Hebrews 6 - 1.24.25

Scripture: ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

Observation:

The word anchor stood out to me.  It is something that keeps a vessel from drifting. Likewise hope will keep us from straying.  It says this hope is an anchor for our soul, firm and secure. With hope we are unmovable. 

I like the way The Passion Translation puts it: “We have this certain hope like a strong, unbreakable anchor holding our souls to God himself. Our anchor of hope is fastened to the mercy seat in the heavenly realm beyond the sacred threshold and where Jesus, our forerunner, has gone in before us. He is now and forever our royal Priest like Melchizedek.” Hebrews‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-20 ‭TPT‬‬

God gives us so many things to hope in. What is the author referring to here?  It is God’s promises found in His Word. The most important one is Jesus is our High Priest and has entered the inner Sanctuary on our behalf. The inner Sanctuary was the place of sacrifice and God’s presence.  He is in the order of Melchizedek who is a “type” or foreshadowing of Jesus. Some even think he could possibly be Jesus Himself. He had an interaction with Abraham after he rescued people who had been taken captive including Lot his nephew. 

 “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”  Genesis‬ ‭14‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So many amazing things in this Scripture too. I noticed for the first time: Melchizedek brought bread and wine, the elements of communion. He also spoke blessing over him. 

Application:

So many things try to pull us away from God or get us off course. I am so glad we have hope as an anchor and a High Priest who has gone before us. Romans 8 talks about the hope we have and mentions that the Holy Spirit also as a priest intercedes for us. How amazing is that? I want to fix my eyes daily on this hope and stay on the path God has prepared for me. 

Prayer:

Father God, thank you for all you have done to set your people free. There are so many promises in your Word. You ordained your son as our High Priest and He died to redeem us. We now have your Spirit as our guide and comforter. Thank you that as I hope in you, I will be anchored and secure. Please alert me when I start to stray. May I glorify you in all I do.  Amen 

- Cindy Howard

Hebrews 5 - 01.23.25

SCRIPTURE

“In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.””

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

OBSERVATION

Jesus is more than a Priest, more than a high Priest, Jesus is the Great High Priest.

The first place we find the word used (Genesis 14:18) is upon Abraham’s return from battle to rescue his nephew Lot. Melchizedek, the King of Salem, and Priest of the Most High God, came out to bless Abraham and the God who had given him the victory. In return for the blessing, Abraham gave Melchizedek 10% of all the spoils of the war.

Years later Abraham’s great-grandson, Levi was singled out to be the father of a priestly tribe (Levites).

The priests were responsible for making intercession to God for the people by offering the many sacrifices that the law required.

Among the priests, one was selected as the High Priest, once a Year, to enter into the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement to place the blood of the sacrifice on the Ark of the Covenant. By these daily and yearly sacrifices, the sins of the people were temporarily covered until the Messiah came to take away their sins.

Jesus, though God from eternity, became a man in order to suffer death and serve as our High Priest (Hebrews 2:9). As a man, He was subject to all the weaknesses and temptations that we are, so that He can personally relate to us in all of our struggles. Jesus only had to offer HIS Sacrifice ONCE, gaining eternal redemption for ALL who come to GOD Through Him—so He is called our “Great High Priest” in (Hebrews 4:14).

APPLICATION

COME-to Jesus—our ONE and ONLY Mediator

God hates sin. Sin stands between us and God.

But God LOVES us so much—HE Provided a WAY back to HIM.

JESUS-who paid the price for OUR sin.

SO-that ANYONE who RECEIVES the FORGIVENESS that JESUS freely offers by Confessing Jesus as LORD and Believing in their Heart that God Raised Him from the dead—will Be Saved. (Romans 10:9)

Christianity is Not a religion…it is a relationship with a very real and Living God who cares deeply for us. Who understands everything we are experiencing. Who created us FOR relationship. Who CREATED us to EXPERIENCE a FULL and POWER-FILLED

SUPERNATURAL Life with Him.

Jesus WILL intercede for us. Jesus IS interceding for us NOW (Hebrews 7:25)

““Come to ME, all you who are weary and burdened, and I WILL give you REST.

Take my yoke upon you and LEARN from me, for I AM gentle and humble in heart,

and you WILL find rest for your souls. For my yoke is EASY and my burden is LIGHT.””

‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

PRAYER

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Love. Thank You for the Cross. Thank You for forgiving my sins and for new mercies every morning. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit and Thank You that You choose to partner with every single believer. Once we’re saved that’s not the end, it’s the beginning of an adventure that continues to GROW in ways I continue to be amazed at—in my own journey and watching others. You are such a GOOD Father.

Pour out Your Spirit on us Lord. Pour out Your Spirit for Your glory. May we

be powerful witnesses, Jesus,  testifying in Your Name…

Jesus IS the SAME-TODAY, Tomorrow, and Forever. Amen.

Tina L Kudelka

Hebrews 4 - 1.22.25

Scripture

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:11, NIV).

Observation

Whenever there is a “therefore” in the Bible, we need to read the verses/chapters above it to find out what it is alluding to. Chapters 3 and 4 of Hebrews talks about the rest promised to God’s children.

Hebrews 3 ends with the solemn note that the Israelites could not enter God’s rest because of their unbelief (Hebrews 3:19). Further it says that the promise of rest was not attained by the Israelites because of their disobedience (Hebrews 4:6). Israelites had a combination of unbelief and disobedience. Though they saw God’s miraculous hand at work in the wilderness for forty years, they continued to rebel and not believe (Hebrews 3:9-11; Psalms 95:9-11). The writer of Hebrews cautions us to watch out so that none of us have a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God (Hebrews 3:12). Though Joshua took the Israelites to the Promised Land, they did not obey God in driving out the Canaanites, and in keeping themselves holy by not being unequally yoked with the idolatrous people of the land. Again the writer of Hebrews urges us to make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience (Hebrews 4:11).

Application

There remains a promise of rest for the children of God. So let us draw near with the fear of God, so that we don’t miss it (Hebrews 4:1, NKJV). We who have believed have entered that rest (Hebrews 4:3). 

It is interesting that God is not saying that we will enter that rest in future tense, when we finish our life and reach heaven. We have already entered the rest when we believed in Jesus. Yes, eternal life starts here on earth! God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Yes, we have believed in him and have received eternal life. Let us be careful not to step outside of that rest through unbelief and through disobedience (Hebrews 3:12, 4:11). 

We have rest from works required by the Levitical law for salvation. It was finished on the cross (John 19:30). He has taken the legal requirements against us, out of the way, nailing it to the cross (Col 2:14). Praise God, we have entered into God’s rest when we believed in Him. Entering God’s rest does not mean that we have entered into a period of idleness. God expects us to work and provide for our families (1 Tim 5:8). However, we are not running the “rat race”, like the people of the world, as we know that God is our provider, and has engraved us in the palm of his hands (Isaiah 49:16). He expects us to be faithful stewards of the talents, abilities and resources he has given us (Matthew 25:14-30). He also expects us to do the good works that he has planned for us before we were born (Eph 2:10). We go about our work, resting in God (Psalms 37:7, NKJV), knowing that it is He who blesses the work of our hands and gives us the results of our work (Deut 28:12).

We no longer need to be anxious. Instead in every situation, prayer and thanksgiving, we can present our requests to God (Phil 4:6). God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7).

Prayer

Father, I thank you for the rest that you have for me. Thank you for taking me into your rest, when I believed in you. Help me to understand what that rest means. Help me to not to step away from your rest through unbelief and disobedience like the Israelites. I know that I have been saved through your grace, and it is not of myself, but it is your gift (Eph 2:8). Help me to rest in you. Thank you because I can cast my cares upon you, because you care for me (1 Peter 5:7). Help me to live in a way that pleases you. Make my life a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you (Romans 12:1). In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George