before us -- These verses go with verses 1&2. We are to make straight paths for our feet. A crooked path is usually going through a mountain pass where there are large obstacles and rocks that can twist our ankle if we step on them wrong, but straight paths go through flat prairies, where we have time to stop and smell the roses and watch the birds in all their busy work overhead, feel the breeze and enjoy the day in the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit. The one who’s climbing an uphill battle against the elements is usually taking a shortcut that will ultimately end in disaster. God is not interested in shortcuts; He has given us a life that is long enough that we can get where we’re going on the path that He has prepared for us. Even if we die young we will have time to do everything He has called us to do if we serve Him and do His will. Heb 12-12,13 (134a) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Your body >> Mediator between the natural and the spiritual realms >> Manifesting the Kingdom of God through obedience (229b) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Kingdom grows by itself >> Growing In Numbers Corresponds With Spiritual Growth >> Kingdom grows in strength Heb 12-12 (137h) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Maturity >> Maturing in Jesus is hard work >> Maturity comes through discipline Heb 12,13-15 (194a) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Run to God >> Run the race that is set before us -- These verses go with verses 1-4 Heb 12-13 (8o) Responsibility >> Prevent backsliding from God (92g) Thy kingdom come >> The narrow way >> What kind of trail is this? >> Gate is small and few are those who find it – The straight and narrow way is the most level place to walk in a deep, dark forest, but if we get off the trail, we must fight rugged terrain, and risk turning your foot and losing your way. (193a) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Repent >> Stop practicing sin >> Be zealous and repent Heb 12-14 (11a) Servant >> Standard for a servant >> A changed lifestyle (117j) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Eyes of your spirit >> Seeing through the eyes of your spirit >> Acknowledging the presence of God (126c) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Peace >> Peacemakers >> Peacemakers are a blessing (169b) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> The world is blind to God >> Blind to Jesus >> Blind to the holiness of God in Christ (191i) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Result of putting off the old man >> Set apart >> Set apart from sin – Heaven will not be filled with people who sacrificed God's will to do what they wanted. The writer of Hebrews is putting the capstone on his message that sanctification is an absolute requirement for all God's people, “without which no one will see the Lord.” Discipline is the Christian's fortress, and sanctification is the citadel of every soul who expects to see the Lord. We discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness, setting ourselves apart from the world. To be set apart means we are called, but we cannot fulfill our calling while we are pursuing the world. If we fight against the Lord, we will achieve nothing; but if we work with Him, He will set us apart to fulfill His calling, "who became to us wisdom... righteousness and sanctification, and redemption" (1Cor 1-30). See also: Discipline; Heb 12-15; 158e (217h) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> I never knew you >> Because you never did His will -- This verse goes with verse 8. Verses like this annul the notion of easy-believism, for without sanctification no one will see the Lord. Sanctification means to be set-apart from the world, from it attitudes and values and from its teachings and philosophies. We must program our minds to think the way God thinks, because there is nothing about the world, the flesh or the devil that wants to do His will. Nevertheless, some churches erroneously teach that if we believe in a set of doctrines we will go to heaven, with no mention of sanctification or faithfulness. They only teach God’s faithfulness and the work that Jesus performed on the cross for us, that if we believe in His blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin, He will cleans us from all unrighteousness and accept us into His heaven. They teach this totally separate from the process of sanctification, quoting Paul, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2-8,9). They say that this is the gospel in its entirety, yet where does sanctification fit into their theology? When we confront them, they say the Law is no longer in effect so that any demands on us are interpreted as commandments, which are superseded by grace. They claim that this nullifies any obligation on our part, but what do we do with a verse like this? What they fail to realize is that God has given us His Spirit who has endowed us with a willingness and desire to please Him, so we are no longer following commandments but the indwelling Holy Spirit who sanctifies us (2The 2-13). Paul said, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5-25). Heb 12,15-20 (174i) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Form of godliness >> Form of a servant but denying God your loyalty (203e) Denying Christ >> Dishonor God >> Stepping out of position KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12,15-17 (55k) Paradox >> Gain the world to lose your soul >> he who saves his life shall lose it – The writer of Hebrews equates bitterness with immorality, godlessness and betrayal. The most valuable possession Esau had was his birthright. Esau was the firstborn son of Isaac; the family inheritance fell to him by default, unless of course he died childless or sold his birthright to his younger brother. This transaction occurred by word of mouth, which acted as an oath, and God stood as witness, which resulted in Jacob receiving the inheritance. Esau came back to camp after many days of hunting. Famished, he figured he would die of starvation if he didn't eat, for Jacob was not giving him anything unless he traded his birthright for a bowl of soup (Gen 25,31-34). Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ Esau answered, ‘I am about to die; what good is the birthright to me?’ But Jacob made him swear his birthright to him, transferring his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank, and so Esau despised his birthright. What Esau forgot was that life continued after dinner, and after giving away his birthright, his life was useless to him. God was deeply offended by this blatant act of self-betrayal. He was trying to build a nation through the children of Abraham; He was not about to link a man to the genealogical chain who despised the very faith He was trying to ordain that would ultimately link to the Son of God. See also: Bitterness; 186h / Jacob and Esau; 74i (74i) Thy kingdom come >> Heart of man is sinful >> It is deceitful and desperately wicked – Jacob and Esau were fraternal twins, it happened that Esau came out of the womb first, so when Esau gave up his birthright to Jacob, it was like trading places with his brother in the womb. We know that physically the birth order could not be changed after they were born, but in the mind of God after the infamous bowl of soup, He perceived the birth order as reversed. Therefore, the things we say and do from the heart have a bearing on the spiritual realm. Whatever happens in the heart is very real to God, so when Esau sold his birthright for a single meal, God accepted that as an actual trade. There were no papers to sign, no final handshake, just a transaction by word of mouth that occurred in the spiritual realm that was just as real to God as a signed, notarized, official document, meaning Esau was sincere when he “swore to Jacob his birthright” (Genesis 25-33). We can get mad and say, ‘I don’t want to be a Christian anymore.’ That could be said from an emotional flare, or we could have meant it; God knows the difference; if we didn’t say it from the heart, it didn’t count. In the same way, if we say the sinner's prayer from the heart, we are born-again. Esau could not retrieve his birthright and could not receive the blessing after his father swore it to his brother, and in the same way the person who despises Jesus' blood covenant from the heart cannot take it back. Peter denied the Lord three times, acting as though he meant it, but he didn't; Judas Iscariot did mean it and lost his soul over thirty pieces of silver. See also: Judas Iscariot; 186h / Jacob and Esau; 161n (153j) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> God bears witness against the world >> Shame >> Walking in condemnation >> Attacking the body of Christ (161n) Works of the devil >> Satan determines the world's direction >> Carried away by lust – Jacob traded a bowl of soup for his brother's birthright and tricked his father Isaac into speaking the inheritance over him, the two of them together making for a legitimate covenant transfer. Jacob was never charged with sin; why not, he was being deceitful? God viewed it as a clear case of righteous deception! Seeking God's will and His blessing is considered righteous in His eyes. Remember Hitler's motive: 'The end justifies the means'? God honored Jacob's use of this otherwise evil mantra! If a covenant-wise transaction could be made to transpose brothers in the womb (as it were), how much more did it alter Jacob's spiritual birthright? Therefore, we need to keep a sharp eye on Christians like Esau, who would impulsively disown his own faith or betray the brethren for something little as a bowl of soup. The true Christian believes in God to the point of dying as a martyr for his faith, but there are others who don’t believe such transactions can take place, though they regularly lie to their own hearts, making them susceptible to this kind of spiritual bargaining. See also: Jacob and Esau; 181j / Patriarchs (Moses); Act 3,20-23; 67d / Omitting righteousness; Tit 1-12,13; 81i (181j) Works of the devil >> The origin of lawlessness >> Deception >> Self deception >> Deceitfulness of sin – When we are born-again, we received our birthright of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, but the book of Hebrews talks about the deceitfulness of sin (Heb 3-13), and Esau is the perfect example of this, who was deceived into trading his birthright for a single meal, and it was his fleshly appetite that deceived him. Jacob sought the birth order, which is impossible to change, wanting to be first in line for the inheritance. Esau came home from a skunked hunting trip, famished, and said to his brother, ‘What good is my birthright if I am going to die of hunger?’ (Gen 25,32-34). Esau devalued his birthright, selling it for a bowl of soup. He lost sight of its significance, having been born first of twins. He lost sight that God was working with his family, beginning with Abraham, Esau’s grandfather, disregarding His plan to make a chain of descendants by whom the Christ would come, and Esau despised his role in it. The lesson in this is that we would be better off dead than selling our birthright. As it is written, “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God” (Heb 3-12), suggesting that Hebrews chapter three is the mirror image of this chapter. See also: Jacob and Esau; 186h (186da) Works of the devil >> The result of lawlessness >> Man’s role in becoming a reprobate >> The fool throws Jesus away for something better >> Israel betrayed the Lord – They say you cannot un-ring a bell, but committing the unpardonable sin is like un-ringing the bell that God rang in our heart the day we were born-again. Committing the unpardonable sin is like transposing the birth order as heir of the family fortune being firstborn, and then surrendering it to your younger brother for a single meal. (186h) Works of the devil >> The result of lawlessness >> The reprobate >> Man’s role in becoming a reprobate >> Being unable to repent – Esau made a deal with his brother that could not be reversed, especially not after the swap was sealed with his father, Isaac, who spoke the blessing over Jacob, albeit he tricked Isaac into giving it to him, his mother being the mastermind behind it. Neither Isaac nor Esau could take back their words, for verse 17 says, “Afterwards, when [Esau] desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.” That is, had Esau told his brother he didn't mean it, Jacob would not have forgiven him, because he wanted to keep the inheritance. There are sins we can commit that have no place for repentance, and if there is no repentance, then neither is there forgiveness of sin. This is defined as the unpardonable sin, being tied to bitterness (chronic unforgiveness). In contrast, the apostle Peter denied the Lord three times, yet he found grace and forgiveness, so what did Esau do that was worse? Peter simply lied to his accusers, who didn't care what he said, whereas Esau’s sin was more like the sin of Judas Iscariot, who sold Jesus to the religious establishment for 30 pieces of silver, which he later threw into the temple from remorse, for the Pharisees were not willing to return Him. Although Judas wanted to repent he could not find forgiveness from God, after using Jesus as a moneymaking enterprise throughout his relationship, so we conclude that it is not the lie so much as to whom we are lying that defines our sin. See also: Judas Iscariot; 74i / Bitterness; 207c / Jacob and Esau; Heb 12-16,17; 151c (197d) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Spiritual laziness >> Rebelling against where God wants you to go >> Refuse to enter His rest (207c) Salvation >> God makes promises on His terms >> Eternal security? >> God will accept you into His heaven if you overcome >> Overcome temptation to give up the faith – Like a weed, the moment we see bitterness sprout, we need to uproot it before it sends down roots and becomes established, requiring more drastic measures to remove it. We are saved by grace, but bitterness can rob our faith, causing us to fumble God's grace and lose our salvation. Multitudes have funneled into the mouth of hell by obeying their bitterness that makes big promises about vengeance, but knows nothing about justice, and in the end it cannot defend us, proving the benefits of unforgiveness a lie from beginning to end. See also: Bitterness; Heb 12-15; 24k KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12-15 (24k) Sin >> Poverty (Forms of fear) >> Anger >> Unforgiveness – God asks the unforgiving person: 'How important is it that he goes to heaven?' If he says, ‘It is very important,’ God answers, ‘Then get rid of your bitterness.’ We are all called to sacrifice our pride for the sake of our eternal souls and humble ourselves, so no root of bitterness has an opportunity to germinate. God will take us only so far with bitterness in our heart, and then He demands that we deal with it. Jesus extends an open invitation to his eternal kingdom; He is the door through which we pass, but bitterness closes that door, locks it and bolts it shut. God warns us to make sure bitterness doesn’t wrap its tentacles around us and pull us into its lair and squeeze God's life from us. Bitterness is one of the many unseemly evils of sin. There are some sins that and bring pleasure but in the end breed destruction, but bitterness is cultivated from bad experiences and gets uglier, making the person who holds a grudge a victim of its unforgiving hatred and uses its bitter fruit to victimize other people. See also: Bitterness; 158e (115c) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Working the grace of God >> Through your ministry >> Through your calling >> To build up the body of Christ (145f) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself >> Deliverance from demon possession >> Human state >> Filthiness >> Being defiled (158e) Works of the devil >> Essential characteristics >> Divide and conquer >> Strife >> Bitterness – The context of this verse is still on discipline, but the writer of Hebrews upped the ante by adding unforgiveness to the kitty, which quickly turns bitter. Forgiveness is a discipline that we need to maintain and remain vigilant, forgiving everyone regardless what they have done to us, knowing that we are doing it for ourselves more than for the offending person. We should forgive even those who have not repented. The person who refuses to forgive has committed a sin just as grievous as the one who sinned against us. Harboring unforgiveness defiles our conscience, which acts like the veil of the old covenant temple, it keeps us from seeing into the Most Holy Place, much less entering it. Forgiveness grants us permission to push the curtain aside, where our conscience, free of guilt, allows us to commune with God. See also: Bitterness; Heb 12,15-17; 55k / Discipline; Heb 12,16-29; 185i (172c) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Tares among the wheat >> Devils among the saints >> Wolves among the sheep KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12,16-29 (185i) Works of the devil >> The result of lawlessness >> Blasphemy >> Responding with contempt to the Holy Spirit >> Evicting the Holy Spirit – The children of Israel didn’t want God personally giving them His commandments, because they had no intention of doing His will, and they knew that if they disregarded Moses it would go better for them than if they disregarded God in person. The same situation is occurring in the Church today. We would rather listen to a man behind the pulpit, though we have no intention of doing what he says either. There is a chronic problem in the Church of resisting the Holy Spirit, though there is always a remnant who seek God and are willing to discipline themselves and hear from God and receive a specific mission by which they should live and walk and please God that will bless many. Most of the Church, however, is unwilling to receive from God in person. They are undisciplined and rebellious children, refusing to develop the hearing ear. They act like illegitimate children who have rejected the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who live for themselves and lie to their own hearts, which is like to lying to God. See also: Discipline; Heb 12,1-25; 99a Heb 12-16,17 (22g) Sin >> Lust (craving pleasure) >> Fleshly mind (113h) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> The anointing >> Anointed through obedience (151c) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> New Testament bears witness of the Old >> The Patriarchs >> The sons of Abraham – A time came when Esau realized what he had done, perhaps thinking that such a spiritual transaction was not really possible, that the bowl of soup trade was just between he and Jacob. He was unaware that God was listening and approved the contract. Obviously Esau did not think this through as just how much he would stand to lose. He traded a bowl of soup for his name associated with men of faith, as a member of the original fathers, as part of the lineage of Messiah who would one day come and save the world from sin. When He went to his father Isaac to receive the blessing he discovered that his place had been given to his brother Jacob and that the blessing would be passed through him instead, and so Jacob's children became the twelve tribes of Israel. See also: Jacob and Esau; Heb 12-17; 36i (165e) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Do not partake of the world >> Do not desire the treasures of the world (183e) Works of the devil >> The origin of lawlessness >> Spirit of Error (Anti-Christ / Anti-Semitism) >> Nursery for the spirit of error >> Selfish ambition >> Seeking to control the truth (217l) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> You cannot control the judgment of God >> You cannot control how God responds to sin Heb 12-16 (134k) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Sins of the body >> Immorality >> Sexual perversion >> Basic immorality Heb 12-17 (36i) Gift of God >> Inheritance >> Our inheritance can be withheld – Jacob and Esau were fraternal twins; Esau was firstborn; he came home from a hunting trip famished, thinking that if he didn't eat right away he would die of hunger. So Jacob enticed Esau to verbally convey his birthright to him, and when he did, God took it seriously, though obviously it didn’t literally change their birth order. This story shows that verbal transactions mean something to God when we speak them from the heart. It was as though the moment of birth was revisited and Jacob came out first and then his brother. Esau was still first born, but he verbally transposed the birth order so that Jacob became firstborn in the mind of God. To seal the deal Jacob also deceived his father, Isaac, who was blind from age and made him think that he was Esau, and so Isaac spoke the blessing over Jacob as Esau gave him firstborn status. Now Jacob's name is inscribed among the founding fathers of Israel throughout all generations. This is an example of what can take place in the spiritual realm based on the words we speak that come from the heart. Obviously, Esau meant what he said, “'Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?' And Jacob said, 'First swear to me'; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob” (Genesis 25-32,33). If Esau had enough strength in himself to say these things, then he wasn’t dying. He wanted the soup immediately, but the Kingdom of God is not based on getting what we want when we want it; rather, we wait patiently for it. Generations of those believing in Jesus have waited patiently for God's Kingdom ever since He promised it to Abraham. What Esau didn’t know at the time was that Messiah would have been born through his descendants, but after he sold his birthright, Messiah was born through Jacob's descendants, proving the transaction that day was literal, and it also proved how little Esau cared about the inheritance. He probably didn’t recognize the significance of the family lineage, but Jacob understood it. See also: Jacob and Esau; Heb 12,15-17; 55k (193j) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Repent >> Consequences of not repenting KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12,18-29 (34d) Gift of God >> Believer owns everything >> New creation belongs to us – This natural realm is God's creation that He cursed by removing Himself from it because of Lucifer's sin. That which is natural and demonic are subject to God's judgment and will be shaken and ultimately removed (Jm 3-15), but the new creation that God has built in us is of a different substance that cannot be shaken. Those who have nothing in common with God will be shaken and removed from the Church, shaken to a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. (88i) Thy kingdom come >> Fear of God >> Fearing the power of God is the beginning of wisdom – Jesus as our Great High Priest is the theme of Hebrews, who has a better ministry than Aaron of the old covenant. According to that theme, then, the writer of Hebrews is warning us not to refuse Him who is speaking, who described Moses as full of fear and trembling at the sight of God on Mount Sinai, and then described the beauty and glory of heaven, of eternal life and the Kingdom of God with His children living and reigning with Christ. We should not be lulled into a deceitful apathy by the peace and majesty of the new covenant, for rejecting God after He has sent His Son has greater consequences than any infraction of the old covenant. That is, rejecting the Holy Spirit whom Christ discloses through His Priesthood has a far more fearful consequence than rejecting the God of Mount Sinai. In other words, to the degree that God shook a single mountain then, compared to shaking every mountain on earth at His second coming (Rev 16,17-21) is the degree that we should fear God more than Moses did. The universe will be shaken and replaced by a new heavens and a new earth, yet the New Jerusalem will stand firm. Everything will be shaken by God’s thundering voice in the last days. The entire universe will one day be uprooted and replaced by a creation that will never fade, and God will accomplish this by the same voice who is speaking in our hearts, giving us reason to fear. (99aa) Thy kingdom come >> Endurance (Thorn in the flesh) >> Enduring the will of God >> Endure the word of God >> Endure Hearing the word of God Heb 12,18-24 (106a) Thy Kingdom Come >> Faith >> Hearing from God >> Attaining the hearing ear >> Knowing the sound of His voice >> God speaks in the darkness to shine the light (133g) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> We have made ourselves holy through Christ (221i) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Kingdom hidden behind the veil from the world >> God hides his divinity from man’s corruption >> The Kingdom of God is from another realm – God revealed Himself in earthquakes, in trumpets and in the voice of thunder at the top of Mount Sinai to the children of Israel, causing Moses to tremble with fear. This is how God chose to reveal Himself to his chosen people according to the flesh, but it is not how He chooses to reveal Himself to His beloved people in the Spirit. Jesus appeared in grace and truth to reveal a different side of God, the side we will enjoy forever in heaven, Jesus Christ our Great Shepherd leading His little lambs into the plan and purpose of God, but to those who are disobedient and unbelieving, they will never know that side of God, only the one depicted on Mount Sinai cloaked in fire and smoke, which are two characteristics of hell. We will all know God, either as He was on Mount Sinai or as the embodiment of His love and mercy, who died for our sins that we might be forgiven and walk in righteousness and holiness of the truth. See also: Hell is God's environment of choice; Heb 12-3; 82f / Hell (Endtime judgments simulate hell); Rev 8-10; 104c (224c) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Description of heaven >> Describing the kingdom after he makes all things new >> Description of the new creation – The writer of Hebrews describes the new covenant in terms of what is happening within God's children and what their future entails. It doesn't appear that we have received our inheritance, yet the indwelling Holy Spirit is the essence of heaven, and so to possess the Holy Spirit is to have one foot inside the gate of the holy city. Thus, for him to say in the present tense that we have already come to mount Zion is more literal than we originally thought. Zion is defined as heaven, the residence of God. The writer of Hebrews is showing the contrast between these two mountains: Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. We have heard about Zion in conversations about Israel and the Jews. There has been much conjecture about the meaning and location for “Zion” over the millennia, yet nobody knows its actual location, anymore than they know the actual location of Mount Sinai. Most people agree that Zion refers to the Temple Mount on Mount Moriah, the location of the Dome of the Rock. Zion is defined as ground-zero of the New Jerusalem, not the old Jerusalem that rests upon the present earth, but the New Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from God (Rev 3-12) and rests upon the new earth, after He destroys this present universe and builds a new one in its place. Essentially, Zion is where God has placed his name, depicting His grace and mercy, whereas Mount Sinai refers to God's judgment and severity. When someone dies in his sin, Mount Sinai will be the only side of God they will ever know, but when someone dies in Christ, believing in His blood sacrifice to cleans him from all sin, he will be whisked to the heavenly city where God lives. This is the true Zion, the true city that Abraham sought so many millennia ago, where he is now living. Zion is a mythical place to the incredulous, but to those who believe the truth that is in Jesus, they will live there among myriads of angels, a very real place, not just spiritual, also physical. See also: Zion; Heb 12,18-20; 57j Heb 12,18-22 (151d) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> New Testament bears witness of the Old >> The Patriarchs >> Moses -- These verses go with verse 26 Heb 12,18-21 (87b) Thy kingdom come >> Obedience >> Be doers of the word from the heart >> We have no choice but to be doers of the word -- These verses go with verses 25-29 (97d) Thy kingdom come >> Attention >> Facing in the direction of the Lord >> Focusing your attention on God (187f) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man>> Die to the flesh >> Dying to receive the glory of God >> Die to self to know the revelation of God -- These verses go with verse 25 (209f) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Righteous saved with difficulty >> Righteous saved with hardship >> Righteous saved with grief -- These verses go with verses 25-29 Heb 12,18-20 (57j) Paradox >> Opposites >> Unable to endure hearing the word of God, much less obey it – Verse 18 says, “You have not come to a mountain that may be touched,” and verse 20 says, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.” He was saying that the old covenant mountain, Sinai, was physical but was against God’s command to touch it. In contrast, the new covenant mountain, Zion, is not physical, nor is it of this world. Israel at the base of Mount Sinai begged that no further word be spoken to them. They didn’t want to hear the voice of God, because they had no intention of obeying Him, and they knew judgment would be more severe coming directly from the mouth of God than indirectly from Moses. What is unfortunate about this story is that people of the new covenant have come to the same conclusion, and what is different between covenants is that God is not willing to accommodate our request as He did for Israel, but considers it rebellion when we seek the voice of a man (in the pulpit) instead of obeying to the Holy Spirit. We would rather listen to our pastor ruminate on the Scriptures once a week, giving our feigned attention him, rather than listen to the Holy Spirit speak the oracle of God in our hearts. We would rather be accountable to man than to God, but this is not Christianity; it's religion. See also: Zion; Heb 12,18-24; 224c (106a) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Hearing from God >> Attaining the hearing ear >> Knowing the sound of His voice >> God speaks in the darkness to shine the light Heb 12-18 (104c) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> Purified by fire >> Purified through fiery judgment -- This verse goes with verses 24-29 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12,19-21 (96e) Thy kingdom come >> Attitude >> Positive attitude toward God >> Good attitude toward Jesus Heb 12-19,20 (18k) Sin >> Twisted thinking >> Unable to distinguish between good and evil >> God’s works are evil (20k) Sin >> Disobedience >> Rejecting the word of God -- These verses go with verse 25. It says that God never changes (Malachi 3-6), meaning that whoever God was in the Old Testament He still is today. We only hear about His grace, mercy and love, yet we know there is a side of God that correlates with the Old Testament. Many changes have occurred between the old and new covenants; Jesus has been sacrificed, who embodies the grace of God, and everybody under His grace will be blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, and he will receive eternal life and dwell in the house of the Lord forever. God never changes, so anybody who dies outside His mercy will meet God of the Old Testament, and it will not go well with him. God caused even Moses to shake and tremble with fear, so that the children of Israel asked that Moses speak to them instead of God, and He honored their request. They did not endure the word of God, and it resulted in their downfall. (60d) Paradox >> Two implied meanings >> Could not bear the sound of the words / Could not bear the meaning of the words – They called for an intercessor, Moses, that there might be a cushion to soften the transmission of God's word, because His presence frightened them. It was God’s original plan to personally speak to the Israelites as He did on Mount Sinai, but Israel refused to hear Him. They could not endure the word of God associated with loud blasts of trumpets, earthquakes, lightning, thunder, smoke and fire on top of Mount Sinai. The children of Israel could deal with all that and eventually get used to it, but they could not endure the word of God, because they had no intension of obeying Him and they intuitively knew their defiance would demand a more severe consequence than disobeying Moses. Reading the Old Testament what happened after Israel begged that no further word be spoken to them from God (Exodus 20-19), they tried to run roughshod over Moses, but God took their rebellion personally, because it was their choice to have an intercessor. Korah formed a rebellion, and the earth opened up and swallowed the dissenters. This was Israel’s plan, to receive the word of God from a man so they could trick their minds into thinking it was just man’s opinion. It is no different in our own time; people would rather read the Bible or hear the word come over the pulpit in their local church, rather than hear it directly from the Holy Spirit who supposedly dwells in them. People today are just as rebellious as in the days of Moses, and God still envisions personally leading His people, but they still oppose Him, as Israel who wandered in the wilderness and died because of their insolence. How much severer punishment can we expect to receive who demand an intercessor when Christ the intercessor dwells in us through the Holy Spirit, but we refuse to acknowledge Him in our hearts. (160l) Works of the devil >> Satan determines the world's direction >> Temptation >> Tempted to act like an animal – I t says, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned;” it doesn’t say if a beast touches the mountain, God will kill it, but ordered the Israelites to kill it. Contrast that with the case in 1Chronicles 13-9,10, “When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it. The anger of the LORD burned against Uzza, so He struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.” The Lord struck Uzza because he touched the Ark of the Covenant and he wasn't from the tribe of Levi. That tribe alone was given priestly authority to manage the tabernacle. He struck Uzza also because the Ark of the Covenant was a greater revelation of God's holiness than the revelation at the top of Mount Sinai. However, the same cannot be said about Moses who stood in the presents of God and spoke with Him. The case with Uzza represented a man who would climb Mount Sinai to spy on God, but the teaching of Hebrews says that if any man touches even the base of the mountain, he should be killed—reaching the summit God will personally kill him. This is the kind of God Israel had, which is very different from the covenant He has with the Church; they witnessed to His greatness and power; whereas the Church witnesses to His grace and mercy. (168l) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> The world has deaf ears to God >> God does not speak to people who will not hear Him (200c) Denying Christ >> Man chooses his own destiny apart from God >> Rejecting Christ >> Rejecting the will of God >> Rejecting God’s purpose -- These verses go with verse 25 (246c) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Literal manifestations >> Literally unable to acknowledge the presence of God Heb 12-19 (70d) Authority >> Righteous judgment (outcome of discernment) >> Being sensitive to the Spirit >> Spirit grieves over the flesh (100e) Thy kingdom come >> Diligence >> Diligence in the sight of God -- This verse goes with verses 5-11 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12-21 (87m) Thy kingdom come >> Obedience >> Committed to the word of God – If Moses was full of fear and trembling before he started his ascent to the top of Mount Sinai, imagine his fear at the summit! God made strict orders that Israel should treat Him as holy and not attempt to climb the mountain for a closer look, lest they be stoned. There was fire and smoke, earthquakes, lightning and thunder, very powerful, and the closer Moses drew to God, the more dreadful the scene. Moses already had dealings with God, such as at the burning bush, and so he knew he would be safe, so long as he treated Him as holy and obeyed His command. God invited Moses into His presence at the top of the mountain that He might give him the Ten Commandments, where Moses had an experience with God like no other man before or since. There was a lot of talk about Moses; chapters were devoted to him, yet only a handful of verses about Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus, though it changed his life just as dramatically as it changed Moses, if not more. We don’t know what Paul experienced, and we don’t really know what Moses experienced, but we do know they both experienced the same God. See also: Father sent the Son; Mat 17-17; 69d Heb 12-22 (6i) Responsibility >> Ministering to people by being in the Spirit -- This verse goes along with verse 28. This is the vision of Abraham, the father of our faith: he "was looking for a city, whose architect and builder is God" (Heb 11,8-10). (15g) Servant >> Angels >> The presence of angels denotes authority Heb 12-23 (39b) Judgment >> Jesus defeated death >> Characteristics of the resurrection (41a) Judgment >> God glorifies Himself as the judge of all (41h) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Be like Jesus >> Seek His righteousness -- This verse goes with verse 11 (43g) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Perfect (mature) >> Flawless – God has superimposed His righteousness over our faith; His righteousness has become our righteousness, and He will perfect us so we cannot sin. John has already said this: “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (1Jn 3-9). In that day His perfection will become a reality from the core of our being to our outer extremities, and our inability to sin will become literal, which is what we want. He is creating a people whom He can perfect without violating their will. Both Adam and Lucifer were made perfect yet they sinned, because they both had boundaries they crossed; for Adam, it was partaking of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and for Lucifer it was desiring the throne of God. He has since taken away these boundaries so there is no occasion to sin. We will be like God, knowing sin but living above it. In this way God has created us in His image. We will live in a perfect universe in a perfect world in a perfect city and in a perfect body with a perfect God. (61k) Paradox >> Two implied meanings >> Church of the firstborn -- Church belongs to Jesus, who was firstborn from the dead / Church partook of the First Resurrection (248f) Priorities >> God’ s preeminence >> Jesus is first >> Jesus is first born of the Father Heb 12,24-29 (104c) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> Purified by fire >> Purified through fiery judgment -- These verses go with verse 18. Those who are shaken and removed have judged themselves unworthy of eternal life, “in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain” (1Cor 3,10-15). Whatever we decide to use as building material will make a difference on judgment day when God passes us through the fire and tests the quality of each man’s work. God will not let anything combustible enter the gates of His holy city. If we have constructed our temple from gold, silver and precious stones, materials of the life to come, those things will remain; but if we have built from wood, hay and straw, materials of this life, they will burn, though we will “be saved yet so as through fire.” In this great shaking that is coming in the last days, God will jolt worldliness from His people, and He will also shake the earth, and everything on it will be destroyed. God will one day build a new heavens and a new earth from a material that cannot be shaken, having the same attributes and characteristics of His holy city and the creatures who dwell there. This will be our new heavenly home. The universe will be infinite and eternal, lasting long enough to do all that God has planned for us, and big enough to hold His vision of the future. (255c) Trinity >> Holy Spirit’s relationship between Father and Son >> God’s word is Spirit >> Jesus is the word of the Spirit >> Jesus is the manifested word of God Heb 12-24,25 (114d) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Working the grace of God >> Obeying the Holy Spirit >> Obeying the revelation from heaven >> Obeying the revelation of God’s word (135h) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Sins of the body >> Abortion >> God’s judgment against abortion >> Blood of unborn babies cry out against us Heb 12-24 (37g) Judgment >> Redemption of man >> His blood is the gift of His grace (80l) Thy kingdom come >> Prayer >> The priesthood >> Jesus ministered to people through His ministry toward God (83f) Thy kingdom come >> Intercession >> Jesus stands in the gap >> He is our mediator – Jesus suffered and died on the cross, but His suffering has not yet ended, for His body still suffers in reference to the Church. We could call it growing pains, for whenever the Church grows, it is always associated with suffering, and if the Church is suffering, then Jesus is also suffering in paradise, seated at the right-hand of His Father in constant intercession with His people, suffering with them. We complain about Christ not returning for His people year after year, generation after generation. Sometimes we get angry because He won’t return and end our suffering, but we forget that throughout this age of grace He has been suffering with us. We have temporal lives, and as Christians we may have suffered seventy or eighty years, but Christ has been suffering for the last 2000 years, and not just as one man suffers but with all His people simultaneously. Only God could endure our suffering multiplied by millions. It pains His heart to see his people suffering for his namesake, but it glorifies His Father as more people come to Him, that His kingdom may be filled. Once Christ comes and ends this age, the opportunities for more people to be added to his kingdom will cease. There will be a Millennium, and millions of people will repopulate the earth then, and the vast majority of them will be Christians, but they will have seen the Lord in the flesh, and they won’t have the opportunity to believe as we have, so they will not have the same authority that we will have in eternity (Jn 20-29). (110m) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Spirit and the word >> Spiritual substance and truth >> Spiritual substance follows obedience (205f) Salvation >> Salvation is based on God’s promises >> New covenant >> The new covenant in His blood KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12,25-29 (8d) Responsibility >> Prepare to interact with God >> Entering the realm of the Spirit – There is no plan that will protect us in the last days, no doomsday preppers surviving to the end, no underground bunker that will hide us from those who would steal our provisions, no food or clothing that will get us through the great tribulation. Instead, we should be gathering oil, according to the parable of the ten virgins. Five had enough oil and five did not. The five who were well-stocked previously gathered oil before hard times hit. No amount of money can buy what people need; no amount of gold will suffice, no amount of land or property will save them. The only way to prepare for the last days is to develop a hearing ear and obey what the Holy Spirit is saying, so while others are faltering, we are forging ahead. (40i) Judgment >> Judgment of Christ >> God’s word executes judgment by the Spirit – This verse shows the grave contrast between the offense of resisting Moses versus the offense of resisting the Holy Spirit. During the days of Moses the earth swallowed the sons of Korah (Numbers 16-32), who acted in rebellion against Moses. That was a regional earthquake, whereas an earthquake is coming that will be so violent that it will make the stars appear to be falling from the night sky. The earth will wildly rock to and fro and level every mountain and fill every valley (Rev 16,17-21). The coming earthquake in the last days is incomprehensibly more severe than the earthquake in the days of Moses, instituting a scale of severity and denoting the level of infraction that people have made against God throughout the age of grace. We have the grace of God, but with that grace comes accountability. God was ready to forgive Israel for crucifying His Son and for all their past sins. Many Jews in fact did come to the Lord in the first century, but overall Israel turned from their Messiah and rejected Him, and as a result for the last 2000 years God has not judged Israel for crucifying the Lord but for resisting the Holy Spirit and rejecting the gospel after the fact, leading to Hitler’s death camps, his gas chambers and his crematoriums. (49h) Judgment >> God judges the world >> The last days >> The day of judgment (Armageddon) – God intends to turn this world upside down and shake it over the mouth of hell, and whatever falls into it has judged itself, and those who cling to faith with all their hearts will prove themselves worthy of eternal life. He is using a future earthquake as a metaphor for culling the Church, for there will be a great shaking in both the spiritual realm and the natural realm. The Church is already feeling the tremors of this violent shaking in the apostasy. Note that He says, “…as of created things” as opposed to things not of this creation. Paul says that we are a new creation, a kingdom that cannot be shaken. We will see everything shaking around us while we remain untouched. When a person is born-again, “…he is a new creature; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come” (2Cor 5-17). We may not have an underground shelter, and we may not have collected tons of food, yet God will protect us from judgment that is coming, not by initiating the Rapture but by removing disobedience within them and by removing those who are disobedient around them. God will keep His people here during the tribulation of the saints, for by definition they must remain here. God plans on keeping us here during the apocalypse and the Trumpet judgments, protecting those who have collected oil instead of guns, and Rapturing us before the Bowls of His fierce wrath. (51d) Judgment >> Judging the Church with the world >> Warned to heed the word of God (61l) Paradox >> Two implied meanings >> Earthquakes in the last days: God will shake the earth / God will shake His people (87b) Thy kingdom come >> Obedience >> Be doers of the word from the heart >> We have no choice but to be doers of the word -- These verses go with verses 18-21 (97e) Thy kingdom come >> Attention >> Facing in the direction of the Lord >> Focusing your attention on the word of God (110ja) Thy Kingdom Come >> Faith >> Spirit and the word >> Spirit of revelation >> Revelation of the truth >> Revelation of the true Church – This is one of the most relevant endtime prophecies in the Bible, warning us not to resist the Holy Spirit. God won’t blame anyone but us for refusing Him who is speaking. We could blame our preacher for not preaching these things, but God won’t blame him; He will blame us. We could say that our religion didn’t attain to such doctrines as obeying the Holy Spirit, and so how could the preacher preach it, and how could we know about it? But God will not blame our religion; He will blame us. Revelation is a book about endtime prophecy, and it reiterates this statement seven times, “He who has an ear to hear, let Him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches” (Rev 2-7,11,17,29; 3-6,13,22). (111j) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Spirit and the word >> Word and the judgment of God (140c) Temple >> Temple made without hands >> Hiding place >> House where you live with Jesus (141i) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Old Testament bears witness to the new >> Old Testament is for our instruction >> Teaching from the Old Testament – How many Christians are preparing for the last days by obeying the Holy Spirit in this age of apostasy? If Christians obeyed their Master, endtimes would never come, but the last days are prophesied because God knew we would not serve Him just like Israel did not serve Him in the Old Testament. The writer of Hebrews is telling us plainly the repercussions of resisting the Holy Spirit. The one who warned them on earth was Moses. If there are consequences in refusing the will of God spoken by a man, how much greater consequences can we expect after refusing to obey the Holy Spirit? Israel lost their nation and their temple in their deportation to Babylon. Seventy years later, they returned to their country and they didn’t learn their lesson. About four hundred years later Jesus came and they resisted Him too, losing their nation and their temple again, this time for 2000 years, and they nearly lost their identity as Jews. Many have renounced their Jewish faith, considering their Old Testament to be a book of fairytales. The Jewish people finally reclaimed their nation in 1948, but they still are not allowed to rebuild their temple, and they are in constant conflict with their neighbors. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit to the point of developing a reprobate mind is a teaching that is almost absent in the Church today; instead, we go to church and hear sermons tailored after issues of the day, but rarely warning people about God. See also: History of Israel (They hardened their hearts after 400 years enslaved to Egypt); Rev 9-20,21; 134k (209f) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Righteous saved with difficulty >> Righteous saved with hardship >> Righteous saved with grief -- These verses go with verses 18-21 Heb 12-25 (4b) Responsibility >> Advocate God’s cause >> Being accountable to the Judgment of God (20k) Sin >> Disobedience >> Rejecting the word -- This verse goes with verses 19&20 (51a) Warning Of Wrath (Key verse) (68e) Authority >> Jesus Delegates the Holy Spirit to us >> Sent from heaven (70e) Authority >> Sin of familiarity >> Familiarity-enemy of discernment >> Spirit grieves over sin (187f) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Die to the flesh >> Dying to receive the glory of God >> Die to self to know the revelation of God -- This verse goes with verses 18-21 (200c) Denying Christ >> Man chooses his own destiny apart from God >> Rejecting Christ >> Rejecting the will of God >> Rejecting God’s purpose -- This verse goes with verses 19&20 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 12,26-29 (212a) Sovereignty >> God is infinite >> He is the creator >> The creation glorifies God >> The creation exemplifies God’s sovereignty Heb 12-26,27 (46h) Judgment >> Spiritual warfare >> Satan falls from heaven Heb 12-26 (151d) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> New Testament bears witness of the Old >> The Patriarchs >> Moses -- This verse goes with verses 18-22 Heb 12,27-29 (243f) Kingdom of God Is Indestructible (Key verse) (243g) Kingdom of God >> The eternal kingdom >> The indestructible kingdom >> The body of Christ is indestructible >> The indestructible kingdom within us – We have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken; therefore, we cannot be shaken. The Kingdom of God is not the same as earthly kingdoms. This present creation is inert, made of soil, sand and rocks. The farmer sows his seed, and vegetation mysteriously grows, and he eats the produce of it, so his body is made of the substance of the earth. God's kingdom is the same way; take a sample of heaven, no matter if it be soil, rocks, trees, or one of its citizens, they are all made of the same stuff. In this life we have organic and inorganic material, but in heaven all things are alive and there is no death! We will have spiritual bodies (1Cor 15-44). Such a notion today is an oxymoron; it must be one or the other; it cannot be both, but the world to come will be both physical and spiritual! In other words, God’s Spirit will integrate into the natural realm when God makes all things new. His heaven is fused with His Spirit, so the material that composes the creation will be made of a spiritual substance, and for this reason it cannot be shaken, understanding no threat and will be eternal. Therefore, we should be grateful to God for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, wanting nothing from this present world. See also: New heavens and a new earth (Spiritual giving way to the Physical); Jn 14,1-3; 38g Heb 12-28,29 (81b) Thy kingdom come >> Prayer >> The priesthood >> Striving to please Christ (82h) Thy kingdom come >> Prayer >> Thankfulness >> Giving thanks for His mercy (96d) Thy kingdom come >> Attitude >> Positive attitude toward God >> Having a thankful attitude (189c) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Holy sacrifice >> Acceptable sacrifice Heb 12-28 (6i) Responsibility >> Ministering to people by being in the Spirit – This verse goes with verse 22 See next page