Day 314: Hebrews 10:1-17

“Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.’ Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” - ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:5-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We actually have no record of Jesus saying these words, but we do have evidence of him living them. They are a quotation from Psalm 40:6-8, which is clearly about the Messiah.

The Father provided His Son with a body. That body would be nurtured as a baby and would offer healings to many. Ultimately, though, the will of God was not focusing on a temporary fix.

The end-game was to see us receive (by faith) an eternal healing by the blood of that body.

Jesus also lived Psalm 40 as He submissively prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (see Luke 22:39-46). He knew what His body wanted to do, but His desire to do God’s will triumphed over the pull of His flesh.

May we take the example of our Savior to heart. May we be about our Father’s will over everything else, even if it may hurt for a while.

“The human nature of Christ was taken on Him in order that He might be able to do for us that which God desired and required. God desired to see an obedient man—a man who would keep His law to the full, and He sees Him in Christ. God desired to see one who would vindicate the eternal justice and show that sin is no trifle. Behold our Lord, the eternal Son of God, entering into that prepared body, was ready to do all this mighty work by rendering to the law a full recompense for our dishonor of it!” - C.H. Spurgeon (“Hebrews”, pg 270)

Day 313: Hebrews 9:11-28

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” - Hebrews 9:27-28 ESV

Thomas Edison and his researchers in Edison's laboratory in Menlo Park, N.J., tested more than 3,000 designs for light bulbs between 1878 and 1880. They needed all of these unsuccessful attempts to get to their finished product.

How about Jesus? How many times did He need to carry out his rescue plan? It took one cross, a single offering, to atone for our many mistakes. When we receive this generous gift of grace, we are forgiven and set on a new path that leads to life (see Matthew 7:13-14).

Yet that isn't all. One day Jesus will come for a second time to bring justice to completion (all will be made right). Who is it that will be saved? Those who "eagerly await" him. This is one Greek word, and it means to "look forward expectantly."

Jesus saved us by His death when we came to Him in faith. Now we look ahead, not fearfully, but hopefully.

And as we established at the start, Jesus is an expert in saving. He only needed one take to do what no one else could.

“At His first manifestation Christ took on Him the sins of humanity, and, though Himself sinless, endured the consequences of sin. At His second coming this burden will exist no longer. Sin then will have no place.” - Brooke Foss Westcott

Day 312: Hebrews 9:1-10

“In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant.” - Hebrews 9:4 NLT

Ever wondered why these three items were placed inside the Ark of the Covenant? A few years ago, I read that all three were rich with significance when it came to Israel's history.

Jar containing manna // Exodus 16:14-36, Numbers 11:1-14

Aaron's staff that sprouted // Numbers 16-17

Stone tablets (10 Commandments) // Exodus 20, 25:16, 32:19

If you take the time to read all of these passages, you'll see that each of them were physical reminders from times of Israelite rebellion. The people moaned about the manna, they questioned Aaron's leadership, and they regressed by worshiping an idol (resulting in the first tablets being smashed).

Why place warnings in the Ark? Why not put a copy of the Song of Moses in there or maybe a section of Moses' miraculous staff?

It seems clear that these three were to be perpetual reminders of their great need for Yahweh. They would not be able to live their best life by their own strength. Our natural course is sinful defiance against God, trying to create our own way, making gods of ourselves and our culture.

Even though these three were reminders of unfaithfulness, they were also to recall God’s patience and lavish grace to the people. He didn’t wipe them out. He continued to give them food, he provided them with strong leadership, and he made a second set of tablets.

Today, they help us to see how blessed we are to have a Lord and Savior like Jesus, by whose stripes we are healed (see 1 Peter 2:24). We, too, have been found unfaithful, but Jesus’ blood sets us right. God is still in the business of second, or third, chances.

Day 311: Hebrews 8:1-13

“For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” - Hebrews 8:12 ESV

This section is a direct quote from Jeremiah 31:31-34. The theme of that Old Testament passage is focused around the promise of the Israelites' return to Jerusalem after 70 years of exile. Yet Jeremiah (by the Holy Spirit) is overshooting in his prophecy to the time when Jesus came to set up a new covenant.

The way he speaks of sin here would have been mindblowing to a Jewish reader, largely because of their continued need for sacrifices. The cycle for them included piles of sin that would need rolling back regularly. Sin was never truly satisfied and driven out by "the blood of bulls and goats” (Hebrews 10:4).

Does God really forget our sin when He forgives us via the blood of Jesus? God is omniscient (all-knowing), but now our sin account is paid in full. Donald Gutherie writes that this passage "is reassuring because it means that forgiveness is complete. There will be no possibility of sins, once forgiven, being brought against the people of God."

May this motivate us to avoid all that for which Jesus has paid the price. Nothing is worth compromising the lavish act of grace that was made on our behalf, especially the temporary fix that sin offers.

Day 310: Hebrews 7:18-28

“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” - Hebrews‬ ‭7:25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Have you ever done something halfway but knew there was enough time to go back and do it the right way? Maybe this is because of a deadline or due to your procrastination.

Some of us are perfectionists. Therefore, we won’t do anything unless it can be done to our standards. So, in this case, it is either 100% or 0%.

How does Jesus do things? In our passage today, it says that he does them “to the uttermost.” That is to say, “to the max.” This is the description of the way He saves His people, you and me.

Not only that (I mean, can there be more?), but Jesus also lives to pray for us; to be our Advocate.

This truth should make us feel loved today. Have you had a bad week or a bad 2021? Jesus is for you. He proves this by the way He interacts with us.

• Grace

• Mercy

• Righteousness

• Prayers

Fighting for us every day.

”The meaning seems to be that as long as the high priest functions, he is able to save, a thought which is strengthened by the words he always lives (pantote zōn).” - Donald Guthrie

Day 309: Hebrews 7:1-17

“This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.” - Hebrews 7:15-16

You would do well to read the (short) account of Melchizedek and Abraham in Genesis 18:18-20. More is said of this guy in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. Who was he? We know little, but we do know…

- He was a priest

- He was a king

- He brought bread

- He brought wine

That list right there should be enough to make Jesus come immediately to our minds. Melchizedek was a foreshadowing of our Savior's coming.

Jesus, though, broke the rules. He didn't meet the physical requirements of being a priest, but the power of His indestructible life prevents Him from being disqualified. He does the same for us, by his powerful life, does He? We don't meet the requirement as filthy sinners, but He qualifies us by His blood.

The Greek word used for indestructible here is akatalytos. It is pertaining to that which cannot be caused to cease. (Eugene Nida) In short, there is no outside force that will ever knock Jesus off His throne.

Aren't you glad we have such a powerful Lord and Savior?

Day 308: Hebrews 6:1-20

“Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.” - Hebrews 6:9 ESV

This chapter in Hebrews has been the topic of many Christian theologians throughout the centuries.

Some of the questions that continue to be asked upon a casual reading of it are:

"Does this mean I can lose my salvation?" or "Could we do something so vile that the Holy Spirit would leave us and not come back?" or "When do we know we've come to this point?"

We may think of Jesus mentioning an "unforgivable sin" (Mark 3:28-30) or the Apostle John speaking of a "sin that leads to death" (1 John 5:16-17).

It seems like whatever the point of no return looks like, it is a defiant and hardened stance AGAINST God and His presence in our lives. In it, we attempt to squeeze God out of every area of our lives. This will not be something that will happen accidentally. It will be intentional. Kind of like the Mark of the Beast in Revelation 13:15-18.

Yet, the Hebrews seemed to have done well in this regard. The writer speaks of how they are destined for "better things." This was obvious because of how they were living their lives. Their work and love in their serving were being viewed as evidence of their endurance.

What about us? Are we recognized by others as genuine Jesus followers? More importantly, are we recognized by Jesus as those who follow Him? May we be people who depend upon Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection for the rest of our lives.

The presence of active love among them was a sure sign that God had not left them." - Brooke Foss Westcott (1903). The Epistle to the Hebrews (3d ed., p. 156)

Day 307: Hebrews 5:1-14

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.” - Hebrews 5:12-13 ESV

Everything of great value will take time. There is no substitute for long hours that are spent in God's word, in prayer, and in making schematics for how to live for Jesus obediently. Yet if we refuse to take that time in solitude with our Creator, we will never be fit to share what we believe with others. And if we were to attempt it, we would find ourselves faking it and void of passion.

Yet it is a frightening thought to have followed Jesus for decades and never really feasted on the meatiness of God's word, remaining content with being constantly bottle-fed.

C.H. Spurgeon eloquently writes (about this passage) that, "Growth in grace does not run side by side with growth in years."

Sit down with a map of all the time you have available over the next week. What do you see? Work/school, check. Sleeping, check. Eating, check. Time with family and friends, check. Weekly worship/Bible study with Christians, check. Sharing your faith with others, check. Spending time to rest, check.

Now, what time is left? What do you do with your unallotted time? If a considerable amount of time is not etched out each day for passionately seeking Jesus, you will remain unequipped for every good work.

Enjoy time in your Heavenly Father's presence today.

Day 306: Hebrews 4:1-16

“Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:11-12 ESV

In this chapter, we see the writer comparing those who wandered in the wilderness for forty years and us today. For them, it was really only an 11-day journey, yet they refused to obey; thus, they forfeited their immediate rest from God in Canaan. Their "bodies fell" in that wilderness, and their children would be the ones to inherit the land.

Obedience to God, though, is no small thing. It is essentially the act of letting God's word do what it does best, which is cutting us to our deepest part. Until we see just how much we need Jesus, we will never seek Him.

Cutting doesn't seem pleasant, and no form of surgery is, but God longs for us to be in heaven with Him for eternity. May we, every day, allow Jesus to show us how much we need His salvation. This will not be comfortable, but we will "find grace to help us in our time of need," both now and for eternity.

"God’s Word is not something you passively hear and then ignore. It actively works in our lives, changes us, and sends us into action for God." - Thomas Lea

Day 305: Hebrews 3:1-19

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” - Hebrews 3:12-14 ESV

Any time that God speaks, we have a decision to make. Will we harden our hearts, refusing to do this His way? Or will we refuse to harden our hearts (even if we don't completely understand) and submit to His will?

The key seems to be having other Christians surround us and exhort us. What does this word mean? It is the word parakaleo in Greek, and it can also be translated as encourage or urge. The word is very similar to one of the descriptions that Jesus uses when talking about the Holy Spirit in John 14:16 (Helper, paraklētos).

How important is your encouragement to other Christians? It is vital. Apparently our faith cannot survive without it.

Be an exhorter/encourager/urger today to someone you come across. In doing so, you can make an eternal difference.

“It is certainly easier for individuals to be misled in isolation from other Christians than when sharing in fellowship with others. The fact that there was a tendency for the readers to forsake assembling with others (Heb. 10:25) throws light on the present passage. It is impossible to exhort one another unless one is part of a fellowship. In the present case a hardening of heart is linked closely with ‘sin’ and this must have been a tendency in the case of the Hebrews who were tempted to turn away from Christianity.” - Donald Guthrie