32. An Unshakable Kingdom (Hebrews 12:18-29)

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14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up and causing trouble, and through him many become defiled. 16 And see to it that no one becomes an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing with tears. 18 For you have not come to something that can be touched, to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind 19 and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words such that those who heard begged to hear no more. 20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” 21 In fact, the scene was so terrifying that Moses said, “I shudder with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly 23 and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does.

25 Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven? 26 Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.” 27 Now this phrase “once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, that is, of created things, so that what is unshaken may remain. 28 So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. 29 For our God is indeed a devouring fire (Hebrews 12:14-29).³

Introduction

As I was reading the description of the spectacular manifestations that took place at Mount Sinai,⁴ my mind turned to the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, China. Like my wife and I, most of you probably watched the opening ceremony last August and were impressed by it. And well we should be. In addition to the countless number of man-hours that were expended in preparations for this extravaganza, a great deal of money was spent as well. Conservative estimates of the cost of this one ceremony exceed 100 million dollars. One can only imagine what the folks in London will feel obliged to do to commence the 2012 Olympics.

There is nothing like the spectacular and the sensational to attract and dazzle a crowd. I read recently that the movie “Fast & Furious” was to be released this month. To heighten the movie goers’ experience, a number of theaters will be introducing motion-oriented seats. These seats will move in sync with the scenes of the movie, enhancing the audience’s sense of participation.

A number of churches seem to have been influenced by this attraction to the sensational. No longer can we expect the lack-luster plainness of church as we once knew it. In some churches, one can expect smoke machines, movie set lighting apparatus, incredible sound and speaker systems, and who knows what all to attract and dazzle those who attend. I couldn’t help but wonder how much equipment it would take to create a spectacular reenactment of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. The question we would have to ask is this: “How effective is the spectacular in bringing people to faith in Jesus and in making disciples of them?” I believe our text speaks to this question, providing us with an answer that might significantly reduce some church budgets.

Review

The Book of Hebrews is about Jesus, who came to earth in human flesh as the perfect manifestation of God on earth (1:1-4). He is superior to the angels, to Moses, and to the Aaronic priesthood. His dwelling place at the Father’s right hand is superior to the tabernacle. The New Covenant, which He inaugurated by the shedding of His blood, is superior to the Old, and His once-for-all sacrifice is sufficient to save and sanctify everyone who receives God’s salvation by faith in Jesus. Because of His superior sacrifice, men are now able to draw near to God, and thus the author exhorts his readers to do so in chapter 10 (verses 19-23). This is accompanied by an exhortation to encourage others in their faith (10:24-25) and a warning against deliberately continuing a life of sin (10:26-31). This warning is followed by an encouragement, based upon their faithful service and perseverance in an earlier period of persecution (10:32-39).

Chapter 11 is all about faith. Here, the author demonstrates that all of those who gained God’s approval did so on the basis of faith. Since salvation is the result of the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary, men are not saved by their good works, but on the basis of their faith in the Great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek (Jesus).

Chapter 12 begins with a reminder that the Hebrew Christians have a great host of witnesses not merely looking on, but cheering them on as they run the race set before them. Thus the author encourages his readers to run the race set before them with endurance. They are to do this with their eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the founder and finisher of the faith (12:1-3). They are also exhorted to endure suffering and adversity as divine discipline, lovingly administered for their growth and sanctification (12:4-13). The Hebrew saints are also exhorted to minister to others, for their own good and also for the good of the church (12:14-17). This leads the author to contrast Mount Sinai (12:18-21) with Mount Zion (12:22-24), followed by some closing words of warning and exhortation (12:25-29).

Paraphrase of Hebrews 12:1-17

In the presence of those Old Testament men and women of faith who are looking on with great interest, run with endurance the race God has set before you (verse 1), keeping Jesus foremost in your minds, especially the endurance He displayed in completing His mission by enduring⁵ the agony of the wrath of both God and men.

Recognize, too, that part of running the race set before you is enduring the pain and persecution of this life as divine discipline, metered out by a loving Father which, incidentally, is also proof of your sonship.

Having been encouraged and strengthened by knowing this, you must also pay attention to your brethren, some of whom are weak in their faith, and some of whom are lost. You are to minister to them for their sakes, and because they can become a stumbling block to others in the church. You are not to stand idly by while someone becomes immoral or ungodly – someone like Esau, who had no faith in God and no regard for His promise of spiritual blessing. Consequently, he exchanged his spiritual birthright for a bowl of stew, a decision he could not reverse when he regretted his folly.

The Two Mountains
Hebrews 12:18-24

18 For you have not come to something that can be touched, to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind 19 and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words such that those who heard begged to hear no more. 20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” 21 In fact, the scene was so terrifying that Moses said, “I shudder with fear.”

22 But you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly 23 and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does (Hebrews 12:18-24, emphasis by underscoring mine).

The first difficulty I had to deal with in these verses was the first word, “For.” Strangely, it is missing in the NIV; but then perhaps it isn’t so strange.⁶ Maybe the translators could not see the logical connection, and so they simply omitted the “For.” I was pleased to see that John Piper did see the connection.⁷ I think the connection indicated by the “For” in verse 18 links the contrast between the two mountains in verses 18-24 with the unbelief and immorality of Esau in verses 16-17.

According to our author, Esau was both immoral and ungodly (an unbeliever). I see these two assessments as both being rooted in the same problem. Esau was a man who, unlike the people of faith named in chapter 11, did not look for God’s blessings after their death.⁸ Esau was a man who did not believe in what he could not see. The spiritual blessings which accompanied the birthright of the firstborn were “unseen” future promises; the bowl of stew was something he could see, and smell, and (if he traded his birthright for it) taste. Similarly, Esau’s immorality was yet another evidence of his desire for present physical pleasure, as opposed to delayed divine blessings.

So what does this have to do with the author contrasting Mount Sinai and Mount Zion (as indicated by the connective, “For”)? It further pursues Esau’s failure of faith, but in a way that is more obviously related to the lives of the Hebrew Christians to whom this epistle was penned. Let me summarize the author’s point (as I understand it) and then deal with it in greater detail.

Mount Sinai is something like Jacob’s stew, while Mount Zion is like Esau’s birthright. The birthright and its blessings were vastly better, but these were future and thus as yet “unseen.” The revelation of God to Israel at Mount Sinai was seen, heard, smelled (the smoke), and felt (the earthquakes). The law that was given set forth God’s conditions for Israel’s enjoyment of an earthly kingdom. Judaism clung to Sinai, Moses, and the Old Covenant because it seemed to offer a more immediate (albeit inferior) and more visible kingdom.

Mount Zion, on the other hand, represents a spiritual city (“the heavenly Jerusalem,” verse 22) and thus a spiritual kingdom. Mount Zion represents all that Christians hope for in the next life and that for which they are willing to make great sacrifices in this life. Just as Esau had to make a choice between a bowl of stew and God’s promised blessings, so the readers must choose between a present, earthly, Jewish kingdom (Mount Sinai) with its earthly temple, or God’s promised eternal kingdom (Mount Zion).

The Spectacular Scene at Sinai

The “For” which commences verse 18 explains the reason for the author’s warning about Esau. Esau was a man who lacked faith in God, and thus he made his choices on the basis of what he could see and smell and eat. We, along with the first recipients of this epistle, have not come to a present, physical kingdom, introduced by spectacular sights, smells, sounds, and feelings (earthquakes). Such were the events surrounding the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, but we have come to something much different; we have come to Mount Zion.

You have to admit that for those who insist upon empirical (scientific) evidence in order to believe would not have lacked sufficient proof of God’s presence on Mount Sinai. When we go back to the account of the giving of the law in Exodus 19 and 20, and the repetition of that account in Deuteronomy 4 and 5, we are reminded of some very dramatic evidences of God’s presence among His people. The mountain was so holy (because of its proximity to God) that it could not be touched. There was a burning fire and dark clouds, a whirlwind, earthquakes, and trumpet blasts that would have even impressed and terrified the young people who drive around in their cars with their stereos blasting so loud you can hear them a block away.

I do not wish to minimize the impact that the sights and sounds of Sinai had upon those who witnessed them. These were so awesome that even Moses was terrified by what he observed:

In fact, the scene was so terrifying that Moses said, “I shudder with fear” (Hebrews 12:21).

But I want you to take note of what it was that most terrified those Israelites who witnessed the events at Mount Sinai. It was not just the events surrounding the giving of the law that caused the Israelites to fear; it was the words of the law itself:

. . . and a voice uttering words such that those who heard begged to hear no more. 20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned” (Hebrews 12:19b-20).

What is so frightening about this command that our author would use it to illustrate the fearfulness of the Israelites? Here’s the way I see it. The reality behind this command is the holiness of God. He is (apart from God’s provision in Jesus Christ) unapproachable by sinful men. He is so holy that even animals cannot get too close, or they must be put to death. So far as sin is concerned, animals are innocent – that is, they do not willfully sin as men do. (I think this is why they were used for sacrifices.) But if God requires that innocent animals be put to death for encroaching on God’s sacred space, then what does this imply for sinful men?

I do think it is important for us to grasp the fact that Israel’s fears are not merely based upon the spectacular events at Sinai, but rather upon the revelation of God’s law. As I was reading the account of the giving of the law in Exodus 19 and 20, I noted that while the spectacular events were taking place before the eyes of the Israelites, the danger was that curious Israelites would draw too near to observe these things “up close and personal.” Thus we read,

16 On the third day in the morning there was thunder and lightning and a dense cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loud horn; all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their place at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a great furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. 19 When the sound of the horn grew louder and louder, Moses was speaking and God was answering him with a voice. 20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain, and the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 The Lord said to Moses, “Go down and solemnly warn the people, lest they force their way through to the Lord to look, and many of them perish (Exodus 19:16-21, emphasis mine).

Go to Six Flags or Disneyland and you will see that people line up to take the scariest rides. There is something fascinating, drawing, about the spectacular and the awesome. This is why God had to repeatedly instruct Moses to warn the Israelites not to get too close to the mountain.⁹ It is not until after the Ten Commandments are given to the people (Exodus 20:1-17) that they become so frightened that they want Moses to speak to God from then on:

18 All the people were seeing the thundering and the lightning, and heard the sound of the horn, and saw the mountain smoking – and when the people saw it they trembled with fear and kept their distance. 19 They said to Moses, “You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak with us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you so that you do not sin.” 21 The people kept their distance, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was (Exodus 20:18-21).

Lest we think that the Israelites wrongly responded to this situation, we should be reminded of these words in Deuteronomy:

22 The Lord said these things to your entire assembly at the mountain from the middle of the fire, the cloud, and the darkness with a loud voice, and that was all he said. Then he inscribed the words on two stone tablets and gave them to me. 23 Then, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness while the mountain was ablaze, all your tribal leaders and elders approached me. 24 You said, “The Lord our God has shown us his great glory and we have heard him speak from the middle of the fire. It is now clear to us that God can speak to human beings and they can keep on living. 25 But now, why should we die, because this intense fire will consume us! If we keep hearing the voice of the Lord our God we will die! 26 Who is there from the entire human race who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the middle of the fire as we have, and has lived? 27 You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.” 28 When the Lord heard you speaking to me, he said to me, “I have heard what these people have said to you – they have spoken well. 29 If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever (Deuteronomy 5:22-29, emphasis mine).

The splendor and spectacularity of the events at Mount Sinai were intended to inspire a reverence and awe for God that would encourage obedience to His commands. Contrary to the teaching of Jewish legalists, the law was not given so that the Israelites could earn God’s favor by doing good. The law served to reveal man’s sin and his need for a Savior. This is Paul’s argument in Romans 3:

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed – 22 namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24 But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:19-24).

So what is it about Mount Sinai that our author wants us to grasp? The sensory events accompanying the giving of the law were numerous, spectacular, and impressive. One could not ask for more impressive or substantial proof, not only of God’s existence, but of His majesty, power, and holiness. In spite of their immediate impact on the Israelites, these awesome manifestations of God’s power and holiness did not produce faith or obedience. God miraculously (and spectacularly) humbled the “gods” of Egypt and then parted the Red Sea for His people to pass through. Shortly after this, He gave Israel His law, accompanied with a grand display of His awesome holiness at Mount Sinai. But after all this, the Israelites still murmured and grumbled and rebelled against God. While they were still at the base of Mount Sinai and Moses was still on the mountain, they had Aaron fashion a golden calf, which they worshipped like the heathen (see Exodus 32).

The Hebrew Christians are told that they have not come to Mount Sinai; instead, they have come to Mount Zion:

We have already been told that Abraham and the Old Testament saints were not looking for an earthly city, but a heavenly one.¹⁰ And thus our author makes it clear that the “Mount Zion” of which he speaks is not the earthly Jerusalem (and its temple), but the heavenly Jerusalem. This would be the “Jerusalem” we read about in Revelation 21:

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist, and the sea existed no more. 2 And I saw the holy city – the new Jerusalem – descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband (Revelation 21:1-2).

When we read Revelation chapters 4 and 5, this is the fulfillment of what the author of Hebrews has described as our heavenly hope. This spiritual Jerusalem which we await will be a very well populated place. There will be myriads¹¹ of angels present. Also there will be “the assembly and congregation of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” and “the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect.” I take it that this covers not only the Old Testament saints who died in faith without yet receiving the promises, but also present day believers who still live in the world.

It is interesting to notice who isn’t mentioned in the description of heaven, especially because it is so often the focus of Christian thought and conversations concerning heaven. We do not read that in heaven there is mother and father, sister or brother, son or daughter (even the family pet). Now I believe that we will see our saved loved ones in heaven, but I don’t think this should be our focus. Our primary focus and desire should be to dwell in the presence of our Lord (indeed, of the entire Godhead). And thus we read that the heavenly Jerusalem is the place where we will dwell in the presence of God the Father and God the Son, our Great High Priest.

The Father is referred to as “the Judge of all.” This is not the designation I would have expected, and yet it makes perfect sense. The revelation of God at Mount Sinai highlighted His holiness, which prompted the Israelites to shrink back in fear. At Mount Zion, God is present as well, and with some of the same evidences of His holiness:

2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it! 3 And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne. 4 In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne 6 and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal (Revelation 4:2-6a, emphasis mine).

And yet men do not shrink away in fear. Why is this? It is because the Father’s wrath has been satisfied by the sacrifice of the Son. That is what we read in both Hebrews and Revelation:

And to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does (Hebrews 12:24).

7 Then he came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne, 8 and when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders threw themselves to the ground before the Lamb. Each of them had a harp and golden bowls full of incense (which are the prayers of the saints). 9 They were singing a new song:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals

because you were killed,

and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God

persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

10 You have appointed them as a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

and they will reign on the earth.”

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels in a circle around the throne, as well as the living creatures and the elders. Their number was ten thousand times ten thousand – thousands times thousands – 12 all of whom were singing in a loud voice:

“Worthy is the lamb who was killed

to receive power and wealth

and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and praise!”

13 Then I heard every creature – in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea, and all that is in them – singing:

“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power forever and ever!”

14 And the four living creatures were saying “Amen,” and the elders threw themselves to the ground

The reason why countless men and women may now draw near in worship is that Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest of the order of Melchizedek, has offered Himself as the sacrifice for their sins, once for all.¹² He is the mediator of the New Covenant, and thus His sprinkled blood speaks of far better things than does the blood of Abel.

8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” And he replied, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?” 10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! 11 So now, you are banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand” (Genesis 4:8-11, emphasis mine).

Abel’s blood – the blood Cain shed when he murdered his brother – was speaking, just as God said. It was crying out for justice. How different was the sprinkled blood of the Lord Jesus. It covered the sins of all who claim it for salvation. And heaven will afford all eternity for men to praise God for it.¹³

A Word of Warning and Exhortation
Hebrews 12:25-29

25 Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven? 26 Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.” 27 Now this phrase “once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, that is, of created things, so that what is unshaken may remain. 28 So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. 29 For our God is indeed a devouring fire (Hebrews 12:25-29).

The words God spoke to the Israelites at Mount Sinai were those which the Israelites could not bear (Hebrews 12:19-20). These were the words of the Old Covenant, words written on stone. But the words which God has spoken by His Son are words written on hearts of flesh:

1 After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, 2 in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. 3 The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:1-3).

Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For if the message spoken through angels proved to be so firm that every violation or disobedience received its just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, 4 while God confirmed their witness with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will (Hebrews 2:1-4).

2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone, 3 revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts (2 Corinthians 3:2-3).

Consequently, the author can strongly urge his readers not to respond as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai (and afterwards!). Instead, they are to respond as those who have come to Mount Zion. They are to hear and to heed what God has spoken through His Son. And they are to learn from Mount Sinai just how serious the consequences are for rejecting God’s Word. The author argues here from the lesser to the greater. If God dealt severely with the Israelites for rejecting the warnings He uttered from Mount Sinai, how much greater will the consequences be for rejecting Him (Jesus), who warns us from heaven?

Consistent with the author’s style, he usually follows his warnings with a word of encouragement. And so we find great encouragement in verses 26-29.

26 Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.” 27 Now this phrase “once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, that is, of created things, so that what is unshaken may remain. 28 So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. 29 For our God is indeed a devouring fire (Hebrews 12:26-29).

Note the contrast between “Then” and “now” (verse 26), and by inference between “Mount Sinai” and “Mount Zion.” One of the phenomena that occurred at Sinai was the shaking of the earth:

17 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their place at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a great furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently (Exodus 19:17-18, emphasis mine).

Our author then takes up the prophetic theme of a future “shaking” that will occur in the end times, a theme found in both Old and New Testaments:

6 “Moreover, the Lord who rules over all says: ‘In just a little while I will once again shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry ground’” (Haggai 2:6).

13 “So I will shake the heavens,

and the earth will shake loose from its foundation,

because of the fury of the Lord who commands armies,

in the day he vents his raging anger” (Isaiah 13:13).

18 . . . For the floodgates of the heavens are opened up

and the foundations of the earth shake.

19 The earth is broken in pieces,

the earth is ripped to shreds,

the earth shakes violently.

20 The earth will stagger around like a drunk;

it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm.

Its sin will weigh it down,

and it will fall and never get up again (Isaiah 24:18-20).

6 “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Make sure that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 For nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these things are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:6-8).

12 Then I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and a huge earthquake took place; the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon became blood red; 13 and the stars in the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when shaken by a fierce wind. 14 The sky was split apart like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the very important people, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?” (Revelation 6:12-17).

17 Finally the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying: “It is done!” 18 Then there were flashes of lightning, roaring, and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake – an earthquake unequaled since humanity has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations collapsed. So Babylon the great was remembered before God, and was given the cup filled with the wine made of God’s furious wrath (Revelation 16:17-19).

The shaking of the earth includes a political “shakeup” as well as a physical “shakeup” (earthquakes). This “shaking” spells the end of the world as we know it. And at the same time, there is the promise of the “new heavens and new earth” that will follow. And so our author is surely right to speak of the final shaking as the termination of many things, as well as the inauguration of a whole new entity – Mount Zion, and the New Jerusalem.

Why does the author choose to cite Haggai 2:6 instead of one of the other prophetic texts? Let me suggest some reasons. First, the author cites Haggai 2:6 because it speaks not only of judgment and destruction, but of a new creation with even greater glory. Second, the text in Haggai speaks specifically of Jerusalem and the temple.

2 “Ask the following questions to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the remnant of the people: 3 ‘Who among you survivors saw the former splendor of this temple? How does it look to you now? Isn’t it nothing by comparison? 4 Even so, take heart, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord. ‘Take heart, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you citizens of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and begin to work. For I am with you,’ says the Lord who rules over all. 5 ‘Do not fear, because I made a promise to your ancestors when they left Egypt, and my spirit even now testifies to you.’ 6 Moreover, the Lord who rules over all says: ‘In just a little while I will once again shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry ground. 7 I will also shake up all the nations, and they will offer their treasures; then I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord who rules over all. 8 ‘The silver and gold will be mine,’ says the Lord who rules over all. 9 ‘The future splendor of this temple will be greater than that of former times,’ the Lord who rules over all declares, ‘and in this place I will give peace’” (Haggai 2:2-9).

We dare not forget the attachment the Jews, including the Lord’s disciples, had to Jerusalem and to the temple:

1 Now as Jesus was going out of the temple courts, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at these tremendous stones and buildings!” (Mark 13:1)

59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61 and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days’” (Matthew 26:59-61).

13 They brought forward false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop saying things against this holy place and the law. 14 For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us” (Acts 6:13-14).¹⁴

27 When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from the province of Asia who had seen him in the temple area stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this sanctuary! Furthermore he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple and made this holy place ritually unclean!” 29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) (Acts 21:27-29)

I believe that one of the temptations the Hebrew believers faced was to forsake the simplicity of the gospel and New Testament worship for the splendor and ceremony of Old Covenant worship in the temple at Jerusalem. Little did they realize (though Jesus had clearly told His disciples) that the temple and Jerusalem were soon to be destroyed.¹⁵

The parallel of this quotation from Haggai 2:6, and the circumstances facing the Hebrew believers to whom our epistle is written, is striking. In Haggai, the glorious temple in Jerusalem built by Solomon had been destroyed, as had the city of Jerusalem. The Jews returned to their land from Babylon and began to rebuild both the city and the temple. But when some of these Jews began to celebrate the rebuilding of the temple, others began to weep:

10 When the builders established the Lord’s temple, the priests, ceremonially attired and with their clarions, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with their cymbals, stood to praise the Lord according to the instructions left by King David of Israel. 11 With antiphonal response they sang, praising and glorifying the Lord:

“For he is good;

his loyal love toward Israel is forever.”

All the people gave a loud shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established. 12 Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders – older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established – were weeping loudly, and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout. 13 People were unable to tell the difference between the sound of joyous shouting and the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people were shouting so loudly that the sound was heard a long way off (Ezra 3:10-13).

When the foundations for the new temple were laid, people could envision the completion of the temple. But the old timers remembered the splendor and glory of the former temple, as this one paled in comparison, and thus they wept. Those who had not seen the first temple rejoiced. And thus we read of a mixture of weeping and rejoicing.

Haggai is written to encourage these Jews to finish the construction of the temple, but his words have a much more distant application as well, just as our author points out. The glory of the second temple appeared to be inferior to that of the first, but the true glory of the temple is that it is God’s dwelling place among His people. God will shake all creation, and the result will be that the nations will come to God’s dwelling place with all their wealth. The latter glory after this “shaking” will vastly surpass the former glory of the first temple.

I believe that our author is contrasting the greater glory of Mount Zion with the former glory of Mount Sinai. So, too, he contrasts the “shaking” of Sinai with the “shaking” of Haggai. There is to be a future shaking, when the old will be “shaken out” and the new will be brought in. The new will have much greater glory than the old. And the new will last forever.

Do these Hebrew saints have a strong attraction to Jerusalem and to Herod’s temple? Does there appear to be little glory in the simplicity of New Testament worship – often meeting in houses, and with its symbols being bread and wine? Mount Zion is ahead! And the glory of Mount Zion far surpasses that of Sinai. And Mount Zion will be an “unshakable” kingdom, which will never pass away or diminish in its glory.

So, if our kingdom – Mount Zion – is a greater kingdom, with greater glory, and it is “unshakable,” then the readers of this great epistle should not be so easily “shaken” by the trials and tribulations of their day, or even of the greater difficulties that are soon to come their way. Looking for an “unshakable” kingdom should produce unshakable saints.

The final verses – verses 28 and 29 – are very important, as is the way they are translated:

28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29, NASB, emphasis mine).

28 So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. 29 For our God is indeed a devouring fire (Hebrews 12:28-29, NET Bible, emphasis mine).

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us hold on to grace. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29, CSB, emphasis mine).

Virtually every translation renders verse 28 as do the NET Bible and the NASB: “Let us show gratitude.” or “Let us give thanks.” But I think that we dare not set aside the meaning conveyed by the Holman Christian Standard Bible: “Let us hold on to grace.” There may be a double meaning intended here, but I don’t think we dare overlook the exhortation to hold firmly to grace, especially in the light of what we have just read:

See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up and causing trouble, and through him many become defiled (Hebrews 12:15, emphasis mine).

In addition to this, we will soon see the same word employed in chapter 13:

Do not be carried away by all sorts of strange teachings. For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not ritual meals, which have never benefited those who participated in them (Hebrews 13:9, emphasis mine).

Then, too, there is the Book of Galatians, where Paul is strongly correcting the false teaching of the Judaizers, who sought to turn these believers from grace to law:

1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. 2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! 3 And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love (Galatians 5:1-6, emphasis mine).

Since the kingdom for which we hope is an “unshakable” one, then we should not be shaken from the grace which alone will bring us there. Should we “give thanks” for this grace? Of course! But it is grace that I believe our author has primarily in view. It is on the basis of this grace that we will be able to worship God in both devotion and awe. And that “awe” is due, in part, to the fact that our God is the same God who revealed Himself and His law to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. He is indeed a devouring fire, and we should be humbled by the fact that it was grace that brought about the sprinkling of our Lord’s blood so that we could draw near to God in worship.

Conclusion

As we conclude this lesson, let me suggest a few major themes from our text and some of their implications.

First, seeing isn’t necessarily believing, but believing is seeing. In chapters 3 and 4, our author has emphatically underscored the fact that the first generation of Israelites to leave Egypt – that generation who were participants in the drama that was played out at Mount Sinai – failed by reason of unbelief and disobedience.¹⁶ The empirical evidence could not have been piled higher or deeper, and yet they did not believe. Those who lived during the days our Lord ministered on this earth kept asking for signs, but these signs did not make believers out of most. Those who believed God’s promises did so on the basis of God’s Word, thus those who believed “saw” the unseen certainties of eternal blessings.¹⁷ Faith is not based upon sight, but it gives us sight.

16 Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison 18 because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed, after we have put on our heavenly house, we will not be found naked. 4 For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. 6 Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord – 7 for we live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:7).

Second, the spectacular and the sensational do not strengthen our faith and produce endurance as much as suffering does. There are some today who seem to desire to live from one miracle to the next, always depending upon some miraculous event or spectacular experience to keep them going. Job did not have that luxury, nor did Asaph in Psalm 73, or Joseph in his years of suffering, to mention just a few. The point our author is making in our text is that while the spectacular does not tend to produce endurance and perseverance, suffering does. That is why the readers are exhorted to endure their afflictions as divine discipline.¹⁸ It is suffering that deepens and enriches our faith, thus producing endurance:

2 “Remember the whole way by which he has brought you these forty years through the desert so that he might, by humbling you, test you to see if you have it within you to keep his commandments or not. 3 So he humbled you by making you hungry and then feeding you with unfamiliar manna. He did this to teach you that humankind cannot live by bread alone, but also by everything that comes from the Lord’s mouth. 4 Your clothing did not wear out nor did your feet swell all these forty years. 5 Be keenly aware that just as a parent disciplines his child, the Lord your God disciplines you. 6 So you must keep his commandments, live according to his standards, and revere him” (Deuteronomy 8:2-6).

25 Whom do I have in heaven but you?

I desire no one but you on earth.

26 My flesh and my heart may grow weak,

but God always protects my heart and gives me stability.

27 Yes, look! Those far from you die;

you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you.

28 But as for me, God’s presence is all I need.

I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter,

as I declare all the things you have done (Psalm 73:25-28).

67 Before I was afflicted I used to stray off,

but now I keep your instructions.

68 You are good and you do good.

Teach me your statutes!

. . . 71 It was good for me to suffer,

so that I might learn your statutes.

72 The law you have revealed is more important to me

than thousands of pieces of gold and silver (Psalm 119:67-72).

1 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. 3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:1-5).

7 During his earthly life Christ offered both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered. 9 And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him (Hebrews 5:7-9).

This seems to be a lesson that Elijah needed to learn. Fire coming down from heaven at Mount Carmel was indeed spectacular, and it produced the appearance of momentary allegiance to God. But it didn’t last, as Elijah soon realized. Elijah was ready to throw in the prophetic towel, but God sent him back to Mount Sinai,¹⁹ where he learned an important lesson:

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.” A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:11-13)

In a sense, Elijah was allowed to relive the spectacular events that Moses and the Israelites witnessed at Mount Sinai. But when these spectacular events were repeated for Elijah, God did not speak through them. Instead, He spoke to him through a soft whisper. God is not always to be found in the sensational. Indeed, in the earthly life and ministry of our Lord, it seems as though He purposely avoided the sensational. Did Elijah wish to turn the nation around through this sensational event on Mount Carmel? It was not to be. God had another way: He would use another prophet (Elisha), and two very unspiritual men – Hazael and Jehu – to chasten Israel. Hazael would be king of Syria, and Jehu would become king of Israel. Who would have thought God would have used such unlikely instruments to deal with His people?

How does God make Himself known today? Occasionally God may do something spectacular, such as He did at Pentecost.²⁰ But in these days, the amazing thing is that God has chosen to work by means of weak men and women, and means that appear to be unimpressive and unsensational:

21 For since in the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching. 22 For Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks ask for wisdom, 23 but we preach about a crucified Christ, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. 24 But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 26 Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. 27 But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, 29 so that no one can boast in his presence (1 Corinthians 1:21-29).

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us (2 Corinthians 4:7).

But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me (2 Corinthians 12:9).

How does God work today? I believe that we shall see how God normally works when we come to chapter 13, for there the Hebrew believers are instructed to persevere in their practice of showing brotherly love through entertaining strangers (13:2), identifying with those who are suffering for their faith (13:3), holding marriage in honor (13:4), and living lives in a way that is free from the love of money (13:5-6).

Third, being certain of an “unshakable” kingdom gives Christians the basis for an unshakable faith, even in the midst of difficult days. Our stability and security do not rest upon spectacular and sensational events, but on the assurance that we have an “unshakable” kingdom reserved for us in heaven, and this is based upon the Word and the work of our God in the person of His Son:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 This brings you great joy, although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials. 7 Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold – gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away – and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 You have not seen him, but you love him. You do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 because you are attaining the goal of your faith – the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:3-9).

What better reason to persevere than knowing that this life is short and that Mount Zion is eternal and unshakable? Added to this, we have been assured that the suffering and adversities we face in this life come from the hand of our loving Father, to strengthen our faith and promote perseverance.

¹ Copyright © 2009 by Robert L. Deffinbaugh. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 32 in the series, Near to the Heart of God – A Study of the Book of Hebrews, prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on April 19, 2009. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit.

² See also Exodus 19:16-22; 20:18-21; Deuteronomy 4:11-12; 5:23-27.

³ Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the NET Bible. The NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION, also known as THE NET BIBLE, is a completely new translation of the Bible, not a revision or an update of a previous English version. It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide an electronic version of a modern translation for electronic distribution over the Internet and on CD (compact disk). Anyone anywhere in the world with an Internet connection will be able to use and print out the NET Bible without cost for personal study. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. It is available on the Internet at: net.bible.org.

⁴ In addition to our text in Hebrews, read Exodus 19 and 20 and Deuteronomy 4 and 5.

⁵ The repetition of the term “endurance” is deliberate because it occurs three times, in one form or another, in verses 1-3, and once again in verse 7.

⁶ The NIV also drops the “for” in verse 25.

⁷ http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByScripture/26/1008_You_Have_Come_to_Mount_Zion/

⁸ See Hebrews 11:1, 13-26.

⁹ See Exodus 19:12-25.

¹⁰ Hebrews 11:9-16.

¹¹ “Innumerable” (ESV); “thousands upon thousands” (NIV); “millions” (NJB); “countless thousands” (NLB).

¹² See Hebrews 7:1—10:18.

¹³ See Revelation 5:9-10 above.

¹⁴ We should not forget Stephen’s answer to this charge in Acts 7:44-50, which only served to add fuel to the fire, resulting in his death.

¹⁵ See Matthew 24:2; Mark 13:2; Luke 21:6.

¹⁶ See, for example, Hebrews 3:16-19; 4:2.

¹⁷ See Hebrews 11:8-10, 13.

¹⁸ Hebrews 12:7.

¹⁹ Mount Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai. See Deuteronomy 4:10, 15; 5:2.

²⁰ See Acts 2.

31. The Problem of Pain (Hebrews 12:4-17)

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4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in your struggle against sin. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?

“My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline

or give up when he corrects you.

6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.”

7 Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from our earthly fathers and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life? 10 For they disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness. 11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it.

12 Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed. 14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up and causing trouble, and through him many become defiled. 16 And see to it that no one becomes an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing with tears (Hebrews 12:4-17).²

Introduction

My grandmother was a wonderful, godly, woman who lived to the age of 106. She spent her last few years living with my parents in Washington State. She had learned to be frugal during the Great Depression, and this remained one of her traits the rest of her life. One way that she did what she could to save money was to turn off all the lights. As she became elderly and more frail, my parents determined that she should have a light on in her room during the night, so that she would not fall in the darkness. Grandma D seemed to agree with this, in principle, but somehow the light in her room always got turned off. My father would emphasize the importance of leaving the light on, and she would agree, and then forget within a few minutes. It was something she did without really thinking about it.

One day my father sought to make the point more strongly, and so he explained what might happen if the light were turned off and she fell. Grandma was always eager to please my dad, and so she agreed that she would leave it on – again. Then, with a twinkle in her eye, she posed this question to my dad: “What if I don’t?” My father replied, “Well, mom, I guess that it will just have to be the woodshed, then.” My dad had come to know the “woodshed” (there really was a literal woodshed) from his experience as a child. It was there that the switch was applied to the proper place to administer discipline. My Grandma pondered the thought for a moment, and savored the humor, only to conclude the discussion with this comment: “Better get help.”

The “woodshed” (or its equivalent) was well known in bygone days. Spankings were commonly administered and accepted in those days, and instances of “abuse” were few and far between. A number of us who are my age or beyond learned some important lessons in “the woodshed.”

When I finished college and was interviewing for a teaching position, I met with a couple of men from a large school district in the Seattle area. They asked me a number of questions and at the end of the interview, they asked if I had any questions. I said, “Yes, I’m wondering what your policy is on corporal punishment.” They asked if this was important to me, and I replied, “Yes it is; I will not teach in a school district where it is forbidden.”

I never heard back from this school system, but in the providence of God I was able to fill a vacancy due to a death in the middle of the school year. In this school district, spanking was allowed. I had a mahogany paddle that had been milled and drilled to produce the maximum impact (not just on the offender; the loud “crack” of this paddle sent a message to other students who recognized this sound). I would guess that in the 2½ years that I taught, I did not use that paddle more than a half dozen times. The offender received only one swat from me, but it always seemed sufficient. No student or parent ever protested that this was “cruel and unusual.” One student actually said, “Mr. Deffinbaugh, the more you spank me, the better I like you.” And I only paddled him one time! He knew that he deserved it, and the paddle was a quick, though painful, way to put the matter behind us.

I tell these stories because our text deals with the subject of discipline. One of the texts that our author will cite is found in Proverbs 3, and we should all recall that Proverbs has a great deal to say about spanking. Spanking was at least tolerated, if not widely practiced, in my teaching days now some four decades or so ago. Today, spanking (as well as other forms of punishment) is viewed as the outpouring of a primitive and unacceptable form of violence.

If we are going to understand the meaning of our text, we must do several things. First, we must recognize that our culture and the Bible are in conflict over how one is to train up a child. And our culture is wrong! Let me be very clear here that I am not advocating or excusing child abuse. But I am saying that the Bible sets forth spanking as one of the means that a parent is to employ in the raising of children.

The one who spares his rod hates his child,

but the one who loves his child is diligent in disciplining him (Proverbs 13:24).

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,

but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him (Proverbs 22:15).

13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;

even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

14 If you strike him with the rod,

you will deliver him from death (Proverbs 23:13-14)

15 A rod and reproof impart wisdom,

but a child who is unrestrained brings shame to his mother (Proverbs 29:15).

Second, if we are going to understand our text, we must realize how much God hates sin. We must also grasp how committed God is to our growth toward righteousness. The intensity of God’s discipline in the life of the Christian is to be determined on the basis of how much God hates sin and desires righteousness. We live in a day when our culture loves sin more than righteousness, and thus we find divine discipline excessive.

An Overview of Hebrews 12:1-17

Fixing our eyes on Jesus – Hebrews 12:1-3. Granted, chapter 12 begins with a reference to the “great cloud of witnesses” (some of whom were described in chapter 11), but it seems clear to me that the author does not wish us to focus on these flawed people of faith, but rather to focus on the pioneer and perfecter of faith. It is His completion of His mission that should both enable and inspire us to complete the race set before us. His suffering is the grounds for our striving with endurance.

Our suffering viewed from a different (divine) perspective – Hebrews 12:4-11. Granted, the Hebrew recipients of this epistle are already suffering, but they need to view this from a different point of view.³ The suffering of these saints will be contrasted with that of the Savior (verse 4), and then presented as the discipline which comes from the hand of a loving Father, a discipline which is for their eternal good.

A call to action: looking for ways to strengthen others – Hebrews 12:12-17. Having explained why suffering has come their way, the author now moves to exhortation and application. Rather than spend their time and energy complaining, or focusing on themselves, they should be seeking ways to encourage others who are growing weary in their Christian lives.

Seeing Our Suffering in a Different Light
Hebrews 12:4-11

4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in your struggle against sin. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?

“My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline

or give up when he corrects you.

6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.”

I see this section in two parts. The author first contrasts the readers’ minimal suffering (thus far) with the unfathomable suffering of the Lord Jesus (verses 2-4). Then he seeks to show his readers that their suffering is not for their destruction, but for their development. Their suffering is divine discipline, which while painful at the moment, will produce righteousness and rewards in the end.

The Readers’ Suffering Viewed in the Light of the Redeemer’s Sacrifice
Hebrews 12:2-4

2 Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in your struggle against sin (Hebrews 12:2-4).

As I read this text, my mind fixes upon the contrast between the readers’ suffering in verse 4 with the Redeemer’s suffering in verses 2-3. He endured the eternal wrath of God so that men might be saved. He also endured the incredible opposition of sinners. And all of this suffering is contrasted with the rather puny price that the readers have, as yet, paid for their identification with Jesus. Our Lord suffered immense and eternal torment – the wrath of men and of the Father. The readers have not yet shed blood for their faith (though they may do so before too long). But even if they were to die a martyr’s death, it would never begin to compare with the suffering of Jesus. You may wish to think of it this way: Our suffering does not hold a candle to His, and yet His suffering is what we deserve.

Christian Suffering Viewed as Divine Discipline
Hebrews 12:5-11

5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?

“My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline

or give up when he corrects you.

6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.”

The disciples of Jesus, along with most of the Jews of that day, believed that suffering was divine punishment, and that prosperity and success were divine rewards for righteousness. No wonder John the Baptist was taken aback by his imprisonment (which Jesus did nothing to remedy). This is also why the disciples – as well of the Jews of Jerusalem – assumed that the man born blind was being punished for his sins, or for the sins of his parents (John 9:1-2). Jesus shocked nearly everyone when He taught,

“Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God belongs to you.

21 “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors did the same things to the prophets.

24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort already.

25 “Woe to you who are well satisfied with food now, for you will be hungry.

“Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

26 “Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets” (Luke 6:20-26).

So, too, the story of the rich man and Lazarus would have turned the thinking of that day (and of ours) upside-down. How could it be that a rich man would go to hell, while a poor beggar would go to heaven? Jesus is teaching that riches are not proof of righteousness, and prosperity is not necessarily an indication of piety. How, then, could suffering be explained?

Our author has the answer in verses 5-11. He begins by quoting from the third chapter of the Book of Proverbs:

5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?

“My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline

or give up when he corrects you.

6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves

and chastises every son he accepts” (Hebrews 12:5-6, citing Proverbs 3:11-12).

When we read Proverbs 3, we find that these verses are actually the conclusion to the argument put forth up to this point in the chapter. The chapter begins with a father’s exhortation to his son(s) regarding his instruction about wisdom:

1 My child, do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commandments,

2 for they will provide a long and full life,

and they will add well-being to you (Proverbs 3:1-2, emphasis mine).

It soon becomes evident that the father’s instruction is an exhortation to trust God:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not rely on your own understanding.

6 Acknowledge him in all your ways,

and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).

And when we come to verses 11 and 12, the conclusion to this section, we find that the father’s dealings with his son are closely related to God’s dealings with His children as sons. I believe our author has taken all this in and now exhorts us as a father to endure suffering as divine discipline. That is exactly what he will say in verse 7:

Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? (Hebrews 12:7, emphasis mine)⁴

These Hebrew saints had surely forgotten that suffering is God’s way of disciplining His children as sons. They had forgotten that Asaph’s suffering drew him nearer to God, while the prosperity of the wicked only made them more arrogant in their sins (Psalm 73). They did not remember that Job was the best example of a godly man that could be pointed out to Satan. In the end, Job’s afflictions brought him to a better understanding of God, and of himself, and thus he matured greatly in his faith.

They had apparently forgotten these words in Deuteronomy:

1 You must keep carefully all these commandments I am giving you today so that you may live, increase in number, and go in and occupy the land that the Lord promised to your ancestors. 2 Remember the whole way by which he has brought you these forty years through the desert so that he might, by humbling you, test you to see if you have it within you to keep his commandments or not. 3 So he humbled you by making you hungry and then feeding you with unfamiliar manna. He did this to teach you that humankind cannot live by bread alone, but also by everything that comes from the Lord’s mouth. 4 Your clothing did not wear out nor did your feet swell all these forty years. 5 Be keenly aware that just as a parent disciplines his child, the Lord your God disciplines you (Deuteronomy 8:1-5, emphasis mine).

There is something that we dare not miss in what the Scriptures tell us about discipline, both human and divine. As we can see from Proverbs and the passage in Deuteronomy 8 (not to overlook many others), the word “discipline” means much more than merely to punish. In fact, in its most severe form, discipline should not be viewed as punishment, but rather as correction. The goal is to encourage the foolish or the disobedient to trust God and to obey Him. In his excellent (albeit brief) commentary on Proverbs, Derek Kidner has this to say about the Hebrew word found often in Proverbs, and particularly in the passage cited by the author to the Hebrews:

Instruction, or training . . ., a far from static term, is the first synonym, giving notice at once that wisdom will be hard-won, a quality of character as much as of mind. The word has usually (not invariably – see e.g. 4:1) a note of sternness, ranging from warning (e.g. 24:32) to chastening (whether by the Lord, 3:11, or by the rod, 23:13; cf. the extreme instance: Is. 43:5). Its frequent companion is correction, or reproof . . ., a noun whose derivation emphasizes verbal rather than physical persuasion: an appeal to reason and conscience (cf. Is. 1:18; cf. Jn. 16:8 . . .). The two terms together can be summed up as discipline; they give the reminder that wisdom is not to be had through extra-mural study: it is for disciples only.⁵

Thus, discipline will likely involve verbal instruction, perhaps painful correction, and likely some form of suffering or deprivation of something desired. For the Israelites, “discipline” included allowing them to be hungry, or to thirst, so that they could witness God’s faithfulness in providing for their needs. In our text in Hebrews, the author wants us to know several important truths about suffering:

Suffering comes ultimately from the hand of God, for our good.

Suffering in the life of the Christian should thus be viewed as divine discipline.

Suffering should be patiently endured as something that is designed to produce righteousness.

Suffering, because it is divine discipline, should be viewed as an indication of God’s love, and that we are a part of His family.

The discipline we experienced in our human family should be instructive. We should realize that if the discipline administered to us by our (fallible) earthly fathers was beneficial, then surely the discipline administered by our heavenly Father will be infinitely more profitable.

All discipline is painful for the moment, but it produces peace and righteousness which is profitable for eternity. Indeed, as we shall soon be told (in verse 14), without these, no one will see the Lord.

A Call to Action
Hebrews 12:12-17

12 Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees,⁶ 13 and make straight paths for your feet,⁷ so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed. 14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up and causing trouble, and through him many become defiled. 16 And see to it that no one becomes an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing with tears (Hebrews 12:12-17).

There are several texts that relate to the author’s citations above:

3 Look, you have instructed many;

you have strengthened feeble hands.

4 Your words have supported those who stumbled,

and you have strengthened the knees that gave way (Job 4:3-4).

1 Let the desert and dry region be happy;

let the wilderness rejoice and bloom like a lily!

2 Let it richly bloom;

let it rejoice and shout with delight!

It is given the grandeur of Lebanon,

the splendor of Carmel and Sharon.

They will see the grandeur of the Lord,

the splendor of our God.

3 Strengthen the hands that have gone limp,

steady the knees that shake!

4 Tell those who panic,

“Be strong! Do not fear!

Look, your God comes to avenge!

With divine retribution he comes to deliver you.”

5 Then blind eyes will open,

deaf ears will hear.

6 Then the lame will leap like a deer,

the mute tongue will shout for joy;

for water will flow in the desert,

streams in the wilderness.

7 The dry soil will become a pool of water,

the parched ground springs of water.

Where jackals once lived and sprawled out,

grass, reeds, and papyrus will grow.

8 A thoroughfare will be there –

it will be called the Way of Holiness.

The unclean will not travel on it;

it is reserved for those authorized to use it –

fools will not stray into it (Isaiah 35:1-8).

Make the path for your feet level,

so that all your ways may be established (Proverbs 4:26).

It seems to me that the author’s exhortation is two-fold. First, I believe that he is exhorting his readers to individually take courage because of the saving work of Christ and because they have been reminded that their troubles come from a loving heavenly Father for their good. The individual application is most evident in Proverbs 4:26. But it should also be observed that in Job 4:3-4 and Isaiah 35:3-4, the exhortation is to encourage and strengthen fellow-Israelites. Knowing that God will bring His people back from captivity to enjoy His promised blessings in their land, and that God will pour out His wrath on those who have oppressed them, the people of God are to take courage, and they are to encourage one another.

I believe that the individual and the corporate applications are inter-related. Consider Paul’s words to the Corinthians about their suffering:

3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

As our loving Father, God makes us stronger through our afflictions, not only for our benefit, but for us to be a blessing to others. Having been strengthened by God’s grace through our afflictions, we can now strengthen and encourage those who undergo similar adversity. This is entirely consistent with what we have already found in chapter 10:

23 And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, 25 not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:23-25).

The corporate application becomes even more evident in verses 14-17:

The author exhorts his readers to pursue both peace and holiness (or sanctification), with the added comment that without which no one will see the Lord. Because of the great diversity (by design) that God has given His church, there is much opportunity for differences and divisions. Nevertheless, we were saved into one body, and the sacrifice of Christ produced not only forgiveness, but peace:

11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh – who are called “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision” that is performed on the body by human hands – 12 that you were at that time without the Messiah, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, 15 when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, 16 and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near (Ephesians 2:11-17).

There are a number of exhortations to pursue both peace and holiness (or sanctification):

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord (Romans 12:17-19).

Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22).

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical. 18 And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace (James 3:13-18).

10 For

the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit.

11 And he must turn away from evil and do good;

he must seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil (1 Peter 3:10-12).

13 But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides. 14 Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence (2 Peter 3:13-14).

The pursuit of peace and sanctification is not optional; it is mandatory. Holiness is not something we can set aside in order to pursue our own pleasures. Christ not only died to forgive our sins; He died to bring peace and to make us holy. For us to live as though peace and holiness were optional would be to misread the Bible. I believe that our author will take up this matter in verses 18 and following in our chapter.

Our author is telling his readers that they are their brother’s keeper. I use the term “brother” in its broadest sense because I believe that this includes both believers and unbelievers who are in the church. The one who is like a “bitter root” who “springs up and causes trouble” might be a true believer, but it seems more as though here it may be an unbeliever. The “poisonous root” in Deuteronomy 29:18 is the person who introduces others to idol worship. And if there is any doubt that some of those in the church may be unbelievers who corrupt others, the author turns to Esau as an example of an “immoral and godless person” in verses 16 and 17.

16 And see to it that no one becomes an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing with tears (Hebrews 12:16-17).

At first I was puzzled as to why the author would choose Esau of all people as an example, but upon further reflection, I believe I can now understand his reasons. So, why choose Esau?

First, we should assume that nearly every church has at least one Esau in their midst. He was a descendant of Abraham (and Isaac, of course). He was thus living in close proximity to those whom God would favor with the blessings promised Abraham and his descendants. But in the end, living in close proximity to God’s blessings is not the same as entering into them. Every church should be alert to the possibility that some who worship among them have never truly come to faith. I believe that the author is not merely warning the Hebrews about such people, but is exhorting the church to seek to win them to faith.

Second, Esau’s sins are typical of the sins of an unbeliever, and in particular they are typical of our culture. Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of stew. In today’s language, we might say that he traded God’s blessings for a Big Mac, or heaven for a Happy Meal. Esau is a man who forsakes eternal blessings for momentary pleasure. In this sense, he is the exact opposite of Moses, and of those listed in the hall of faith in chapter 11:

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God (Hebrews 11:8-10).

24 By faith, when he grew up, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin’s fleeting pleasure. 26 He regarded abuse suffered for Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on the reward (Hebrews 11:24-26; see also 11:13-16).

Our culture either denies or ignores the fact that all men will rise from the dead to give account for their sins, as Jesus and as Hebrews teaches:

28 “Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and will come out – the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation” (John 5:28-29).

And just as people are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27).

But in our world, the motto is, “If it feels good, do it!” Or, “You only go around once, so you’d better grab all the gusto you can get.” Paul puts it this way:

If from a human point of view I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what did it benefit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die (1 Corinthians 15:32).

Satan uses momentary pleasures to entice men and women to follow the path that leads to death:

21 She persuaded him with persuasive words;

with her smooth talk she compelled him.

22 Suddenly he went after her

like an ox that goes to the slaughter,

like a stag prancing into a trapper’s snare

23 till an arrow pierces his liver –

like a bird hurrying into a trap,

and he does not know that it will cost him his life (Proverbs 7:21-23).

Some are troubled by the fact that Esau is called an immoral man here, when there are no clear indications of this in the Old Testament. I don’t find it troubling at all. Any man who puts immediate pleasure ahead of eternal blessings is headed for trouble. If Esau would trade his birthright for a single meal, why would he not trade eternal blessings for a moment of passion? And let us not forget that Esau married Canaanite women who were readily available, rather than to marry a wife from distant Mesopotamia.⁸

Third, Esau’s sin is typical of the sin some of the Hebrews were considering. Esau was a man who was born into the Hebrew community to a father who was heir to the covenant promises God made to Abraham. He personally benefited from the blessings which God poured out on Isaac. And yet as close as he was to people of faith, he did not enter into this faith. Instead, he considered his birthright of little value or significance, and so he rejected it for a moment’s pleasure at the dinner table.

Is this not the danger that faced the Hebrews to whom this great epistle is addressed? As Jews, they were so blessed:

1 I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit – 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed – cut off from Christ – for the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen, 4 who are Israelites. To them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, by human descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever! Amen (Romans 9:1-5).

But in spite of these blessings, many of the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah, and like Esau, exchanged God’s eternal blessings for their hope of an immediate, earthly kingdom.

When our author speaks of Esau and his unbelief, he is speaking directly to his audience, some of whom had not accepted Jesus, and some of whom were toying with the possibility of forsaking the faith in order to escape from the suffering that loomed on the horizon. Esau was just the person to use as an example of a “bitter root.” Going back to Judaism was just like Esau trading off his birthright. And, as our author points out, there is a point of no return, a point at which one cannot reverse the decision they have made. Hell may very well be something like Esau’s remorse. He was sorry, even tearful, that he had forsaken God’s blessings; but it was now too late to reverse his decision. The Gentiles are to Jewish unbelievers what Jacob was to Esau.

Conclusion

Let me begin by summarizing our text. As we conclude this lesson, let me summarize the chapter by focusing your attention on the matter of discipline.

1. Self-discipline is necessary to finish the race (Hebrews 12:1-3).

2. Adversity in the life of the Christian is really divine discipline, and such discipline is proof of our
sonship, and of God’s love and care for us (Hebrews 12:4-11).

3. Discipline is the ongoing work of the church (Hebrews 12:12-17; cf. also 1 Thessalonians 5:14).

We need to see suffering for what it really is, and what it is not. The first generation of Israelites to leave Egypt interpreted their difficulties as God’s apathy, His inability to help, or His sinister desire to kill them in the wilderness. This is why they rebelled against God and failed to enter into the rest He had promised. God did bring adversity into the lives of the Israelites, but it was not to destroy them; rather it was to reveal their need for faith. The problem of pain was one that Asaph had to grapple with in Psalm 73, and he came to see that his affliction was really a gift from God, one that caused him to draw near to Him, which is the ultimate good. Likewise, God brought adversity into Job’s life, and this eventually resulted in his spiritual growth.

Suffering, for the Christian, is not to be viewed as some kind of accident, or as an oversight on God’s part. Suffering is God’s “school of discipline” by which He enhances our faith and draws us nearer to Him. Rather than causing us to question God’s existence, or His goodness, it assures us that He is our Father, and we are His sons and daughters.

Our text exposes the error commonly taught by the “health and wealth prosperity preachers.” They would have us think that God is waiting in heaven to shower us with earthly blessings: popularity, prosperity, physical health and so much more – if we only have sufficient faith (which we demonstrate by sending what we now have to them). I have yet to hear a prosperity preacher teach this passage in Hebrews, because they don’t want to tell folks that difficult times are here and that harder times are coming. People don’t pay to listen to preachers who tell us to deny ourselves, to take up our cross, and to follow Jesus. If we are truly people of faith, then we will be like the Old Testament saints. We will endure present adversity with patience, certain that God’s blessings will come to us (most likely) after we die.

Strange as it may seem, I believe that our text has much to teach us about parenting and child training. Our author, much like we find in the Book of Proverbs, links earthly parenting with God’s parenting His children as their heavenly Father. In our text, he compares earthly fathers to God, who deals with us as our Father. Earthly fathers “discipline” their sons. It is often painful, but in the end, it points their children toward God, and in the direction of godly character. Like earthly fathers, God deals with us as our Father. This, too, is painful, but it produces the fruit of righteousness. While earthly fathers are human and their discipline is flawed, it still produces good things in the life of the child. God’s discipline is perfect.

So, if God’s discipline can be compared to the discipline of our earthly fathers, then shouldn’t Christian fathers pattern their child training after God’s discipline? If God’s discipline is sometimes painful (the woodshed we talked about at the beginning of this message), then shouldn’t our discipline sometimes be painful as well? If God’s discipline is sometimes like a spanking, shouldn’t some of our discipline actually be a spanking? This is not something new and novel; it is what we are clearly taught in the Book of Proverbs. If God withholds certain things from His children for their good, then how is it that many Christian parents refuse to withhold anything from their children? Why do we “indulge” our children when God does not “indulge” us in the same way?

It seems to me that the ultimate act of discipline these days is the “time out.” We put a child in a chair and make them stay there for a period of time, as though that will teach them important life lessons. As some of my fellow-believers pointed out to me after I preached this message, God did have His own kind of “time out.” Jonah had his three-day “time out” in the belly of the great fish (and, incidentally, it didn’t really change Jonah’s heart, as we find in the Book of Jonah, chapter 4). The first generation of Israelites had a forty-year time out, but this did not really change them either. The Jews had a big “time out” in Babylon, and thanks to God, it did bear some fruit. Church discipline is a kind of “time-out,” but recognize that this kind of “time out” involved turning one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit might come to repentance.⁹ One might even view hell as a kind of eternal “time out.”

My point is not to send you home to immediately paddle your children. My point is that our discipline is patterned more after our culture than after our heavenly Father. Our text should not only change the way we think about our sufferings; it should also change the way we think about our parenting. Our parenting should seek to expose our children’s misbehavior as sin, and we should in our discipline reflect how seriously God takes sin. Divine discipline is much more than some kind of heavenly paddle, but it is often painful, prompting us to pay closer attention to what God has said in His Word.

So I leave you with these questions:

1. Does our discipline take sin as seriously as God does?

2. Does our earthly discipline seek to expose sin and then to seek God’s solution for sin in Jesus?

3. Do we take our responsibility seriously so far as it concerns discipline in the church? Are we seeking to identify and evangelize the lost who are among us? Do we actively seek to know one another well enough to recognize weaknesses and then seek to encourage faith and perseverance?

Last of all, a word on the resurrection (since this message happens to fall on Resurrection Sunday). This message may not sound much like an Easter message, but the subject of the resurrection is very important in the Book of Hebrews. For example, the resurrection is central to the faith of the Old Testament saints:

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He had received the promises, yet he was ready to offer up his only son. 18 God had told him, “Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name,” 19 and he reasoned that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense he received him back from there (Hebrews 11:17-19; see also 6:1-2; 11:35).

The hope of every Old Testament saint rested on the resurrection of Jesus, and thus the resurrection of every believer to their promised inheritance.

The resurrection is not the central thrust of our text, or even of chapter 12, though it was central to chapter 11. The cross of Calvary is the measure of God’s hatred of sin and of its penalty. The suffering that Jesus endured on the cross of Calvary is the measure of our sins. The resurrection is the measure of God’s acceptance of the sacrifice Jesus made on behalf of sinners. The resurrection proves that God was satisfied with the High Priestly sacrifice of Jesus. And finally, the resurrection is the validation of all of the claims of our Lord Jesus. Jesus staked His teaching and earthly ministry on the fact that He would rise from the dead:

38 Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights (Matthew 12:38-40).

I fear that for some (especially unbelievers) the resurrection (Easter) is the opportunity to focus on something other than our Lord’s infinite suffering at Calvary. Easter does not in any way diminish the magnitude of Christ’s work on the cross. The resurrection is God’s exclamation point on Christ’s atoning, sacrificial death! Have you acknowledged the magnitude of your sins, and that hell is the punishment God has determined as appropriate? Have you trusted in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus in your place, so that you may be delivered from divine judgment, and have eternal life? That is what the Book of Hebrews is all about.

¹ Copyright © 2009 by Robert L. Deffinbaugh. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 31 in the series, Near to the Heart of God – A Study of the Book of Hebrews, prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on April 12, 2009. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit.

² Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the NET Bible. The NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION, also known as THE NET BIBLE, is a completely new translation of the Bible, not a revision or an update of a previous English version. It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide an electronic version of a modern translation for electronic distribution over the Internet and on CD (compact disk). Anyone anywhere in the world with an Internet connection will be able to use and print out the NET Bible without cost for personal study. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. It is available on the Internet at: net.bible.org

³ As did Asaph in Psalm 73.

⁴ I realize that other translations handle this verse in different ways, but I think the NET Bible translators got it right.

⁵ Derek Kidner, The Proverbs (Chicago: Inter-Varsity Press, 1964), p. 36.

⁶ See Isaiah 35:3.

⁷ See Proverbs 4:26.

⁸ See Genesis 24:1-9; 26:34-35. It is interesting to note that Genesis 26:34-35 comes immediately before the account of Isaac giving his blessing to Jacob, thinking he was Esau.

⁹ See 1 Corinthians 5:1-8.

Related Topics: Discipline, Hamartiology (Sin), Love

30. Losing Weight (Hebrews 12:1-3)

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1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, 2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up (Hebrews 12:1-3).²

My Paraphrase of Our Text

1 So, therefore, since we also are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must keep running the race set out before us with endurance, having put off every weight and the sin which has such a grip on us, 2 continually keeping our eyes from distractions and fixing them on Jesus, who is both the initiator and the finisher of the faith. It was because of the joy set before Him that He endured the cross, disregarding the shame it brought, and consequently He has now taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For you must give careful and constant thought to the one who endured such rebellion against himself, so that you might not grow weary and give in.

Introduction

I appreciate R. Kent Hughes’ two-volume commentary on the Book of Hebrews. As a preacher, I could easily identify with the story he told in the introduction to his message on our text.³ It was his first year as the senior pastor of College Church in Wheaton, Illinois. He was agonizing over his final preparations for his message when one of the elders burst in, announcing that two famous British preachers – Dr. Alan Redpath and Dr. Stephen Olford⁴ – were sitting together in the audience. Knowing that his audience included these two men certainly quickened his pulse and made him much more apprehensive about his sermon.

I have only spoken three times at Dallas Theological Seminary, once at a graduation ceremony, and twice in chapel. It is a most interesting experience to stand in front of the pulpit, knowing that behind you there is a semi-circle of highly esteemed professors. The good news is that they are behind you, so that you cannot see their facial expressions as you preach, but it certainly does inspire you to do your very best work as you speak.

There are also those who have an audience but don’t know it. Technology has increased the danger of unintentional revelations. Recently, several politicians have been embarrassed because they made an indiscrete comment, unaware that their microphone was turned on, so that their remarks became a matter of public record. It really helps to know that you have an audience. In our text, the author will begin by telling his readers that they have an audience, a very large one at that, and knowing this should significantly impact the way they live their lives. This book is written not only for their benefit, but for ours, so let us listen well and learn what the Spirit of God is saying to us about living a life of faith.

The Context of Our Text

We have been dealing with a number of themes in the earlier chapters of Hebrews. Some of these themes would be:

1. The sufficiency of the Savior as our Great High Priest.

2. The deficiency of man, and our great need for a Great High Priest.

3. The superiority of the New Covenant to the Old, and the superiority of Christ’s priesthood to that of Aaron.

4. Those Old Testament saints who were so revered by the Hebrew believers were commended for their faith, not for their law-keeping.

5. Those commended for their faith in chapter 11 were far from perfect. They were flawed human beings whose failures were evident to all. They were not commended on the basis of their flawless performance, but rather on the basis that the One in whom they trusted was (and continues to be) perfect.

6. Those who live by faith realize that their rewards are not earthly, but spiritual and heavenly, and thus they live by faith as strangers and pilgrims in this world.

7. Faith is not a guarantee of prosperity and success in this life. Some of those in the hall of faith (chapter 11) were victorious, and others suffered greatly.

8. The Old Testament saints waited for their rewards after their death; they waited for their rewards so that they could receive them at the same time we do (11:39-40).

Like a good many others, I believe that our text, Hebrews 12:1-3, should actually be a part of chapter 11. If I understand the text correctly, these three verses serve as the conclusion to chapter 11. I hope this will become more evident as we proceed in our study. I believe that our text puts chapter 11 in its proper perspective. We know that the unbelieving Jews of Jesus’ day had a somewhat distorted admiration for and loyalty to the most prominent characters in the hall of faith, namely Abraham⁵ and Moses.⁶ Our text commands us to fix our eyes on Jesus, for He alone is the Author and Finisher of our faith.

The Judaism of Jesus’ day (not to mention others) believed that prosperity was proof of piety, while suffering was God’s punishment for sin. That was the mindset of Job’s friends, who kept insisting that Job was being punished for wrongdoing. It was also the belief of Asaph, the author of Psalm 73. That is why he could not understand why the ungodly were prospering (in his estimation, at least), while the godly (himself in particular) were suffering. It is why Jesus spoke so much about money, and why He told the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. Who would have imagined that Lazarus would go to heaven, while the rich man would suffer in hell?

Our author has already demonstrated that some people of faith experienced victory and deliverance, while others in the hall of faith suffered and even died for their faith. In our text, we will be shown that the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Lord Jesus, experienced the ultimate in suffering for our sakes, and then in the following verses of chapter 12, we will learn that our trials and tribulations are the norm, not the exception, and that they are evidence of the fact that God is our loving Father, who disciplines us through suffering for our good. Here is a perspective on suffering that we will only find in God’s Word.

The Structure of our Text

Do you remember (Of course not, many of you are younger than I am!) those days when college students used to see how many bodies they could stuff into a Volkswagen Beetle? The door of the Beetle would open, and bodies of students would begin to spill out. It didn’t seem possible that all those people could fit into such a small space. That is the way I feel when I come to our text. It is composed of only three verses, but they are packed with important truths. The tenses (aorist, present) and forms of the verbs (subjunctive, imperative, participle) are pregnant with implications. The distinction between what is singular and what is plural is also important.

To be more specific, I believe that we are to understand our text in a way that is similar to the interpretation of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. There is but one imperative verb, and that is the command to “make disciples.” The “going,” “baptizing,” and “teaching” instructions are all participles.⁷ In this way, the Lord has distinguished primary goal from secondary means. Thus, we are to make disciples by means of going, baptizing, and teaching. I believe the same to be the case in our text, where there are two main verbs (“let us run” in verse 1; “Think about” in verse 3). “Let us run” in verse 1 is a subjunctive verb, and thus an exhortation. “Think about” in verse 3 is an imperative. The rest of the verbs are participles, though one would not necessarily recognize this from the English translations. I therefore understand the structure of our text to be like this:

Command: “Let us keep running … with endurance”

Having put off every weight and the sin that entangles

Looking to Jesus

Who is the author and perfecter of faith

Who endured the shame of the cross

Who is seated at the Father’s right hand

Command: Think of Him who endured such hostility, so that we won’t grow weary and quit

Hebrews 12:1

We are very accustomed to seeing “therefore” in the epistles, but normally as the translation of another very common connective particle. Here the Greek particle is a term that is a composite of three Greek particles.⁸ This term is found only one other time in the New Testament, in 1 Thessalonians 4:8:

3 For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality, 4 that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. 6 In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly. 7 For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. 8 Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

9 Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another (1 Thessalonians 4:1-9, emphasis mine).

What I want you to see here is that the term “consequently” (rendered “therefore” in Hebrews 12:1) is clearly indicating that verse 8 is the conclusion of the author’s argument in verses 3-7. Verse 9 begins a whole new section. I believe the same is true in our text in Hebrews 12:1. The “therefore” designates the next couple of sentences as the conclusion of the argument of chapter 11. The author then moves on to a new (but closely related) aspect of his argument in verse 4. If we are to understand our text as we should, we must do so by interpreting and applying it in the light of the message of chapter 11.

What is a Witness?

Let’s talk for a moment about the great company of witnesses that are referred to in verse 1 of chapter 12. Almost certainly these “witnesses” include those named in the hall of faith in chapter 11. Note that this is not a company of great witnesses; it is a “great company” of witnesses. We have already noted that these saints were commended for their faith, not for living a flawless, failure-free, law-keeping life. It is always faith in Christ and His perfection that saves flawed sinners.

The word that is employed by the author – rendered “witnesses” in our translation – is a translation of the Greek word which would be transliterated “martyr.”⁹ Biblical scholars have pointed out that at this point in time, the word meant “witness” and that sometime later, when persecution became more intense, it came to convey the sense of being an actual martyr – a witness who died for his or her testimony to Jesus. Perhaps so, but let us not forget that these “witnesses” included those who did suffer greatly and die because of their faith (Hebrews 11:35b-38). I believe the original readers of this epistle would have understood this.

The imagery our author employs is not that of a cemetery, as though the runners can look about and see the tombstones of those who have gone before us. Rather, the author speaks of this multitude of witnesses as those who are still alive, and who are actively cheering us on till we reach the finish line. Just as we have been told that Abel is still speaking (Hebrews 11:4), so here the heroes of the hall of faith are still participants in the race, now as spectators or witnesses, rather than as runners. They are very much attuned to what is going on in this world.

The Corporate Aspects of our Text

The NET Bible (like the NIV and the NLT) gives no indication of the presence of the Greek term rendered “also” as we find in a number of the other translations. How the other versions render the term does differ somewhat. Compare these three translations:

Therefore since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us (CSB).

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (ESV).

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (NKJ).

I do believe that the “also” should not be omitted in the translation because it informs the readers that we have a connection with those who make up this “great cloud¹⁰ of witnesses.” As they lived by faith, so must we. As they failed at times, so will we. As their faith was sometimes rewarded with success, and at other times with suffering, this will likewise be our experience. As they persevered in faith, living in the present in the light of their eternal reward, so should we.

I have focused on verse 1, and primarily on the term “also,” but let us not overlook the fact that all three verses of our text focus on the believing readers of Hebrews as a corporate body of believers, as a large group of contestants who are running a race. Changing the imagery, this is not a solo event; it is the performance of a choir, accompanied by a large orchestra.

Let Us Run the Race By Means of Endurance

Now we come to the main verb in verse 1, the author’s primary exhortation: “Let us keep running by means of endurance the race that has been set before us.”¹¹ We are in a race, and this race has been “set before us.” The point here is that God maps out a course for our lives, which includes victories and apparent defeats (such as suffering and persecution). And the course He has set out for us is one that He Himself has run. How good to know that it is our sovereign Lord who has set out our course, and that He has endured the course set before Him with all of its difficulties, suffering far more than we will ever be called upon to endure. He would never set out a course that we could not complete, so that with Paul we could say,

7 I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith! 8 Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day – and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on his appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

In order to carry out this exhortation,¹² certain actions must be taken. Given the (aorist) tense of the participle (having set aside), I’m inclined to view these actions as prerequisites to be fulfilled before we begin the race. Let’s face it, most of the work of an athlete takes place ahead of the competition, not at the competition. The competition is the culmination of a long process of preparation.

So just what are we to have laid aside in order to run with endurance so as to complete the race set out for us? Here is where it gets interesting. We are to put off “every weight” (or hindrance) and “the sin which has such a strong grip on us.”

There is obviously a connection between “weights” (which are hindrances) and besetting sin. Both hinder one from running the race with endurance and perseverance. But there are differences that must be taken into account as well. It seems to me that in our text “weights” are distinguished from besetting sin. A weight isn’t a sin; it is just a hindrance. But a besetting sin is sin. When the author speaks about the “weight” we are to lose (by setting it aside), he speaks of “every” weight. Even though “weight” is singular, “every” suggests to me that there may be many things which could serve as hindrances to our running well.

When running a race, almost anything that adds weight to the runner is a hindrance. A minimum of light-weight clothing, along with the proper shoes is about all one should wear. In ancient times, and occasionally today, runners will run barefoot, but this is not likely to be the case in a marathon.

I once heard someone say, “If it’s not a wing, it’s a weight.” That’s good, but how can we tell the difference between a “wing” and a “weight”? In general terms, a “wing” is something that facilitates our walk of faith, while a “weight” is a hindrance to it. A wing facilitates a life of faith. A weight is anything that hinders us from carrying out our calling, something non-essential to our mission which consumes time and energy that could be better used in advancing God’s kingdom. A weight may be one thing for one believer and something else for another. A parachute would be unnecessary baggage for a mountain climber, but it is essential for a sky diver. A Christian may take up golf because it provides an opportunity to associate with non-believers and thus affords an opportunity to share the gospel with them as they play. For another, Christian golf may only be an unprofitable waste of time and money that could have been better used in other activities. The same could be said for a swimming pool, a summer cabin, or a boat.

A “weight” might be something that looks really spiritual, something for which one would be praised by other Christians. The goal in our text, as I see it, is not evangelism, as important as that is; the goal is perseverance which leads to the completion of the “race” (Christian life) that is set before us. Sometimes the church has so many programs that the saints are simply worn out trying to keep up. If we are burning people out with too many church activities, some of these might be a weight, rather than a wing.

I have only scratched the surface here, but let me move on to the other hindrance to finishing the race with endurance: our besetting sin. I am inclined to understand our author to be zeroing in on a specific sin, a sin that would be known to each saint, and quite likely to others. I think for example of Abraham. His besetting sin seems to be unbelief (fear), which resulted in his hesitancy to leave Ur and go toward the land God had promised. It also resulted in his practice of lying by passing off his wife, Sarah, as his sister. Jacob, on the other hand, was a deceiver. Samson was a man controlled by his sexual passions. I would speculate that each of my readers (and myself) has a particular sin that is the greatest hindrance to our perseverance and consistency in running the race set before us. That is the sin we need to deal with if we are serious about running our race well.

Where might some besetting sins come from? How might we better be able to identify them? Often our circumstances will reveal a predisposition to sin. We may be very happy when things are going well, but when suffering or adversity comes our way, we may grumble against others, and against God. Job’s friends, like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, assumed that the rich and successful people were being blessed because of their piety, while the poor and those who were suffering were being punished for their sin. Hebrews 11 (not to mention a number of other biblical texts)¹³ makes it clear that faith may produce success just as it may also produce suffering.

Another source of besetting sin can be our disposition. Some folks are just naturally more optimistic in their outlook, while others are more prone to worry. They may tend to see the gloomy side of things, and thus they might be tempted to grumble and complain. The optimists are the happy-go-lucky folks who can laugh when others cry. Some are adventuresome while others are fearful. Those who are more aggressive by nature may also be inclined to act too quickly, rather than to wait on God.

Believe it or not, our spiritual gifts may predispose us toward certain besetting sins. When Paul gives instructions concerning spiritual gifts in Romans 12, he seems to indicate that our spiritual gift may be also be accompanied by a “besetting sin.”

3 For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith. 4 For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same function, 5 so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another. 6 And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; 8 if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness (Romans 12:3-8, emphasis mine).

Here, Paul specifically highlights a certain problem area that is related to our strengths – our spiritual gifts – and not our weaknesses. The one who gives, Paul writes, is to do so with simplicity (literally). That can mean that the giver is to give with singleness of purpose (purity of motive). How easy it is to give in such a way that others see us and praise us. Jesus had something to say about that (Matthew 6:2-4). Paul’s words can also be a challenge to give with generosity. We should give gladly and generously and not be miserly or tight-fisted. Those who have sufficient resources to give may be tempted to keep them for themselves.

Those who lead must do so with diligence. How easy it would be for one with the gift of leadership to become lax and sloppy about how they carry out their responsibilities, especially if they are a volunteer and not paid for their ministry. Those who lead in the church or in some Christian ministry quickly encounter resistance, complaining, criticism, and opposition. It is easy to get discouraged and become slack in our leadership. That would be a besetting sin for a leader. Those who show mercy are to do so with cheerfulness, but this can be a thankless ministry so that one could become cynical and bitter in their service, rather than joyfully gracious. Our strongest assets may thus be the source of a besetting sin.

One more source of besetting sin is to be found in one’s culture. The Canaanite culture fostered all kinds of evil, and this was why God sought to isolate the Israelites from too much contact and association with it. Every culture has its besetting sins. For example, the Cretans were predisposed to the sin of lying:

12 A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 Such testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply that they may be healthy in the faith (Titus 1:12-13).

I have a friend who lives in the Middle East, and he has greatly helped me to understand some very significant differences between those in the East and those of us who live in the West. In the Middle East, we find an “honor based” society, and this leads to all kinds of evils. Believers who have grown up in this culture need to be alert to the “besetting sins” of their culture and to put off these attitudes and practices. We who live in the West have our own besetting sins as well, such as our rugged individualism and competitive spirit. We would do well to give much thought to the besetting sins of our culture, and then put off those which will cause us to stumble.

I suspect that if we are not serious enough about these weights and our besetting sin that God may intervene to help us along in these matters. For example, as I was thinking of our text in preparation for this lesson, it occurred to me that God may be using this recession to perform a kind of spiritual liposuction – removing a little excess fat by limiting our financial resources. If we refuse to “lose weight” by putting off hindrances and besetting sin, God may intervene to do it for us.

Hebrews 12:2

I would first like to point out the choice of names that our author has made to refer to our Savior. He tells us to keep our eyes fixed on “Jesus,” not Christ, or the Lord, or another of His names. I believe that this is because he is calling attention to our Lord’s attitudes and actions in His incarnation, when He came to this earth fully divine and fully human. Jesus best serves as our example in the days of His humanity on earth. It is the human/divine Jesus with whom we can most readily identify. It is the incarnate Jesus who humbled Himself and became obedient to the Father’s will even unto death on the cross of Calvary.¹⁴

Furthermore, I believe that it is profitable for us to take note of the expression, “keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus.” This term rendered “looking to” or “keeping our eyes fixed” is one that has a two-fold sense. It first of all refers to looking away from something and then looking intently on something else. So the Christian is challenged to look away from those things which merely distract, and to look intently upon Jesus.¹⁵

Jesus, the Pioneer¹⁶ and Perfecter¹⁷ of Faith

It should come as no surprise to the Christian that it is all about Jesus. He is introduced in the Gospel of John as the Creator, the divine cause of the universe:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. 2 The Word was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created (John 1:1-3).

Paul concurs with John, adding further that He is likewise the divine sustainer of the universe:

16 For all things in heaven and on earth were created by him – all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers – all things were created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him (Colossians 1:16-17).

Elsewhere the Apostle Paul adds to these truths the fact that He is the goal of human history:

9 He did this when he revealed to us the secret of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 toward the administration of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ – the things in heaven and the things on earth (Ephesians 1:9-10; compare Romans 11:36).

Summing it all up, we can say that the Lord Jesus is the initiator and consummator of faith.¹⁸ If salvation and the Christian life are always matters of faith, even in the Old Testament – as Hebrews 11 demonstrates – then salvation and the Christian life are all about Jesus. While we are challenged to walk by faith, we are not left with the false impression that we must somehow conjure up this faith on our own. Faith is a gift from God, a gift that He gives, that He sustains, and that He perfects (brings to its completion):

8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this [faith] is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

Jesus is the creator of faith, the object of our faith, and the sustainer and perfecter of our faith. One dare not speak of faith apart from speaking of Jesus.

In what way is our Lord Jesus the “author” of faith? I believe that our author spells that out in the next sentence of verse 2:

Jesus was motivated by the “joy set out for him.” The term “set out” is the same term that we find in verse 1, which speaks of the race “set out” for us. The “joy” set out before Jesus was the joy set out for Him by the Father. While the specifics of this “joy” are not spelled out, I think that it is safe to say that this joy would include …

… the joy of obeying and carrying out the Father’s will

… the joy of bringing glory to the Father

… the joy of being raised, ascended, and exalted at the right hand of the Father

… the joy of reconciling lost sinners to God.

For this, the Lord Jesus endured the cross, despising its shame. Mel Gibson’s moving film, The Passion of the Christ, made much of the physical suffering of our Lord, but the writers of the New Testament chose not to dwell merely on His physical suffering, as excruciating as that was. What Jesus dreaded most was being made sin, and thus being abandoned by God as He bore the punishment for our sins.¹⁹ He “despised”²⁰ the shame of the cross, willingly enduring it.

I don’t think we give sufficient attention to the shame of the cross. While stoning was the typical form of execution in Judaism, crucifixion was even more shameful:

22 If a person commits a sin punishable by death and is executed, and you hang the corpse on a tree, 23 his body must not remain all night on the tree; instead you must make certain you bury him that same day, for the one who is left exposed on a tree is cursed by God. You must not defile your land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:22-24).

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) (Galatians 3:13).

With His eyes fixed on the “joy set before Him,” Jesus endured the shame of the cross, punctuated by the mocking of the crowd and the desertion of His disciples, so that we might be reconciled to God.

And for this God honored Jesus by raising Him from the dead, and seating Him at His right hand in glory:

32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you both see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,

‘The Lord said to my lord,

“Sit at my right hand

35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:32-36).

3 Concerning his Son who was a descendant of David with reference to the flesh, 4 who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:3-4).

8 He humbled himself,

by becoming obedient to the point of death

– even death on a cross!

9 As a result God exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus

every knee will bow

– in heaven and on earth and under the earth –

11 and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord

to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:8-11).

The Second Command of Our Text
Hebrews 12:3

Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up (Hebrews 12:3).

Thinking of Jesus is a command, not an option. Jesus not only endured the shame of the cross and the wrath of His Father; He also endured the opposition of sinners who cried out for His execution, and for the release of Barabbas, a terrorist. Do we feel looked down upon by unbelievers? Do we feel despised and rejected because we are Christians? The opposition we will be called upon to endure will never approximate that which our Lord Jesus endured. (To this point, they had not even suffered to the point of shedding blood – see verse 4.) This should serve to encourage those who encounter persecution and rejection, so that we do not grow weary in soul to the point of giving up.

Conclusion

So what have we learned from this text, and what should we do with what we have learned? Let me close with some suggestions.

First, we should be fully assured in our suffering as saints that we are not alone; we are being watched by those who have gone before us, who are cheering us on to finish the race set out before us. We are being watched by God, by the angels, and by the saints who have gone before us – that great cloud of witnesses:

“But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6).

For this reason a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels (1 Corinthians 11:10).

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you searched and investigated carefully. 11 They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory. 12 They were shown that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things angels long to catch a glimpse of (1 Peter 1:10-12).²¹

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us (Hebrews 12:1).

There are times when we feel abandoned, left alone, in our sufferings for our faith. That is the way Elijah felt when he was ready to turn in his prophet’s mantle:

Elijah said to them: “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal” (1 Kings 18:22; see also 19:10, 14; Romans 11:3).

Elijah was wrong. There were 7,000 faithful saints who had not bowed the knee to Baal.²²

Though it was years ago, I remember reading one of Joni Eareckson Tada’s books (most likely it was Joni). She was describing her bitterness as she lay in her hospital bed, wondering what good could come from her accident or from her testimony. Then it occurred to her that there were many “witnesses” watching with great interest. How she responded to her affliction did impact others.

I believe that in addition to the Trinity and the angelic host, there is a cloud of witnesses cheering us on in the race set before us. They are not passive observers, but those who have already run their portion of the relay race of faith. The baton is now ours, and how well we run matters a great deal to others, those who have come before us and those who will come after us. Let us run our race well, knowing that it has been set out for us by God, that our Lord has already completed His course, and that those who have run before us are cheering us on. We are not alone!

I recently heard a rather distressing prediction that a growing number of those who profess to be “born again Christians” will never be a part of a church or congregation. They will use the failures of the church and those who profess faith to excuse themselves from associating with a church. That is what Elijah sought to do, and God sent him back to his ministry and to an association with other saints (first of whom was Elisha). A relay race cannot be run alone.

Second, we are called to a life of diligence, self-discipline, and exertion because the One who has set the race before us has run the race successfully, and He is sufficient to save, sanctify, and perfect us. The sovereignty of God is not inconsistent with human responsibility; human responsibility is rooted in the sovereignty and sufficiency of God. The Christian life is a life which begins with faith, perseveres through faith, and is perfected by faith. The Christian life is only possible because of the provision of God in Jesus. This is why we must keep our eyes on Him.

The centrality of Jesus Christ must never be forgotten. If we become too devoted to men, we should be reminded by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1 that the Christian life is all about Jesus. Paul preached Christ crucified. There were those who wanted to “move on” to other teachings and to other leaders. Not Paul! To him, it is Christ alone who saves, Christ alone who sanctifies, and Christ alone who should be preeminent. This is one of the reasons why we celebrate the Lord’s Table every week. We must continually be reminded that our faith is to be Christ-centered. He alone must be preeminent.

19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in the Son (Colossians 1:16-19).

The heroes of the hall of faith are not to be the center of our attention. They were all flawed men and women who were commended for their trust in God. It is Jesus alone on whom our eyes are to be fixed. He alone can save and sustain us. He is not only our rewarder, but our great reward. Let us look to Him, and let us run the race before us with endurance.

¹ Copyright © 2009 by Robert L. Deffinbaugh. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 30 in the series, Near to the Heart of God – A Study of the Book of Hebrews, prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on March 22, 2009. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit.

³ R. Kent Hughes, Hebrews (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1993), vol. 2, p. 157. I would also suggest that you read his account of playing tennis with Larry King, husband of Billy Jean King (as Billy Jean watched) – pp. 157-158.

⁴ Hughes indicates that at the time, Dr. Redpath was the pastor at Moody Church in Chicago, and Dr. Olford was the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in New York City.

⁵ See Matthew 3:9; John 8:39-58.

⁶ See John 5:45-46; 6:32; 9:28.

⁷ This is not to say that participles cannot be used with imperatival force. It is to say that when participles are employed along with an imperative form of the verb, one might be inclined to see the imperative as primary.

⁸ Transliterated, it would be toi-gar-oun.

⁹ martu,rwn (marturown), from ma,rtuj (martus).

¹⁰ The Greek term used for “cloud” here appears only here in the New Testament, but a similar term is used in reference to our Lord’s ascension into the clouds, and return in the clouds (Matthew 24: 30; 26:64; Mark 9:7; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:17). Somehow it seems appropriate for the author to refer to these deceased but still living saints as a “cloud” of witnesses.

¹¹ My translation. “Keep running,” better reflects the fact that this verb is employed in the present tense.

¹² The verb is subjunctive, not imperative; thus it is a strong exhortation.

¹³ See, for example, Genesis 50:20; Psalm 73; Romans 8:28-30; 2 Corinthians 1; 1 Peter 4:1—5:10.

¹⁴ See Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 2:5-18.

¹⁵ This is not the time or place to do so, but the Bible speaks of a close relationship between the eye and the heart. See Genesis 3:1-7; Deuteronomy 18:8; 15:9; Proverbs 23:4-6, 26; 28:22; Jeremiah 22:17; Ezekiel 24:16, 21; Matthew 6:22-23; 18:9; 20:15.

¹⁶ The Greek term rendered “pioneer” is employed to depict a chief, prince, or leader, as well as a founder.

¹⁷ This exact term is found nowhere else, and thus it could have been coined by the author. Related terms are found in Scripture and elsewhere. Since Hebrews seeks to encourage saints to persevere to perfection, and since it depicts our Lord as the one who brings us to perfection, it is not surprising to find this term here.

¹⁸ A number of the translations render “our faith,” rather than “faith.” Technically the term rendered “our” is not present in the Greek text (as is indicated by the NASB, and by the italicized “our in the KJV and NKJV), though the continued … author may have expected his readers to supply it. It is possible, however, that the author is speaking of Jesus as the origin and completer of faith (ours and others), or even the faith, though this seems unlikely.

¹⁹ See Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46.

²⁰ “Disregarding” seems a little weak to me; I prefer “despising.”

²¹ The angels are called “observers” or “watchers” in Daniel 4:17.

²² 1 Kings 19:18.

Related Topics: Basics for Christians, Christology, Spiritual Life

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3. The Spirit of Christ (Philippians 2:1-13)

This week I was afforded on of those rare occasions when I experienced the exhilaration of the sensation of power. At first I did not even realize it was there. My telephone had been out of order. I could neither receive nor make calls. Only the answering service was receiving my calls. My telephone was dead. Ironically, both Ma Bell and the private vendor we were doing business with agreed on one thing--the answering service had been disconnected.

In a moment of frustration I called a friend who worked for the Bell system, intending only to determine who I was to contact to seek a solution to the problem. I never really knew what his position in the company was. But even though I had called him at home, while he was on vacation, things suddenly began to happen. He kept me on the line and located someone who could help. I was assured that things would begin to move--and they did. Even though it was after 6 p.m., a telephone company supervisor arrived, not to fix the phone, but to assure me that someone was on the way to do so. Within a few minutes the repairman arrived. Slowly it began to dawn on me that this was no ordinary treatment. The supervisor assured me that when "the people upstairs" give orders to fix something, they drop everything else to do so. I was impressed. The paperwork was no longer an issue. That, I was assured, would be dealt with later. Now the only concern was to fix the problem.

The next day the phone was fixed. My only regret is that things cannot always be handled so forcefully.

The reason for the hasty solution to my telephone problem was really quite simple--power. Not my power, but the power of someone whom I knew who had the authority to get things done. Most of us find ourselves on the other end of the spectrum, frustrated by the bureaucracies all about us, governmental and otherwise. When we deal with the government, there is always some other department which is responsible. When we have an error in our billing, it was the computer's fault, and it just doesn't seem fixable. Travel outside our borders only amplifies the problem.

In stark contrast to men, who are striving to gain power and prestige, we find the Second Person of the Godhead, who was willing to lay aside self-interest in order to save men. We can hardly imagine what a concession it would have been for our Lord to have left Heaven, where myriads of angels not only were occupied with praising Him, but eager to carry out His every command, only to descend to earth as a man, and a poor one at that, so that He would become the object of ridicule, and eventually the victim Who was hung upon a Roman cross. This is precisely what happened in the incarnation of our Lord, but the passage which we are dealing with is not found in the gospels, but rather in the epistles, in the Book of Philippians, chapter two.

In our last lesson we considered the "spirit of Christmas" which was evidenced by those godly few to whom Christ's coming was revealed, and who responded in obedient worship and praise. In this message we shall consider another aspect of the "spirit of Christmas," focusing now upon the spirit of the Christ who came to the earth as man, in order to redeem men and to reconcile them in such a way that they will be able to be forgiven of their sins and citizens of His kingdom.

In the second chapter of the Book of Philippians, the apostle Paul calls upon the saints of the city of Philippi to imitate the attitude of our Lord Jesus Christ at His incarnation. The spirit of Christ at the incarnation is thus specifically applied to the Christian life. We will seek to understand and apply the "spirit of Christmas" by considering what is said to have actually occurred, then the attitude of Christ which resulted in His incarnation, and then the application of this attitude in daily Christian experience.

The Attributes of Christ and the Incarnation

The change which occurs at the time of our Lord's incarnation is of great theological and practical importance. Because of this it is necessary for us to begin by noting what Paul says of our Lord's state before He took on human flesh:

Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped (Phil. 2:6).

The word "form" used in verse 6 does not merely mean to be God-like. Dr. B. B. Warfield has captured the essence of this expression:

. . . the phraseology which Paul here employs was the popular usage of his day . . . and . . . was accordingly the most natural language for strongly asserting the deity of Christ which could suggest itself to him. . . . "Form" is that body of qualities which constitute Him God, and without which He would not be God. What Paul asserts then, when he says that Christ Jesus existed in the "form of God," is that He had all those characterizing qualities which make God God, the presence of which constitutes God, and in the absence of which God does not exist. He who is "in the form of God," is God.²²

Paul is therefore stating that prior to His incarnation our Lord was fully God, possessing all of the attributes of God. This claim is consistent with the teaching of the New Testament:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb. 1:3a).

Rightly, then, can Paul also say in verse 6 that He was equal with God.²³

We learn, then, that our Lord our Lord pre-existed His incarnation (John 1:1-5; 8:58; 17:18, 24; II Cor. 8:9; Col. 1:16-17). In this state, He was fully equal with God the Father so far as His deity was concerned (cf. Isa. 9:6; John 1:1; 10:30, 33).

Our text indicates that at the time of His incarnation, something changed. This change is referred to by the word "emptied." The Greek word which the translators of the NASB rendered "emptied" is transliterated Kenosis. This term is translated "made Himself of no reputation" in the King James Version. The NIV renders it "made himself nothing," in my estimation the worst of the three versions. The critical issue for us is what is meant by the term here? What did our Lord "empty" Himself of? What changed when He was "made in the likeness of men" (v. 7)?

Until the last century, there was little question what was meant. It was agreed by Christians that Paul meant the Second Person of the Trinity had added perfect humanity without in any way diminishing His deity. Jesus was no less God (as though He could be), but was now man as well.

A very serious problem arose, however, which changed matters significantly. Skeptical higher critics came along who concluded that the Bible contained numerous errors. This "scholarly" viewpoint overturned the position of the church held for centuries, namely that the Bible was the inspired, inerrant, word of God. More than this, it directly contradicted our Lord's view of the Old Testament scriptures. These scholars could not dispute the fact that Jesus believed the scriptures to be verbally inspired and wholly true, that David wrote Psalm 110, and that Moses was the (one) author of the Pentateuch.

It was a standoff between the new view of 19th century higher critics and the Lord Jesus. A new interpretation of Philippians 2:5-8 was created, which became known as the "kenosis theory,"²⁴ which was believed to solve the problem. It should be clearly understood that the principle reason for the "kenosis theory" was the need to explain why it was our Lord who was in error, and not the higher critics:

In England, the kenosis theory was first broached by Bishop Gore in 1889, to explain why our Lord was ignorant of what the nineteenth-century higher critics thought they knew about the errors of the Old Testament. Gore's thesis was that in becoming man the Son had given up His divine knowledge of matters of fact, though retaining full divine infallibility on moral issues. In the realm of historical fact, however, He was limited to current Jewish ideas, which He accepted without question, not knowing that they were not all correct.²⁵

As Packer skillfully points out, this "theory" only appears to solve one problem (which didn't need to be solved in the first place), at the cost of creating several others. By following the "kenosis theory" of Gore and others we must conclude that Jesus was not, in His earthly life, fully divine. And, if our Lord abides forever as the God-man, then this "diminished deity" is eternal. Worst of all is the fact that Jesus claimed to be speaking for God (cf. John 7:16; 8:28, 40; 12:49f.). If He was wrong in some of His declarations, why was He not in error in all of them? Packer therefore concludes,

If the kenosis theory is used for the purpose for which Gor used it, it proves too much: it proves that Jesus, having renounced His divine knowledge, was fallible at every point, and that when He claimed that all His teaching was from God he was fooling both Himself and us.²⁶

From the gospels we can see that our Lord did possess all of the attributes of deity, even though He did, at times, choose not to make use of them. Jesus claimed to be divine (John 8, 10), and His disciples regarded Him as such (Luke 9:20; John 6:69; 20:28). Our Lord demonstrated His omniscience when He revealed the condition of Nathaniel's heart and what he was doing before they met (John 1:47-48). He knew the sordid details of the life of the woman at the well (John 4:17ff.). He knew that Lazarus was dead before they arrived at his home town (John 11:11-13). He also knew the unspoken thoughts of His critics (Mark 2:6-8).

If our Lord did not empty (the word kenosis) Himself of His divine attributes, of what did He empty Himself? What did our Lord lay aside in the act of His incarnation? While this is a marvelous and mysterious subject, and one of considerable discussion, I believe that we can identify at least three things which our Lord set aside.

First, our Lord laid aside position. He was and continued to be God, but at His incarnation our Lord stepped down, as it were, from His exalted position beside the Father in glory. Now, instead of assuming the position of the Supreme Ruler, He took the position of the most humble servant.

Second, our Lord laid aside possessions. The apostle Paul spoke of this when he wrote,

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich (II Cor. 8:9).

All of His life our Lord was borrowing things. He was born in a borrowed cattle trough. He rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed beast of burden. He was buried in a borrowed grave. Our Lord, who created all things, laid aside what was rightfully His. Servants are, by the very nature of their position, poor.

Third, our Lord laid aside privilege. A servant does not possess privileges. The master eats first, the servant later. The master has one entrance, the servant another. The master has one dwelling place, the servant one substantially inferior. The master is free to do as he wishes, but the servant has little freedom. All of the privileges which our Lord could have rightfully claimed (such as the praise and worship of men),6 He was willing to set aside.

It would be easy for us to excuse ourselves from applying the truths of these verses by appealing to the chasm of contrast between our Lord and ourselves. After all, we can rationalize, we are not God, so we do not have the position, nor the possessions, nor the privileges which He chose to lay aside. That is quite true. The application to our lives comes in our willingness to lay aside what we do possess and what we are inclined to protect, rather than to put aside.

The "kenosis" of our Lord had application in those areas of our lives in what we have a position of authority--a higher position than others. The kenosis principle instructs us that leadership is not exempt from the servant spirit. In point of fact it is the ideal place to manifest it. After all, who had a greater position of authority than our Lord?

Our Lord's disciples continually sought for the position of power and prestige. Our Lord taught that the way to greatness was through service and self-sacrifice:

And calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall become your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:42-45)

Thus Peter could later write to church leaders,

. . . nor as Lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. (I Pet. 5:3)

In the Christian life, leadership is a place of service, not of dictatorship. While servanthood may be viewed as a weakness for a leader in the world, it is not so in the church.

Husbands, take note! We do not exercise leadership over our wives by demanding that they serve us, but by serving them. Biblical leadership is never dictatorship. The ideal king and the ideal husband is the servant, who uses his position and power for the benefit of those under his authority, rather than for selfish gratification.

The kenosis principle as applies to those areas where we have equality. Note that it was equality with God that our Lord did not cling to (Phil. 2:6). Our society is absolutely obsessed with equality. Women want equal rights with men. One race wants equal treatment with another. It is true that in the body of Christ all are equal in God's sight. It is likewise true that in our country both sexes, and all races, creeds, and stratas of society should be treated equally. But the kenosis principle instructs us that what we might demand by virtue of our equality, may be that which we are to relinquish in order to be obedient servants.²⁷

The kenosis principle applies to our possessions. For example, you and I do have certain possessions, which may be used for a variety of purposes. We may horde them for a future time, we may use them now for the purpose of our personal pleasure and enjoyment, or we may use them for the benefit of others. You and I also have a great deal of privacy in our society. Our homes are sometimes fortress-like, with fences which build walls between us and our neighbors ("Good fences make good neighbors"). Privacy is a privilege which we possess. You and I may cling to it, or we may lay it aside, so that we can minister to the needs of others, many of whom desperately would love a share of our love and hospitality.

Then, too, we have certain privileges. One of the most obvious is our Christian liberties. We have the freedom to drink wine and to eat meat (cf. I Cor. 8; Rom. 14). Like Adam and Eve, who had a whole garden from which they could freely eat (except for the fruit of the one tree), we have the freedom to enjoy the blessings which God has showered upon us, so long as we do not disobey His word. Yet, as Paul teaches us, these liberties may need to be laid aside, not because they are wrong, but because they fail to achieve what is in the best interest of a brother or sister in the Lord (Rom. 14:13-23).

The Attitude of Christ and the Incarnation

Paul's purpose in referring to the incarnation of our Lord was not to teach or to defend the doctrine of the incarnation, but to apply it.²⁸ In order to do so he focused these verses on the attitude of our Lord which resulted in the incarnation, and ultimately in His crucifixion. It is the attitude of Christ which Paul urges us to imitate. What then is this attitude?

The attitude of our Lord which we are to imitate is the attitude of a servant. Our Lord was willing to be a servant, indeed a bond-servant (Phil. 2:7), because He possessed the spirit of a servant. His servanthood was evident in two areas.

First, our Lord was the Servant of The Father. In Isaiah 53:13 the Messiah is called "My servant." The Old Testament referred to the Messiah as "the servant" of the Lord (cf. Isa. 53:11; Zech. 3:8). One of the principle duties of a servant is to obey His superior. Thus our Lord obeyed the Father's will in coming to the earth, and especially in dying on the cross (cf. Phil. 2:9; cp. Mark 14:36; Heb. 5:7-8).

Second, our Lord became the servant of men. This is seen in the Lord's words to His disciples, who were more eager to be served than to serve:

For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

The most striking illustration of this was when our Lord girded Himself with a towel and washed the feet of His disciples (John 13). This task, considered too menial by the disciples, the Lord did, for He came as a servant. No event in the life of our Lord more pointedly illustrates the attitude of the incarnation as the washing of the disciples' feet.

The servant attitude places the interests of others above that of the servant. The translation of verse 3 in the King James Version wrongly suggests, however, that we are to serve others because they are better than us:

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves (Phil. 2:3, KJV).

Certainly we cannot say that those for whom our Lord died were better than He? The attitude of a servant does not act on the basis of who is most important, but whose interest is most important. There is a world of difference.

I would like to suggest that the servant spirit, the spirit of our Lord which Paul urges us to imitate, is the key to obedience. Satan was once a glorious angel, beautiful in splendor. But rather than obey God as His servant, he sought to make himself more powerful and more prominent. In doing this, he fell (cf. Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:12-19). Adam and Eve were placed in the garden to serve God by obeying Him and ruling over His creation. Rather than to obey God, Adam and his wife desired to become like God--to elevate themselves--and thus fell. We, too, have to determine whether or not we will serve God. To serve God means not only that we must obey His will by serving others, placing their interests above self-interest. This, my friend, runs contrary to the spirit of our age. Shirley MacLaine has states this spirit very well:

"The most pleasurable journey you take is through yourself . . . the only sustaining love involvement is with yourself. . . . When you look back on your life and try to figure out where you've been and where you're going, when you look at your work, your love affairs, your marriages, your children, your pain, your happiness--when you examine all that closely, what you really find out is that the only person you really go to bed with is yourself. . . . The only thing you have is working to the consummation of your own identity. And that's what I've been trying to do all my life."²⁹

The servant spirit may be foreign to our culture, but it is foundational to our Christian live and service. It was the servant spirit of our Lord which resulted in His incarnation, and ultimately in His death on the cross of Calvary. I believe that the same is true for us. Until we have the servant spirit we shall not find much taking place in our lives. The servant spirit leads to the servant role, which results in obedience to the will of God and service to others.³⁰

The servant spirit is foundational because the basic reason for our reluctance to unconditionally surrender to God's will is that we are afraid of what it will cost us in terms of position, possessions, and privileges. What comes to your mind when I challenge you, at this very moment, to pray that God's will will be done in your life, no matter what that might be? If you are like me, you immediately think of something you do not wish to give up, something which you do not want to do, somewhere you do not want to go. The mind of Christ begins with a very simple decision, leading to a life-changing commitment. The decision is that nothing in the whole world matters more than being obedient to God. The decision is that in obedience to Him, you will seek from now on to place the best interest of others ahead of self interest, of position, possessions, and privileges. The commitment is that you will do what He wants you to do, be where He wants you to be, give up whatever His will and service to others requires. This is the beginning point for a life of obedience to God and service to others.

Is this not the essence of what the will of God is all about? Did our Lord not teach that the whole Old Testament could be summarized by two statements? We are to love God without reservation, and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. That is the commitment to a servant's spirit. To serve God by serving others.

I urge you, my dear reader, do not read on without making a decision, without a commitment. Do not make the decision lightly. But do not make it by default either. The primary reason for our stunted growth and service is right here: we have not surrendered self-interest to God.

I urge you to do so now.

The mind of Christ is diametrically opposed to what the world calls success. To the world success is gaining power, prestige, and possessions. Significance is measured in terms of how far above others you can get and how many are below you. In the Bible, success is measured in terms of how much you have given up and how many you are willing to serve.

The mind of Christ also flatly contradicts the means which the world employs to become successful. Assertiveness and aggressiveness are highly valued, especially in the world of business. No wonder the words of our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount sound so strange to our ears:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (Matt. 5:3-9).

May God give us the mind of Christ, the servant spirit, which leads to obeying God and serving men. That, my friend, is the Christmas spirit--the spirit of Christ.

22 B. B. Warfield, The Person and Work of Christ (Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1950), pp. 566-567.

23 There is disagreement among some scholars about this matter of equality. Those who would deny the deity of our Lord would have to conclude that equality was not something possessed by our Lord which He could have clung to as His possession, but rather something which He did not possess but might have sought to grasp. The original term which is rendered "grasped" by the NASB could, in some contexts, mean "to grasp in order to gain" as well as "to grasp in order to maintain." The context, along with other passages makes it clear that it is the latter meaning which is intended.

24 The doctrine of the kenosis is to be differentiated from the "kenosis theory." The doctrine of the kenosis deals with the whole question of the meaning of the Greek word which is translated "emptied" in the NASB and transliterated kenosis. The "kenosis theory" is the relatively recent view which seeks to show that at the incarnation our Lord set aside at least some of His divine attributes. In other words, the "kenosis theory" enables men to view some of Jesus' views as human, but not divine. This enables them to attribute error to Him in His view of the Old Testament scriptures.

25 J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1973), p. 52.

26 Ibid, p. 53. Packer goes on to show how the gospel narratives refute the "kenosis theory," pp. 54-55.

27 There were times when the Lord Jesus was openly worshipped, but very few.

28 It is important to point out that liberals such as those who authored the book, The Myth of God Incarnate basically believe that the claim that Jesus was God was only the mistaken notion of the apostles and the early church, which was attached to the true gospel message. Jesus did not really believe this, or teach it, they would insist, but the New Testament writers simply wove this myth into their writings. It is interesting to note the in Philippians chapter two, Paul's purpose was not to prove the deity of Christ, a task which would have been required if the liberal theologians are correct. Philippians 2:5-8 is hardly an apologetic passage, but rather is applicational. This strongly implies that Paul felt no need to convince early Christians of the deity and the humanity of our Lord, but could safely assume this belief as universally held.

29 Charles Colson, Loving God (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1983), foreward.

30 I must say here that there is a crucial difference between what is our right (equality, Christian liberty, etc.), and what is right. While we should always be willing to surrender our personal rights, we dare not surrender what is right. Thus, Paul had Timothy circumcised (although he had the right to remain uncircumcised) in order to enhance his ministry (Acts 16:3). Titus, on the other hand, he refused to have circumcised, because the Judaizers insisted that circumcision was necessary for his salvation (cf. Gal. 2:3-5). Paul had certain rights as a Roman citizen. When the surrender of these rights would be a surrender of what was right, he refused to surrender it (cf. Acts 16:35-40). Especially in the area of civil rights, we must be careful to determine if what is right is also insisting upon one's rights.

Lição 7: Vitória em Ai (Josué 8:1-35)

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Introdução

Quantas vezes Deus deve engendrar a derrota antes de poder engendrar a vitória. Por vezes, o sucesso entra pela porta dos fundos do fracasso. Ao iniciarmos este capítulo, recordo-me de alguns versículos no Salmo 119. “Antes de ser afligido, andava errado; mas agora, guardo a tua palavra” (vs. 67); e “Foi-me bom ter sido afligido, para que aprendesse os teus estatutos” (vs. 71).

Neste capítulo, vemos novamente a graça de Deus e a verdade da restauração. As derrotas nunca têm de ser o fim. De facto, podem ser o início, se apenas respondermos à graça de Deus como um Pai celestial amoroso e cuidadoso, que age para produzir em nós crescimento espiritual e mudanças à semelhança de Cristo. Porém, tal não minimiza as consequências do pecado. No incidente em Ai, o nome de Deus fora desonrado, vidas tinham sido perdidas e uma família pagara o pecado com a morte. O ímpeto que Israel ganhara foi temporariamente perdido e o povo de Deus ficou cheio de melancolia e desespero.

A história de Ai é uma mensagem de aviso. Lembra-nos que o pecado não pode ser tolerado na vida cristã. Impede a bênção de Deus da perspectiva de uma existência cristã produtiva. O pecado entristece e extingue o Espírito.

A história de Ai é também uma proclamação de esperança. Recorda-nos que a bênção e a produtividade podem aparecer assim que se confessa e se lida com o pecado.

A Convocação para a Batalha (8:1-2)

1 Então disse o Senhor a Josué: Não temas, e não te espantes: toma contigo toda a gente de guerra, e levanta-te, sobe a Ai: olha que te tenho dado na tua mão o rei de Ai, e o seu povo, e a sua cidade, e a sua terra. 2 Farás, pois, a Ai, e a seu rei, como fizeste a Jericó e a seu rei: salvo que, para vós saqueareis os seus despojos e o seu gado: põe emboscadas à cidade, por detrás dela.

Conforto do Senhor (vs. 1a)

Estando o pecado de Acan julgado, o favor de Deus relativamente à nação foi recuperado. A próxima coisa que lemos diz respeito à nova revelação que Deus fez a Josué, para o encorajar e lhe fornecer orientações para a vitória. As primeiras palavras que Josué ouviu foram " Não temas, e não te espantes ". Josué já escutara estas palavras antes. São palavras especiais para encorajar o povo de Deus quando este enfrenta o inimigo:

Foram as palavras que Moisés proferiu em Cades-Barneia ao enviar os doze espiões (Deut. 1:21).
Foram também as palavras que Josué ouviu de Moisés 40 anos mais tarde, quando este entregou as rédeas da liderança a Josué, que ficaria assim responsável por levar a nação até à terra da promessa (Deut. 31:8).
Depois, Josué escutaria palavras similares directamente do Senhor, quando Ele o comissionou para liderar o povo até à terra (Josué 1:9).
Mais tarde, Josué usaria as mesmas palavras para encorajar a nação perante os seus inimigos, e seriam usadas em três outras ocasiões, quando Judá enfrentasse adversários e probabilidades terríveis (Josué 8:1; 10:25; 2 Crónicas 20:15, 17; 32:7).

Isto serve para nos recordar que Deus É um Deus de conforto, que quer consolar e encorajar-nos através da Sua Palavra (confira Isa. 40:1; 2 Cor. 1:3 ss; Rom. 15:4).

Orientações Do Senhor (vss. 1b-2)

Assegurada a bênção do Senhor através de palavras de conforto, foram dadas algumas orientações específicas.

(1) Não cometam o mesmo erro outra vez: a palavra de Deus a Josué era que usasse todos os guerreiros de Israel. Embora a causa primária para a derrota em Ai tivesse sido o pecado de Acan, uma causa secundária foi subestimarem o inimigo, sobrestimarem-se a si mesmos e fiarem-se no Senhor (confira 7:3‑4). Por isso, é-lhes agora dito que levem todos os homens de guerra e avancem às ordens de Deus, confiando no facto de que seria Deus que lhes daria a vitória.

(2) Transformem o lugar da derrota no lugar da vitória: Repare no que acontece aqui. É novamente dito a Josué que avance e ataque Ai. Ele deverá regressar ao local da derrota e, agora, uma vez que Josué e o povo se relacionam de forma correcta com o Senhor, Deus prometeu que poderiam transformar o lugar da derrota num lugar de vitória.

(3) A base da vitória é sempre a mesma: As palavras "como a Jericó" recordam-nos que a vitória em Ai não só seria tão completa como a que ocorrera em Jericó, mas também que, como em Jericó, aconteceria através do poder de Deus, independentemente da estratégia usada. Deus quer que os nossos lugares de derrota se transformem em lugares de vitória. Não é suposto vivermos na derrota ou aceitá-la como norma para a vida cristã. Mas, como sempre, a vitória chega através da fé na presença e provisão de Deus.

(4) Os prometidos despojos da vitória — a ironia da bênção de Deus: No versículo 2, foi dito a Josué que os despojos de Ai e o gado poderiam ser agora tomados por Israel. Enquanto primícia da terra, Jericó fora colocada sob anátema, mas tal não foi o caso de Ai. Que ironia! A impaciência de Acan, não reprimida por paciência e confiança no Senhor para a provisão das suas necessidades, levou na verdade a que perdesse precisamente aquilo que desejara e muito mais. Desperdiçou a sua vida. "Se Acan tivesse somente suprimido os seus desejos ambiciosos e egoístas e obedecesse à palavra de Deus em Jericó, teria mais tarde tudo o que o seu coração desejasse e também a bênção de Deus. Quão fácil é pegarmos nos assuntos com as próprias mãos e anteciparmo-nos ao Senhor!"¹. O caminho da fé e da obediência é sempre o melhor.

(5) Uma mudança nas estratégias (vs. 2b): A estratégia usada em Ai diferia inteiramente da que fora empregue em Jericó. Tal é altamente instrutivo para nós no ministério, nas batalhas espirituais ou no caminho a que Deus nos conduz. "Os israelitas não marcharam à volta das muralhas de Ai por sete vezes, nem as muralhas caíram milagrosamente".² Era agora ordenado a Israel que conquistasse a cidade através de um combate normal.

Princípio: Não devemos esperar que Deus aja da mesma forma ou nos conduza sempre ao mesmo caminho. Temos de estar abertos e sensíveis aos diversos caminhos a que Deus nos pode conduzir. Enquanto Soberano Deus do universo, Ele nunca está limitado a um método particular para alcançar os Seus propósitos. Quando a minha esposa e eu frequentávamos o seminário, Deus proveu as nossas necessidades de numerosas maneiras. Por vezes, agia de formas que pareciam quase miraculosas. Noutras ocasiões, actuava mais através de meios e métodos naturais mas, atrás de tudo, estava a obra soberana e a atenção do Senhor.

A Estratégia para a Batalha (8:3-13)

3 Então Josué levantou-se, e toda a gente de guerra, para subir contra Ai: e escolheu Josué trinta mil homens valentes e valorosos, e enviou-os de noite. 4 E deu-lhes ordem, dizendo: Olhai, poreis emboscadas à cidade, por detrás da cidade; não vos alongueis muito da cidade: e todos vós estareis apercebidos. 5 Porém eu, e todo o povo que está comigo, nos achegaremos à cidade: e será que, quando nos saírem ao encontro, como dantes, fugiremos diante deles. 6 Deixai-os, pois, sair atrás de nós, até que os tiremos da cidade; porque dirão: Fogem diante de nós, como dantes. Assim fugiremos diante deles. 7 Então saireis vós da emboscada, e tomareis a cidade: porque o Senhor, vosso Deus, vo-la dará na vossa mão. 8 E será que, tomando vós a cidade, poreis a cidade a fogo; conforme à palavra do Senhor fareis; olhai que vo-lo tenho mandado. 9 Assim Josué os enviou, e eles se foram à emboscada; e ficaram entre Betel e Ai, ao ocidente de Ai: porém Josué passou aquela noite no meio do povo.

10 E levantou-se Josué de madrugada e contou o povo; e subiram ele e os anciãos de Israel, diante do povo, contra Ai. 11 Subiu, também, toda a gente de guerra que estava com ele, e chegaram-se, e vieram em frente da cidade, e alojaram-se da banda do norte de Ai; e havia um vale entre ele e Ai. 12 Tomou também alguns cinco mil homens, e pô-los entre Betel e Ai, em emboscada, ao ocidente da cidade. 13 E puseram o povo, todo o arraial que estava ao norte da cidade, e a sua emboscada ao ocidente da cidade: e foi Josué aquela noite ao meio do vale.

A estratégia para a captura de Ai era engenhosa (vss. 3‑9). Envolvia montar uma emboscada atrás (a ocidente) da cidade. O próprio Deus dissera a Josué para assim fazer (vss. 2, 8). A concretização deste plano envolvia três destacamentos de soldados. O primeiro era um grupo de guerreiros tipo comando, que foram enviados durante a noite para se esconderem na parte oeste da cidade. A sua missão era entrar em Ai e incendiarem-na depois de os seus defensores a desertarem a fim de perseguirem Josué e o seu exército, como haviam feito anteriormente. É dito que esta unidade abrangia 30,000 soldados. A presença de grandes rochas na região possibilitaria que todos estes homens permanecessem escondidos; ainda assim, parece um número excessivo de soldados para esta missão em particular. Em relação aos 30,000, Ryrie salienta:

Um número aparentemente grande para uma emboscada. Tem sido sugerido que em vez de "mil" se deveria ler "comandante". Se assim for, Josué enviou 30 comandantes numa emboscada tipo comando. ³

O segundo contingente era o exército principal que, bem cedo na manhã seguinte, percorreu as 15 milhas (cerca de 24 quilómetros) desde Gilgal e acampou à vista desarmada no lado norte de Ai. Guiado por Josué, este exército constituía uma força de diversão, destinada a atrair os defensores de Ai para fora da cidade.

O terceiro contingente era outra emboscada, contando 5,000 homens que se encontravam posicionados entre Betel e Ai, de modo a impedir uma possível chegada de reforços desde Betel para ajudar os homens de Ai. ⁴

A Descrição da Batalha (8:14-29)

14 E sucedeu que, vendo-o o rei de Ai, se apressaram, e se levantaram de madrugada, e os homens da cidade saíram ao encontro de Israel ao combate, ele e todo o seu povo, ao tempo assinalado, perante as campinas: porque ele não sabia que se lhe houvesse posto emboscada detrás da cidade. 15 Josué, pois, e todo o Israel, se houveram como feridos diante deles, e fugiram pelo caminho do deserto. 16 Pelo que, todo o povo que estava na cidade foi convocado para os seguir: e seguiram a Josué e foram atraídos da cidade. 17 E nem um só homem ficou em Ai, nem em Betel, que não saísse após Israel: e deixaram a cidade aberta, e seguiram a Israel.

18 Então o Senhor disse a Josué: Estende a lança que tens na tua mão para Ai; porque a darei na tua mão. E Josué estendeu a lança que estava na sua mão para a cidade. 19 Então a emboscada se levantou do seu lugar, apressadamente, e correram, estendendo ele a sua mão, e vieram à cidade, e a tomaram; e apressaram-se, e puseram a cidade a fogo. 20 E, virando-se os homens de Ai para trás, olharam, e eis que o fumo da cidade subia ao céu, e não tiveram lugar para fugirem, para uma parte nem outra; porque o povo que fugia para o deserto se tornou contra os que os seguiam. 21 E, vendo Josué e todo o Israel que a emboscada tomara a cidade, e que o fumo da cidade subia, tornaram, e feriram os homens de Ai. 22 Também aqueles da cidade lhes saíram ao encontro, e assim ficaram no meio dos israelitas, uns de uma, e outros de outra parte: feriram-nos, até que nenhum deles ficou, que escapasse. 23 Porém ao rei de Ai tomaram vivo, e o trouxeram a Josué.

24 E sucedeu que, acabando os israelitas de matar todos os moradores de Ai no campo, no deserto onde os tinham seguido, e havendo todos caído ao fio da espada, até todos serem consumidos, todo o Israel se tornou a Ai, e a puseram a fio de espada. 25 E todos os que caíram aquele dia, assim homens como mulheres, foram doze mil: todos os moradores de Ai. 26 Porque Josué não retirou a sua mão, que estendera com a lança, até destruir, totalmente, a todos os moradores de Ai. 27 Tão somente os israelitas saquearam para si o gado e os despojos da cidade, conforme à palavra do Senhor, que tinha ordenado a Josué. 28 Queimou, pois, Josué a Ai: e a tornou num montão perpétuo, em assolamento, até ao dia de hoje. 29 E ao rei de Ai enforcou num madeiro, até à tarde; e ao pôr-do-sol ordenou Josué que o seu corpo se tirasse do madeiro; e o lançaram à porta da cidade, e levantaram sobre ele um grande montão de pedras, até ao dia de hoje.

O plano decorreu com toda a regularidade (vss. 14‑22). Assim que o rei de Ai avistou o exército de Israel, mordeu a isca e perseguiu os israelitas, que fingiram retirar-se com medo como antes haviam feito. À ordem de Deus, Josué estendeu a lança na sua mão e, tendo isto como sinal, as tropas escondidas em emboscada do lado oeste correram até à cidade e incendiaram-na. Tal deixou cercados os soldados de Ai, sem lugar para fugirem já que, nesse momento, Josué e os seus homens, acompanhados dos 5,000 escondidos em emboscada, voltaram-se para combater os homens de Ai. "Mas, antes que se pudessem orientar, foram apanhados por um movimento em tenaz dos soldados israelitas, e destruídos." ⁵

Depois de matar todos os soldados de Ai, o exército de Israel reentrou na cidade e matou os seus habitantes (23‑29). Os soldados e cidadãos mortos totalizaram 12,000. Foi retirado saque da cidade, conforme Deus dissera que se poderia fazer (vs. 2). A cidade foi transformada num monte de ruínas.

O rei de Ai, previamente poupado, foi enforcado numa árvore até à tarde, sendo depois sepultado debaixo de um montão de pedras (confira o sepultamento semelhante de Acan, 7:26). O corpo do rei foi removido da árvore ao pôr-do-sol devido à ordem de Deus (Deut. 21:22‑23; confira Josué 10:27). Desta forma, Israel, tendo recuperado o favor de Deus, tornou-se vitorioso sobre a cidade de Ai. Do seu fracasso surgiu não apenas uma segunda oportunidade, mas também uma grande vitória, acompanhada de algumas lições bem necessárias. Embora nunca devamos procurar falhar, o fracasso pode ser a porta dos fundos para o sucesso, já que Deus está disposto a perdoar e a restaurar-nos, caso lidemos com o nosso pecado do modo prescrito na Palavra.

A Peregrinação Depois da Batalha (8:30-35)

30 Então Josué edificou um altar ao Senhor, Deus de Israel, no monte de Ebal, 31 Como Moisés, servo do Senhor, ordenou aos filhos de Israel, conforme ao que está escrito no livro da lei de Moisés, a saber: um altar de pedras inteiras, sobre o qual se não movera ferro: e ofereceram sobre ele holocaustos ao Senhor, e sacrificaram sacrifícios pacíficos. 32 Também escreveu ali, em pedras, uma cópia da lei de Moisés, que já tinha escrito diante dos filhos de Israel. 33 E todo o Israel, com os seus anciãos, e os seus príncipes, e os seus juízes, estavam de uma e outra banda da arca, perante os sacerdotes levitas, que levavam a arca do concerto do Senhor, assim estrangeiros como naturais; metade deles em frente do Monte Gerizím, e a outra metade em frente do monte Ebal; como Moisés, servo do Senhor, ordenara, para abençoar primeiramente o povo de Israel. 34 E depois, leu em alta voz todas as palavras da lei, a bênção e a maldição, conforme a tudo o que está escrito no livro da lei. 35 Palavra nenhuma houve, de tudo o que Moisés ordenara, que Josué não lesse perante toda a congregação de Israel, e das mulheres, e dos meninos, e dos estrangeiros que andavam no meio deles.

Depois da vitória em Ai, Josué fez o que parecia ser tolo humana e militarmente falando (30‑31). Parecer-nos-ia melhor prosseguir de imediato com a campanha militar e avançar rapidamente, de modo a capturar e assumir o controlo do sector central da terra. Mas não, Josué conduziu os israelitas por uma peregrinação espiritual, destinada a um tempo especial de adoração. Porquê? Moisés ordenara-o (Deut. 27:1‑8) por causa daquilo que este evento simbolizaria nas vidas dos israelitas.

Novamente, tal ilustra o princípio das prioridades principais: a nossa aptidão na vida está sempre dependente da nossa capacidade espiritual e orientação rumo ao plano de Deus. Muitos cristãos enfrentam continuamente a derrota nos seus caminhos porque são incapazes de reservar tempo para estarem sozinhos com o Senhor e reflectirem n'Ele, vestindo a sua armadura espiritual.

Por conseguinte, Josué conduziu sem demora toda a nação – homens, mulheres, crianças e o gado – desde o seu acampamento em Gilgal, para norte do Vale do Jordão, até ao local especificado por Moisés, os montes de Ebal (Josué 8:30) e Gerizím (v. 33), localizados em Siquém. Tratava-se de um percurso de cerca de 30 milhas (aproximadamente 48 quilómetros) e, evidentemente, não seria difícil nem perigoso, pois passariam por uma área escassamente povoada.

Os israelitas defrontavam-se com a possibilidade de um confronto com os homens da cidade de Siquém, uma fortaleza que vigiava a entrada no vale entre estas montanhas. Talvez os siquemitas tenham permanecido fechados na sua cidade, temerosos devido ao que haviam ouvido acerca das vitórias de Israel, ou quiçá Israel tenha conquistado a cidade pelo caminho. Campbell salienta: "É claro que a Bíblia não regista cada batalha da Conquista, e o registo da captura de Siquém poderá ter sido omitido. Por outro lado, a cidade poderia encontrar-se naquela altura em mãos aliadas, ou quiçá se tenha simplesmente rendido sem resistência”. ⁶

Poderemos porém perguntar, por que foi escolhida esta localização? As montanhas referidas estão localizadas no centro geográfico da terra, sendo grande parte da Terra Prometida visível de ambos os cumes. Portanto, tratava-se de uma localização que representava toda a terra, quer no momento da entrada em Canaã, quer quando a liderança de Josué estava a chegar ao fim (confira 24:1). Com a sua liderança a terminar, Josué reuniu novamente todas as tribos em Siquém e desafiou o povo a renovar os seus votos de aliança com o Senhor.

James Boice escreve:

Os Montes, que se encontram a cerca de três mil pés (914 metros) acima do nível do mar ou mil pés (305 metros) acima do vale entre ambos, são bastante áridos. O vale é frequentemente verde e, no local onde as montanhas se juntam, existe um anfiteatro natural. F. B. Meyer descreve-o como um lugar onde os montes são escavados "e o estrato de pedra calcária se quebra numa sucessão de saliências, apresentando a aparência de séries de bancos regulares". Este anfiteatro era o destino do povo, e foi ali que acamparam para a cerimónia. ⁷

Este local possui propriedades acústicas extraordinárias, sendo alguém que se encontre num dos montes facilmente ouvido por uma pessoa que esteja no outro.

As cerimónias aqui referidas envolviam três coisas. Campbell comenta sobre estes pontos:

Primeiramente, foi erigido no Monte Ebal um altar de pedras inteiras, e foram oferecidos sacrifícios (consistindo em holocaustos e sacrifícios de comunhão; confira Lev. 1; 3) ao Senhor. Jericó e Ai, nas quais eram adorados os falsos deuses dos cananeus, haviam caído. Israel adorava e proclamava agora publicamente a sua fé no único Deus verdadeiro.

Em segundo lugar, neste mesmo local, em Ebal mas talvez referindo-se a pedras diferentes, Josué também organizou algumas pedras de grandes dimensões. Na sua superfície, escreveu uma cópia da Lei de Moisés. Não foi registada a extensão gravada da Lei. Alguns sugerem que apenas foram escritos os Dez Mandamentos, enquanto outros pensam que a inscrição na rocha incluiria pelo menos o conteúdo de Deuteronómio 5‑26. Arqueólogos descobriram no Médio Oriente estelas ou pilares insculpidos similares, com seis a oito pés de comprimento (cerca de 1,8 a 2,4 metros). No Irão, a Inscrição de Behistun tem três vezes a extensão de Deuteronómio.

Terceiro, Josué leu… a Lei ao povo. Metade do povo estava posicionada nas encostas do Monte Gerizím, a sul, e a outra metade nas encostas do Monte Ebal, a norte, estando a arca da aliança rodeada de sacerdotes no vale entre os montes. À medida que as maldições da Lei eram lidas uma a uma, as tribos no Monte Ebal respondiam “Ámen!”. De modo similar, à medida que as bênçãos eram lidas, as tribos no Monte Gerizím respondiam “Ámen!” (Deut. 11:29; 27:12‑26). O enorme anfiteatro natural que ainda existe ali possibilitou que as pessoas escutassem cada palavra e, com toda a sinceridade, Israel afirmou que a Lei do Senhor era de facto a Lei da terra. ⁸

Assim, o Monte Ebal simbolizava as maldições, enquanto o Monte Gerizím representava as bênçãos. Este evento entre as duas montanhas constituiu uma enorme aula prática. O que aconteceria aos israelitas na terra, a história de Israel, iria depender de onde vivessem, quer fosse no Monte Ebal, em desobediência e sob maldição, ou no Monte Gerizím, em obediência e sob a bênção de Deus.

Campbell escreve: "A partir deste ponto, a história dos judeus dependeria da sua atitude relativamente à Lei que escutaram ser lida naquele dia. Quando eram obedientes, havia bênção; quando eram desobedientes, havia julgamento (confira Deut. 28). É trágico que as afirmações desta hora tão importante se tenham tão rapidamente desvanecido ".⁹ A verdade deste exemplo prático fora já demonstrada na vitória em Jericó e na derrota e posterior vitória em Ai. Quando se verificava obediência à Lei de Deus, existia vitória, mas a presença de desobediência resultava em derrota. Porém, há aqui mais conteúdo no qual deveríamos pensar, pois ninguém pode cumprir a lei. Neste exemplo prático, somos também recordados da graça e provisão de Deus. A cerimónia encenada ensina-nos mais do que o princípio de que a obediência traz bênção e a desobediência acarreta maldição.

O que acontece primeiro nesta cerimónia, antes da redacção e leitura da Lei? Foi erigido um altar feito de pedras inteiras, com vista à oferta de holocaustos e sacrifícios pacíficos, que apontam para a pessoa e obra de Cristo e solução de Deus para a maldição da Lei, mediante um sacrifício de substituição (8:31). Repare em três princípios importantes:

(1) A primeira coisa que Deus fez foi apontar para a graça e Sua solução para o pecado através da fé. Nesta ocasião, tanto a importância da Lei como o futuro de Israel, baseado na sua resposta à Lei, foram postos diante do povo. Ainda assim, a solução para o problema do pecado e fracasso foi a primeira coisa exposta. Porquê? Porque ninguém alcança uma obediência perfeita à Lei.

A mesma coisa era verdade no Sinai: ao mesmo tempo que Deus deu os Dez Mandamentos e os juízos, também deu os decretos, os sacrifícios. Ao mesmo tempo que dava Moisés aos israelitas, deu-lhes de igual modo o sumo sacerdote Aarão. Era como se Deus estivesse a dizer: "não devereis fazer isto, mas sei que o fareis, e aqui está a forma de escapardes à condenação".

(2) Moisés deu ordem para se construir o altar no Monte Ebal, o local onde as maldições destinadas à desobediência seriam lidas. Mas porquê este local em vez do lugar que representava a bênção pela obediência? Porque o altar era para pecadores. Era para aqueles que reconheceriam o seu pecado e viriam ao local de sacrifico não como justos, mas sim como pecadores.

Recorda-se das palavras da mulher samaritana em João 4? Os samaritanos construíram um altar em Gerizím, não em Ebal. A escolha de Gerizím para o altar sugere que se aproximavam de Deus não como pecadores, mas na sua própria justiça (confira João 4:20). Porém, as palavras do Senhor à mulher samaritana expuseram a ignorância espiritual desta, "Vós adorais o que não sabeis…" (vs. 22), descobrindo depois o seu pecado, "... tiveste cinco maridos, e o que agora tens não é teu marido…" (vs. 18).

(3) O altar foi construído com pedras inteiras, sem trabalho humano. Tratava-se de uma completa negação do humanismo e da salvação (ou espiritualidade) pelas obras. Mostra que o ser humano nada pode acrescentar à obra de Deus para a salvação ou para a espiritualidade. Tudo acontece pela graça através da obra de Deus em Cristo. Tal torna-se um forte lembrete de que:

Temos de reconhecer a nossa pecaminosidade e aproximarmo-nos de Deus como pecadores (Rom. 3:23).
Temos de nos dirigir ao local do sacrifício, a cruz, reconhecendo a nossa necessidade de que outra pessoa morra no nosso lugar.
Temos de repudiar as nossas obras humanas para a salvação: reconhecer que não há nada que possamos fazer ou acrescentar à obra do substituto de Deus para o nosso pecado, a pessoa e obra de Cristo.

A adoração no Monte Ebal fez o povo focar-se na Lei de Deus como aquela revelação especial de Deus, tão crucial para o seu bem-estar futuro enquanto Seu povo. A Lei dirigia a nação para aqueles estatutos justos que deveriam permitir a Israel tornar-se uma nação santa, um povo remido especial, um povo da propriedade de Deus e uma luz para as nações (veja Êx. 19:4-6; Deut. 4:1-8). A Lei dirigia Israel e todos os homens para os estatutos morais que são tão vitais para a justiça, lei e ordem dentro das nações. Mas fazia ainda mais. Demonstrava a santidade de Deus e, em virtude da incapacidade do homem quanto a guardar a Lei, mostrava ao homem o pecado que o separava de Deus. Através do tabernáculo, dos sacrifícios e do sacerdócio, apontava para a frente, em direcção a um Salvador em sofrimento, o Cordeiro de Deus, que deveria morrer pelo pecado do homem de modo a que este pudesse ter uma relação com Deus e fazer parte do povo de Deus num mundo caído.

Mas quão rapidamente o seu compromisso em relação a esta revelação especial de Deus se desvaneceu das suas mentes pois, no livro bíblico seguinte, Juízes, lemos acerca daquilo que caracterizava a nação aquando do tempo dos juízes: “Naqueles dias, não havia rei em Israel, porém cada um fazia o que parecia recto aos seus olhos” (Juízes 21:25).

Hoje em dia, não nos comportamos de modo diferente no nosso país. Embora a nossa nação tenha sido fundada nos preceitos da Escritura como a Lei moral de Deus, temo-nos basicamente afastado da Bíblia, no intuito de fazermos aquilo que é correcto aos nossos próprios olhos. Por termos rejeitado a Palavra de Deus e negado a sua relevância, voltámo-nos para as nossas imaginações fúteis (Efésios 4:17 ss). Em resultado, tornámo-nos como aqueles contra os quais Isaías clamou, experimentando não apenas a perversão do nosso próprio pensamento, mas também o julgamento de Deus sobre a nossa sociedade:

20 Ai dos que ao mal chamam bem, e ao bem mal; que fazem da escuridade luz, e da luz escuridade; e fazem do amargo doce, e do doce amargo! 21 Ai dos que são sábios a seus próprios olhos, e prudentes diante de si mesmos! 22 Ai dos que são poderosos para beber vinho, e homens forçosos para misturar bebida forte: 23 Dos que justificam o ímpio por presentes, e ao justo negam justiça. 24 Pelo que, como a língua de fogo consome a estopa, e a palha se desfaz pela chama, assim será a sua raiz, como podridão, e a sua flor se esvaecerá como pó; porquanto rejeitaram a lei do Senhor dos Exércitos, e desprezaram a palavra do Santo de Israel (Isaías 5:20-24).

Um mero olhar casual sobre a sociedade de hoje proporciona evidência clara de que necessitamos desesperadamente de uma renovação espiritual e moral e de um retorno às nossas raízes piedosas, tal como nos foram dadas pelos nossos antepassados. A ruína moral na sociedade a na nossa liderança, especialmente para uma nação com o nosso começo, está para lá do imaginável. Quanto a isto, somos muito parecidos com Israel. Concordo com Campbell, que diz:

A sobrevivência da nossa sociedade pode bem depender da prontidão de todo o povo, dos líderes em Washington e dos cidadãos espalhados pela terra quanto a permitir que os absolutos da Palavra de Deus se tornem a lei da terra. E os cristãos devem mostrar o caminho. Eu e você devemos realizar um compromisso diário com a tarefa de limpar e purgar o “Acan” de nós mesmos. Temos de nos comprometer com sermos pessoas de pureza, fé e integridade, por dentro e por fora, em público e em privado. Então – e apenas então – estaremos prontos a marchar contra as fortalezas inimigas que se intrometem no nosso caminho – e conquistar a vitória. ¹⁰

Texto original de J. Hampton Keathley, III.

Tradução de C. Oliveira.

¹ Campbell, Joshua: Leader Under Fire, p. 68.

² Campbell, p. 68.

³ Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition, Moody Press, Chicago, 1995, p. 343.

⁴ Campbell, p. 69.

⁵ Campbell, p. 69.

⁶ Campbell, p. 70.

⁷ Boice, Joshua: We Will Serve the Lord, Revell, New Jersey, 1989, p. 89.

⁸ John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck, Editors, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Victor Books, Wheaton, 1983,1985, versão electrónica.

⁹ Walvoord/Zuck, versão electrónica.

¹⁰ Campbell/ Denny, p. 129.

English

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32. An Unshakable Kingdom (Hebrews 12:18-29)

Introduction

Review

Paraphrase of Hebrews 12:1-17

The Two MountainsHebrews 12:18-24

The Spectacular Scene at Sinai

A Word of Warning and ExhortationHebrews 12:25-29

Conclusion

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31. The Problem of Pain (Hebrews 12:4-17)

Introduction

An Overview of Hebrews 12:1-17

Seeing Our Suffering in a Different LightHebrews 12:4-11

The Readers’ Suffering Viewed in the Light of the Redeemer’s SacrificeHebrews 12:2-4

Christian Suffering Viewed as Divine DisciplineHebrews 12:5-11

A Call to ActionHebrews 12:12-17

Conclusion

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30. Losing Weight (Hebrews 12:1-3)

Introduction

The Context of Our Text

The Structure of our Text

Hebrews 12:1

What is a Witness?

The Corporate Aspects of our Text

Let Us Run the Race By Means of Endurance

Hebrews 12:2

Jesus, the Pioneer16 and Perfecter17 of Faith

The Second Command of Our TextHebrews 12:3

Conclusion

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27. Faith’s Magnum Opus (Hebrews 11:13-22)

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28. Making the Most of Moses (Hebrews 11:23-31)

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29. The Rest of the Story (Hebrews 11:32-40)

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35. Outside the Camp (Hebrews 13:9-16)

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36. Final Words of Encouragement (Hebrews 13:17-25)

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3. The Spirit of Christ (Philippians 2:1-13)

The Attributes of Christ and the Incarnation

The Attitude of Christ and the Incarnation

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Lição 7: Vitória em Ai (Josué 8:1-35)

Introdução

A Convocação para a Batalha (8:1-2)

Conforto do Senhor (vs. 1a)

Orientações Do Senhor (vss. 1b-2)

A Estratégia para a Batalha (8:3-13)

A Descrição da Batalha (8:14-29)

A Peregrinação Depois da Batalha (8:30-35)

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Pages

The Two Mountains
Hebrews 12:18-24

A Word of Warning and Exhortation
Hebrews 12:25-29

Seeing Our Suffering in a Different Light
Hebrews 12:4-11

The Readers’ Suffering Viewed in the Light of the Redeemer’s Sacrifice
Hebrews 12:2-4

Christian Suffering Viewed as Divine Discipline
Hebrews 12:5-11

A Call to Action
Hebrews 12:12-17

Jesus, the Pioneer¹⁶ and Perfecter¹⁷ of Faith

The Second Command of Our Text
Hebrews 12:3