Hebrews 12........Patience of hope
In the second of the three practical chapters we have the thought of the patient endurance of hope in light of the glorious kingdom of which we are now part. The chapter opens with a reference to the throne, continues with mount Zion, and concludes with a “kingdom which cannot be shaken”. This is our hope and we are encouraged to act like citizens of that kingdom here and now. The thread of the superiority of Christ is maintained and He is seen to be greater than all the worthies of the past as well as ushering in a kingdom the like of which has never been seen. The Christian life is portrayed as a race in which we are all engaged, in the course of which we are to “lay things aside”...verse 1; we are to look to Jesus as our example.... verses 2-4; we are to learn from the process of chastening from our Father...... verses 5-11; we are to lift up weary limbs and pursue Divine things energetically....verses 12-17. The remaining verses of the chapter 18-29 are a description of the character of the days in which we are living and a reminder of the character of the God with whom we are associated.
It is doubtful if in these easy days in which we live, our faith has been tested to the extent the recipients of this letter were experiencing and so this chapter may come as a shock to us whose only “persecution” is a little embarrassment at worst. It becomes clear there are only two pathways possible, that of full commitment, or none at all. Many seek another alternative of Christian profession with worldly perspective, a kind of “the best of both worlds” approach, but no such option is available. We are athletes in a race where the obstacles are many and difficult; we are sons of a Father who is holiness personified and wants us to be like Him; and we are citizens of a royal kingdom which will never pass away. Occupation with the trivia of an easy life, disinterest in the chastening of a loving Father, and affection for a world that is soon to pass away is not worthy of our calling. This chapter is a wake up call, we are to “hold fast our confession of hope without wavering” (chapter 10 v23) and “run with patience (endurance) the race that is set before us (chapter 12 v1). We are to be willing participants in a demanding task, we are to be humble sons of a perfect Father, we are to be worthy citizens of a glorious kingdom. Three glorious incentives are presented to us in these verses.
1) Verses 1-4 PAST The supreme example of Jesus
2) Verses 5-13 PRESENT The chastening of the Father
3) Verses 14-29 FUTURE The kingdom that will never end
Verses 1-4 “Wherefore” takes us back to the examples of faith in chapter 11, but it is fanciful to interpret this as the departed dead being spectators to our present conflict. More likely does it mean their lives, now over, are a testimony to us and rather than them watching us, we are watching them as models. This calls us to study the old testament records. We have now the supreme witness in Jesus and, great as their example was, we have one who is greater. We are to contemplate the great cloud of witnesses(so many they are described as a cloud) but we are to “look” to Jesus (verse 2), and “consider” Him (verse 3-same word in both verses), and it suggests a close and detailed meditation of one who supersedes all. “Looking away” or “looking off” unto Jesus is the meaning. He is “the author and finisher of faith”, a similar thought to the Divine title “first and last”. He is the origin and outcome of faith. In Acts 3 v15 and 5 v31 the word “author” is translated “prince”, and in Hebrews 2 v10 as “captain”. In either case He is the principal in the realm of faith. He is also the one who will bring it to fruition, who will “perfect” it. There is a part for us to play, we are to adopt the mentality of the athlete, we are in a race, with great demands upon us, and the race is a marathon, not a sprint....we are to “endure” the race before us, there will be difficulties, and obstacles, but there are those who have travelled before us and the supreme example is Jesus. Our part is to “lay aside” every weight, all baggage that would hinder us (these may even be legitimate things.....Jesus said “seek first the kingdom of God”-Matthew 6 v33); we are to “lay aside” the sin that clings to us. In each of us that will be different, but they are to be put away. The new testament is very clear on this....”Mortify your members which are upon the earth...”(Colossians 3v5); “Put off the old man with his deeds...” (3 v9); “...laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and all evil speakings......” (1st Peter 2 v1). All these are hindrances in the Christian life and must be put away. We are to look to Jesus, who suffered and endured like no one else. His deep sufferings are detailed in holy scripture and here we have a summary of it all. He suffered in His body...”He endured the cross”. The excruciating agony of body on the cross is documented in Psalms 22/69, Isaiah 50/52/53. He suffered in His spirit.... “He endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself”. The word “contradiction” is “analogia” which includes criticism, cynicism, disputes, discord, slanders, all very uncomfortable and distressing to the human spirit. He suffered in His soul.... unlike the Hebrew sufferers “He resisted unto blood striving against sin”. The prophet Isaiah wrote “...when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin...”. He suffered in body and soul and spirit, but because of the “joy that was set before Him”, He endured the pain, He despised the shame, He resisted unto blood. He did all that “for the joy that was set before Him”, and look at Him now He “is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. He has exchanged the cross for the crown, the tomb for the throne. The suffering for the glory! We are to fix our gaze on Him “lest we be weary and faint in our minds”. Followers of Jesus must be strong mentally.
Verses 5-13 In the present, and all through life on earth we have a Father who loves us and leads us. His love is unquestioned since He gave His precious Son to die for us, and He requires us to live as His sons and takes steps to change us into His likeness. There are two repeated words in this section “sons” (v5, v6, v7, v8.) and “chastisement” (discipline-v5, v6, v7, v8, v11.) The Greek word for chastening means rigorous training, discipline, we are being prepared for a new life in the kingdom, in the words of A.B. Bruce we are “training for reigning”. The writer sees this from a number of viewpoints, discipline is;
Fundamental to life as promoted in the scriptures Proverbs like 1 v8 “My son hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother”; 4 v1 “Hear ye children the instruction of a father”; and the one quoted here 3 vv11-12 “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of His correction...”. The present world has turned these values on their head to the detriment of us all, yet the values are sure and trustworthy. We are to see the Lord as our spiritual Father who will chasten us at times. We are not to despise His chastening, nor to be weary of them if they persist. The principle of discipline to bring us into line and is a scripture wide theme. Following on the verses before, we might consider that if we disciplined ourselves, there would be less need for Divine discipline. Paul says a similar thing in 1st Corinthians 11 vv31-32.
An evidence of our Father’s love The world has a phrase “sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind” and this is true in spiritual life. The concept of the Father’s care over our spiritual growth is expounded by the Lord Jesus in John chapter 15; there He “purges”, or cleanses the branches that they may bring forth more fruit. We are on this earth to produce fruit for God and the Father disciplines us to this end. Sometimes His chastening is severe “He scourges every son He receives...”. The reality is we will stray and He brings us back but scripture is clear that “...the way of the transgressor is hard”. Love for anyone is to act in a way toward them that will be for their good. In this way God expresses His love to us for our greater good.
A confirmation we are the sons of the Father This is an important perspective. If no chastening we have no relationship to Him. God is dealing with us as sons, we will all need chastening; if none we are not sons. He uses many agencies in the formation of the character of His people. He uses Satan and his demons to test us (Luke 22 v31-32); He uses circumstances (1st Peter 1 v7, 2nd Corinthians 6 vv3-10); He uses earthly authorities (1st Peter 2 vv13-16); He uses evil men 1st Peter 3 vv18-20); He uses bodily weakness (2nd Corinthians 12 vv7-9); He uses false brethren, false doctrine, He brings us down, for when w are too far up we are in the wrong place. In love, He breaks us, to make us.... in the words of Job (who suffered more than most).....”when He has tried me I shall come forth as gold!!” We must endure chastening for it may last a while, and it may be very severe, He wants us truly to be His sons in character, not only in name.
For our spiritual benefit “That we might be partakers of His holiness.”. The comparison is between earthly fathers and “the Father of spirits”. If earthly fathers know how to seek the best for their sons in life, how much more our Father in heaven? The difference is in motivation; they can provide guidance for this life only, He for eternal life; they “for their pleasure”, that is by the good status of their son they may gain some pride of life for themselves. The Father of spirits has in mind only our profit, for He is perfection and we can add nothing to Him. Therefore His motivation is our good only. True enjoyment of life is “subjection to the Father of spirits”. God’s holiness is that in His being which separates Him from all else, He is a class apart in everything and His purpose in discipline training is to make us in part like Himself. Beginning with ungodly material it is evident that only a Divine process will accomplish this.
Fruitful if we are exercised about it As in life, no chastisement brings joy at the time, “.....but afterwards yields the peacable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby”. Note the link between holiness and righteousness in the verses 10-11. Holiness of character like God produces righteousness of living toward men. In Romans chapter 1 v18 ungodliness led to unrighteousness and resulted in the wrath of God. Now under the good discipline of our Father, godliness(God-likeness) produces moral rectitude with men and results in peace with God and man. However, to be in the enjoyment of this we must be “exercised thereby”. The Greek word for exercised is gumnazo means literally “to train naked for the games”, that is to discard all hindrances to achieve maximum results. How many of us have this devotion in our Christian life, and as a result miss out on spiritual growth. “Exercise thyself rather unto godliness....” said Paul in 1st Timothy 4 v7.
The challenge is in verses 12-13 to respond positively to the Divine chastening, and he uses bodily terms to graphically portray a lame Christian who may be in danger of “being turned out of the way” and losing their usefulness for God altogether. Hands need to be used, not limp in inactivity; knees facilitating the walk need to be strengthened to make straight paths for the feet instead of crooked ones. Many are in need of spiritual healing, and the first step toward this is to recognise there is a problem.
Verses 14-29 “Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man will see the Lord”. These are the “straight paths” of the Christian life.....peace manward and holiness Godward. Not peace at any price, but that which is consistent with holiness and the principles thereof. Not holiness as reclusive and remote from men but holiness that pursues peace with all men. Holiness is required for fellowship with God, the angels in heaven know this, the redeemed dead know this, no one will ever see God without it. Since we do not have it by natural birth, we only receive it by new birth. Nicodemus was told “Except a man be born again (from above....born of water and the Spirit), he cannot see the kingdom of God....he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That holiness is given to us as a gift from God, but we must pursue it, we must develop it in practice. This is now the path of our lives.
This will involve discrimination and proper judgment on things (verses 15-16). We must be wary of two things....public bitterness and personal immorality. Taking the first of these, in the context of the difficulty of the way and the reality of Divine control, there may arise situations that cause us to act in an ungracious way, and we develop a bitterness of spirit toward other believers, or, indeed, toward the Lord Himself. Circumstances can be very trying, people can be very fickle, and we need to guard against bitterness of spirit. He calls it a “root of bitterness”, and since a root is the producer of fruit this will lead to a harvest of bitterness which may bring defilement to many. Grudges held, attitudes formed, can have a devastating effect on any community of God’s people, and it is a failure to grasp the true meaning of the grace of God. This possibility was foreseen in the verse quoted Deuteronomy 29 vv18-19 “....lest there be among you a root that beareth gall and bitterness, and it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace within myself though I walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst”. Sore on the faults of others and easy on my own, self righteous and judgmental, these are delusions and can bring defilement to many.
The other danger to avoid is personal depravity, where the things of God are trivialised because of the pursuit of the sensual appetites of earth. The example is Esau, who, “for one morsel of meat sold his birthright”. The firstborn in the Eastern family was entitled to the major portion of inheritance, the spiritual rights of leadership, and the right of priesthood in the family. Esau lived only for the moment and despised his birthright for a bowl of stew to satisfy his immediate craving. Profane means living for the purely sensual at the expense of the spiritual. Demand for instant satisfaction whether of food or sexual satisfaction involves a perverse outlook and corrupts the soul. James said “...lust when it is conceived brings forth sin, and sin when it is finished brings forth death”. We cannot control sensual appetites and they take over to the extent we become their slaves, as Esau found when the time of regret came, he could not change his ways
He underpins all this by reminding them of two very challenging things; the character of the days in which we live, and the character of the God whom we serve.
The character of the present day “Ye are not come to Mount Sinai......Ye are come to mount Zion. It is the contrast of two mountains, representing the two covenants, and placing them side by side in vivid contrast. In the old covenant it was all about what the senses could detect, sight, sound, touch, smell and the sense of fear; in the new we are beyond sensory awareness, yet there is the absence of fear. David H Wenkel in his book “Sensory experiences and the contrast between the covenants in Hebrews” wrote; “The Mosaic covenant is a covenant of the senses because Sinai was unapproachable yet perceivable by the senses. The new covenant Zion is superior because it is imperceptible by the senses while being approachable”. The people were terrified at Sinai, they “could not endure that which was commanded”, and the very presence of God was a threatening experience. In contrast we are come to Zion (not we shall come-we are come), which in every way is better. Approach to God is now possible and peaceful and glorious, not stressful in any way. Instead of;
1) “The mount that may be touched” we are come to “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem”, the realm of the spirits beyond time and sense.
2) “The burning fire” we are come to the burning angels in full gathering.
3) “The blackness” we are come to “the church of the firstborn written in heaven” all arrayed in pure white glistening garments.
4) “The darkness”, the gloom, the doubt, the fear, the uncertainty, we are come “to God the judge of all”, the one who proclaims all judgments dispelling all doubt.
5) “The tempest” or the wind in storm mode, we are come to the spirits (pneuma...sometimes used for wind) of just men made perfect, to people right with God from olden times, having come through the storm of life and now all is calm in His presence.
6) “The sound of the trumpet”, symbol of Divine proclamation, sounded at important times in history, we are come to “Jesus the mediator of the new covenant”, God’s final declaration of a completed work. No more call to move, no more call to war, all settled, all at rest.
7) “The voice of words”, the thundering of the law, we have come to the sprinkling of blood which speaks better things than the righteous Abel. The demands of law have been fully met, the “voice of words” is silent.
Mount Zion is first mentioned in 2nd Samuel 5 v7, where it is described as “a stronghold” and “the city of David”. It is a hill just outside the old city, and, from small beginnings has taken on great symbolic significance for the future. Mentioned over 150 times in the bible, it is the centre from which Jesus shall rule the world, and from which His rule of law will bring peace and blessing to the world. What is future, already exists in heaven, and so the writer can say “...Ye are come to Mount Zion”. In heaven now, the city will descend to earth, and we can live in the good of it’s blessings in spirit. The description is marvellous and should become the watchword for the hope of! every Christian!
City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem/myriads of angels in full gathering/the church of the firstborn written in heaven/God the judge of all/the spirits of just men made perfect/Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and the blood of sprinkling.
This is probably the best description of heaven, and we can enter in spirit now, and which will become visible to all as it descends to earth in a soon coming day. When you read this you get that most wonderful feeling.....we’re already there!! In the context of the letter, why would anyone wish to go back to the shadow of it when the reality is here.
The character of the God whom we serve All this should not in any way diminish the seriousness of sin, or the holy character of our God. Rather this is to be an incentive to holiness. We must listen to Him speaking, for the days are privileged. Those of old who refused Him, did not escape, and the records reveal it, much more in a time of superior knowledge is our responsibility to hear and follow. The voice that spoke back then at Sinai actually shook the earth, and this was just a precursor to a coming day when He will shake the earth again. Except this time it will be the complete removal of the universe as we know it. Those who live for this world will see it removed from their very eyes, the trust in the material earth will finally be dashed.......”...the removal of those things which are shaken as of things which are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” This has already been mentioned in chapter 1 vv11-12 “...they shall perish, but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as a garment, and as a vesture thou shalt fold them up...”. Other scriptures are just as clear as 2nd Peter 3 v10 “...the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Again in Revelation chapter 20 v11 “And I saw a great white throne and Him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them.”
All that will be left in all existence is the heavenly Jerusalem, and the angels, and the church, and, God, and the just of all ages, and Jesus, and the new heaven and the new earth, going on forever in a world of righteousness, the kingdom of God which cannot be shaken, that is which will never end.
All this should bring to the fore within us, a spirit of grace and subjection and reverence and godly fear. God is a consuming fire, He will never live with sin, He will never tolerate it, He will always oppose it, and only the righteousness of His everlasting kingdom will remain.
This is our God....let us serve Him!
In the second of the three practical chapters we have the thought of the patient endurance of hope in light of the glorious kingdom of which we are now part. The chapter opens with a reference to the throne, continues with mount Zion, and concludes with a “kingdom which cannot be shaken”. This is our hope and we are encouraged to act like citizens of that kingdom here and now. The thread of the superiority of Christ is maintained and He is seen to be greater than all the worthies of the past as well as ushering in a kingdom the like of which has never been seen. The Christian life is portrayed as a race in which we are all engaged, in the course of which we are to “lay things aside”...verse 1; we are to look to Jesus as our example.... verses 2-4; we are to learn from the process of chastening from our Father...... verses 5-11; we are to lift up weary limbs and pursue Divine things energetically....verses 12-17. The remaining verses of the chapter 18-29 are a description of the character of the days in which we are living and a reminder of the character of the God with whom we are associated.
It is doubtful if in these easy days in which we live, our faith has been tested to the extent the recipients of this letter were experiencing and so this chapter may come as a shock to us whose only “persecution” is a little embarrassment at worst. It becomes clear there are only two pathways possible, that of full commitment, or none at all. Many seek another alternative of Christian profession with worldly perspective, a kind of “the best of both worlds” approach, but no such option is available. We are athletes in a race where the obstacles are many and difficult; we are sons of a Father who is holiness personified and wants us to be like Him; and we are citizens of a royal kingdom which will never pass away. Occupation with the trivia of an easy life, disinterest in the chastening of a loving Father, and affection for a world that is soon to pass away is not worthy of our calling. This chapter is a wake up call, we are to “hold fast our confession of hope without wavering” (chapter 10 v23) and “run with patience (endurance) the race that is set before us (chapter 12 v1). We are to be willing participants in a demanding task, we are to be humble sons of a perfect Father, we are to be worthy citizens of a glorious kingdom. Three glorious incentives are presented to us in these verses.
1) Verses 1-4 PAST The supreme example of Jesus
2) Verses 5-13 PRESENT The chastening of the Father
3) Verses 14-29 FUTURE The kingdom that will never end
Verses 1-4 “Wherefore” takes us back to the examples of faith in chapter 11, but it is fanciful to interpret this as the departed dead being spectators to our present conflict. More likely does it mean their lives, now over, are a testimony to us and rather than them watching us, we are watching them as models. This calls us to study the old testament records. We have now the supreme witness in Jesus and, great as their example was, we have one who is greater. We are to contemplate the great cloud of witnesses(so many they are described as a cloud) but we are to “look” to Jesus (verse 2), and “consider” Him (verse 3-same word in both verses), and it suggests a close and detailed meditation of one who supersedes all. “Looking away” or “looking off” unto Jesus is the meaning. He is “the author and finisher of faith”, a similar thought to the Divine title “first and last”. He is the origin and outcome of faith. In Acts 3 v15 and 5 v31 the word “author” is translated “prince”, and in Hebrews 2 v10 as “captain”. In either case He is the principal in the realm of faith. He is also the one who will bring it to fruition, who will “perfect” it. There is a part for us to play, we are to adopt the mentality of the athlete, we are in a race, with great demands upon us, and the race is a marathon, not a sprint....we are to “endure” the race before us, there will be difficulties, and obstacles, but there are those who have travelled before us and the supreme example is Jesus. Our part is to “lay aside” every weight, all baggage that would hinder us (these may even be legitimate things.....Jesus said “seek first the kingdom of God”-Matthew 6 v33); we are to “lay aside” the sin that clings to us. In each of us that will be different, but they are to be put away. The new testament is very clear on this....”Mortify your members which are upon the earth...”(Colossians 3v5); “Put off the old man with his deeds...” (3 v9); “...laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and all evil speakings......” (1st Peter 2 v1). All these are hindrances in the Christian life and must be put away. We are to look to Jesus, who suffered and endured like no one else. His deep sufferings are detailed in holy scripture and here we have a summary of it all. He suffered in His body...”He endured the cross”. The excruciating agony of body on the cross is documented in Psalms 22/69, Isaiah 50/52/53. He suffered in His spirit.... “He endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself”. The word “contradiction” is “analogia” which includes criticism, cynicism, disputes, discord, slanders, all very uncomfortable and distressing to the human spirit. He suffered in His soul.... unlike the Hebrew sufferers “He resisted unto blood striving against sin”. The prophet Isaiah wrote “...when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin...”. He suffered in body and soul and spirit, but because of the “joy that was set before Him”, He endured the pain, He despised the shame, He resisted unto blood. He did all that “for the joy that was set before Him”, and look at Him now He “is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. He has exchanged the cross for the crown, the tomb for the throne. The suffering for the glory! We are to fix our gaze on Him “lest we be weary and faint in our minds”. Followers of Jesus must be strong mentally.
Verses 5-13 In the present, and all through life on earth we have a Father who loves us and leads us. His love is unquestioned since He gave His precious Son to die for us, and He requires us to live as His sons and takes steps to change us into His likeness. There are two repeated words in this section “sons” (v5, v6, v7, v8.) and “chastisement” (discipline-v5, v6, v7, v8, v11.) The Greek word for chastening means rigorous training, discipline, we are being prepared for a new life in the kingdom, in the words of A.B. Bruce we are “training for reigning”. The writer sees this from a number of viewpoints, discipline is;
Fundamental to life as promoted in the scriptures Proverbs like 1 v8 “My son hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother”; 4 v1 “Hear ye children the instruction of a father”; and the one quoted here 3 vv11-12 “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of His correction...”. The present world has turned these values on their head to the detriment of us all, yet the values are sure and trustworthy. We are to see the Lord as our spiritual Father who will chasten us at times. We are not to despise His chastening, nor to be weary of them if they persist. The principle of discipline to bring us into line and is a scripture wide theme. Following on the verses before, we might consider that if we disciplined ourselves, there would be less need for Divine discipline. Paul says a similar thing in 1st Corinthians 11 vv31-32.
An evidence of our Father’s love The world has a phrase “sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind” and this is true in spiritual life. The concept of the Father’s care over our spiritual growth is expounded by the Lord Jesus in John chapter 15; there He “purges”, or cleanses the branches that they may bring forth more fruit. We are on this earth to produce fruit for God and the Father disciplines us to this end. Sometimes His chastening is severe “He scourges every son He receives...”. The reality is we will stray and He brings us back but scripture is clear that “...the way of the transgressor is hard”. Love for anyone is to act in a way toward them that will be for their good. In this way God expresses His love to us for our greater good.
A confirmation we are the sons of the Father This is an important perspective. If no chastening we have no relationship to Him. God is dealing with us as sons, we will all need chastening; if none we are not sons. He uses many agencies in the formation of the character of His people. He uses Satan and his demons to test us (Luke 22 v31-32); He uses circumstances (1st Peter 1 v7, 2nd Corinthians 6 vv3-10); He uses earthly authorities (1st Peter 2 vv13-16); He uses evil men 1st Peter 3 vv18-20); He uses bodily weakness (2nd Corinthians 12 vv7-9); He uses false brethren, false doctrine, He brings us down, for when w are too far up we are in the wrong place. In love, He breaks us, to make us.... in the words of Job (who suffered more than most).....”when He has tried me I shall come forth as gold!!” We must endure chastening for it may last a while, and it may be very severe, He wants us truly to be His sons in character, not only in name.
For our spiritual benefit “That we might be partakers of His holiness.”. The comparison is between earthly fathers and “the Father of spirits”. If earthly fathers know how to seek the best for their sons in life, how much more our Father in heaven? The difference is in motivation; they can provide guidance for this life only, He for eternal life; they “for their pleasure”, that is by the good status of their son they may gain some pride of life for themselves. The Father of spirits has in mind only our profit, for He is perfection and we can add nothing to Him. Therefore His motivation is our good only. True enjoyment of life is “subjection to the Father of spirits”. God’s holiness is that in His being which separates Him from all else, He is a class apart in everything and His purpose in discipline training is to make us in part like Himself. Beginning with ungodly material it is evident that only a Divine process will accomplish this.
Fruitful if we are exercised about it As in life, no chastisement brings joy at the time, “.....but afterwards yields the peacable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby”. Note the link between holiness and righteousness in the verses 10-11. Holiness of character like God produces righteousness of living toward men. In Romans chapter 1 v18 ungodliness led to unrighteousness and resulted in the wrath of God. Now under the good discipline of our Father, godliness(God-likeness) produces moral rectitude with men and results in peace with God and man. However, to be in the enjoyment of this we must be “exercised thereby”. The Greek word for exercised is gumnazo means literally “to train naked for the games”, that is to discard all hindrances to achieve maximum results. How many of us have this devotion in our Christian life, and as a result miss out on spiritual growth. “Exercise thyself rather unto godliness....” said Paul in 1st Timothy 4 v7.
The challenge is in verses 12-13 to respond positively to the Divine chastening, and he uses bodily terms to graphically portray a lame Christian who may be in danger of “being turned out of the way” and losing their usefulness for God altogether. Hands need to be used, not limp in inactivity; knees facilitating the walk need to be strengthened to make straight paths for the feet instead of crooked ones. Many are in need of spiritual healing, and the first step toward this is to recognise there is a problem.
Verses 14-29 “Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man will see the Lord”. These are the “straight paths” of the Christian life.....peace manward and holiness Godward. Not peace at any price, but that which is consistent with holiness and the principles thereof. Not holiness as reclusive and remote from men but holiness that pursues peace with all men. Holiness is required for fellowship with God, the angels in heaven know this, the redeemed dead know this, no one will ever see God without it. Since we do not have it by natural birth, we only receive it by new birth. Nicodemus was told “Except a man be born again (from above....born of water and the Spirit), he cannot see the kingdom of God....he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That holiness is given to us as a gift from God, but we must pursue it, we must develop it in practice. This is now the path of our lives.
This will involve discrimination and proper judgment on things (verses 15-16). We must be wary of two things....public bitterness and personal immorality. Taking the first of these, in the context of the difficulty of the way and the reality of Divine control, there may arise situations that cause us to act in an ungracious way, and we develop a bitterness of spirit toward other believers, or, indeed, toward the Lord Himself. Circumstances can be very trying, people can be very fickle, and we need to guard against bitterness of spirit. He calls it a “root of bitterness”, and since a root is the producer of fruit this will lead to a harvest of bitterness which may bring defilement to many. Grudges held, attitudes formed, can have a devastating effect on any community of God’s people, and it is a failure to grasp the true meaning of the grace of God. This possibility was foreseen in the verse quoted Deuteronomy 29 vv18-19 “....lest there be among you a root that beareth gall and bitterness, and it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace within myself though I walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst”. Sore on the faults of others and easy on my own, self righteous and judgmental, these are delusions and can bring defilement to many.
The other danger to avoid is personal depravity, where the things of God are trivialised because of the pursuit of the sensual appetites of earth. The example is Esau, who, “for one morsel of meat sold his birthright”. The firstborn in the Eastern family was entitled to the major portion of inheritance, the spiritual rights of leadership, and the right of priesthood in the family. Esau lived only for the moment and despised his birthright for a bowl of stew to satisfy his immediate craving. Profane means living for the purely sensual at the expense of the spiritual. Demand for instant satisfaction whether of food or sexual satisfaction involves a perverse outlook and corrupts the soul. James said “...lust when it is conceived brings forth sin, and sin when it is finished brings forth death”. We cannot control sensual appetites and they take over to the extent we become their slaves, as Esau found when the time of regret came, he could not change his ways
He underpins all this by reminding them of two very challenging things; the character of the days in which we live, and the character of the God whom we serve.
The character of the present day “Ye are not come to Mount Sinai......Ye are come to mount Zion. It is the contrast of two mountains, representing the two covenants, and placing them side by side in vivid contrast. In the old covenant it was all about what the senses could detect, sight, sound, touch, smell and the sense of fear; in the new we are beyond sensory awareness, yet there is the absence of fear. David H Wenkel in his book “Sensory experiences and the contrast between the covenants in Hebrews” wrote; “The Mosaic covenant is a covenant of the senses because Sinai was unapproachable yet perceivable by the senses. The new covenant Zion is superior because it is imperceptible by the senses while being approachable”. The people were terrified at Sinai, they “could not endure that which was commanded”, and the very presence of God was a threatening experience. In contrast we are come to Zion (not we shall come-we are come), which in every way is better. Approach to God is now possible and peaceful and glorious, not stressful in any way. Instead of;
1) “The mount that may be touched” we are come to “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem”, the realm of the spirits beyond time and sense.
2) “The burning fire” we are come to the burning angels in full gathering.
3) “The blackness” we are come to “the church of the firstborn written in heaven” all arrayed in pure white glistening garments.
4) “The darkness”, the gloom, the doubt, the fear, the uncertainty, we are come “to God the judge of all”, the one who proclaims all judgments dispelling all doubt.
5) “The tempest” or the wind in storm mode, we are come to the spirits (pneuma...sometimes used for wind) of just men made perfect, to people right with God from olden times, having come through the storm of life and now all is calm in His presence.
6) “The sound of the trumpet”, symbol of Divine proclamation, sounded at important times in history, we are come to “Jesus the mediator of the new covenant”, God’s final declaration of a completed work. No more call to move, no more call to war, all settled, all at rest.
7) “The voice of words”, the thundering of the law, we have come to the sprinkling of blood which speaks better things than the righteous Abel. The demands of law have been fully met, the “voice of words” is silent.
Mount Zion is first mentioned in 2nd Samuel 5 v7, where it is described as “a stronghold” and “the city of David”. It is a hill just outside the old city, and, from small beginnings has taken on great symbolic significance for the future. Mentioned over 150 times in the bible, it is the centre from which Jesus shall rule the world, and from which His rule of law will bring peace and blessing to the world. What is future, already exists in heaven, and so the writer can say “...Ye are come to Mount Zion”. In heaven now, the city will descend to earth, and we can live in the good of it’s blessings in spirit. The description is marvellous and should become the watchword for the hope of! every Christian!
City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem/myriads of angels in full gathering/the church of the firstborn written in heaven/God the judge of all/the spirits of just men made perfect/Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and the blood of sprinkling.
This is probably the best description of heaven, and we can enter in spirit now, and which will become visible to all as it descends to earth in a soon coming day. When you read this you get that most wonderful feeling.....we’re already there!! In the context of the letter, why would anyone wish to go back to the shadow of it when the reality is here.
The character of the God whom we serve All this should not in any way diminish the seriousness of sin, or the holy character of our God. Rather this is to be an incentive to holiness. We must listen to Him speaking, for the days are privileged. Those of old who refused Him, did not escape, and the records reveal it, much more in a time of superior knowledge is our responsibility to hear and follow. The voice that spoke back then at Sinai actually shook the earth, and this was just a precursor to a coming day when He will shake the earth again. Except this time it will be the complete removal of the universe as we know it. Those who live for this world will see it removed from their very eyes, the trust in the material earth will finally be dashed.......”...the removal of those things which are shaken as of things which are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” This has already been mentioned in chapter 1 vv11-12 “...they shall perish, but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as a garment, and as a vesture thou shalt fold them up...”. Other scriptures are just as clear as 2nd Peter 3 v10 “...the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Again in Revelation chapter 20 v11 “And I saw a great white throne and Him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them.”
All that will be left in all existence is the heavenly Jerusalem, and the angels, and the church, and, God, and the just of all ages, and Jesus, and the new heaven and the new earth, going on forever in a world of righteousness, the kingdom of God which cannot be shaken, that is which will never end.
All this should bring to the fore within us, a spirit of grace and subjection and reverence and godly fear. God is a consuming fire, He will never live with sin, He will never tolerate it, He will always oppose it, and only the righteousness of His everlasting kingdom will remain.
This is our God....let us serve Him!
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