Christ, Our Great High Priest. Heb 4:14-16

Joshua could not lead Israel into the promised land because of their unbelief. Likewise Christians can miss out the spiritual rest or blessings, Christ has already promised. It is the perfect and eternal rest because of the finished work of Christ on the cross. And  He lives for ever to make intercession for us(John 17:4; 19:30; Heb 5:9; 7:25).  This rest  is not a physical rest but the spiritual blessings. We must make every effort to enjoy this rest in Christ Jesus. We will enter into our eternal rest in  the New Jerusalem one day. There we will serve Christ and reign forever and ever(Rev 22:1-3).. So author exhorts believers to be diligent in serving Christ now and enter into His rest( Matt 11:28-30; Heb 4:11).

God has given us His Word so that we can enter into His promised rest by believing in the great and precious promises of God.  It has the power to transform our lives and root out our unbelief. Only the Word of God has the power to convict us of our sins.  God knows the secrets of out hearts and His word reveals them(Ps 139:7-12).  It reveals the thoughts and intents of our hearts(4:12). This is the God to whom we must give account(4:13).So let us admit our sins before God and seek His forgiveness(2 Sam 12:13).  Ask God to spare others from the consequences of our sins(2 Sam 12:16). Let us acknowledge our sins to God and forsake them. He will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1:7-10)

Having completed the comparison between Joshua and Christ, the author exhorts the believers to consider the Christ our Great High Priest. He is the Great High Priest because He has passed through the heavens into the very presence of God and lives for ever(4:14). Every year the Old Testament  high priest passed through the veil into the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of Israel(Lev 16)  After sprinkling the atoning blood on the mercy seat, he had to leave the Holy of Holies immediately. But Jesus Christ made one sacrifice  and entered heaven once for all(Heb 9:28). His sacrifice on the cross was the fulfillment of all Old Testament sacrifices. At that time the veil of the temple was rent  from top to bottom. Christ is the only High Priest and all believers are priests today(1Pet 2:9). We are exhorted to hold fast on Christ and never stop trusting Him.

Our Great High Priest is Jesus the Son of God(4:14). He is human and divine. He entered  heaven in His humanity and divinity. In His humanity Christ was tempted in all areas of life, yet He did not sin. Christ understands our infirmities so that He can sympathize with us. Therefore the author exhorts us to come boldly to the throne of grace to express our needs. Christ is able to to sympathize with us because He suffered and tempted like us. His victory over sin and temptation was the result of His conscious decision  against sin. His throne is not a throne of judgement but of grace.There we can find grace and mercy in times of need. We are in need of His mercy and forgiveness because we all fail in many ways. We also need grace to face temptations and trials in this life(2 Cor 12:9). What a great consolation and encouragement that we have a Great High Priest,who can help us in all our needs!!

Christ is Superior to Moses and Joshua.Heb3:1-4:9

In Hebrews chapter three and four we see the superiority of Christ over Old Testament leaders. This epistle was written to Hebrew Christians. They are the holy brethren. They are separated from the world and belonged to Christ.  They are the part takers of heavenly calling and bound to heaven. Author wants them to consider Christ, the Apostle and High priest of our  confession.Apostle is the one who is sent with authority. This is the only time Christ is referred to as Apostle in the New Testament. He is also our perfect representative before the Father.  Moses was their great leader. From Adam to Moses, there was none greater than Moses. He led Israel from captivity and did many miracles among them. God spoke to Moses face to face and gave the law through him. He is the author of the first five books of the Bible and the greatest historian. God says Moses was the meekest among all men and faithful in the house of God as a servant(Num 12:3,7). So the author presents a contrast between Moses and Christ to show Christ's superiority.Moses was faithful was a servant but Christ as Son. Christ is the builder and in charge of the household of God. Therefore son has more honor then the servant. Here the household is the entire family of God. So the author exhorts us to be loyal to Christ and continue in the faith to inherit the perfect fellowship with God.

From chapter 3:7 on wards we see the warning against unbelief. Verses 7-11 is a quotation from Psalm  95:7-11.Here the writer gives a solemn warning from the tragic example the children of Israel's wandering in the wilderness. Despite all that God has done for them they rebelled against God and perished  in the wilderness. Out of all men came out of Egypt, only two men over the age of 20 entered the promised land. Unbelief is due to hardness of heart. Hardening of the heart is caused by sin. This can lead to apostasy. It is the falling away from God or drifting away  from the truth. This would keep people from experiencing God's best for their lives. The remedy is to exhort one another daily. Sin is pleasurable to senses and can seduce our soul. So the author encourages us to hold to the initial confidence in the Lord. In Christian life it is not how we started that matter but how we finish.

In chapter 3 the author showed how the children of Israel missed the promised land. They were set free through the blood of the Passover Lamb(Ex 12). They were the saved people from judgement.  In chapter 4, the author encourages the readers to consider the experience of Israel and warns that they should not fall short of God's best for their lives. God is not satisfied with saving us from judgement. We are His workmanship( Eph 2:8_10). Israel lost the fear or or owe once they had for God. They heard the good news at Kadeshbarnea about the promised land(Num 14). But it did not profit them because of unbelief. Joshua did not give them rest. David wrote that this rest is still available(Psalm 95:8).We can find this rest not in a place but in the person of Christ(Matt 11:28). This rest speaks of our blessed fellowship with God.We enter in to this rest when we trust Christ. It is the positional rest. We also experience this rest when we live in obedience. One day we will into eternal rest in heaven. Today this promise is still available for one and all (Matt 11:28-30). Believers should  be careful not to miss God's best for our lives because of unbelief. Many people hear the Gospel,  but not profited because of unbelief. So today if you hear the Gospel, harden not your hearts(4:7).May God help the us! 

Christ Is Superior In His Humanity!

The theme of the epistle of Hebrews is the superiority of Christ.In chapter one we have seen that Jesus is superior to Prophets and Angels. Hebrew Christians became believers in Christ from a Jewish background. For Jews the concept of a suffering Messiah was inconceivable and  a stumbling block. In chapter two the Author proves that, Christ in His humanity has become our perfect Savior by enduring suffering and death for us(2:5-18). His humanity enabled Him to regain man's lost destiny and dominion(2:5-9). It also enabled Him to bring many sons to glory and restored our lost unity as brothers in the family of God. (2:10-13). His death and resurrection set us free from the fear of death by His victory over Devil(2:14-15).By becoming human Christ has become our sympathetic High priest.(2:16-18).

Christ is superior to angels because the future world will be subjected to Christ and believers. Many consider the " world to come" is a reference to millennial kingdom. God's original plan of creating man was to rule over earth(Gen 1:26-28). But man forfeited his dominion by disobedience. Chapter 2:6-8 is a quote from Ps.8:4-6.Fallen mankind has become subservient to angels for a short time. Now man is subjected to sickness and death. He is bound by time and space. Man is afraid of animal and not reigning over any thing. But God was mindful of him. God has not given up hope for mankind. He thought of us and willing to care for us.This can not be said about angels(2 pet 2:4; Jude. 6). One day man will be crowned with glory and honour.This follows the example Christ, who was made lower than angel for a little while to taste death but glorified through Resurrection and exaltation.  Christ remembered us in our low estate. What a merciful Savior!

Christ became man to suffer and taste death for us. Cross is an essential part of  the plan of salvation. For God to become truly human, He must suffer and die. He was made perfect or fully qualified to bring many sons to glory through suffering.. Christ was always perfect. But by His perfection salvation was not made possible. We are saved through the death of Christ and not by His sinless life.. Here perfect simply means completely qualified to provide salvation. That was only possible  through His suffering and death. On the cross Jesus cried "it is finished". Thus He became the author and finisher of our salvation. He is the captain of our salvation  to bring many sons unto glory.  What a Savior!

Christ's humanity brought us into the Family of God (Heb 2:11-13). Those who received Christ are the sons of the same heavenly Father(John 1:12). Thus believers are united in Christ as brothers in the family of God, Verses 12 and 13 are quotations from Psalm 22:22 and Isaiah 8:17,18.  In Psalm 22, David foresaw the suffering and the coming glory of Christ(22:22). The risen savior called His disciples brethren to show their family relationship(John 20:17). Never before they were addressed this way. His death and resurrection restored our lost unity in the family of God.

Adam's sin brought fear and death into human race(Rom 5:12). We lived as slaves to the fear of dying. Christ's death and resurrection set us free from that fear(Col 2:14,15). Christ conquered death and  the devil by His death and resurrection. Death could not keep Christ in it's grip(Act 2:24). Jesus said because I live you shall also live(John 14:19).Believers are not afraid of death, because in death we at home with the Lord in glory(2 Cor 5:8). Through His death and resurrection, Christ destroyed the devil who had the power of death. The word destroy simply  means made powerless. Christ holds the keys of hell and death(Rev 1:18).

Christ's humanity enabled Him to become our sympathetic High Priest(2:17-18).He did not come to save fallen angels but to save fallen human race. This is the heart of the message of this epistle. Christ was not under any obligation to do that. He came voluntarily to reconcile us to God by becoming a sin offering(1John 2:2). Christ was faithful to the Father, in that  He did not lower God's holy standard.  He endured God's wrath for our sins on the cross.He is also our merciful High priest, in that He died on our behalf.  He is our compassionate High Priest. Compassion is love in action. Christ is able and willing to help us in our temptations because He experience them all yet with out sin. He can fortify our will and strengthen us in our weaknesses.Christ knows exactly how we feel.  He will provide comfort and strength in times of need. What a wonderful Savior! Do you Know Him? 

The Danger Of Drifting.

In Hebrews chapter one we have seen that Christ is superior to prophets because He is the final and complete revelation from the Father. So we must listen carefully the truth we have heard so that we may not drift away from Christ. Drifting is moving in the wrong direction from where ships are anchored. It is a slow process   We drift not because of ignorance but of carelessness. Salvation is a gift from God and never neglect this precious gift. Christians should avoid drifting by growing in the knowledge of Christ and in His grace. If we are preoccupied with the world and neglect the gathering of believers, prayer, fellowship and the study of the Scriptures, we are prone to drift.

Hebrew Christians came to Christ from Jewish faith and ritualism. After they became followers of Christ, they suffered public ridicule and persecutions from Romans and Jews( 10:32,33). There was shame associated with the name of Jesus of Nazareth.  For Jews the Crucifixion of Jesus was the ultimate disgrace and curse. Christianity was not a recognized religion. So many of them  were tempted to go back to their old religion to avoid persecution and shame. These Christians were not anchored in Christ.  So the author exhort and warn the believers to give more earnest heed to the things they have heard. Other wise they are in danger of drifting away from Christ. The law was given through the mediation of angels(Act 7:53). Disobedience of the law received just punishment. If so, how sever would be the punishment of those who neglect the great salvation proclaimed by Christ.

Christ is the author of the great salvation. It was first announced by Lord Himself. Those who were eye witnesses of Christ passed on this good news to us. It was verified by signs and wonders and various miracles and by giving gifts of the Holy Spirit..  Signs were to attest the divine nature of the message. Wonders show how it effected the people. Power points to God as the source of them. So the author asks, how can we escape if we neglect so great salvation. Why is it so great salvation? Because it cost the life of  the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16). It is the only salvation for mankind(Act 4:12).It is the answer for man's fundamental problem and accessible to rich and poor. This is the great salvation because it is the eternal covenant between man and Holy God.  Salvation is a gift from God and can not be earned by good works. Who ever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Rom10:13).

Author warns the readers about the danger of neglecting so great salvation. Those who do not take this Word seriously will drift away from  Jesus Christ(2:1). Drifting can lead to doubting and hardness of heart(3:7-13). This would lead to dullness of hearing and lack of interest in the word of God(5:11).Those who neglect the Word will  despise it sooner of later. This would lead them to sinful life style(10:26). Receiving the knowledge of the truth never save anyone but faith in the revealed truth of Jesus Christ. Those who despise  the Word may refuse even to listen the Word of God and will not escape the judgement of God(12:25).

If you are drifting from Christ, there is no place to go. Jesus is waiting for you. He wants to welcome you and restore you to His fellowship. He is the anchor of our faith and hope. His Word reveals the great plan of salvation. Those who believe Him will be saved. He wants us to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  And do not neglect the study of the Scripture, the gathering of the believers and prayer. Let us surrender ourselves to Christ and anchored in Him, so that we may not drift from Him. May God help us!.