SUPREME HOPE
Opening Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your assurances in the Book of Hebrews.
Read HEBREWS 6:13–20
The Certainty of God’s Promise
13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”[a] 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 6:14 Gen. 22:17
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.’ (2 Cor 1:20) Thank God for His plan, which comes to fulfillment in Jesus.
While the details may be obscure because of the cultural gap, the gist of this passage is that God’s word to Abraham could be totally trusted. Living in a cynical age, where words are suspect, we may not find the addition of an oath especially convincing. In an age when words were deemed to have real power, this would have carried more weight. The two unchangeable things are God’s promise and His oath. God is totally trustworthy and will accomplish His purposes. Just as Abraham believed and became a model of faithful endurance, so can this first-century community – and so can we.
God’s promise is to give hope: here, that means the eternal rest of Hebrews 3. In a changing and often confusing world, this hope provides stability, not because everything in the present will work out exactly as we wish but because the future is guaranteed by God. The metaphor is complex. The anchor speaks of the ship held firm in the storm, the inner sanctuary of the most holy place where only the high priest could go once a year. Now, however, Jesus, high priest and forerunner, has gone into the heavenly equivalent, as becomes clear later, and we will follow, a powerful argument for the first-century community and a great encouragement in any age. The way to God is open. The inner sanctuary, the place where God’s presence was most profoundly felt, is now open to all. As Jesus died, the curtain was torn open (Matt 27:51). Where He has gone, we shall follow (20).
Whatever doubts we may have, we can find assurance here. Jesus has done all that is necessary. While we put our trust in Him, we are held eternally in His love. In one sense, this is the reverse of the warning of yesterday’s reading.
Apply
If you have doubts and concerns, take some time to review them in the light of God’s faithful promise. If not, praise Him for His faithfulness.
Closing prayer
Lord, it is impossible for You to lie. Your people take comfort in this reality when we consider Your promises to us.
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