King, High Priest, Forever: Session Three
In our last session, we unpacked the second chapter of Hebrews, where we began to dig into why the Son of God came as a man. That chapter ended with the following passage which is good reminder that we need to have in our heads as we continue forward.
Hebrews 2:14-18 (ESV)
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
First portion of Scripture to read: Hebrews 3:1-19
I know, I Know, it seems like a lot more than the last two, but if I only do a single chapter at a time, we'll be here forever.
We'll start just by reading Hebrews Chapter 3, and later on we'll read Chapter 4
Hebrews 3:1–19 (ESV)
3 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
A Rest for the People of God
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. 10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ 11 As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ”12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
Jesus the Apostle and High Priest (Hebrews 3:1-2)
The Lord is referred to as the "Apostle and High Priest of our confession" at the start of this chapter, what does that mean? Didn't Jesus select the Apostles, how can He be one also?
Let's look at the meaning of the word in Greek.
The word is ἀπόστολον or apostolon which can also be translated as "delegate" or "messenger". Jesus was appointed by the Father for the ministry He took up on earth, He said as much constantly in the gospels, so Him being a messenger makes sense. That same title is given of the Lord in Malachi 3:1, there are actually two messengers being referenced. The second one, "The Messenger of the Covenant", is the Angel of the LORD on Mount Sinai which is actually Jesus (You can read my study here covering that).
With the last chapter reminding us to hold fast to the promise of salvation preached by the Son of God during His time on earth, this title is referring back to that, and it's a title of Honor.
We also refer to the 12 Apostles with the same title for the same reason, elevation above a mere delegate to honor their service to God, which is actually a major theme in the book of Hebrews.
To summarize what we have read of Hebrews so far in this study, for Jesus to be our Delegate and High Priest of our confession, He had to come as a man, and be sinless. As we covered in the last chapter, all of His sufferings were so that He could relate to us as our Brother in the Household of God. Him being our Delegate — our Apostle — and High Priest is fitting, since He partook of the same sufferings and death we do, therefore we can partake in the rest and eternal life the Lord Jesus offers.
The Builder Honored (Hebrews 3:3-6)
Now as we continue on, the Author reminds us that men are usually honored more than their creation. The architect is given honor, while his creation (his building, or bridge or what have you) praises him by showing the fruit of his labor.
A House biblically is representative of a family, you've probably heard the term "House of David" which essentially means the lineage of David, but it's also about the function and form as much as the members of the home. A servant when sent in the capacity to represent your house, as a delegate you could say, can offer counsel or a message on behalf of the house itself. They are also given some level of authority, and with that authority their word is binding to those subject to them as members or partakers of the household.
Throughout scripture, Moses is referred to as the servant of the LORD. He was appointed by God for his ministry — the deliverance of Israel — and is often taken to be a type of Christ. Moses' ministry mirrors the ministry of Christ in many ways, intersects in others, and I discussed a lot of that in my last series, so I won't be discussing that too much today.
The difference between the two could not be greater, Moses himself testified that a prophet would come after him, and that anyone who doesn't listen: "I will require it of him" — which is the penalty of death for their sin, and disobedience.
Deuteronomy 18:15–19 (ESV)
A New Prophet like Moses
15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the LORD said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.
That prophet — that Apostle, Messenger, Delegate — is Jesus. The contrast here, Hebrews has already established that the Son of God was also the author of creation, and that's why it makes the point that the builder of the house has more honor than the house itself.
The House of Israel was built by the promises of the Lord. To Abraham in Ur when the Lord called him up from his homeland, to Isaac when a famine forced him to dwell in the land of the Philistines, to Jacob when he wrestled with the Angel of the Lord until the sun rose — being renamed to Israel.
We're not covering every step, but the Lord was there with Moses when He cut the covenant at Sinai, Jesus built the House we inhabit upon the promise of salvation in God alone. Moses died, pointing Israel towards the rest that God will provide for them, never having set foot in the promised land. This is going to be a major theme later in the book, so we won't go into detail on that yet. For now, notice how verse 6 ends: "And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope."
Every single person I mentioned, had to act on their Faith in order to be obedient to the Lord, but many throughout this story were not obedient, like those in the wilderness who died. They fell away from the faith, and as such never entered the rest God had promised.
Hear His Voice (Hebrews 3:7-11)
The next portion is a quotation from Psalm 95:7-11, and it's attributed to the Holy Spirit speaking here. It is a warning and a reminder to us, as it was to them, the Author of Hebrews will make that very clear later on.
We discussed some of this in my previous study series, and since I covered it, I'm not going to discuss it in detail. The references are to Meribah and Massah, which was where Moses struck the rock in the wilderness and water flowed out. This event actually took place twice, and the second time Moses disobeyed the Lord by striking the rock and taking the Glory instead of speaking to the rock. For that, God said that Moses would not enter the promised land with Israel.
This is symbolic of our own obedience to the Lord, "If you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts" is a call for us to listen to conviction. The rebellion in the wilderness happens after Israel witnesses the miracles performed in Egypt to deliver them. Just like that, we too can rebel against God after we've been delivered from our sin, our own spiritual Egypt.
The quotation is closer to the Greek translation of the Psalm since it uses the words "rebellion" and "desert" or "wilderness" which is used in the Greek translation. As with the previous two studies I will be reading from the SAAS translation of the Greek Scriptures, which is not going to be a 1:1 of what we read quoted from the ESV since it has a different translation group (and uses a different base translation template from the NKJV, but that's not really relevant to this study though).
Psalm 94(95) SAAS
1 The praise of an ode by David. Come, let us greatly rejoice in the Lord; Let us shout aloud to God our savior; 2 Let us come before His face with thanksgiving, And let us shout aloud to Him with psalms. 3 For the Lord is a great God, A great King over all the gods; 4 For in His hand are the ends of the earth, And the heights of the mountains are His; 5 For the sea is His, and He made it, And His hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us worship and fall down before Him, And let us weep before the Lord who made us; 7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you hear His voice, 8 “Do not harden your hearts as in the Rebellion, During the day of testing in the desert, 9 Where your fathers tempted Me; They tested Me, and saw My works. 10 For forty years I was treated with contempt by that generation, And I said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they do not know My ways’; 11 So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
Notice that the Psalm is a Psalm of worship to the Creator of Heaven and Earth. He is "A great King over all the gods" which I think is a direct reference to the Divine Counsel. Some theologians hold to a theory that the Angels were given temporary dominion over the nations, and they misused that authority to become gods themselves instead of shepherding the world to the One True God. This is supported by the Greek Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls which have an interesting version of Deuteronomy 32:8, where in the Masoretic text it says "he fixed the borders of the nations according to the number of the sons of Israel" it says "sons of God" which would be Angelic beings. This makes sense for that passage too, since the very next verse contrasts this by saying "But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage."
This reading lends credence to that belief, since God during the Exodus was actually demonstrating His power over the other so-called gods of Egypt, just as much as he was freeing the people of Israel, it would make sense then that He is called a great King. The events of the Exodus are a wonderful mirror to the Gospel, where through Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, He destroyed the "powers" of Satan and his angels, and freed us from our slavery in spiritual Egypt.
The warning also stresses that those who were disobedient to the LORD did not enter his rest, what does that mean? Moses wasn't allowed into the promised land, but earlier in Exodus, God promised Moses that He will give him rest.
Exodus 33:12–14 (ESV)
Moses’ Intercession
12 Moses said to the LORD, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” 14 And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
That means, then, that God's rest is not on earth in a physical place, and that's something the Author of Hebrews will elaborate on later, but for now let us proceed.
Today, Do Not Harden Your Heart (Hebrews 3:12-19)
This warning not to harden our hearts to conviction is followed by elaborating on exactly what Psalm 95 mentions, that those who were disobedient in the wilderness did not enter God's rest. Some "fell away" from the grace of God by disobedience, by being deceived by sin to serve Idols, and putting God to the test, grumbling against their salvation they so desperately needed.
It exhorts us not to be hardened and deceived by sin. It's rather easy to make excuses for your sinful behaviors, and this is a dangerous place to be in. This warning really resonates with me, because I speak from experience when I say that it's easy to excuse your own sin.
Romans 2:3–16 (ESV)
3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.
God’s Judgment and the Law
12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
It's no coincidence that the Psalm is warning us not to disobey God in our convictions, and that Paul is also warning us not to ignore our convictions. Both end with the same warning: The wrath of God falls on those who disobey. This isn't legalism, it's a living Faith that shows you love the Lord like you should. Israel was saved from their slavery in Egypt, we were saved from our slavery to sin. It's the same deal with them, as it is with us.
Second Portion of Scripture to read: Hebrews 4:1-16
Hebrews 4 (ESV)
4 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,
“As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’ ”although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this passage he said,
“They shall not enter my rest.”6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The Gospel Preached to Israel as to Us (Hebrews 4:1-8)
The promise of rest was not about entering the land on earth, this will be a continued theme for the book of Hebrews, but is actually God's rest that we enter. Israel was preached the Gospel, since as Jesus pointed out, the Lord spoke from the bush testifying that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were alive, they ought to realize that the promise was not one on this earth.
It was their lack of faith in what God had promised, that He would deliver them into the land He had promised, and to give them rest, that caused them to disobey Him. God testified through Moses that He had provided rest for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and it's recorded in Genesis that Abraham was brought to his fathers in peace.
Genesis 15:13–15 (ESV)
13 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age.
That peace is the rest which God promises to those who remain faithful, as Abraham did — being tested even after God had given him his son Isaac in his old age. The promise sworn to Abraham long ago, was reaffirmed "today" as the author of Hebrews would put it. Abraham listened and obeyed the Lord's voice, the promise is made sure.
Genesis 22:15–18 (ESV)
15 And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
Israel's Idea of Rest
Let's look quickly at what "rest" was to Israel in the day of Joshua and Judges
Joshua 21:43–45 (ESV)
43 Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. 44 And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
They view rest as coming to possess the land in peace, and Joshua says the same thing later in his speech
Joshua 22:1–6 (ESV)
The Eastern Tribes Return Home
22 At that time Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I have commanded you. 3 You have not forsaken your brothers these many days, down to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge of the LORD your God. 4 And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, as he promised them. Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.
As we continue into Judges, Israel views rest as possession of the land — every time there is war the conclusion ends with "And the land had rest for forty years" or however many years there was peace. Notice though, the land had rest, and each time the promised rest mentions the obedience tied to it. Israel must obey God and follow the commandments given to them in order to keep possession of the promise. Through faith and endurance, clinging to the promise that God will deliver them, they enter into His rest.
For example, not exhaustively the story of Gideon starts because Israel had rejected God's covenant, Midian began oppressing them. They called out to God and through faith and obedience to God, Gideon delivered them just like Moses had.
Judges 8:28 (ESV)
28 So Midian was subdued before the people of Israel, and they raised their heads no more. And the land had rest for forty years in the days of Gideon.
God's Idea of Rest
Isaiah 11:10 (SAAS)
10 “It shall come to pass in that day that there shall be a Root of Jesse who shall arise to rule nations. The Gentiles shall hope in Him, and His resting place shall be honorable.”
Isaiah 28:9-16 (SAAS)
9 To whom have we reported evils and declared a message? Those weaned from milk and withdrawn from the breasts. 10 Expect affliction upon affliction, hope upon hope, yet a little, yet a little. 11 By reason of the contempt of lips and another tongue they will speak to this people, 12 saying to them, “This is the rest for the hungry, and this is the affliction,” but they would not listen. 13 The teaching of the Lord God will be for them affliction upon affliction, hope upon hope, yet a little, yet a little, so they may go and fall backward; and they will be in danger, crushed and conquered. 14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you afflicted men and rulers of this people in Jerusalem. 15 Because you said, “We made a covenant with Hades, and are in agreement with death, and if the rushing storm passes through, it will not come upon us, for we made falsehood our hope, and in falsehood we shall be protected”; 16 therefore, thus says the Lord: “Behold, I lay for the foundations of Zion a costly stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone for its foundations, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.
God's Rest is tied to belief, and obedience to the Cornerstone laid by God, very similar to how Israel had viewed it historically. That cornerstone, Jesus Christ, brought teachings for the people of Israel, but they would not listen to Him. The passage of Isaiah I quoted above is taken from the Greek Old Testament. It is quoted a few places in the New Testament, but the main one I want to draw attention to is in 1 Peter, the Masoretic Text here does not refer to the Cornerstone as "Him" like the New Testament authors do. Some LXX translations use "It" here but the actual Greek word there is "αὐτῷ" or "auto": "him" when translated elsewhere all over the LXX Old Testament.
1 Peter 2:1–8 (ESV)
A Living Stone and a Holy People
2 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”8 and
“A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
Peter helpfully ties his Epistle right into this passage from Isaiah, saying that stumbling over the Stone is disobedience to the "Word" — λόγῳ or lógō — as they were destined to. Similar to Isaiah, Peter mentions "Like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk", drawing from Isaiah 28:9. There is similar language used later in Hebrews also, to chide the Hebrews themselves who had become immature in their faith and understanding of the "Oracles of God", a point we will be discussing later. Peter then leads his Epistle into an exhortation that echoes the Prophet Isaiah also: Believe in the cornerstone or else stumble and be broken.
Isaiah 28:17-28 (SAAS)
17 I will also cause judgment to be for hope, and My mercy to be for a standard. The sudden blast of wind will not pass by you who trust vainly in falsehood, 18 except it also take away your covenant of death. Your hope in Hades will also not stand when the rushing storm passes through, for you will be beaten down by it. 19 When it passes through, it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through by day, and by night there will be an evil hope.” Learn to listen, 20 you in difficult straits. We cannot fight, and we ourselves are too weak to gather ourselves together. 21 As the mountain of the ungodly will rise up and be in the valley of Gibeon, He will do His deeds in anger, a work of bitterness. His anger will behave strangely, and His bitterness will be strange. 22 So do not be glad, neither let your bands become strong; because I heard from the Lord of hosts the things He will perform upon all the earth. 23 Give ear and hear my voice. Listen and hear my words. 24 Will the plowman plow all day? Or will he prepare the seed before he cultivates the ground? 25 When he levels its surface, does he not then sow the small black cummin, and afterward sow the wheat, the barley, and the one-seeded wheat in your borders? 26 So you will be chastised by the judgment of your God and be gladdened by it. 27 For the black cummin is not cleansed with harshness, nor will the wheel of a wagon roll over the cummin; but the black cummin is threshed with a stick, and the cummin 28 will be eaten with bread. For I will not be angry with you forever, nor will the voice of my bitterness trample you underfoot.
Isaiah beautifully ties God's rest back into obedience, as do the rest of the Biblical Authors, we ought to listen carefully to the Lord when His righteous judgments are pronounced. Our "work" is done through obedience, through the Holy Spirit in us; as God makes level the ground, as He sows good seed in the soil of our souls, there are stages of development that take place.
Refer to the section below titled "Extra Info" if you would like to dive into the depth that can be found in that passage of Isaiah regarding crops and how it relates to our own lives.
Matthew 11:25–30 (ESV)
Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The Lord Jesus Christ promises us His rest if we come to Him, and learn from Him. Is this not what Isaiah spoke of? The teachings of the Lord bring affliction upon affliction — which is the reproof for our Sin, temporary discomfort. That temporary affliction is followed by hope upon hope — the eternal life promised to us through Jesus Christ.
The Work that leads to God's Rest (Hebrews 4:9-11)
God is cultivating us into being more like His Glorious Son Jesus Christ, and we should be glad to be chastened by our Heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus Christ and the Life-giving Holy Spirit who dwells within us — this is what Peter meant in 1 Peter 2:5. This work of God in our flesh has not been finished while we still breathe, nor will it continue on forever as mentioned in Isaiah 28:23-28; there remains a rest once the work is finished in us.
Philippians 1:3–11 (ESV)
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
That work is driven by our own obedience to the convictions which cultivate us. The Farmer cannot plow if the ground is frozen solid in rebellion, nor can He sow seed if the ground is not broken up to allow for it first. Sometimes the Heavenly corrections that come our way can feel like death when they are actually coming from The Giver of Life who is cultivating a crop of righteousness inside of you. That's what is meant by "So you will be chastised by the judgment of your God and be gladdened by it". The same pattern of grave warning into loving reassurance is followed in the book of Hebrews later, and I will be covering that more in depth when we get there. For now, I will leave it at this.
Philippians 1:21–28 (ESV)
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.
Through our obedience we bear the fruit of righteousness that is sown by and through Jesus Christ, only then do we enter God's rest when the work is brought to a completion "at the day of Jesus Christ".
Revelation 14:9–13 (ESV)
9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
Do we see the contrast? Those who reject God's salvation have no rest, day or night; those who die in the Lord rest from their labors.
Colossians 3:23–25 (ESV)
23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
The fuller context of this passage reminds us bond servants to obey their masters, and for masters to treat their bond servants with love because God doesn't show partiality. If this reminder served to remind them, it ought to remind us also. Our deeds follow us, and God will judge us based on our works: darkness receives darkness, light receives light.
1 Corinthians 3:10–4:5 (ESV)
10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
The Ministry of Apostles
4 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
The Word of God, Jesus (Hebrews 4:12-16)
Now this passage for some is taken to be about the Bible itself or Scripture in general, I do not believe this is an accurate exegesis of this passage. Just like at the start of Saint John's Gospel (John 1:1-18), the Word of God is Jesus Christ. The Word of God being "living and active" and "discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" only makes sense if it's a Man in heaven. It can not be a book that doesn't live or breathe; a Bible is the least active thing on a shelf when not touched or opened. The convictions we feel in our hearts while reading Scripture are not from the book itself, but by our Lord Jesus Christ who sits enthroned in Heaven, making intercession on our behalf, and the Spirit of Truth inside us conveying the message to us to the Glory of God the Father (John 14:15-28; John 16:5-15).
The Author makes that clear once you read the rest of the chapter. Jesus is our High Priest in the Household of God, and that House is us believers as the body of Christ — the Church — if we hold fast to our confession of Faith, and our Hope in Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can save us from our Sin, He is the ultimate High Priest to make atonement for His people because God alone understands our weakness and the temptations we experience. As we continue into the next parts of the book of Hebrews in the future, we will be unpacking what that means for us, that Jesus is the High Priest and why the Author of Hebrews is calling Him that in the first place.
God Bless you, and Thank you for reading!
Extra Info
As I was reading through the article again to verify it, I realized that I didn't really understand what Isaiah was talking about with the black cumin and the bread in Isaiah 28. Throughout history, Black Cumin also known as "Nigella Sativa" has been used to season breads.
I visited a very interesting website called FRYD and on the page for black cumin, the "Growing Tips" section reads the following:
Black cumin is not good for mixed crops because it can inhibit the growth of other plants, especially legumes. In addition, it can be very proliferative. Germination can take up to 21 days. When the fruit capsules turn brownish, the drop-shaped, dull black, anise-scented seeds are ready for harvest. The remaining parts of the plant are slightly poisonous and are not consumed.
Threshing to Refine Us
Threshing is basically whacking a plant that grows like this to cause the seeds on the top to fall off. It is done to remove the valuable part of the plant from the (as listed above in the case of black cumin) poisonous parts of the plant. Reflecting on what was said in Isaiah, we see a nice parallel for our own lives.
We spend our entire lives, growing up into adults and spending a lot of that time sinning. Some portion of that time, we do however produce a fruit that is useful to the Lord, which is the Black Cumin being threshed out of us as we go through seasons in our lives. To be useful to the Lord we must be chastened to produce a crop that is useful, while the poisonous parts that are no longer useful get collected and burned in fire.
Black Cumin was used to season bread all throughout history in the Middle East and Asia. The process laid out in Isaiah makes perfect cultural sense, that the cumin is eaten with the bread. All the crops listed in Isaiah's Greek version prefer a loamy soil, but when you look at the planting order of the crops, something interesting appears I think.
Crop Timing
Referring to "FRYD" above, Black cumin is usually planted in the early months of the year (March, April, May). As we know from the quotation of the Growing Tips from before, it's not a good crop to plant with other things because it can inhibit the growth of other plants. Black cumin is harvested in July and August.
There is something known as "winter wheat" which is able to grow in the colder months in milder climates. This variant of wheat, along with barley and emmer (aka the "one seeded wheat" from Isaiah 28 in Greek). All these Grains have winter variants also, that can be planted in the fall months after the fields have been harvested, reworked, fertilized and ready for planting.
This all makes sense for the region of Israel, because the area is really dry and hot in the summer. These grain crops require increased precipitation in these hotter climates, which makes them harder to grow in the summer. Winter variants take advantage of the cooler and wetter fall/winter seasons to be able to harvest the next year in the summer months, and Barley actually thrives in the cooler but not freezing temperatures experienced in the region around the winter months.
The Point of the Crops
All this to say that the seasons we experience in life — where we feel as if we're broken — may actually be where you are being prepared for something. Maybe you're in your Black Cumin Era: Maybe you're a bit invasive to the other crops being grown and just need some time alone to grow with the Lord. Perhaps you lash out when others try to love, or are still getting your footing trying to trust the Lord's plan for your life, but he is still producing some fruit that He can use. While in this era you probably feel beaten down a bit, maybe like the Lord is honing in on something in your life that He wants to see growth/change in. Once those late summer months come and the harvest is ready, the threshing time separates the Good Fruit in your life from the now slightly poisonous stems that grew it.
All the while He is preparing you for your Winter Grain Era: A season where your soil has been reworked after some previous growth, but for a new purpose. The Grain you are being prepared to grow will be made into beautiful Multi-Grain Bread, that is seasoned by the Black Cumin's seeds. The experiences you have had with God in the past — that you now look back on and only see those beautiful, black, herbaceous seeds — are now going to be seasoning the bread. You can safely grow among other believers, without being invasive, and working together you all grow the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord Jesus used imagery of the Kingdom of Heaven being like leaven for a reason.
Luke 13:18–21 (ESV)
The Mustard Seed and the Leaven
18 He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”
20 And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
The Grains being grown together are ground and mixed with your faith in Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit being given to us, we as a Church are now rising and bubbling with the life that is found in Christ alone. God helped cultivate all that growth in our lives, but our obedience to Him is what truly transformed us from a dead lump of flour at the end of the day, into a leavened loaf; Risen, alive, and sharing of the Eternal Glory Christ offers to those who believe and obey Him. The life testimony you obtain via obedience is a major portion of your confession of faith, that will be a major theme going forward as we get into the later stages of the book of Hebrews.