The previous chapter, that great hall of fame, sets the stage for this particular exhortation. The author of Hebrews was not telling Bible stories to no purpose or end. He was emphasizing the centrality of faith in all previous trials because his readers needed an exhortation to persevere in their faith, in the midst of …
Ezra Nehemiah 16
Introduction: The church of God has always had to deal with threats from two directions. The first is the obvious threat from without, from the enemies of God and the gospel. But the other threat comes from sin within the camp, from internal dissension, and from poor leadership. Nehemiah here sets us a wonderful example. …
Bible Stories
One fatal tendency is to assume that Bible stories are for children, and that doctrine is for adults. But in fact all the Bible is for all Christians. One of the lamentable results of biblical illiteracy is the fact that many Christians could not tell you what happened to all the saints mentioned in this …
Covenant Boldness and Covenant Fear
The tenth chapter of Hebrews really needs to be considered all together. In this chapter we find a great deal of the theology of our author coming together as part of an integrated whole. If we step back and get the big picture, we will see more than just the tenth chapter—we will begin to …
Ezra Nehemiah 15
Introduction: This passage from Nehemiah is a wonderful example of how the work of the kingdom of God goes forward. Dealing the the nature of the work is one thing, and dealing with those who are hostile to the idea of that work is another, and it is often necessary to have a sword in …
Ezra Nehemiah 14
Introduction: We know that all Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for teaching and correcting. This does not mean that we gravitate to Nehemiah 3 as naturally as we do with Psalm 23 or 1 Corinthians 13, but it does mean something. The Text: Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the …
Blood and Judgment
The outer sanctuary is the place where preparations are made for the entry to the inner Holy of Holies. And so we learn about Christ’s ministry in the heavenly Holy of Holies through the activity in the outer sanctuary, that is, the time of the Old Testament. “For where there is a testament, there must …
The Time of Reformation
The work of Christ on the cross was a work unlike any other in history. One powerful aspect of what He accomplished was the once for all nature of His atonement. He, unlike His shadows in the Old Testament, did not have to repeat His work over and over again. Even that which was a …
Christ the Liturgist
We have already discussed the importance of defining the word covenant correctly. We must also define the adjective new in the phrase “new covenant” correctly. A host of errors have sprung from the fact that we have misdefined this simple word new. We are under the “new covenant.” What does that mean exactly? In the …
No Sacrifice Remains
The author of Hebrews continues his comparison between the priestly order of Melchizedek and the priestly order of Levi. As we shall see, understanding the difference makes an immense practical difference. “Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest …