Hebrews Part 19

INTRO: There is one matter that makes me question whether it was someone other than Paul that wrote this letter. It is that the great catching up is not mentioned, since it occurs before the millennial kingdom. So, I look forward to what I might yet learn in this book.

The book of Hebrews is a book of warning. There is always a section of teaching and then a warning follows. Chapter 1 was 14 verses of teaching and then 18 verses dealing with a warning. Now we have 6 verses of teaching and 29 verses of warning. This warning begins in verse 7 and verses 7-11 are a quote from Psalm 95. The warning begins like this: "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."

The writer then shows that all those who came out of Egypt could not enter the land of rest. I have viewed the land of Canaan, not as picturing heaven, but picturing the millennium. The Hebrews had started their faith in Christ on fire for the Lord. They had suffered the plundering of their goods and persecution. They were looking for deliverance, just like the children of Israel were longing for rest. But Israel of old failed through disobedience, which is nothing but a lack of faith.

Now the writer warns these Hebrews that they too may fail of entering the kingdom they were waiting for. They longed for deliverance from the dominion of Rome. But the writer is warning that if they go back to Judaism, they will not enter that coming kingdom either. So he said, "Today, if you hear His voice do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." And because of their rebellion God ended up saying, "You will not enter my rest." And so, they did not.