Hebrews 12:12-15 provides a great formula for developing Endurance (GRIT).
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees;
Get Busy Working. cf. Eph 4:28
13 and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.
Read, Apply Psalm 119:105; Prov 6:23
14 Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord:
Increase in Love. 1Thess 3:1-12; 1Tim 2:1-8
15 looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;
Test all things. 1Thess 5:21
Along with it the writer provides a warner for lacking endurance.
“Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” (Col 2:17)
Jesus the Christ, is the main point of the bible which was in the mind of God before the foundation of the world. “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1Pet 1:20).
This means that the things written before in the Old Testament point to the things in the New Testament. This concept gives us better understanding of what Paul wrote in Rom 15:4, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
While we cannot use the commands of the OT for doctrine today, we can look into the OT for the message of Christ. These messages are contained in Types and Shadows. “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect” (Heb 10:1).
Types and shadows are Old Testament people, events, or ceremony the foreshadow the coming Messiah and His church. We often use the terms “Type” and “Antitype. For some this can be confusing. The “TYPE” is the shadow of the real thing. The “ANTITYPE” is the real thing.
EVENTS, like the Flood, the Plagues of Egypt, the Passover, the Brazen Serpent, Crossing the Jordan, Cities of Refuge.
CEREMONIES, like the Offerings, Ceremonial Cleansing, Feasts, Year of Jubilee, Day of Atonement. To this could be added STRUCTURES, like the Ark, the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the furnishings in the temple. We would also include COLORS & NUMBERS.
Another way to describe these 3 types is as Historical, Legal, and Prophetic types.
The purpose of the SHADOWS.
The first purpose of the SHADOWS was to give a picture and outline representing something in the future. Especially the Scheme of Redemption. Such were the point of the SACRIFICES from patriarchal to Jewish age. (Heb 9, 10:18)
Another purpose of the type or shadow was as proof and as a demonstration of the Divine origin of the antitype. “And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (Heb 3:5-6).
Here’s what is of powerful interest to us. The TYPES & SHADOWS must have originated by ONE who perfectly understood the antitype toward which the type or shadow pointed. God alone understood them from before, and could author them perfectly.
The Patriarchs and the Jews engaging in the events, setting up and writing on the types, could not understand them. Hence, they are not the originators of them. The Bible is all of God!!! This is another evidence for the validity of the Bible as being the Inspired Word of God.
The System of Sacrifices serve as a Shadow for the sacrifice of Christ.
“Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:9-14)
If you find reading the Old Testament boring, or you are unable to see its relevance, looking for the Types & Shadows may help you develop an excitement to read those things written before. The Old Testament is about Jesus. “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39).
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27)
The Hebrew writer wrote, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds” (Heb 1:1-2).
We now live under the New Testament of Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant was nailed to the cross and is obsolete (Col 2:14; Heb 8:13).
Any who desire to go back to do one part of the Old Law of Moses is obligated to do the whole; “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace” (Gal 5:3-4).
But that is not good, for that Law was a shadow of the good things we have in Christ now (Heb 10:1; Col 2:17).
God Himself said, “This is my beloved Son: hear him” (Mark 9:7). Seeing that all this is true, believers are to hear Jesus. What does it mean to hear the VOICE of Jesus? Some claim He will speak directly, personally, and miraculously to us. What is the truth?
Hearing the VOICE of Jesus.
Contrary to mainstream belief, the sheep that follow Jesus do so of their own volition. God is seeking those that seek Him. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt 6:33). God’s desire that all to come to repentance and be saved (2Pet 3:9) is evidence that we have free choice. We voluntarily seek Him, listen to His voice, and it’s His voice (words) that will judge us in the last day. “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).
Therefore, all are invited to follow the Good Shepherd of our own free will.
Those that choose to follow Jesus also Obey His VOICE. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15; 15:14). “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say” (Luke 6:46)? “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt 7:21-23).
It makes zero sense to call oneself a “follower” of Christ, and not actually follow Him in obedience to His word. People keep using that word “follower” without doing anything He says. I constantly hear folks living in sin claiming also to be a follower of Jesus. Paul warned; “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1Cor 6:9-11). If these cannot inherit the kingdom of God, how can we say at the same time that we are followers of Christ while continuing in them?
Therefore, all true followers of Jesus are obedient to His voice.
This next point is vital to understand. Some also claim that Jesus will speak to us personally, miraculously, and separately from the Inspired word. Jesus never made this claim.
In His prayer in the garden, while praying for His Apostles, He then prayed for folks that would believe in Him after His death. He said, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me THROUGH THEIR WORD; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:20-21). We who come to Jesus after His death will believe based on the words of the Apostles. The Apostles were given the promise of divine Holy Spirit Inspiration (John 16:13; cf, 14:26; 15:26), not us.
We hear the voice of the Chief Shepherd in as much as we read His inspired word delivered through the Inspired writers. Paul wrote through inspiration; “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1Cor 14:37). He also wrote; “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Eph 3:3-4; cf 2Tim 3:15-17).
The Apostle John wrote, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30-31). He also wrote, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1John 5:13; emph mine seb).
Therefore, all true followers of Jesus hear His VOICE through the reading, studying, and memorizing His written inspired word.
Next week we’ll look at a few more points regarding the VOICE of Jesus. To recap; we Voluntarily hear His voice. We who hear it will Obey His voice. Those that hear, and obey are Informed of His will through the reading, study, and memorizing of His Inspired word.
All this month we’ve been talking about LOVE. Here’s a recap.
Love the LORD week 1;
First, GOD IS LOVE. (1John 4:8)
Second, GOD LOVES. (1John 4:9)
Third, HE LOVED US FIRST. (1John 4:19)
Last, GOD DIED FOR US. (1John 3:16)
Love OTHERS week 2:
Love The Brethren. (John 13:34)
Love Others. (1Thess 3:12)
Love to Visit the needy. (Jas 1:27)
Love our Enemies. (Luke 6:27)
Love His Appearing week 3:
We Look for His return. (Luke 12:37)
We Obey Him. (Luke 6:46)
We add Virtue, etc. (2Pet 1:5-11)
We Endure this life. (Matt 10:24)
This week we’ll look at the Lord’s command to Love our Enemy.
It’s unambiguous that we are to love our enemies. Who our enemies are varies. As much as it lies within us, we try to live at peace with all men (Rom 12:18), but there are some that just don’t like us, are rude, mean, or antagonistic to the church. It matters not why; Jesus taught us to LOVE our ENEMIES.
How are we to LOVE an ENEMY?
First, with EMPATHY. We need to have empathy for we were once enemies to the Lord.
“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10).
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1Cor 6:9-11).
No matter what a person may say to provoke us, we must remain NICE. The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God (Jas 1:20)
“And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same” (Luke 6:33).
This teaching doesn’t mean we put ourselves in harm’s way. Paul avoided many attacks on his life by the Jews, but he still desired they be saved.
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Rom 10:1).
This next one is difficult, but we need to have a heart to EVANGELIZE.
Some will, some wont, but you’ll never know until you try. We seldom think about, nor even desire to teach an enemy the truth of the gospel.
I ask myself this question whenever interacting with an “enemy;” Could I invite them to worship despite our conflict? Look at this example:
Jesus sent Ananias to Saul of Tarsus to teach him the gospel. “Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem” (Acts 9:10-16).
Within the command to love our enemy is to be Merciful.
“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36).
Merciful means… compassionate, experiencing deep pity (lamentation) as God has for people who look to Him for help in their difficult situations. Consider the example of the stolen servant girl who told Naaman of a cure for leprosy. (2Kings 5:1-3). “Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.”
Finally, and very importantly, YOUR forgiveness depends on it. Let’s read from our passage in Luke:
“For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” (Luke 6:32-35). To love only those that love us is no better than the enemies themselves. Look at what Jesus taught:
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”
(Matt 6:14-15; Mt 18:35; Mr 11:25-26; Eph 4:32; Col 3:13).
People mistake these concepts as having to take abuse, pain, etc. That’s a mistake. We have authority to avoid our enemies attacks, if we do it without sin, and without denying the Lord.
Think about the Apostle Paul in Acts 23:12-31. Some of the very people he was trying to reach with the Gospel had sworn to lie in wait for him so they would have occasion to ambush and kill him. He loved those in Judaism who were persecuting him (Rom 10:1-3), but that didn’t mean he had to be killed if it could be avoided (see, Acts 9:25; 2Cor 11:33).
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good”
2Pe 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2Pe 2:5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;
DEPRAVITY of False Teachers 12-16
2Pe 2:12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,
DESTINY of False Teachers 17-22
2Pe 2:22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”
Impossible for blood of bulls to TAKE away sins. 1-4
Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
He takes AWAY the first to establish the second. 5-10
Heb 10:9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second.
He sat down on His throne as KING.… 11-14.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.,
He will EDUCATE them. 15-18
The Holy SPIRIT witnesses. 15-18
Heb 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us:
See Heb 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
HEBREWS 10:19-39 LET US…
DRAW NEAR. 22
HOLD FAST THE CONFESSION. 23
CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER TO STIR. 24
ASSEMBLE TOGETHER. 25
DRAW BACK. 26-39
A fearful EXPECTATION of judgment. 26-31
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
How shall we ESCAPE, Heb 2:3
SHALL… 32-39
Heb 10:37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Heb 9:2 For there was a TABERNACLE made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
Christ ENTERED heaven, the real tent, with his own blood. 11-14
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he ENTERED in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
The NEW covenant established by the blood. 15-22
Heb 9:5 And for this cause he is the mediator of the NEW testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
He entered the TRUE things, to God himself for us. 23-28
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the TRUE; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
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