Firefighter assists a man beside a burning car as emergency crews respond
Bible, Escape, Hebrews, Rescue, Salvation, Scripture

NO ESCAPE

HEBREWS 2:3

“how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,”

We have all seen the videos of people being rescued from floods or fires. I saw one recently where a woman was trapped in a burning car after an accident. She was freed from the wreckage just in time by a police officer and some regular citizens who jumped in to help. She had one way to escape that burning vehicle. She had to rely on those doing the rescuing. She could not do it herself.

We are posed a question in today’s verse that you have probably heard preached. It is pretty simple. How can we expect to escape the consequences of sin unless we accept that great salvation? The word “escape” occurs eight times in the New Testament. The Topical Lexicon says it, “communicates a decisive, often miraculous deliverance from danger or judgment.” We only have one way of escape – Jesus.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

This passage today shows us a Sin to avoid. What is that sin? Spurning the Gospel, denying the offer of salvation. That is the only unforgiveable sin. If we deny that, we have no hope. The word “neglect” in our verse literally means “pay no attention to.” You can’t do that and expect to make it to heaven. Just as the woman in that burning car couldn’t expect to survive if she refused the help of her rescuers, we cannot expect to escape judgment unless we yield to our Rescuer.

I also see an Application to make here. We have an obligation once we have received this great salvation to spread it far and wide. We need to look for those trapped in the burning fires of sin and offer them the way of escape. I love 1 Corinthians 10:13 which reads, “No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” Notice it says, “the way of escape.” The definite article is there in the Greek. There is only one way of escape, not many as the world declares.

The beautiful thing about this “great salvation” is that it is free for the asking. We simply have to believe and receive as John 1:12 says. That does not mean we just name it and claim. No! Believing and receiving requires us to follow and obey. If you are thankful for your “great salvation,” live like it and invite others to join you.

Father God, I am so thankful for the free gift of salvation that was offered to me and for Your Spirit’s wooing of me.

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Waves crashing around a large coastal rock beneath sunbeams
Bible, Firm, Foundation, Hebrews, Scripture, Unshakeable

THE UNSHAKEABLE MESSAGE

HEBREWS 2:2

“For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every violation and act of disobedience received a just punishment,”

God’s Word is God’s Word, no matter how or through whom it is delivered. All through Scripture we see how God used angels or prophets to deliver a message to a nation or a person. One of the most famous is when Gabriel appeared to Mary and gave her God’s message of a child to be conceived in her through the Holy Spirit. Gabriel spoke God’s Word.

The writer of Hebrews speaks of these messengers of God, the angels, and their role in delivering God’s message. The reason their message was “unalterable” was because it wasn’t their message. It was God’s! The Greek word used here is bébaios which the Topical Lexicon says “gathers nine New Testament uses that highlight the unshakable character of God’s work, word and promises. In every occurrence the term expresses a reality that cannot be overturned by time, circumstance or human weakness. It binds together covenant, salvation, hope, prophetic revelation and apostolic ministry with the single idea of enduring reliability.” I love that.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

The best way to describe this verse today is as a Promise to claim. What better promise could we receive? God’s Word, His message is unshakeable. It cannot be moved. We will see bébaios used four more times in this book (3:6, 14; 6:19; 9:17). It is used to describe our hope, our assurance and our covenant with God. What a promise! Don’t you love knowing that our faith is immovable if we rest in God? He will not be altered by anything.

There is also a Sin to avoid. The writer even names them. He says, “every violation and act of disobedience.” Those are deliberate actions against God’s message or a refusal to listen to it. Either is subject to punishment. You see, God’s message is not the only thing that is unshakeable. So is His justice. God cannot and will not allow sin to reign in your life. If you are His child and choose to sin, He will deal with that. I am not saying you can “unsave” yourself. But there are consequences for deliberate sin as a believer. Of course, I’ve said too many times that for a Christian, sin should be an accident, not a choice of the will. Am I right?

Listen, dear friend, you are part of an unshakeable kingdom built upon God’s unshakeable Word. It does not matter how hard the world around you shakes, you are secure. Your foundation, Jesus Christ, cannot be moved. Do not let the worries of this life cause you the least bit of concern. Trust God’s unshakeable message of mercy and grace.

Father, You are the only solid rock. On You I will stand. 

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Older woman holding a brass listening horn while reading an open book
Attention, Bible, Hearer, Hearing, Hebrews, Listening, Scripture

PAY ATTENTION

HEBREWS 2:1

“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.”

When I was in school, my teachers were quite regularly saying to me, “Mr. Willis, please pay attention!” My mind wandered a lot. I didn’t have ADHD (that was pretty much unheard of back then), but I did get bored easily in class. When I became a Christian in 1977, my attention changed dramatically. The teachers were shocked at the difference in my attitude and my grades. The word in today’s verse for “pay much closer attention” fit me perfectly back then.

The Greek word is prosechó which means “to pay attention, to give heed, to be cautious, to devote oneself.” (Lexical Summary). It comes from two Greek words, pros (toward) and echo (to hold). Figuratively it means to hold your mind towards something. The writer of Hebrews makes the transition from discussing Jesus with “for this reason” and then tells us what to do. He basically says, “Listen closely so you won’t slip away.”

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

Well, this is a no brainer! There is certainly a clear Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid and an Application to make. We are told exactly what we should do. There is another little word here that is interesting. The Greek word dei is there before prosechó. It means behoove, ought to, should. In other words, we are told it behooves us to pay very close attention to what we have heard. Don’t fake your attention. Press the mute button on all the distractions.

The Promise to Claim is if we do that, we won’t slip away. Allowing distractions in your life can only lead to backsliding or passivity. Your salvation was expensive. It cost Jesus His physical life. Don’t cheapen His grace by getting busy with temporal things. Pay attention to the eternal. That’s the Application to Make.

Finally, the Sin to avoid is clearly implied. If we don’t pay attention, we will drift away. HELPS Word-studies has a great definition of the Greek word here. “Pararrhyéō (drift away from) only occurs in Heb 2:1 where it refers to going spiritually adrift – ‘sinning by slipping away’ (from God’s anchor). Pararrhyéō (gradually drift away) means to ‘lapse’ into spiritual defeat, describing how we slowly move away from our moorings in Christ.” Don’t let that happen to you! Pay attention to what you hear?

Help me, Lord, to pay close attention to Your Word and live by it.

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Group gathered beneath a HEIRS OF SALVATION arch at sunset
Bible, Hebrews, Heirs, Inheritance, Promises, Salvation, Scripture

HEIRS OF SALVATION

HEBREWS 1:14

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?”

To be named an heir is a promise given by the one who possesses the item(s) to be inherited. My dad named me and my three siblings heirs to his estate when he passed. I have named heirs to my estate when I pass on to glory. Sometimes heirs not only inherit possessions, but they may also inherit debts. Whatever the inheritance, it does not pass from the owner to the heir until the owner dies. That’s just how it works down here on earth.

For the first thirteen verses on Hebrews 1, we have been looking at the character and promises attributed to Jesus, the Messiah. We’ve seen several Old Testament references used by the writer of Hebrews to point to that. Now, here in the last verse of the chapter, he points to the purpose of Jesus – our salvation. Don’t you love that he calls us heirs of salvation. Look at this quote I found in a source. “The salvation is both the state of salvation here, and its full fruition hereafter. When we are ‘justified by God’s grace’ we are ‘made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7)” (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges)

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

In our verse today, we see a clear Promise to claim, don’t we? Jesus would not name us heirs of salvation unless He is promising to see that through. At His death He purchased our salvation. His sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for our sin for which God the Father received and redeemed all mankind. That redemption is dependent on our accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. Then and only then do we become heirs of salvation. Hallelujah!

There’s Something new about God also. The Lord tells us in the first part of this verse that He has commissioned His angels to be “sent out to provide service” for us who believe. I truly believe the Lord has His angels watching over us and interceding on our behalf against the evil one. In Psalm 91:11 it says, “For He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways.” Jesus even referred to children having “their angels” in Matthew 18:10. “‘See that you do not look down on one of these little ones; for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.’”

We are promised salvation and told the angels will help us along the way. What more could you ask for? We all face trials and hard times, don’t we? But the end for we followers of Christ should never be something we are fearful of or afraid to face. We are heirs of salvation and therefore heirs of the kingdom. If we are God’s heirs, we are part of the royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). Live like royalty today. Walk in victory!

The promise of my inheritance of salvation is enough, O Lord.

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Leather armchair with blanket and plaid cushion beside a window
Bible, Devil, Enemies, Hebrews, Satan, Scripture, Victors, Victory

A GOOD OTTOMAN

HEBREWS 1:13

“But to which of the angels has He ever said, ‘SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET’?”

I love how Jesus stumped the Pharisees using this same verse from Psalm 110:1. In Matthew 22:41-46 we read, “41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42 ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?’ They said to Him, ‘The son of David.’ 43 He said to them, ‘Then how does David in the Spirit call Him “Lord,” saying, 44 “THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES UNDER YOUR FEET”? 45 Therefore, if David calls Him “Lord,” how is He his son?’ 46 No one was able to offer Him a word in answer, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him any more questions.”

The writer of Hebrews uses the same argument here in today’s verse to state Christ’s supremacy over the angels. God never said to any angel, “Sit at My right hand.” That was a place of honor and authority. Do you remember when James and John asked Jesus about sitting next to Him in heaven? In Mark 10:35-40 they posed that question to Him. Of course, Jesus was not the One to decide that. His Father was. No one sits to the right of the Father except His Son, Jesus Christ.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

Once again, I see Something new about God. Don’t you just love the imagery of our enemies being our footstool? I love a good ottoman or footstool. I love even better a good recliner. Did I tell you I have a power recliner? That chair has the ability to recline and lift my feet so I can rest. That’s the image here. We can rest because our enemies have been defeated. Christ defeated death and the grave and thereby defeated the evil one and all his minions.

The Greek word for “footstool” literally means “a footstool used by a conquering king, to place his foot on the neck of the conquered” (Souter) – i.e. those under his total dominion.” (HELPS Word-studies) Some kings would force their conquered enemies to kneel and be used as a footstool on which they could step to mount their horse. They used it as a means of humiliation. Christ isn’t trying to humiliate His enemies. He is establishing His dominance. A defeated enemy does not need to be humbled.

I want to ask you to also see an Application to make. Because Christ has defeated His enemies, our enemies are also defeated. We do not have to fight these battles against the evil one alone. Jesus fights for us. Stop trying to do this by yourself. Stand firm and resist, of course. And then allow our conquering King remind Satan that he is a defeated foe and has no right to you. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Thank You, Father, for defeating the enemies of Christ and establishing Him at Your right hand.

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Jagged coastal mountains surrounded by ocean beneath a colorful sunset sky
Bible, Consistent, Hebrews, Immutable, Scripture, Unchangeable

THE SAME ALWAYS

HEBREWS 1:12

“AND LIKE A ROBE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END.”

There are some things in life that just don’t change, do they? The sun rises and sets every day. The moon waxes and wanes. The ocean waves break on the seashore. Consistency is good, don’t you think? Just think how awful it would be if we didn’t have some things we can count on to remain the same.

I love the phrase, “But you are the same” in today’s verse which comes from Psalm 102:27. Now, the writer has quoted Psalm 102:25-27 in the last three verses we’ve looked at in Hebrews. Obviously, the Spirit put this passage on his heart to reflect on our Lord Jesus. The Greek word for “same” is autos and can be translated as “he.” Substitute “He” for “same.” It would read “But you are He.” Doesn’t that fit even better? I like that myself.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

Once again, we see Something new about God here. And once again, it’s not that it is something we aren’t aware of, but it is a reminder of God’s character and therefore Jesus’ character as well. He is unchangeable. Another word for that is immutable. In Malachi 3:6 we read, “‘For I, the LORD, do not change;’” That’s pretty clear, huh? We see this nature described in James 1:17, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

This truth could also give us a Promise to claim. If God tells us He cannot change, doesn’t that sound like a promise to you. He is a constant. One day we are told that all the heavens and the earth will be like a robe that is rolled up or a garment that is changed. But not God. Psalm 90:1-2 is a great passage showing us this promise. “1 Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

Whenever you are unsure of where you stand with God, remember He is always there. He has not moved. You can always count on Him to hear you when you cry out to Him. You can rely on His faithfulness when all seems lost. He does not promise us things will always be easy, but He will be with us through it all. Amen?

Father, You are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Thank You for being constant.

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Gray T-shirt and joggers laid on a bed beside tea and a book
Bible, Eternal Life, Eternity, Hebrews, Imperishable, Scripture

OLD CLOTHES

HEBREWS 1:11

“‘THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY ALL WILL WEAR OUT LIKE A GARMENT,’”

Okay, I have to admit – I’ve got some old clothes. But in my defense, there is just something about a comfy pair of old sweatpants or a worn out T-shirt. My wife is always hiding my “good stuff” and buying me a new shirt or pair of shorts. I am thankful for that because if it wasn’t for her, I would probably be wearing shirts and pants from the 80’s. Hey, aren’t they back in style?

We see the quotation from Psalm 102:26 today. The verse is comparing the fallibility of the creation to the perfection of Christ. If you look back at the previous verse in Psalm 102, you will see it talks about Jesus being the One Who created the heavens and the earth. But even though He created them, they “will perish.” I love how the Psalmist says “they all will wear out like a garment. Nothing created is imperishable. Only the eternal things are.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

We see Something new about God here, don’t we? We know this truth from His Word. Jesus will always remain. In Revelation 20:11 we read, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.”  Jesus Himself says in Matthew 24:35, “‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.’”

Can I propose something here that could be seen as a Sin to avoid and an Application to make? We seem to think we will last forever. We live our lives as if there are no limits to our days. That kind of selfish living is not pleasing to God and is disobedience to His Word. We must remember that our life is a vapor. James 4:14 tells us so. “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

Take comfort, my friend. Jesus is there and will always be there. He is not going anywhere. He is seated on His throne just waiting for the call from the Father to come and receive His bride. Until then we are to be living our lives for eternity, trying to take as many people as we can with us. Heaven and earth will pass away one day. Jesus will establish a new heaven and a new earth. I can’t wait to see that. How about you?

I am thankful, Lord, knowing You are the Eternal One. My eternity rests in You.

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Full moon glowing above Earth’s curved horizon in space
Bible, Scripture, Creation, Promises, Creator, Hebrews, Application

LORD OF CREATION

HEBREWS 1:10

“And, ‘YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS;’”

Tonight is the full Harvest Moon! I was actually driving yesterday morning very early before sunrise, and I think I could have driven without the use of headlights. It was so bright. Every time I see a full moon I am reminded that the moon has no light. It simply reflects the light of the sun. The same is with us. We have no light except for the light which is reflected from the Son. I hope you are shining brightly.

Hebrews continues with the description of the Messiah. Some scholars argue that the writer deviates from discussion about Jesus to talking about the Father here and in the following two verses. That really doesn’t seem to fit the pattern the writer has established. It seems he just shifts to another character trait of Jesus as being part of creation. I think about the passage in Colossian 1:15-16 which says, “15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: 16 for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.” Don’t you think that fits here?

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

The quotation in today’s verse comes from Psalm 102:25. We will see verses 26-27 in the next two verses in Hebrews 1. So far in chapter one we have already seen the writer reference six other Old Testament verses. It is obvious that whoever the writer is, he has a great grasp on the Scripture. That is a great Application to make. We need to know the Word to defend the Word and to share with others. Memorization is key for any believer. Filling your mind with God’s Word and applying it to your life are two ways to guarantee your growth in Christ.

There is also a Promise to claim. I see that in the fact that Jesus is Lord over creation. Every molecule ever created came from Him. Go back and read the passage I quoted from Colossians. Therefore, He knows every cell in You. When you go through some physical struggle, rest in the fact that Jesus knew about it before there were even signs. Could He have stopped it? Of course, He could. But He has counted you worthy of the trial. He has created you, and you are perfect in His eyes.

I want to encourage you to go ahead and read the next two verses in Hebrews (1:11-12) and then read Psalm 102:26-27. Notice any differences? Look at some other translations of these verses. Isn’t it amazing that the same Holy Spirit inspired the writer of Psalm 102 and Hebrews, and they can agree even though written centuries apart. God is amazing!

You are amazing, Lord. I am grateful for creation and making me a part of it.

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Priest anointing an elderly woman at a church altar
Bible, Scripture, Kings, Authority, Messiah, Hebrews, Anointing

THE OIL OF JOY

HEBREWS 1:9

“‘YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF JOY ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.’”

We don’t do a lot of anointing with oil in the Baptist church. If I asked someone if they had ever been anointed with oil in my church, I would probably be greeted with a blank stare, lol. I have anointed people at some special meetings. I once anointed my son’s bedroom window and door because he was being awakened at night with nightmares. After anointing his room, the nightmares stopped. Now, don’t read too much in that. I don’t possess any special powers. We just dedicated that room to Jesus and any evil spirits that were bothering him were sent fleeing.

In the Scriptures, we see the anointing with oil happen when a new king was appointed or a new high priest. Samuel anointed Saul and David. It was a sign of selection for a certain purpose by God. The passage quoted from today is from Psalm 45:7. As I mentioned earlier in our study, this Psalm is considered a prophetic Psalm about the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

What can we see in this verse today? For one, I see a Promise to claim. Jesus, our Savior and Lord, has received the anointing from the Father. I really like the reference to anointing which is found in Isaiah 61:3. “To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the cloak of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” Some have called Isaiah 61:1-3 “Jesus’ job description.” He replaced our mourning with the oil of gladness or joy by redeeming us to His Father.

I also see Something new about God. It’s not really new, but as we apply it here, it could be seen that way. Jesus’ anointing placed Him above His companions. Barnes says, “that is, above all who sustain the kingly office. He would be more exalted than all other kings.” Well, of course, He would be, right? There has never been nor will there ever be a king or a ruler (President, Prime Minister, etc) who could come close to ruling as Jesus rules. No other person can claim that authority. He is the One Supreme Ruler for all time.

Take a minute and thank the Lord for His anointing over you. You may not have had perfumed oil poured over your head, but His anointing is poured out on us when we receive Him as our Lord and Savior. His anointing is for eternity. You don’t need a physical oil placed on you to be holy. However, if you choose to be anointed with oil, see it as an outward expression of something has happened internally in your spirit. It can be a special moment of remembrance. You are anointed!

O Father, thank You for anointing me as Your servant. Help me as I seek to serve You in whatever way You choose.

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Christ crowned and seated on a jeweled throne among angels and lions
Authority, Bible, Hebrews, Kingdom, Scepter, Scripture

THE SCEPTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS 

HEBREWS 1:8

“But regarding the Son He says, ‘YOUR THRONE, GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE SCEPTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.’”

Every play or movie I’ve seen that had a king in it included a scepter. That scepter was either made of gold or ivory or wood, but it was always decorative. The scepter is a symbol of authority. He who wields it is in charge. We don’t see that a lot nowadays, but back in the day when kings ruled the earth, the scepter was a fixture in the hands of those kings. People knew what it meant.

Our Old Testament quotation in today’s verse is from Psalm 45:6. This comes from a Psalm written by the sons of Korah and is considered a song celebrating the King’s marriage. This Psalm is considered a Messianic prophecy pointing to Jesus. Take a few minutes and read the entire Psalm. It’s only seventeen verses. Reading any verse in context gives it a fuller meaning. Our writer in Hebrews applies this verse to our Lord Jesus. He declares Him as the supreme ruler with His scepter in His hand.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

A Command to Obey is implied here since we are talking about Jesus holding His scepter. We are to obey Him because He is the authority in our lives. We obey because we know He rules righteously. We obey because His kingdom is forever. The verse from Psalms says so. Forever is a long time. There are no term limits to Christ’s rule. It is for eternity. Thus, we obey.

There is also a Promise to claim. If Jesus is King (and He is), and if He will rule forever (and He will), we are given a promise that we too will live with Him forever. We are told in Romans 8:17a, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ,…” We will live forever in His kingdom as joint heirs of all that is His. Wow! We don’t deserve it, but we are given it. That is quite a promise, isn’t it?

I have this picture in my head of Jesus sitting on His throne holding that scepter given to Him by His Father. As we approach Him, He extends the scepter for us to touch. This is His offer of grace and mercy. We do not need to fear His wrath because we are His children. When we come to Him in submission and humility, He receives us and loves on us. That’s my King. That’s my Savior. I revere Him, but I do not fear Him. Approach Him today and touch His scepter of righteousness.

You are King of all, dear Lord. Thank You for accepting me into Your kingdom.

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