ESV Illuminated Scripture Journal Hebrews

Once you do this, you're prepared to really start understanding books like Hebrews in the New Testament, the work of Jesus as the high priest, and certainly his word is given, which we're going to find out in the New Testament that Jesus is going to fulfill every single thing that we're reading.

Hebrews 9.22 says, Under the law, almost everything is purified with blood. And without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.

I didn't learn that until I read the book of Hebrews. In Hebrews chapter 10, it says that Christ has made for us a way through the veil, that is to say His flesh. So the veil of the temple represents the body of Christ.

Hebrews is by far the most extensive New Testament treatment of a Christ-centered reading of this tabernacle material.

The High Priest of Good Things to Come.

The high priest of the Jerusalem temple or the high priest of the ancient tabernacle was simply the earthly shadow of the ultimate heavenly reality, which is Jesus.

So Hebrews 4 through 7 envisions there being a heavenly temple playing with the old Platonic notions of types and shadows.

So Jesus is our great high priest.

John, like I said, Phil was with us year, year and a half ago when we talked about the book of Hebrews, which is maybe the most difficult book of the New Testament to understand.

Hebrews 13 Hebrews 13 Verse 7. Remember your leaders who spoke the Word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you, who told you, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, who told you God's hand is on you, who told you that there's nothing more important than God, who told you that if Christ isn't at the center of your life, the whole thing will fall apart, who told you and taught you, who preached to you and taught to you that you are who God says you are.

When the author of Hebrews is saying here, Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God concerning you. He's not so much talking about their words that they spoke, the word of God that they spoke, but then he says something really powerful.

Remember, the Hebrews have not been a part of Christianity for two millennia like we have. So they haven't had 2,000 years to get used to the idea that we are justified by faith, not works.

In the middle of this, he gives them an instruction as he concludes his letter. He says, Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Or in other words, copy that.

He is what the writer of Hebrews calls immutable. He is unchanging. He's the same yesterday, today, and forevermore.

The challenge for the author of Hebrews is that he's writing to a group of Christians whose lives are getting worse.

He tells them that 13 times in the book of Hebrews.

It is a better hope because an anchor only works when it hits the bottom.

The Bible says Jesus had a better ministry, not only a better ministry but that his blood speaks a better word.

The Bible even uses this illustration of Abraham in Hebrews 6.

So then you get to Hebrews 11, and not just once but for the second time in the New Testament, Rahab gets an honorable mention in the hall of faith where they're inducting all of the Sunday school heroes.

By faith...29. The people passed through the Red Sea on dry land, but when the Egyptians tried to so, they were drowned.

By faith, the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.