When studying any book or portion of God's Word, we should consider this question: "To whom is the Lord speaking?" Much false doctrine and perplexing problems have come about through failure to understand this question and the correct answer. When God is speaking to the lost, it is utterly foolish to try to apply this to the saved. When God is talking to the saved, how tragic to apply this to the lost. A good example could be found in the many places where God urges the saved to do good works. Yet, when these Scriptures are applied to lost people, then it is no surprise that the false teachers come up with a salvation by works, which is utterly false.
The book of Hebrews was written to those who professed salvation. (We are not saying that they all possessed salvation, only God knows this). While certain portions of Hebrews may be preached to the lost, nevertheless it would be a mistake to say that Hebrews was written to lost people. Note the following Scriptures which prove it was written to the saved: (1) 1:1-2 "spoken to us" Note that Paul, a saved man said us! (2) 1:14 "heirs of salvation" (3) 2:1,3 "we" (4) 2:9 "we see Jesus" (5) 3:1 "holy brethren" "partakers of the heavenly calling" "high priest of our profession" (6) 3:12 "take heed brethren" (7) 4:14 "we have a great high priest" No unsaved man can say this. (8) 5:11-14 Rebukes them for not growing as Christians. (9) 6:1 "Let us go on" (10) 6:19 "which hope we have" (11) 10:19 "having therefore brethren..." (12) 12:1-2 This passage has to refer to the saved.

These are only a few examples of the many, many verses that clearly show, he is speaking to Christians.

I. CHRIST BETTER THAN ANGELS BECAUSE HE BROUGHT SALVATION. v. 1-4

A. The Danger of Letting the Truth Slip. v. 1-2

1. Warning not to let truth slip. v. 1. When we let truth slip, we slip or backslide.
2. Those who let O.T. truth slip were punished. v. 2

a. O.T. Law, at least in part, given by angels. Acts 7:38, "This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us." Acts 7:53, "Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it." Gal. 3:19, "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."
b. Many examples of disobedient Israel being punished. See I Cor. 10:1-14. Some of these were no doubt lost in sin, but we are not to imagine that all or even a majority were lost.

B. The Danger of Neglecting Salvation. v. 2-4

1. The neglect of salvation. v. 3. Of course no sinner will escape who neglects to hear and believe the gospel. Of course the unsaved shall not escape hell. However we are convinced that he is talking to the saved. "How shall we escape" what? The Bible does not say what? It all depends upon the case involved.
2. Consider this "so great salvation," and why it is so great.

a. Because of the PRICE paid for it. I Pet. 1:18-19, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."
b. Because of its POWER. Rom. 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
c. Because of its PERPETUITY. John 10:28, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand."
d. Because of the PERSON who its author. Heb. 5:9, "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him."
e. Because of its PECULIARITY. Unique, none like it.

3. What it means to neglect of so great salvation. We generally neglect what we have and not what we don't have. We neglect by:

a. Not showing ENTHUSIASM for it.
b. Not seeking more EDUCATION concerning it.
c. Not seeking to EXHIBIT it.
d. Not seeking to EXTEND it to others.
e. Not seeking to ENGAGE in fellowship with its author and other believers.

4. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?

a. We cannot escape DISCONTENTMENT in this life.
b. We cannot escape DISCIPLINE or chastisement.
c. We cannot escape DISAPPOINTMENT at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
5. So great salvation confirmed. v. 3-4
a. Confirmed when spoken by the Lord.
b. Confirmed by those who heard Him.
c. Confirmed by signs, wonders, miracles etc.

A. Neither Angels Nor Men Can Rule. v. 5-8

1. Angels were never made to rule. v. 5
2. Satan tried to rule, but sinned by so doing. Ezek. 28:13-19; Isa. 14:12-14. He is now a usurper of power, as the prince of the power of the air. Eph. 2:2, "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Eph. 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
3. Adam lost his dominion through sin. v. 6-8

a. Angels were amazed that God was mindful of man. v.6
b. Man made a glorious and wonderful being. v. 7
c. God put all things under his in subjection under his feet. v. 8. Gen. 1:26-28
d. All things are not under man, because of his sin. v. 8c. Gen. 3:6, 17-19, 23-24; Rom. 3:23; 5:12

B. Christ Jesus is Worthy to Reign. v. 9

1. In His incarnation He was made a little lower than the angels, but He was never inferior to the angels. Matt. 26:53, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?"
2. He was gladly crucified for us.
3. We were made lower than the angels, so Jesus was made a little lower than the angels, that He might take us with Him above the angels.
4. Through this He regained His glory and honour and will share it with us throughout all eternity. Phil. 2:9, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name."
5. He shall reign and we shall reign with Him. Luke 1:33, "And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." 1 Cor. 15:25, "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet." Rev. 20:6, "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."
6. He tasted death for us.

a. He tasted death voluntarily. Heb. 2:9
b. He tasted death vicariously. I Pet. 2:21-25
c. He tasted death victoriously. I Cor. 15:12-20

A. He Became the Saviour by His Death on the Cross. v. 10

1. Only God could provide such a salvation.

a. Salvation originated by Him.
b. Salvation glorifies Him. Eph. 1:6, 12
c. Salvation is a gift from Him. Eph. 2:8-9

B. He Became the Sanctifier of the Saints. v. 11-13

1. He is not ashamed of the sanctified brethren. v. 11
2. He sang in the midst of the church. v. 12. Psa. 22:22, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee." Matt. 26:30, "And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives." This proves that the church existed before Pentecost.
3. There is unity between the Jesus and His brethren. v. 13

C. He Is the Succourer (helper) of the Saints. v. 14-18

1. He will destroy him that has the power of death. v. 14
2. He delivers from the fear of death. v. 15
3. He provided salvation for human beings, not angels. v. 16
4. He became man that he might be a faithful high priest. v. 17
5. He made reconciliation for the sins of the people. v. 17
6. He was tempted and He suffered that he might help us when we are tempted. v. 18

Lesson by E. L. Bynum

I. CHRIST GREATER THAN MOSES. v. 1-6

A. Christ Built the House but Moses Only a Member. V.1-4

1. Christ the apostle and the High Priest. v. 1. Apostle means as sent one, or a messenger. John 20:21
2. He was faithful, as was Moses. v. 2. II Tim. 2:11-13, "It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself."
3. He is worthy of all glory. v. 3. Rev. 4:11, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
4. He is God. v. 4. I Tim. 3:16, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

B. Moses a Servant but Christ Is the Son of God. v. 5-6

1. Moses a faithful servant. v.5

a. It was in his house that Moses was faithful.
b. He was a servant. Num. 12:7-8, "My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" Josh. 1:2, "Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel."
c. He was a testimony of the coming Prophet. Deut. 18:15, "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken." Deut. 18:18-19, "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."

2. Christ the faithful son. v. 6

a. Christ was over His house. Eph. 2:21-22, "In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." I Pet. 2:5, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."
b. Moses was a servant, but Christ was a son.

3. Those who are truly saved will persevere to the end because of Christ working in them. v. 6. Heb. 4:14, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." II Tim. 1:13, "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus."

a. To "hold fast," means to pursue a steady course. It is translated "made toward" in Acts 27:40. "And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore."
b. There is great danger in not pursuing a steady course. Rev. 2:5, "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
c. We need to realize that Christ is walking in the midst of His churches, and He is observing. Rev.1:12-14, "And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle." Rev. 1:20, "The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."

A. The Unbelief of Their Fathers. v. 7-11

1. Warning against hardened hearts. v. 7-9. Num. 13,14. Psa. 95:6-11, "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest."

a. The day of temptation was a time of trial, but not a temptation to sin. v. 8. James 1:13, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man."
b. Israel also tempted God. v. 9

2. That generation did not enter the Canaan rest. v.10-11

a. Their problem was of the heart.
b. They did not know the ways of God, but grieved His heart. Eph. 4:30, "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."
c. God kept them out of the land of rest, which was the land of victory. A type of the victorious Christian life.
d. Those who missed Canaan never made it back to Egypt, which was a type of lost humanity.

B. Warning not to depart from God. v. 12-14

1. The awful sin of unbelief. v. 12. See Psa. 95:7-11 quoted above. I Cor. 10:11, "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
2. Believers are to exhort and encourage one another. v. 13. Ex. 16:7, "And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?"
3. The importance of continuing in Christ. v. 14. "Partakers is the Greek metochoi and is translated fellows in Heb.1:9. It is not the same word that is translated partakers in II Pet. 1:4, where it speaks of us being partakers of the divine nature. In our lesson: again as in verse 6, the question is not one of the retention of salvation based upon a persistence of faith, but the possession of salvation as evidenced by a continuation of faith." Wuest.

C. Heaven Will Be Missed by Those Whose Faith Is Not in Christ. v. 15-19.

1. Just as those who died a physical death in the wilderness because of unbelief, so there will be spiritual death for those who have not faith in Christ.
2. Hard hearts in the provocation. v.15. The provocation here referred to, is recorded in Num. 13,14. At Kadesh-barnea they turned back because of unbelief. They had "faith to sprinkle the blood of atonement (Ex. 12:28) and to come out of Egypt (a type of the world), but had not faith to enter the Canaan rest. See I Cor. 10:1-6.
3. Hearing truth, yet they provoked. v.16
4. God's grief and falling carcasses. v. 17
5. Unbelief leads to no rest. v.18-19

Baptists have always believed in the "Preservation of the Saints". This is often called "eternal security" or "once saved always saved." Personally we are not fond of the last statement chiefly because it seems to leave a wrong impression with almost everyone. Many Scriptures teach eternal security or preservation of the saints. John 3:16, 36; John 10:28-30; Romans 8:28- 39. Many more could be listed, but there is another side to the coin.
Baptists believe and the Bible teaches the "Perseverance of the Saints." Those who are truly saved will continue on to follow the Lord, not in order to be saved, but because they .are saved. In Eph. 2:8-10, we learn that we are saved by grace through faith, and not of works. But this passage also tells us that we are created unto good works.
The sheep (saved) are kept by God in John 10:28-30. But how can we claim this promise without bearing the identifying marks of sheep in John 10:27. The sheep (saved) "hear" the shepherds voice and they "follow" the shepherd. See Acts 11: 22- 23. Those who do not follow the Lord have no assurance of salvation and they provide no public testimony of their salvation.
A mixed multitude came out of Egypt (Ex. 12:38; Num. 11:4) as well as the true Israelites. Canaan is not a type of heaven, but of the victorious Christian life. There were battles to be fought in Canaan, but in heaven there will be no war. Once again we must not consign all who perished in the wilderness to hell or heaven. However, the lesson teaches the awful danger of unbelief. Let us teach nothing that will make people comfortable in their sins.

--Lesson by E. L. Bynum

There is a great deal said in Hebrews 3 and 4 about "REST". It is not always easy to follow the line of thought. Perhaps it would be wise to say a few things about "REST" in the light of The over-all teaching of the Bible.
(1). The believer should "REST" fully in Christ's work for him, knowing that the full payment for sin has been made and that salvation is the free gift of God and not of works.
(2). The believer can face death with the complete assurance that even death will bring rest. Luke 16:22-23, "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."
(3). The believer may be caught up any moment, to meet the Lord in the air, then we will have rest. I Thess. 4:16-18, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
(4). For the believer there is the rest of the Millennium, and beyond that, the eternal state of rest for eternity. Dan. 12:13, "But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." Zeph. 3:17, "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." Matt. 11:28-30, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

A. Those Who Reject Christ Will Die in Their Sins. v. 1-8
1. The danger of failing short of true faith. v. 1. Psa. 111:10, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever." Prov. 4:7, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." Rom. 8:38-39, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
2. The Gospel must be mixed with faith to be effective. "Us" refers to Paul & believers of his day. v. 2. "Them" refers to the Israelites who perished in the wilderness. The rest promised to "us" is the spiritual rest in Christ. The rest offered to "them" was the temporal physical rest in Canaan. Rom. 10:17, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
3. True believers will enter in. v. 3. John 3:16; Phil. 1:6, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."
4. Rest in the old creation. v. 4. Rest in the new creation. v. 3, 5.
5. Under Moses they entered not in. v. 6
6. Rest not entered in David's time. v. 7. "After so long a time" not in Psalms, but indicates another rest offered in days of David. Psa. 95:7-8, "For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness."
7. Joshua's rest not complete. v. 8. "Jesus" is the Greek form of Joshua. Found also in Acts 7:45, "Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David."

B. Exhortation to Enter Rest and The Danger of Unbelief. v. 9-13

1. Future eternal rest of the saved. v. 9
2. Enter into God's rest and cease from works. v. 10. This is just as God finished creation and rested, so He has finished our salvation, so that we can enter into His rest.
3. Hasten to enter this rest. v. 11. Once again he calls attention to the failure of Israel in the wilderness. Remember Paul is here talking to babes in Christ. See 5:11-14. (Look at Israel today because of unbelief. Look at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem).
4. The Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. v. 12. Isa. 55:11, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Jer. 23:29, "Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" Rom. 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." I Peter 1:23, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." John 6:51, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

a. Word of God is alive and powerful.
b. The Word of God penetrates and divides. Eph. 6:17, "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
c. It is not the word of a creature, but the very Creator. Therefore it is eternal and unchanging. Psa. 119:89, "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."
d. Given by the Living Spirit, who lives and abides in the believer, it becomes and is His Sword that penetrates and discerns the true person.
e. The Word is active -- it does the job.

5. God sees all. v. 13 I Chron. 28:9; I Sam. 16:7, "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." Prov. 15:3, "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." John 2:24, "But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men." Eccl.12:14, "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Rom. 2:16, "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."

A. Because He Ascended to the True Holy of Holies. v. 14

1. He is our great High Priest. v. 14
2. Aaron could never offer a complete sacrifice for sin, but Jesus did.
3. Aaron could not rise from the dead by his own power, but Jesus did.
4. Aaron could not enter the true Holy of Holies, but Jesus did.
5. Aaron was not sinless, but Jesus was.
6. On the basis of such truth, we are to hold fast our profession.
7. We are His possession, and He holds us. John 10:28-29, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."

B. Because He Is a Sympathetic and Sinless High Priest. v. 15-16

1. The High Priest must understand the needs and problems of the people before He can represent them before God.
2. To do a perfect job, He must be sinless. Aaron could not, but Jesus could go all the way for us.
3. He exactly fits our need.
4. Not a throne of judgment but of GRACE! v. 16
5. We can come boldly to His throne of grace. Eph. 3:12, "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him."

--Lesson by E. L. Bynum

I. CHRIST OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST, SUPERIOR TO ALL OTHER HIGH PRIESTS. v. 1-10

A. Christ Not Taken From Among Men, but From the Godhead. v. 1-5

1. The High Priest taken from among men. v. 1

a. Aaron and all of his successors were but chosen men.
b. Christ was from heaven, yet He became man that He might represent man.

2. The High Priest was ordained but Christ was foreordained. Heb. 10:7. I Pet. 1:19-20, "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you."
3. Jesus Christ was the only High Priest that could make complete atonement. Heb. 10:8-13
4. The High Priest must have compassion, and certainly we can say that Christ did. v. 2. Heb. 4:15. On the word "Ignorant" notice Heb. 9:7 and Num. 15:22-31. "22 And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses, 23 Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations; 24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. 25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance: 26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance. 27 And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. 28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. 29 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. 30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him."
5. Aaron and other High Priests had to offer for their own sins, but not Christ. v. 3. Heb. 4:15
6. The High Priest must the right qualifications. v. 4

a. He must be called of God.
b. He must be separated and consecrated to the office of the High Priest. Ex. 28:1-3, "And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office." Ex. 29:9, "And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons."
c. Christ was separated and consecrated.

7. Christ glorified not self, but was chosen of God. v. 5 ("Begotten" - refers to His incarnation in human flesh.) John 8:54, "Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God."

B. Christ An Eternal Priest. v. 6-10

1. His priesthood was after the order of Melchisedec. v. 6. Psa. 110:1-4, "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." Heb. 7:1-3

a. His priestly order was everlasting. Heb. 7:3
b. The Aaronic order of priesthood had to be replaced because of death. Heb. 7:23

2. His prayers and the answer. v. 7

a. He did not pray to escape physical death. He prayed to be delivered out of death. John 12:27-28, "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
b. The answer came when He was resurrected. John 11:42, "And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me."

3. He learned obedience. v. 8

a. As the Son of God He could say, "I do always those things that please Him." John 8:29, "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."
b. He experienced obedience and submission in His incarnation.

4. He is the author of our eternal salvation. v. 9.

a. "Perfect" is the Greek "teleios," the fundamental idea in this word is the bringing of a person or thing to the goal fixed by God.
b. As "author" He is the cause of our salvation.
c. "Them that obey Him" describes those who are saved. It does not present the grounds of their salvation, but the result of it.

5. Called and recognized by God as High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. v. 10

A. Characteristics Of Babes. v. 11-13

1. They are dull of hearing and cannot understand spiritual truth. v. 11
2. They had heard enough truth to have made them teachers of truth. v. 12
3. Yet, they needed to be taught the first principles of the Word of God. v. 12. Heb. 6:1
4. They needed milk instead of meat. v. 12. I Cor. 3:1-3, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" I Pet. 2:1-3, "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
5. As babes, they were unskillful in the Word. v. 13

B. Characteristics Of The Mature. v. 14

1. They thrive on the strong meat of the Word.
2. They are able to discern between good and evil.

--Lesson by E. L. Bynum

In Heb. 5:11-24, the message is to babes in Christ. These have to be saved people, for no amount of teaching received could enable a lost person to be a spiritual teacher. Babe need to grow up to the point where they can receive "strong meat." Heb. 5:14. The "therefore" of 6:1 looks back to and appeal on the basis of the preceding statement, that the believer go on to a spiritual maturity.
I. THE BELIEVER URGED TO CONTINUE IN GROWTH. 6:1-12

A. The Believer Urged to Go Beyond Salvation of the Soul. v. 1-3

1. Salvation of the soul is wonderful, but we are not to stop there.
2. "Perfection" implies full development, growth into maturity. v. 1. "Perfection" means "full grown, adult, of full age, mature," and it does not mean without sin. Phil. 3:12-15, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you."
3. The basic doctrines, once experienced become a foundation on which to build. James 4:15, "For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."

B. The Extreme Importance of Christian Growth. v. 4-8

1. "Once enlightened" v. 4. This is necessary for salvation. II Cor. 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." Eph. 1:17 "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints."
2. "Tasted of the heavenly gift" and "tasted the good word of God". v. 4-5. "Taste" is the Greek word "GEUO." It means "taste, eat, to try the flavour of, partake of, enjoy, to take food, to take nourishment." Some say that it does not mean to eat but only taste, but we believe they are wrong as the following Scriptures where it is used, will show. Matt. 16:28, "Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." Luke 14:24, "For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper." John 8:52, "Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death." Acts 20:11, "When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten,(eaten is the same word translated taste), and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed." Heb. 2:9, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."
3. "Partakers of the Holy Ghost". v. 4. Some say that this means going along with the Holy Spirit for a time, or going along as a fellow. However, the following Scriptures where the word is used seem to mean otherwise. Heb. 2:14; 3:1; 3:14; 12:8; I Cor. 10:17, "For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread." I Cor.10:21, "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils."
4. The extreme importance of going on in Christian growth and maturity is emphasized in v. 6.

a. It is so serious, that if the could fall away, they could never be renewed to repentance.
b. No saved person can ever be lost. John 10:28-29, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."
c. These are "brethren" that are being addressed. Heb. 3:1
d. Saved people can commit the sin unto death, but this does not mean they will be lost. I John 5:16, "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it."
e. Chastisement will come to those who fail to mature and labor for the Lord. Heb. 12:5-11
f. They will also suffer a loss of rewards. I Cor. 3:9-15

5. This is a passage that supports eternal security. However, the real intent is to show the importance of growing on in the Lord.
6. Those who are trying to be saved over and over again are trying to do the impossible and are actually trying to crucify the Son of God afresh.
7. The contrast between fruitful saints and those who bear no fruit. v. 7-8 (In the natural world, fruit trees that bear no fruit are destroyed.)

C. The Better Things Expected of Saints. y. 9-12

1. "Beloved" shows he is talking to saved. v. 9
2. God remembers our service. v. 10

a. Work is of faith. James 2:18, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."
b. Labor is of love. I Thess. 1:3, "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father."

3. Every saint to diligently continue on. v. 11
4. We are to follow the right people. v. 12

A. Abraham the Man of Faith Was Rewarded. v. 13-15

1. The blessing made on the basis of God's promise. v.13-14. Gen. 22:15-19, "And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba."
2. What God promised, Abraham received.

B. The Immutable God Guarantees The Believer's Eternal Salvation. v. 16-18

1. Guaranteed by God's Promise.
2. Guaranteed by God's Oath. Because our God is immutable (unchanging), His promise and His oath are also unchangeable. James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

C. This Salvation Made Possible by Our Great High Priest in the Holy of Holies. V. 19-20

1. The believer pictured as an anchored vessel. v. 19

a. The believer anchored in heaven.
b. The anchor is sure and steadfast.

2. We are anchored to our Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ. v.20

a. Made sure because He is there for us.
b. Made sure because of His eternal priesthood.

Lesson by E. L. Bynum

We meet Melchisedec in history (Gen. 14); in prophecy (Psa. 110); and in doctrine (Heb. 7). Salem is commonly supposed to be another name of Jerusalem. Psa. 76:1-2, "In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel. In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion." See Gen. 14:18, printed below.
I. CHRIST AND MELCHISEDEC. v. 1-10

A. Melchisedec A Type Of Christ. v. 1-3

1. Abraham meets Melchisedec. v. 1. Gen. 14:17-20, "And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all."
2. The meaning of his name. v. 2

a. "King of RIGHTEOUSNESS" speaks of his character.
b. "King of PEACE" speaks of his position.
c. Note that this is the same order as Rom. 5:1 and 14:17. Rom. 5:1, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 14:17, "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Isa. 32:17, "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever."

3. His unknown ancestry. v. 3

a. No record of his parentage.
b. No record of his birth or death.
c. No record of beginning or ending of his priesthood.
d. "Abideth a priest continually" makes him a type of the eternal priesthood of Christ. v. 24

4. Contrast the Aaronic priests.

a. All the Aaronic priests had to be able to prove their genealogy before they could begin their duties as Priest. Ezra. 2:61-62, "And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name: These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood." Num. 3:10, "And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death."
b. The Aaronic priests began their days as priests at the age of 25, when they were permitted to wait upon their brethren. Num. 8:24, "This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation." I Chron. 23:27-28, "For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above: Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God."
c. At the age of 30 they began their regular priestly duties. Num. 4:3, "From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation." This is the same age that Jesus was when He entered His public ministry. Luke 3:23, "And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,"
d. At the age of 50 their priestly duties ceased. Num. 8:25, "And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more." Also Num. 4:3, quoted above.
e. No such restriction was placed upon Melchisedec, because his priesthood began before the law. No such restriction was placed Christ, since his priesthood was "for ever" (v. 17) after the order of Melchisedec and not after Aaron.

5. His abiding priesthood makes him a fitting type of Christ. v. 3

B. A High Priest In A Superior Order Of Priesthood. v. 4-10

1. The Aaronic priests received tithes. v. 4-5

a. Abraham gave the tithe to Melchisedec. v. 4
b. The Aaronic priests commanded to take tithes. v. 5. This was necessary for them to live and perform their work.
c. Now church members are to give their tithes for the support of the ministry and for their work. I Cor. 9:13-14, "Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel."

2. Melchisedec received tithes from Abraham, therefore was better than he. v . 6-7. Melchisedec was greater than Aaron, because Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedec, although there was no law that required him to do so. This makes Christ greater than Aaron or Abraham.
3. Melchisedec in type still receiving tithes, whereas Aaronic priests die. v. 8. Since there is no record of his death, in type at least, he is still receiving tithes
4. Levi, Aaron and Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec. v. 9-10

A. Christ Is High Priest Of A Testament That Offered A Sacrifice That Put Away Sin. v. 11-22

1. The first testament (covenant) neither offered or made anything complete. v. 11. "Perfection" here means complete. The O.T. sacrifices were made over and over again. The blood of animals could not pay for sin, but the blood of Jesus Christ could. Heb. 9:12-14, "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
2. The first testament priests came from the tribe of Levi, the New Testament priest from the tribe of Judah. v.12-17. The Messiah had to come from the tribe of Judah. Isa. 11:1, "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots." Isa. 11:10, "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious." Micah 5:2, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Psa. 132:11, "The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne." Matt. 1:1, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."
3. The first testament set aside in favor of a better Testament. v. 18-22.

B. Messiah Our High Priest Lives Forever, The Aaronic Priests Died. v. 23-28

1. There were many Aaronic priests because they were mortal. v. 23. The first testament priests died. The New Testament Priest, ever liveth to make intercession for the believer. Thus He is superior.
2. Our Lord, because eternal, has a non-transferable priesthood, thus able to save the believer forever. v.24-25.
3. Christ a better High Priest, because He is sinless. v.26-28

--Lesson by E. L. Bynum

I . HE OFFICIATES IN A BETTER TABERNACLE. v. 1-6

A. His Tabernacle in Heaven, of Which Aaron's Was Only a Type! v. 1-5

1. Our High Priest sitting down, having finished His sacrifice for sin. v. 1
2. He ministers in the true tabernacle made in heaven. v. 2
3. A priest must have a place for offering. v. 3
4. On earth He would not be eligible, since He did not descend from Aaron. v. 4
5. The earthly tabernacle only a shadow, and type of the true tabernacle in heaven. v. 5

B. His Covenant Better Than The One That Aaron Served Under. v. 6. (A covenant between men, is based upon a mutual agreement between equals. However, since God has no equal, it is a covenant between God and man, that is initiated and dictated by an all wise and merciful God.)

1. There were at least 7 covenants in the Old Testament.

a. The Edenic Covenant. Gen. 1:26-28, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."
b. The Adamic Covenant. Gen. 3:14-19
c. The Noahic Covenant. Gen. 9:1, "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth."
d. The Abrahamic Covenant. Gen. 15:18, "In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates."
e. The Mosaic Covenant. Ex. 20:131:18
f. The Palestinian Covenant. Deut. 28:130:13
g. The Davidic Covenant. II Sam. 7:8-17
It is the Mosaic Covenant that God refers to as the first, because it was the first one made with Israel nationally.

2. The Mosaic Covenant, is that which Aaron and the priests served under. It had three divisions:

a. The COMMANDMENTS expressed the righteous will of God. Ex. 20:1-26. See what Israel promised to do. Ex. 19:8, "And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD."
b. The JUDGMENTS governed the social life of Israel. Ex. 21:124:11
c. The ORDINANCES governed the religious life of
Israel. Ex. 24:1231:18.

3. Christ the Mediator of a better covenant. v. 6

a. A mediator is a middle person between two persons or groups entering into a covenant.
b. If they are of different natures, the mediator must be a partaker of both natures. This Christ did. Heb. 2:14, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil."
c. Mediation implies that the disagreement between two parties is so great that a mediator is required.
d. As a mediator, several things were required of Christ.

(1) First He must remove or take away the cause of enmity, which is sin.
(2) Second He must purchase in a way pleasing to God, all the good things proposed and prepared for us under the new covenant.
(3) Thirdly He is the Surety for it all. As the surety, He is the bail, the personal guarantee of the terms of the new and better covenant, secured on the ground of His perfect sacrifice. He is the surety of the better covenant. Heb. 7:22; 8:6; 9:15; 12:24.

4. The new covenant, the greatest of all because:

a. It is greater in its scope.
b. It is greater in its blessings.
c. It is greater in its terms. (Not dependent on human merit and human doing, but based upon the free grace of God and the redemptive work of the Son of God).
d. It is greater in its endurance. 8:13

A. It Was Prophesied to Be Better.

1. The first covenant made with Israel. v. 7

a. It accomplished God's purpose, in that it pointed men to Christ.
b. It came up short, because it did not put away sin. Heb. 8:1-3

2. The new covenant made with Israel and Judah. v. 8

a. The new covenant not made with gentiles, but we should be thankful that gentiles were brought under it. Jer. 31:31-34, "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
b. He here quotes from O.T. prophet, to show that the new covenant was made with Israel. Not introducing a new religion, but a new covenant.
c. The old covenant ended at the cross. The new covenant began at the cross and will never end.

3. God dealt with Israel as a child under the first covenant. v. 9. "I took them by the hand."
4. The new covenant brings believers to adult sonship. v. 10
5. Under the new covenant, all Israel will know the Lord. v. 11. This looks forward to the kingdom age.
6. Under the new covenant, sins are put away. v. 12
7. The new covenant displaces the old covenant. v. 13

B. What the New Covenant Is Based Upon.

1. The Sovereign Will of the Almighty God. The law said, "thou shalt not," but in the new covenant God says "I will." Repeated six times in v. 10-12. God always does what he says He will do. Josh. 23:14, "And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof."
2. The Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ, God's Son, not based upon the law which says DO, and creature effort, but upon a work that the Redeemer has already accomplished and eternally completed. 8:6
3. The Immutability of God Himself. Founded and anchored upon what "He saith" v.10,13). Men have never kept their word, but God never broke a promise. I Kings 8:56, "Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant."
4. The Infinite Value and Efficacy of the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not animal blood or sacrifices.
5. The Work of the Holy Spirit of God (10:15), not upon emotional appeals, gimmicks or human persuasion, but on the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.
6. The free grace and loving mercy of God. Our sins laid on Him, and His righteous laid on us. Isa. 53:6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
7. The Relationship to God that He gives to us when we are born again. John 1:11-12, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." John 3:3, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

--Lesson by E. L. Bynum

Before we can properly understand Heb. 9:11 - 10:39, we must understand the significance of Heb. 9:1-10. The Jews of Paul's day were very familiar with the Tabernacle and the sacrifices. However, this is far removed from the thinking of most gentiles today.
I . THE TABERNACLE AND IT FURNISHINGS TYPICAL. v. 1-5

A. Its Sanctuary On Earth. v. 1

1. Remember that covenant and testament are the same.
2. Its ordinances were for the divine service of God.
3. "Worldly sanctuary" simply means that it was earthly and not heavenly.

B. Its Furnishings Were Typical. v. 2-5
Although they are not mentioned here, it might be good to mention some things that were approached before the Tabernacle itself.
(1) The one gate in the eastern end of the fence. This was a type of Jesus Christ, the only way to God. John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 10:9, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."
(2) The brazen altar (a type of the cross of Christ). Brass is a symbol of judgment, and the fire speaks of the wrath of God. Sins were confessed and placed on the head of the animal, then it was sacrificed on the altar of brass. Our sins were laid upon Christ, then on the cross, God's wrath was poured out on Him. Isa. 53:4-7, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." Matt. 27:46, And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
(3) The laver of brass, for the washing of the hands and feet of the priest. The priest had to come by the way of the only gate (a type of Christ). Then they came to the brazen altar, where the sacrifice was made (a type of the cross of Christ). They then came by the way of the laver of brass (a type of the washing of the word and daily cleansing). John 15:3, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." Eph 5:25-27, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." The priests came in contact with the world and their hands and feet needed cleansing. The same is true of believers today, so we must go to the Word and see our condition, confess our sins, and we have the washing of the water by the Word. Remember the laver of brass was made out of the brass looking glasses of the women.

1. "Tabernacle" means a tent. v. 2
2. "The first" refers to the first room. v. 2
3. The candlestick was a seven branched lamp (seven is God's number of perfection). v. 2. Ex. 25:31-40. Made out of gold which typifies Christ. John 8:12, "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 9:5, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." The oil is a type of the Holy Spirit. Rom. 8:9, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Matt. 25:2-4, "And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps."
4. Table of shewbread. v. 2. Ex. 25:23-30; Lev.24:5-9

a. Table of wood (His humanity) covered with gold (His deity).
b. The bread, a type of Christ. Unleavened typifies His sinless character. John 6:35, "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." John 6:41, The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven."
c. Twelve loaves, Christ for all the tribes. Priests ate the bread on the 7th day.

5. Verse 2 does not mention the golden altar of incense. Comment will be made on this when we get to v. 4.
6. The second room was the holy of holies. v. 3
7. The second veil, the curtain separating the two rooms. This represents the body of Christ. v. 3. Heb. 10:20, "By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh."
8. "The golden censer" v. 4. There is a difficulty here, but certainly there is no mistake. This passage, Heb. 9:1-9, refers to the day of atonement. The golden altar of incense may not have not been mentioned in v. 2, because it may not have been used on the day of atonement, but rather the golden censer was taken into the holy of holies itself. Lev. 16:12-13, "And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not."
9. The ark of the covenant and its contents. v. 4

a. A box made of wood and overlaid with gold.
b. The golden pot of manna. Ex. 16:33, "And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations."
c. Aaron's rod that budded. Num. 17:10, "And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not."
d. Tables of the covenant or law. God's perfect law showing man what he ought to be. Ex. 25:10-22
10. The mercyseat overshadowed by the cherubims. v.9. Lev. 16:13-15, "And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the
vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat." "Mercyseat" is the Greek word "hilasterion" and means "propitiation." Rom. 3:25, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." It is so translated in Rom. 3:25 where we are told that Christ is our "propitiation" (mercyseat). The high priest represented the people, the tables of the law represent God's perfect standard. Thus the blood sprinkled mercyseat stood between the people and God's perfect law. "Mercyseat" refers to atonement and reconciliation.

A. The Priests Restricted. v. 6-7

1. The place where ordinary priests served daily was the first room. v. 6. Heb. 7:27
2. The place where only the high priest could go yearly was the second room. v. 7
3. There was no entrance into the presence of God but by the high priest. John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 6:44, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."

B. The Better Things To Come. v. 8-10

1. The Holy Ghost the divine author and interpreter. v. 8. When Christ died, the veil of the temple rent. This signified an end to the Levitical system.
2. The tabernacle an object lesson. Note some limitations of the first tabernacle. v. 9-10

a. The symbolic was temporary. "For the time then."
b. The symbolic was materialistic. "Gifts and sacrifices."
c. The symbolic was suggestive. "Pertaining to the conscience."
d. The symbolic was preparatory. "Until the time."

--Lesson by E. L. Bynum

The first covenant was typical, but the new covenant was actual and provides a perfect work! It was sealed by the blood of Christ!
I. THE SANCTUARY AND SACRIFICE OF THE NEW COVENANT ARE ACTUAL REALITIES. v. 11-15
Verses 1 to 10 tell of the typical significance of the first covenant. In verses 11 to 15 we are told the success of the new covenant, in doing what the old covenant could not do.

A. The Reality Better Than The Type. v. 11

1. Christ is the high priest of the reality.
2. His tabernacle was not made by the hand of man. Mark 14:58, "We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands."

B. The Sacrificial Blood Better. v. 12-15

1. It was the Blood of Christ. v. 12. Acts 20:28, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

a. "His own" (idios) means His own unique blood.
b. His blood was the only blood that God would allow on the mercy seat of heaven.
c. He only entered "once" for eternity, not yearly. Heb. 10:10
d. "Redemption" means to ransom by paying a fee, to liberate and set free. He did this with His own blood. Titus 2:14, "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Gal. 3:13, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Rev. 5:9, "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation."
e. Note that this redemption is eternal. No one who has it, will ever lose it.

2. Animal blood only cleanses typically and from ceremonial defilement. v. 13

a. Blood of bulls and goats, refers to day of atonement (Lev. 16), and these could not actually cleanse from sin. Heb. 10:4
b. Ashes of an heifer, refer to the occasional sacrifice of the red heifer, for those who were ceremonially unclean by contact with the dead etc. Num. 19

3. Christ's blood cleanses from actual sin. v. 14. Cf. 6:1

a. "Offered Himself" means that the sacrifice was voluntary. Heb. 7:27
b. He was spotless. I Pet. 1:19, "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." It is only His blood will produce spotlessness in another. II Pet. 3:14, "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."
c. Sin was actually purged enabling the saved to serve God with good works, instead of dead works. Eph. 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

4. Therefore, He is the Priest of a better testament. v.15

a. As mediator, He was the go-between to bring peace between a holy God and sinful man. Rom. 5:1-2, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." I Tim. 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
b. The penalty for sins under the old covenant were never paid until Christ died on the cross. Gal. 4:4-5, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

A. The Heavenly Testator Himself Dies. v. 16-22
The word for covenant and testament is "diatheke" which comes from the root word "diatithemi" which is translated as "testator." It refers to a last will and testimony. In covenant making a sacrifice was often made. Gen. 15:7-18, "And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates." Jer. 34:18-19, "And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof, The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf."

1. The testator must die to put the testament or will into force. v. 16-17. Note that this is related to the inheritance of v. 15.
2. When Israel ratified the first covenant, it was made operative by death of an animal. v. 18-22. Ex. 24:3-8, "And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words."
3. The supreme importance of the shedding of blood. v. 22 "Remission" means a dismissal, release, and is here used of the forgiveness of sins.

B. The Better Tabernacle Purified With Better Blood. v. 23-24

1. The earthly tabernacle cleansed with animal blood. v. 23

a. The "patterns" speak of the earthly tabernacle and its cleansing. Lev. 16:16, "And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness."
b. The heavenly things, defiled by man's sins, now cleansed. v. 23-b

2. Where Christ has gone and what He is doing. v. 24

C. Christ's Once For All Sacrifice Better. v. 25-28

1. The high priest had to offer the blood of others often, because he had no perfect sacrifice to offer. v. 25
2. Christ suffered once, shed His blood once, and entered into the holy place once with His own blood. v. 26
3. Death and judgment come once. v. 27
4. He will come again. v. 28
5. Notice His 3 appearings:

a. He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. v. 26
b. He now appears in the presence of God for us. v. 24
c. He will appear the second time, without sin unto salvation. v. 28

--Lesson by E. L. Bynum

A. The Blood of Animals Cannot Take Away Sin. v. 1-4

1. The Law sacrifices only a Shadow. v. 1
2. Sacrifices repeated over and over again. v. 2-3
3. Blood of animals could not take away sin. v. 4

B. Christ The Sacrifice, Changes The Covenant. v. 5-10
Psa. 40:6-9, "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest." This is not the exact wording of the Scripture here in Hebrews, but the Spirit of God can change any quotation to give a deeper meaning, since He is the author of all the Bible. Phil. 2:5-8, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

1. Christ's sacrificial body prepared. v. 5
2. O.T. sacrifices did not satisfy God. v. 6
3. Christ came to satisfy God. v. 7
4. The first covenant removed and the second established. v. 8-9
5. Christ's one offering completely satisfies. v. 10. John 17:19, "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth."

C. The Old and The New Contrasted. v. 11-14

1. The ineffectiveness of O.T. priests. v. 11
2. The effectiveness of THE N.T. Priest. v. 12-14

a. His honorable position. v. 12. Phil. 2:9-11, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
b. His victory accomplished. v. 13. Col. 1:19-20, "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."
c. His justification provided. v. 14. Gal. 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

3. Our salvation is eternal. v. 14

D. The Holy Spirit Bears Witness Through Jeremiah. v. 15-18

1. New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah. v. 15. Jer. 31:31-34, "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
2. The blessing of sins not remembered by God. v. 17-18

A. Believers Exhorted To Follow The Lord. v. 19-25

1. The great blessings of N.T. believers. v. 19-21

a. We can claim the blood of Jesus. v. 19
b. We have access by the new & living way. v. 20-21. Heb. 9:3

2. Let us draw near. v. 22. Note that the condition of heart, conscience and body are important. Eph. 5:15-16, "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Eph. 5:25-27, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
3. Let us fast to our profession. v. 23. Gal. 5:7, "Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?" Jam. 1:6, "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."
4. Let us consider one another. v. 24
5. Importance of Church attendance. v. 25. Notice the words consider, provoking, and exhorting.

B. Believers Warned That God Will Judge His People. v. 26-31

1. The danger of wilful sin, such as missing church. v. 26 (See v. 25)
2. Certain judgment the result. v. 27. I John 1:9. Some sins under the law were not covered by a sacrifice. Ex. 21:12-17, "He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death."
3. The example under the Law. v. 28. Lev. 10:1-2, "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD."
4. Punishment for the 3-fold sin against the Trinity. v. 29
5. The Lord judges His people. v. 30-31

a. This verse shows (v.30) that v. 26-31 refers to saved people and not the lost, as many teach today. Deut.32:35-36, "To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left."
b. We need to remember that Christians can commit a sin unto death. I Cor. 5:1-5, "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." I John 5:16-17, "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death."

C. Believers Encouraged To Remember. v. 32-39

1. Remember what you have endured. v. 32-34

a. They endured a great fight. v. 32
b. They endured public ridicule. v. 33 "Gazingstock" is the word from which we get our word "theatre."
c. They had endured with others in affliction. v.33
d. They had lost possessions. v. 34

2. Instead of turning back, live by faith. v. 35-38

a. Rewards for going on. v. 35
b. Patience in doing the will of God. v. 36
c. Christ is coming. v. 37
d. The just shall live by faith. v. 38. Hab.2:4, "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith." Rom. 1:17, "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Gal. 3:11, "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith."

3. True faith results in salvation. v. 39

--Lesson by E. L. Bynum

Hebrews 11 has been called "God's Hall of Fame" and "God's Honor Roll." Whatever we call it, a careful study will show that this is the strongest chapter in the Bible on faith. This chapter not only shows us that salvation is by faith, but it also reveals that sanctification, separation and service are also by faith .

Thus far in Hebrews, we have learned that the New Testament in Jesus' blood is superior to and takes the place of the First Testament in animal blood. This is done by (1) comparing the relative merits of the founders of the two Testaments, showing that a superior workman produces a superior work (1:1 - 8:6); and (2) comparing the relative merits of the Testaments themselves (8:7 - 10:39). Because the Jews believed in a salvation by works, they must be convinced that salvation is by faith. This is thoroughly proven in Heb. 11.
I. THE NATURE OF FAITH. v. 1-3

A. Faith Defined. v. 1-2

1. Faith gives substance, or title to the things hoped for. v. 1. Acts 20:21, "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
2. Faith is trust in the unseen, not trust in the unknown.
3. In v. 2, we find the proof of v. 1. "Abel received a good report, that he was righteous; and Enoch, that he pleased God, and walked with him; and Noah, that he was a just man, perfect in his generation, and also walked with God; and Abraham, that he was a believer, a friend of God, and one that feared and obeyed him; and Job, that he was a man that feared God, and shunned evil; and Moses, that he was a meek man, and a faithful one; and David, that he was a man after God's own heart, and fulfilled his will; and so others: and they received this report by faith." Gill

B. Faith and Creation. v. 3

1. Creation understood through faith. Rom. 1:19-20, "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse."
2. The seen made out of the unseen. Gen. 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." John 1:1-5, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." Col. 1:16-17, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
3. Charles Darwin and all the rest of the evolutionists missed the right track a million miles, because they did not have this faith. Ps 53:1, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good." Prov. 26:10, "The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors."

A. Abel's Faith Declares That God May Be Approached Only by Sacrifice. v. 4.
Gen. 4:3-10, "And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground."

1. Salvation by faith would show the Jews that they to must be saved that way.
2. A blood sacrifice is a "more excellent sacrifice."
3. He obtained witness that he was righteous." Rom.5:9, "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."
4. Abel died by the hand of his brother. In this he is a type of Christ. Matt. 23:35, "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar." Prov. 21:27, "The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?"

B. Enoch's Faith and Triumph over Death. v. 5-6. Gen. 5:22-24, "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." Jude 14-15, "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

1. Enoch was translated because he walked with God by faith.
2. Enoch is a type of the church. He prophesied of judgment, but did not go through it.
3. Notice the four "P's" of Enoch.

a. He paced walked step by step with God. Ps. 1:1, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."
b. He pleased God.
c. He prophesied - first pre-millennial preacher. Jude 1:14, "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints."
d. He passed - translated, a type of the rapture.

4. The necessity of faith. v. 6

a. He must believe that God exists.
b. He must believe that God is a rewarder. Heb. 4:2, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." Ps. 78:22, "Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation."

C. Noah's Faith and Triumph over Judgment. v. 7

1. The ground of faith warned of God. Gen. 6:13, "And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth."
2. The realm of faith things not seen.
3. The exercise of faith moved with fear.
4. The work of faith he prepared an ark. Works can never produce faith, but true faith produces works. James 2:20, "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" James 2:26, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
5. The result of faith he saved his house. Gen. 6:22, "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he."
6. The testimony of faith he condemned the world. Gen. 7:23, "And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark."
7. The reward of faith heir of righteousness.
Remember that all three examples of faith were before the Law and before the flood. This is proof that men are not saved by the LAW!!

--Lesson by E. L. Bynum

A. The Faith of Abraham. v. 8-10

1. His faith, his call and his obedience. v. 8. He knew nothing of Canaan, he just believed and obeyed God. Gen. 12:1-4, "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran."
2. His life in the land of promise. v. 9-10

a. "He sojourned" means he dwelt as a foreigner, not as a citizen. Christians should view themselves as pilgrims in this sinful world. I Pet. 2:11, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." I Chron. 29:15, "For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding."
b. References to the "promise." Gen. 12:7, "And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him." Gen. 13:15, "For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever."
c. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived in tents.
d. Abraham looked for the heavenly Jerusalem. v. 10. We too should be looking for that city, described in Heb. 12:22-23. Rev. 21:9-10, "And I John saw the holy ci