The Gospel Of Repentance

Comparisons are made between the earthly tabernacle and the heavenly: The High Priest had to offer blood sacrifices year by year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), first for his own sins and then for the people of Israel (cf. Leviticus 16:1-34). The High Priest had to take blood and sprinkle it on the Mercy Seat so that it was consecrated by the blood which was the sanctifying agent (vs. 1-7). This religious ceremony was accepted by God according to Mosaic law, but it was never complete and sufficient to remove sins. It was merely symbolic of what Jesus would do when he offered up himself (vs. 9). Jesus sacrifice of himself is the ultimate priestly act because it cleanses the soul forever from sin of the one who believes (vs. 10-15). A couple of glorious things are revealed here: #1. Jesus made a covenant with his people. In that covenant there’s an inheritance. In order for that testament to have any force , the testator has to die. Jesus sacrificial  death...

This chapter primarily deals with the New/Everlasting covenant which was prophesied by Jeremiah 31:31-32. Prior to that, the text deals with Jesus’ priesthood could not be of this world because of the Levitical priesthood was in force which offered gifts and sacrifices according to the law which were shadows of the things to come (vs 1-5). Jesus’ priesthood was based on a better covenant based on better promises. This new covenant was ratified with the shedding of his own blood (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20;I Corinthians 11:25). The New Covenant provides complete access to God because of the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ.                                                                                           ...

Christ’s Priesthood is compared to High Priest and King Melchizedek in two ways: It’s everlasting (vs.3) It’s not Levitical (vs. 14) The word declares (5 X’s) in Hebrews and once in the Psalm 110:4 that Christ’s Priesthood would be after the order of Melchizedek. Here are the scripture references: (Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:17, 21). Christ’s priesthood is far better than the Levitical/Aaronic priesthood in that it draws us to God (vs.19). With a better priesthood comes a greater law. The word of the oath (vs. 28). Jesus Christ priesthood is perpetual. That’s why he is like Melchizedek. The Father said that over and over to drive the point home. It’s important the reader get the point that Christ’s priestly office was not of this earth like the Levitical priesthood which was fading away, but that his priesthood was of a heavenly origin (vs. 16).

The writer stresses the Hebrews move on to maturity and not remain as babies in their understanding of spiritual truths (vs. 2-3). For verses 4-6, please read the article entitled, “The eternality of our salvation” from the archives. The writer commends the faithfulness of some of the Hebrews. Encourages them to continue in their diligence and not become sluggish, but imitate those who received the promises of God like Abraham (vs. 9-15). The writer also informs us that God’s promises are sealed with an oath; these two things (God promises & oath) are unchangeable since that is also the nature of God’s character-his immutability. When God makes a decree, he seals that decree by the power and glory of his own name which is above every name (Philippians 2:9). God makes his promises to us sure. The ultimate promise of our hope is Jesus Christ who entered the Holy of holies on our behalf as our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek (vs. 16-20). 

The writer discusses the following matters: The High Priesthood:  This office was established in the O.T. by God through Aaron. He had to offer sacrifices for the people and himself constantly for sins (vs. 1-4). The High Priesthood of Jesus Christ:   The marked difference between the Aaronic priesthood and that of Christ’s is that Jesus was the sacrifice himself for sin. He could not offer a sacrifice in his stead like the O.T. priests did for those were types of the perfect sacrifice that was made by Christ himself. Jesus agonized over the fact that he would be made sin on our behalf. He was not afraid to die, it was the manner in how he had to die that he was saddened over. Being made sin, God had to unleash his wrath on his Son and turn his back on him (Isaiah 53:1-5; II Corinthians 5:21). Jesus learned obedience by the things he suffered (vs. 7-9):  Jesus being perfect did not learn obedience because he was unfamiliar with it. In his humanity it was e...

This seems like a rhetorical question, but I believe it’s one worth exploring. First of all, I do not believe the devil can even hear our prayers to God. Why? There are no scriptures I have found that would support this type of belief. Some that espouse that the devil can answer prayer has as their premise those who are operating in disobedience; meaning that if someone is petitioning the Lord, and is in sin, the Lord will not hear them so the devil intercepts the request and provides an answer to their prayer. The person then believes the answer came from God when in actuality, it’s a counterfeit. This is a weak supposition of  Satan’s ability at the least, and heretical interpretation of scripture at the most. There are those that are given the devil too much credit and power. It is this writer’s one hundred percent persuasion that the devil can not answer prayer, because he is not in the “blessing business”, but in the “killing business”! Scripture clearly be...

The New Oxford American Dictionary defines horoscopes as: a forecast of a person’s future, typically including a delineation of character and circumstances based on the relative positions of the stars and planets at the time of that person’s birth. A short forecast for people born under a particular sign as published in a newspaper or magazine. Horoscope is a compound word. It comes from the Greek hōroskopos , from hōra which means time, and skopos which means observer. So it’s one that studies and gazes at the stars or an observer of times. Generally people will pickup the morning paper and read what their “horoscope” says under their astrological sign to get some idea of how their day will go and what they believe is their future. Something as “innocent” as a horoscope reading is a clear violation of the word of God. Why? It places faith in man’s corrupt wisdom instead of God’s infinite wisdom. It’s also divination; one is trying to determine the future based on th...