Chapter Eleven

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The dual purpose of Jesus’ Blood

In the last chapter, we learned that God declared the Hebrews holy and sanctified. We begin this chapter by showing you the relationship of Jesus’ blood to the eternal ratification of this Abrahamic Friendship covenant from God’s side.

You remember that the blood of Abraham and the blood of his Seed Group (through circumcision) ratified this Friendship Covenant from their side. Remember also that God ratified his end of it with the blood of birds and animals but He shed not one drop of his own blood.

You also remember that 430 years after God made the covenant with Abraham, which gave the Hebrews healing, prosperity, family well being as well as salvation, He gave the Law through Moses. Furthermore, He attached the Abrahamic Friendship Covenant to Moses’ law so that the two functioned as one.

You remember that when a Hebrew sinned under Moses’ law, he just had to make the proper Mosaic sacrifice in the proper manner and he maintained everything he was born with in the Abrahamic Friendship Covenant. You also remember that if he sinned and did not sacrifice properly, he lost everything he had by birth in the covenant.

The first purpose of Jesus’ blood

At the death of Jesus, the shedding of His blood had a dual purpose. The first purpose was to replace the sacrificial blood of bulls, goats, cows, and sheep. You know by now that the blood of the sacrifices in the Old Testament maintained the Abrahamic blessings. Now, however, the blood of Jesus replaced the blood of bulls, goats, cows and sheep. Now, His blood does what the animal sacrifices did in the Old Testament.

There was, however, a radical difference between the blood of Jesus and the blood of animals: Jesus blood contained such power; He only had to shed it “once for all time.” The blood of animals had to be repeated for every sin committed. This “once for all time” shedding of Jesus’ blood was the first of the dual roles discharged by His blood.

This “once for all” shedding of Jesus’ blood continued the Hebrews’ eternal sanctification and holiness. It also continued their healing, prosperity, family well being and salvation. All they had to do to maintain everything they had by birth was accept His blood: they must accept it for the final sacrifice for their sins; they must accept it as God’s ratification of his covenant with Abraham.

Heb 10:10

10            By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (KJV)

Heb 10:14

14                For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (KJV)

“Once for all,” meant that they never had to sacrifice again to maintain anything they possessed by birth in the Abrahamic covenant. This included sanctification and holiness. This “once for all” shedding of Jesus’ blood maintained the Hebrew’s eternal sanctification and holiness.

Remember again that when they sinned and made the proper Mosaic sacrifice, they maintained what they were born with. We’ve already learned they were born with healing, prosperity, family well being and salvation. In addition, we’ve learned they were also born sanctified and holy by the decree of God in the Abrahamic Friendship Covenant. Since Jesus’ blood replaced the blood of bulls, goats, cows and sheep, it and it alone now maintains all of these for them.

The second purpose of Jesus’ blood

The second purpose of Jesus’ blood was the ratification (from God’s side) of the Abrahamic Friendship covenant. When Jesus came the first time, God stopped utilizing the blood of animals to ratify His covenant with Abraham. Now and forever, He ratified His covenant with His own eternal, all-powerful blood.

Oh, the precious blood of Jesus! The blood of animals just won’t do anymore. Now the Hebrews have the precious, powerful, eternal blood of God to perpetuate their eternal holiness and sanctification. Glory to the Lamb of God.

Remember, they counted this blood as common, ordinary, even less than the blood of an animal. The very blood of the very God! Worthless! Common! Everyday! Ordinary! Remember also, counting His blood as common was a premeditated, deliberate, willful act.

After considering the claims concerning Jesus, after having “led this message before their minds,” they deliberately and willfully made a decision: They rejected the blood of Jesus, God’s ratification of the Abrahamic covenant and His final sacrifice for their sins under Moses’ law. They committed this willful sin for which there was and is no more sacrifice.

 The Witness of The Holy Ghost against the Group 3A Hebrews

The Group 3A Hebrews had done despite unto the Spirit of Grace. “Despite” translates the Greek word, enubridzo (insult). These Group 3A Hebrews actually insulted the Holy Ghost. Can you imagine this? They insulted the Holy Ghost. When they trod Jesus under their feet, they insulted the Holy Ghost. When they rejected Jesus’ blood, they insulted the Holy Ghost. When they called His blood common, they insulted the Holy Ghost. When they rejected His sacrifice, they insulted the Holy Ghost. When they rejected his Great High Priesthood, they insulted the Holy Ghost. They have eternally insulted the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost presses the claims of Jesus upon the human heart. Each time He pressed these claims upon the hearts of these Group 3A Hebrews, they rejected them. Each time they rejected them, they insulted the Holy Ghost. Since Jesus’ blood replaced the blood of bulls, goats, cows, and sheep and they rejected it, is it any wonder there is no more sacrifice for their sins?

Now, all that Group 3A has left is the awful, dreaded anticipation of judgment and fiery indignation, because God will recompense them for what they have done to Jesus. He will pay them back in full. He will judge them. They will indeed fall into the hands of the living God. They will experience the unspeakable fear associated with all the above.

More Brilliant Uses of Pronouns

Next, we come to another of our Author’s brilliant use of pronouns. Having finished what he wanted to say (in Heb. 10: 26-31) about the willful sin of Group 3A, he changed pronouns in verse 32. This change of pronouns signaled that he had a different group of Hebrews in mind now. Even the context declares that a different group is in view here.

The previous group had deliberately, willfully, and premeditatedly rejected Jesus. They had committed the willful sin that left them with no sacrifice. The group of Hebrews below, however, had accepted Jesus. Our Author was part of this group. He wrote to encourage them. Watch the bold words, below, and you will easily understand the following Scripture.

Heb 10:32-37

32            But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye (Group 2) were illuminated, ye (Group Two) endured a great fight of afflictions;

33            Partly, whilst ye (Group 2) were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye (Group 2) became companions of them (Author and others of Group 2 who had suffered so) that were so used.

34            For ye had compassion of me (the Author who is part of Group 2) in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your (Group 2) goods, knowing in yourselves (Group 2) that ye (Group 2) have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

35            Cast not away therefore your (Group 2) confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

36            For ye (Group 2) have need of patience, that, after ye (Group 2) have done the will of God, ye (Group 2) might receive the promise.

37                For yet a little while, and he (Jesus) that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (KJV) (Parentheses and bold words mine)

Notice the pronouns in the above Scriptures. They are ye, your and yourselves. Remember, in the previous section, our Author dealt with them by using the we pronoun. Remember, too, this we pronoun meant “any of us Hebrew people.” By changing pronouns, our Author alerted his readers that he was addressing an entirely different group of Hebrews (Group Two) out of the nation as a whole. By changing pronouns to ye and you, the Author lets us know that he was addressing those Hebrews who have accepted Christ as their final sacrifice for sin. Remember, verses 32-37 above were addressed to Group Two.

Actually, the Author referred to you right in the middle of his Willful Sin Warning. In Heb. 10: 29, the Author asked for the opinion of you, in Group Two, about the he in Group 3A who trampled Jesus under his feet, counted His blood unholy, and insulted the Holy Ghost.

Heb 10:29

29        Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye (Group Two,) shall he (the one in Group 3A) be thought worthy, who (Group 3A) hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he (Group 3A) was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (KJV) (Parentheses and bold words mine)

Our Author wanted these Group Two Hebrews to know that the Christian experience is a battle rom start to finish. He reminds them that they had endured a great fight of afflictions, they were made a gazingstock, and they were companions of others who experienced reproaches and afflictions.

Then he reminds them that they had been compassionate even towards him--the Author-- while he endured bonds. He reminded them that they knew their substance in heaven was better than here and that it endured there. He reminded them of all this.

Then, in verse 35, he encourages them “not to cast away” their confidence because it carries with it the “great recompense of reward.” “Cast not away” translates the Greek negative, a, plus the combined words, apo (back or away), plus ballo (to throw). This combination, therefore, means “do not throw away.” In other words, “Do not throw back or throw away your confidence,” he told them.

“Recompense of reward” translates three Greek words rolled into one. The first Greek word is misthos (wages).  The second Greek word is apo (back). The third Greek word in this combination is didomi, which means “to give.” The resulting word, then, means “to give back wages.” To put it differently, God will give you wages just for maintaining your confidence. Think of this for just a moment. What an incentive to faith. God will pay wages to you for your confidence!

Next, our Author encourages these Christians Hebrews to be “patient” because they will receive God’s promise after they have done the will of God. “Patience” translates a Greek word that combines two Greek words. It combines hupo, which means “under,” with meno, which means “to remain” or “to abide.” The combination means “to remain under.” Putting this differently, when these saved, Group Two Hebrews have a promise from God, they must stay under that promise no matter what happens. When God promises, things happen. Stay the course. Stay under the promise.

Remember, many of God’s promises contain an “if clause” and a “then clause.” In other words, there is a part for us to do in God’s promises. Do that. Just do it! This is God’s will for us. Then, once we have done the will of God as revealed in His promise, we will receive what God promised.

Is there a specific promise He is talking about in this context? Yes. What is it? Here it is; “He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.”

Our Author is encouraging these saved, Group Two Hebrews to keep up their confidence in the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. The promise, then, in this context, is the promise of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Our Author is telling them to “stay under” this promise. Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming. Praise God. Stay the course. Jesus is coming. He will not tarry!

Next we look at Major Warning #6. As you read the Scripture below, carefully watch the groups we placed in the bold parentheses for you, and this Scripture will clear up for you.

Major Warning #6

Heb 10:38-39

38            Now the just (Group Two) shall live by faith: but if any man (Group 3A) draw back, my soul (Group 2) shall have no pleasure in him (Group 3A.)

38                But we (Group 2) are not of them (Group 3A) who draw back unto perdition; but of them (Group 2) that believe to the saving of the soul. (KJV) (Parentheses and bold words mine)

Remember what we learned about the words translated by our English words just, justified, justify, sanctification, sanctify, sanctified, righteous and righteousness? All these words can translate the same Greek root that means “cleared of all guilt.”

Now in verse 38 above, “just” means “one who has been cleared of all the guilt of all his sins.” This can only pertain to those Hebrews (Group Two) who have accepted Jesus as the final sacrifice for all his sins. This acceptance takes away all the guilt for his sins. They can stand before God with no guilt at all, because God accepted the blood of Jesus as the final sacrifice for the sins of all Hebrews for all time. Because they accepted Jesus’ blood, they are “just.” They are not guilty. They stand before God as though they had never sinned at all in their entire lifetime.

Furthermore, these justified Hebrews in Group Two must also live by faith. In your Bible, mark the word “by” out of verse 38 above and change it to “out of.” The Greek word, ek, translated “by,” is a proposition that means “out of.” This word designates “source.” In other words, these Group Two Hebrews who had accepted Jesus as their final sacrifice for sin under Moses’ law, must live, from that day on, “out of” their faith.

What did our Author mean? What does “live out of their faith” mean? You must remember that faith means “information we get from God for us to act upon.” Now, the information our Author hammers home in the Book of Hebrews is just this: Jesus is the final sacrifice for sin under Moses’ law. As such, God no longer accepts the blood of bulls, goats, sheep, and cows. In other words, all Hebrews must now act upon this information. They must accept Jesus or perish. There is no other way. It is Jesus or hell. Only Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. This is the information (faith) “out of” which they must live.

Next, our Author issues another stern, major warning. He said that if any of these Hebrews should “draw back,” his soul would have no pleasure in him. This emphatically means that a Hebrew, born saved because of his place in the Abrahamic family, could come to the trough of Jesus’ sacrifice but not drink from it. He could draw back from accepting Jesus, God’s last and final sacrifice for his sins.  One more time! How, just exactly, did a Hebrew “draw back” from living “out of his faith?”

To answer this, we must state that God had given them the information that Jesus was His final sacrifice for sin under Moses’ law. He gave this information for the benefit of the entire Hebrew nation. Putting it differently, this information applied to every Hebrew. There were no exceptions.

Therefore, for any Hebrew to remain saved, he must accept Jesus as God’s final sacrifice. If he did, he not only remained saved but also maintained the other Abrahamic blessings of healing, prosperity, family well being, sanctification and holiness. If he did not accept Jesus, he lost all his Abrahamic blessings mentioned above, including salvation.

Now, we must get back to our question. How did a Hebrew “draw back?” He “drew back” by doing two things. First, he “drew back” by bringing before his mind the information that Jesus was God’s final sacrifice for sin under Moses’ law. Second, he “drew back” by refusing to act on this information. He “drew back” by refusing to accept Jesus, God’s final sacrifice for sin. This “drawing back” resulted in his losing every blessing he was born with. His “drawing back” caused him to lose every blessing that God gave him in the Abrahamic covenant.

Let us remind our Readers once again that our Author skillfully used pronouns to extract himself from those contexts that pertain to those Hebrews who rejected Jesus, God’s final sacrifice for sin. Consequently, he does it here. He said, “We are not part of them who draw back unto perdition.”

“Perdition” translates the Greek word apoleia, which means “loss of well being.” This word means utter destruction of well-being. Thayer shows the ways it is translated in the King James Version: “damnable, destruction, die, perdition, perish, pernicious ways and waste.” Putting it differently, this word means “ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal.)” (JHT P70, 71)

Please note that our Author is not part of this “draw back” group. He was part of the group who believed (acted upon the information that Jesus was God’s final sacrifice for sin) to the saving of his soul. The “draw back group” failed to act upon God’s information and lost their soul. Those Hebrews who make up Group 3A have gone to hell by the millions from the time of the Cross of Christ until this present hour.

Two groups of Hebrews are in view in Heb. 10: 38-39. One group (Group Two) believed (acted upon the information) and maintained all their Abrahamic blessings. They kept everything they had as their birthright in the Abrahamic covenant. The other group (Group Three) came to the very edge of accepting God’s final sacrifice for sin, but did not. They drew back. They backed off the very Son of God. They refused to accept Jesus. They rejected him outright. They brought the information before their minds and deliberately, willfully rejected him. There remaineth no more sacrifice for their sins. They committed the willful sin.

Here is a very simple, abbreviated outline to help you understand
the groups in Heb. 10: 26-39.

1.      Heb. 10: 26-27 pertains to “any of us Hebrew people.” The pronoun used is “we” for “any of us Hebrews.”

2.      Heb. 10: 28-31 pertains to Group 3A. They had absolutely and totally rejected Jesus, God’s final sacrifice for their sins.

3.      Heb. 10: 32-37 pertains to Group Two, those Hebrews who had accepted Jesus, God’s final sacrifice for their sins.

4.      Heb. 10: 38-39 pertains first, to Group 3A who drew back and did not accept Jesus, God’s final sacrifice for sin, and second, to Group Two who had accepted Jesus. Group Two believed to the saving of their soul.

Final Major Warning #7

We come now to the Final Major Warning in Hebrews. Surely by now, no Gentile Christian will place herself into any of these warnings. She simply does not belong in any of them. They are strictly for the Hebrews. Here, then, are the Scriptures for this all-important final warning.

Heb 12:25

25        See that ye (Group 3A) refuse not him that speaketh. For if they (Old Testament Hebrew people) escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we (any of us Hebrew people) escape, if we (any of us Hebrew people) turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: (KJV) (Parentheses and bold words mine)

In this Scripture, we see a contrast between God’s speaking to them (through Moses) from Mt. Sinai on earth and Jesus’ speaking to them from heaven. When God spoke through Moses from Sinai, everything happened to them just as He said it would. They escaped not one word of what He said then. Furthermore, since Jesus speaks from heaven now, there is no way for them to escape from what He says either. How foolish they were to turn away from what He said.

“Refuse” translates paraiteomai. This combines two Greek words. It combines para that means “by the side of” with aiteo, which means to “ask forcefully.” The combination then means to “forcefully ask aside.” In other words, it means to “beg off,” to “forcefully ask to be exempted,” to “avoid,” to “be excused,” to “refuse,” or to “reject.”

Here, they are told not to attempt this at all, because it would not work: they couldn’t get away with it and escape when God spoke from Sinai; they can’t get away with it and escape now that Jesus speaks from heaven.

“Escaped” translated the Greek word ekphuego. This word combines two Greek words. It joins the preposition ek, which means “out of,” to the verb pheugo, which means “to flee.” The resultant word means to “flee out of.” The context here shows the impossibility of “fleeing out of” the judgment of God after they refused Jesus’ blood, God’s final sacrifice for sin and personal ratification of Abraham’s covenant.

The warning is this: since they could not escape when God spoke on earth through Moses, much more does the impossibility loom before them that what they attempted here was inescapable! To refuse Jesus’ speech is much, much more important than what they heard at Sinai. Therefore, “much more shall we (any of us Hebrew people) not escape if we turn away from Jesus when he speaks from heaven.” (Parenthesis mine)

In the next chapter, we interpret (for you) the balance of the “Lest Warnings” contained in the Book of Hebrews.  

 

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