An Oath & A Promise
HEBREWS 6: 1-20
(November 4)
I had a conversation with my teenager this morning. I had asked her to clean her room. She said she did. Yet when I went in to wake her up, I saw various little messes scattered here and there.
I was upset with her and told her how frustrating it felt to have to continue to tell her the same thing over and over again. It gets old. It gets wearisome. I just need her to hear me the first time, and do what is asked of her, without the constant repeating of my words. I am trying to teach her to get the clear message the first time it is given to her.
So far ... we are still working on it!
The same thing is happening in Chapter 6 of Hebrews. The writer is feeling tired of repeating the same teachings about Christ over and over again. Why does the importance of repentance need to be explained multiple times? Or instructions about baptism? Or the laying of hands, resurrection of the dear, or eternal judgement? Or cleaning your room?
These things should be knowledge by now, and these believers should be maturing in their faith. They should be taking the hope they have in Christ and putting it into action.
When we become lazy in our beliefs, we begin to lose our faith. When we lose our faith, we begin to lose hope.
The writer speaks of an oath and a promise. When someone makes a promise to you, do you expect them to keep it? Do you keep the promises you make to others? Is your word reliable and something others can put their trust in?
God's word is faithful, even if we sometimes have to wait on it. It never fails us. Nothing in this world is more certain or secure than God's word.
God promised Abraham that he would bless him will a multitude of descendants and he kept that promise. Abraham had to wait patiently, but it did come to pass.
Because we can trust his word, we who have sought refuge in him can have confidence and hold on to the hope that we have in him. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. (Verse 19)
The writer speaks about our hope leading us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. The curtain hung across the entrance from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place and kept anyone from entering or even getting a glimpse of the Most Holy Place. Even the high priest could only go in once per year. The high priest would offer atonement for the sins of the nation at that time.
But when we have Christ as our Savior, we have that intercession between ourselves and God ALL THE TIME. He is our eternal High Priest. We can believe this because he made an oath and a promise, and his word is truth.