The Eternal Covenant (Heb. 13:20)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-12-03

 

                                                                                                                       

My Worship Time                                                            Focus:  The Eternal Covenant

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 13:20

 

            Message of the verse:  “20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord,” (NASB) “20 Now may the God of peace (who brought again our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant)” (NKJV)

            It is kind of hard to do write on verse twenty and not include twenty-one, but that is the way I will try and do it this morning.  This verse is near the end of this wonderful letter, and is part of the salutation.  The writer ties in some of the things that he has been writing about with verses twenty, and twenty-one.  He starts out by calling God the God of peace.  He then goes into a reason why we can have peace with God by speaking of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead who is our Great Shepherd through the blood of the everlasting covenant.  The writer has talked about the old covenant and the new covenant, and the new covenant is the everlasting covenant because there will be no need for another one.  The writer has written on the blood of Jesus Christ, which is the blood of the everlasting covenant in this letter on different occasions.  He said at one point in the letter that there is no remission of sin without blood, and the blood of Jesus Christ shed on our behalf is the only blood that has satisfied the wrath of God.  I think the word for that is propitiation.  “1 John 2:2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.  1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”  These two verses give insight into this word.  The word in the OT is translated as the mercy seat, for it was on the mercy seat that the blood of the sacrifice was placed on the Day of Atonement, and God looked down and had mercy on Israel because of the blood.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  This verse is a good reminder for me of the Lord’s Supper, and the meaning of the blood of Jesus Christ which is represented their by the grape juice, and is a reminder of the suffering that Jesus Christ went through for my sins.  God has made the blood as what keeps us alive and when we loose too much blood we will die, and so this is why the blood is so important.

 

The Word of God was convicting to me, and it was also refreshing to my heart as I pondered on it’s meaning this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I need the Lord’s help in overcoming some bad habits that have bothered me for a while.  I need His help to overcome them for His glory, and for my good.

Pray for Us (Heb. 13:18-19)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-11-03

 

                                                                                                           

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  Pray for us

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Hebrews 13:18-19

 

            Message of the verse:  “18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.  19 And I urge you all the more to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.”  (NASB) 

            I want to write about the author of this letter, humanly speaking, for the Holy Spirit authors all of the Scripture.  Many people believe that the human author to this letter is Paul, and one of the reasons is the mention of Timothy in this letter, another reason is the benediction of grace.  I would say that it is not an issue that is worth being concerned about, for if God would have wanted us to know who it was that wrote this letter He would have made that known to us.

            The writer asks for prayer in these verses, and prayer is one of the most important things that believers can do for each other.  He says that he wants to see them again and this is one of the things they can be praying about for him.  He says that he has a clear conscience which is one of the things that he has been writing about earlier in this letter.  He also says that he wants to conduct himself in an honorable way and asks for prayer concerning that.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I like the issue of having a clear conscience, for there are far too many times when I do not have a clear conscience.  It seems that there are far too many times when I am to legalistic, and do not enjoy the grace of God in my life like I believe He desires me to do. 

            I am trying to be more involved in prayer in my life, and praying with other believers, especially men.  I know that prayer is something that will change issues and peoples lives, and so I want to have prayer as a bigger part of my life.

 

The Word of God was convicting to my heart as I read it today, and it was also refreshing.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I want to trust the Lord to give Sandy and me a good day, as He has been so good to us in giving us thirty years of marriage.  He has taken to unbelievers who got married thirty years ago today, and saved them for His glory and our good.  He has given us two wonderful children, and taken us through many trials and troubles for His glory and our good.  As I look back at the faithfulness of God in these last thirty years I have great confidence that He who started a good work in us will continue to be faithful to us until the trumpet sounds and we will go to meet our Lord in the air, and be with Him forever more.

Sacrifices we Offer to God (Heb. 13:15-16)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8-08-03

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Sacrifices we Offer to God

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                              Reference:  Hebrews 13:15-16

 

            Message of the verse:  “15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.  16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”  (NASB)  “With Jesus’ help, let us continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by proclaiming the glory of his name.  Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God.”  (NLT)

            Dr. Wiersbe entitled this section “Sharing in spiritual worship.”  The spiritual worship that is contained in these two verses is the sacrifice of praise to God, and also the sacrifice of sharing and doing good.  These are two spiritual sacrifices, along with offering our bodies as living sacrifices, that the believer can now offer to God under the New Covenant.  The readers of this original letter were thinking of going back into Judaism because of the persecution that they were under from the unbelieving Jews.  The writer is encouraging them to not give up on their new faith even though persecution has come, and he advises them to help others through this by sacrifices of helps and to also praise the Lord for one day they would be in the new city that the Lord will provide for them.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  The NT sacrifices of the believers are spiritual sacrifices, meaning they can only be given by the power of the Holy Spirit.  By allowing the Spirit to have control of my life and being sensitive to His leading I can offer these sacrifices to God and He will be pleased with them.  If I try and do it on my own then I am trying to help God, and God never needs any help, only my obedience.

 

The Word of God has been refreshing, challenging, and convicting to me as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To listen to the Spirit of the Lord as He speaks to me through His Word, and in my heart, that I might obey Him in all that He wants me to do.

 

Looking For A New City (Heb. 13:14)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-07-03

 

 

                                                                                                                       

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Looking For A New City

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 13:14

 

            Message of the verse:  “14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.”  (NASB)  “For this is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come.”  (NLT)

            This verse contrasts what is in verse thirteen, for in that verse we are seen as going outside the camp, or city of Jerusalem, in order to bear disgrace likened unto that of Christ, for we are not of this world, but as this verse says we are looking forward to the city which is in heaven whose designer and builder is God.  There is quite a contrast in these verses indeed.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  One of the things that the Lord is teaching me as I go through this storm over our investments is that this is not my home, for I am only passing through.  This place where I live is the “proving grounds” for the new place which is talked about in this verse, and that is heaven, or the New Jerusalem.  I cannot afford to hang on to the things of this earth that will all someday pass away.  The Lord has made me a steward of some things that are on this earth, but He wants me to above all, place my total trust in Him, and not the things that He has given me to be a steward over.  There are times in this life on earth where I will have to bear the disgrace that Christ bore, but as this verse says this earth is only temporary.

 

The Word of God did indeed present some challenges to me, yet as the same time was refreshing to my heart.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  As this date that has been set up by Andrew Lech to pay the money back to all of us approaches those who has sought out lawyers to plead their case for them my be putting all of us into a longer time frame to receive our funds back.  As all of this goes on I have to continue to trust the Lord for His timing and for His will, and also for His matchless grace to handle what he has for me to go through.

 

Make A Stand for Jesus (Heb. 13:12-13)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-06-03

 

                                                                                                                       

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Make a stand for Jesus

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Hebrews 13:12-13

 

            Message of the verse:  “12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.  13 Hence, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.”  (NASB)  “So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates in order to make his people holy by shedding his own blood.  So let us go out to him outside the camp and bear the disgrace he bore.”  (NLT)

These two verses continue to give an allegory that the writer is telling his readers.  Jesus was crucified outside the city in order that he may sanctify those who would believe through His blood.  The word sanctify is translated into different English words from the Greek word.  Strongs give these definitions for the word: 

“AV-sanctify 26, hallow 2, be holy 1; 29

1) to render or acknowledge, or to be venerable or hallow

2) to separate from profane things and dedicate to God

2a) consecrate things to God

2b) dedicate people to God

3) to purify

3a) to cleanse externally

3b) to purify by expiation: free from the guilt of sin

3c) to purify internally by renewing of the soul”

Jesus Christ has done these things for the believer, He has made us holy, and He has set apart these now “holy people” for service.

            Now because He has done these things for the believers we are to separate ourselves from the things of the world, (the old camp) and we must bear the disgrace that He bore for us.  We must stand up for Jesus Christ in our daily lives as we sere Him each day.  Paul put it this way in two of his letters he wrote:  “Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  2 Timothy 1:12  For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”  These two verses give wonderful insight into how believers should live their lives for the glory of the Lord.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I would say that these verses that are quoted from Paul’s writings are good advice on how to live my life each and everyday that the Lord lends me breathe.  I am not to be ashamed of what the Lord has done for me and must be willing to tell others of this wonderful work of grace as the Lord gives me opportunity.

 

The Word of God was very challenging to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Not to be ashamed of the Gospel, nor of the Lord of the Gospel.

 

 

Christ Died Outside of Jerusalem (Heb. 13:11)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-05-03

 

                                                                                                           

My Worship Time                                          Focus: Christ Died Outside Jerusalem

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Hebrews 13:11

 

Message of the verse:  “11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp.”  (NASB)  “Under the system of Jewish laws, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, but the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp.”  (NLT)

            This verse speaks of the Day of Atonement, where the High Priest would go into the Most Holy Place and would put the blood of an animal onto the top of the Ark of the Covenant for the sins of the nation of Israel, and then the body of the animal would be burned outside the walls of Jerusalem.  Jesus Christ was crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem for the sins of all, so the Day of Atonement was a picture of what would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  The readers of this letter wanted to go back into this Jewish types and symbols of Christ in order to avoid persecution from the unbelieving Jews, and the writer is telling them to get out of this old and on with the new in spite of the possible persecution that could come upon them.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I can learn for this verse that I am not to take the easy way out of the things in life, rather I am to, by faith, do as the Lord has shown me in His Word, and as I am taught from my Church, and do as I learn from the devotions I do each day. 

 

The Word of God has brought challenges to my heart today as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I want to trust the Lord to keep me true to His Word and to Him in spite of circumstances or consequences. 

Different Altar (Hewb. 13:10)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-04-03

 

                                                                                                                       

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus: Different Altar

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Hebrews 13:10

 

            Message of the verse:  “10 We have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.”  (NASB)  “We have an altar from which the priests in the Temple on earth have no right to eat.”  (NLT)

            The altar for the NT believer is Jesus Christ, for He is the altar, the sacrifice, and the priest.  The verse says that the priest in the Temple on earth has no right to eat, but we as NT believers do partake in the Lord’s Supper, and this is symbolic of Jesus Christ and His broken body and blood which is the blood of the new covenant.  In verse nine the writer mentions foods in a bad since for the believer, in a sense where they are not to use the in a wrong way to worship, but here in verse ten the food he speaks of is Jesus Christ.  I will quote a portion of John chapter six to show more about this subject of symbolically eating the Lord’s flesh:  “53 Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 ‘He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.  55 ‘For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.  56 ‘He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.  57 ‘As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me.  58 ‘This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever.’”  Just to clarify something about these verses in John that I have learned from my recent study in John’s gospel, and that is that these verses are not speaking of the Lord’s Table.  John MacArthur writes the following in his commentary on the gospel of John:  “Jesus, of course, was not speaking of literally drinking the fluid in His veins any more than He was of literally eating His flesh.  Both metaphors refer to the necessity of accepting Jesus’ sacrificial death.  The New Testament frequently uses the term blood as a graphic metonym speaking of Christ’s death on the cross as the final sacrifice for sin.”  3/21/2017 8:42 AM

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I am not so sure that I have gotten all of the meaning from this verse, but I do believe that this verse does in some way talk about the Lord’s Supper, [As stated above I do not believe this is about the Lord’s Supper since my study in the Gospel of John],  for that is how I, as a believer partake of the blood and body of Jesus Christ, and it is also a reminder of the pain and suffering He went through to purge me from my sins.  It also causes me to think about the promised return of the Lord from heaven to take all believers to be with Him forever.

 

The Word of God was challenging to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I trust the Lord to use me for the cause of Christ today.  I would pray that He would be pleased to use me and to speak through me as I go about my day.