Monday, July 9, 2012

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CXVIII

Hebrews chapter 5 verse 10. We’re still dealing with Christ the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek and how Christ suffered and died and rose from the dead and then as we saw back in chapter 1 verse 3:


Hebrews 1:3b
"…when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"

Which indicated when He sat down that the work was finished. And never forget that, its a done deal from there on out. That twice in God’s dealings throughout the human history, He finished a work that was so perfect that He could sit down. The first one of course, was the work of Creation. Then the last verse of chapter 1 said, "and He saw that it was (what?) very good." It was perfect and then you get into chapter 2, it doesn’t say He sat down but it says "He rested". And I make the point that if you’re tired and you’ve had a long day what do you do to rest? Well, you sit down, and take a load off, as we say. And so God rested.


The work of the Lord's Last Passover through the garden, trial and then the Cross and up to an including His ascension is the same way. It was so perfect, there was not a flaw in that work. There was nothing that needed yet to be done. And so when He had purged our sins, He redeemed us from them, and opened the way to our Salvation He sat down. It was finished. And you know, ever since, what has mankind been trying to do? Add to it! One thing or another, adding to it. And, we think God is almost beside Himself that mankind cannot accept the fact that it was a finished work. But for this one thing, we need to learn Christ by taking of His yoke for His burden is light. Why? Because He blazed and forged the way ahead of us and the Apostle Paul is our example, as he followed Christ our chief leader. Now let’s begin with verse 10.


Hebrews 5:10
"Called of God an high priest
(not after the order of Aaron's priesthood as it only could deal with the external or material world around them but) after the order of Melchizedek."
Who, remember, was the high priest of the Most High God, which was the definition of God concerning the non-Jewish world. Now we’ll move down into verse 11 and we’re going to again depart from the priesthood of Melchizedek for a little bit. We’re going to come down into the life of the ordinary believer. The ordinary Hebrew in this case, but we’re no different.


Hebrews 5:11
"Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing."

What is Paul referring to? It was hard for him to talk to them about the priesthood of Christ and after His finished work. Why? Because they were so thick-headed. They just couldn’t get it through their heads. And so he says, "You are dull of hearing." Now verse 12, why were they dull of hearing? Well it was a malaise, we think - it was just of no real interest. In fact, we can safely say, this to anyone of you, we don’t care what church you go to, it’s no different denomination by denomination. Large churches or small. How many of your fellow-church people have a true hunger and thirst for God or the Word of God? How many of them can honestly say, I just can’t wait until I can get into another Bible study. This requires a New Spirit be in them as Jeremiah said in chapter 31:32-36 and Ezekiel says a new spirit in chapters 11:19, 18:31 and 36:26.

Receiving a New spirit is exciting, because once people get an appetite once a week isn’t enough. But you see this is the whole idea that Paul is expressing here. Most professing believers have no hunger or thirst for the Word of God or God. They’re dull of hearing. As long as they fulfill their obligation and they’re there for an hour or two a week, they think that’s all that’s necessary. I remember as a kid our neighbors would make it a point to attend their denominational church on Christmas and Easter as for the rest of the year all most never. And this is what Paul is dealing with when he says in verse 12:


Hebrews 5:12
"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers,
(what does that mean? You should be sharing it with people but instead, Paul says,) you have need that one teach you again which are the first principles of the oracles of God."
So right there between the lines what is the process that God hopes to see happen? That after you’ve been taught, you share it with others. Now that doesn’t mean you have to collar them and preach at them or anything like that, but be ready to open the Scriptures. Be ready any place and at any time and take no thought of what to say as the Holy Spirit will cause His word to flow from you like rivers of flowing living waters. In this way the Spirit gives or imparts His Life to those who receive of Him.




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