Transcription
All right, in Hebrews chapter 6. Now, you might recall how I commented on, uh, verse 12, word for word. And then verse 13, I think I did that, uh, word for word. But basically, I went through 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and then, uh, was it, uh, 18? Yeah, 18, it was more of a skim-down version. So, uh, let me explain it here.
If you recall, there's a double application going on with the church age and the tribulation saint, where both of them are considered to be Abraham's seed. Remember, the double application: Abraham's seed can work with both groups. It's not just one group or the other. Now, with Abraham's seed, I've explained to you biblical hermeneutics on how to use a dimensional approach with our triple application of spiritual, doctrinal, and historical. That was a lot of good stuff that we learned from that. Amen.
In Abraham's seed, let us continue that method of a dimensional dispensational and a three-fold application approach, where Abraham's seed can refer to the Christians and the tribulation Jews. I have, as I've explained many times, uh, and I've given you verses to prove it, there are Christians who can apply to the spiritual seed of Abraham, and then the Jews who apply as, obviously, the physical seed of Abraham. Amen.
Understanding this, uh, two-fold approach, where there are two groups of people that can qualify for verses 13 through 18, let's cover how it would apply to them. But let me explain word for word first through these verses. So let's start off with 13 again.
"For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swear by himself." So God made a promise to Abraham. And when he made this promise, yeah, there was nothing greater than what he could promise or swear upon, except himself. He is the best thing that he could, uh, you could bet upon. Amen. Even in court, they still put their hands on the Bible. Amen. They have to put, they have to swear by it. Why? Because there's nothing greater than that, than the word of God himself. That's why in court, they do that still. You can't swear greater than that.
Verse 14: "Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee." So his promise was these following words. He said, "As for certain, I will bless you and multiply you." He's going to increase the multiplication and the blessing, which is why it says, "Surely blessing I will bless thee," and then, "multiplying I will multiply thee." That means he's really going to do it.
Now, the verse that God stated that you can see is in Genesis 22. Genesis 22. You might recall that he confirmed it when Abraham offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice. So God confirmed it, saying, "Uh, that promise that I gave to you, where I will bless you and increase your seed, I will truly do it." So he confirmed that.
When we look, look at Genesis 22, uh, let's see, right here, 17. That in blessing, verse 17, "that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed." You can see right here, word for word, it matches.
Okay, returning back to the main text, verse 15: "And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." Meaning, it's self-explanatory. And so after Abraham endured, waited, struggled, passed through his test patiently, he was able to obtain that promise.
Now, recall that we've looked at Hebrews chapter 11, and I've told you that through faith, they were able to obtain the promise. However, they didn't fully obtain it. The promise was not fulfilled yet. Meaning that he did receive the promise, but it's still continuing, and it won't be fulfilled until at the millennial kingdom. At the millennial kingdom, that's when Jesus comes down, reigns for a thousand years, and, uh, God truly confirms or proves the promise where those Jews are increased and truly blessed during the millennial kingdom. So that's when it's fulfilled.
Continuing on at verse 16: "For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife." Meaning that people truly, for certain, they bet the promise or they swear by the greater, which is God's word, right? His word. So his word is based on a promise. That's verse 13. So there are two things that God made certain of his word. You can't swear by anything greater. One is his promise, which is verse 13. That's what the author was talking about. But then he adds another one on top of a promise. If you think that's strong, that ain't strong enough. He adds the strength with the last part of verse 16, that people not just, uh, swear by God's word, they just bet it on his promise, but also an oath. And that oath is usually done why? Because it confirms everything and it ends all the debate, all the strife to the people. That's the idea.
So think about this. It's like, I promise you that I will do this, but then on top of that promise, I have to make a contract or an oath with you. So notice right here, these two things that God did: He did a promise and an oath. And that ends the entire debate. If that's the case, think about this: it doesn't matter how you feel. Your feelings will always be proven wrong, and God will always be proven right.
So his promise, remember, aren't you his spiritual seed? Yeah. So then the promise that he gave to you, all those precious promises and blessings that you question and you wonder if you're really going to gain them, guess what? Your feelings and your thoughts are wrong, and God will always be right. That's true.
So here's the benefit that will help you. Ready for this? Verse 10. You might recall that God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, right? So when you live in a life full of doubt and questioning God on his promises and his care on your life, verse 10 is one of the best verses that will show you that God is not that type of evil God. So the verse says that his righteousness is at stake here, his holiness. Now, that's the most important attribute to God. So if he mistreats you when you're going through a trial, if he won't fulfill his word by blessing you or giving you his precious promises, then his holiness is at stake. That's verse 10, which we discussed before.
But also, what's at stake here is verse 17. He made a promise and an oath. So then he's going to have to lie to you, then come on. If he's going to be, uh, evil with you, if he's going to mistreat you, if his care is not really true to you. So look at this. God is at stake right here. He's at risk right here if he's not going to fulfill his care upon your life. So you can be at ease. You don't have to worry. You don't have to question, get bitter at him. Just let it go and trust God that he will truly take good care of you. It's so you can see right here, three things. All right, his holy attribute is at stake. So that's why he has to do that. Two, he made a promise here. And then three, put his oath here. There's one thing you know about God: he does not break oaths. Amen. So God's in trouble then if he's going to mistreat you. God's in trouble if he's not going to fulfill his blessing and his promises upon your life.
Now, Hebrews chapter 6, verse 10 through 20, should be the best verses that you should keep in mind if you're going through some kind of suffering. That's good. Always read 10 through 20. That will convince your stinking, rotten flesh that God is truly a good God and will take care of you because his word's at stake right here. Yeah.
Teach, if we continue on, notice right here, the verse says in verse 17: "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath." Meaning that because of verse 16, that an oath confirms and just ends the strife, ends all the question, the debate. Wherein that basis of verse 16, God is more than willing to abundantly, excessively show to you, you are the heirs of promise, you are part of Abraham's seed, you are part of those heirs of that promise. Yes, you're the ones who gain those things, obtain those promises of God. He's willing to excessively show you that he cannot change his mind. That's what immutability means. That he cannot change his mind. It's fixed. It's settled. It's permanent. The permanency, uh, the permanence of his counsel. So his sovereignty is at stake. Now, at here, the, the awesome sovereign Calvinist God, that thing that, uh, right here. So that's very strong. His counsel. Calvinists make a big deal that nothing can overthrow the counsel of God. His sovereignty is at stake. That's strong. So his counsel's at stake here, then his sovereignty. So we see his holiness, his promise, his oath, and fourthly, his sovereignty at stake. Yeah.
What's the sovereignty of God? Basically, God can do whatever he wants. So notice right here, he can do whatever he wants. What does he want? The verse is "God willing," right? Willing, right here. So it shows his desire. His desire then is not to mistreat you. He doesn't get a kick out of it. You see that? If you're in pain, he doesn't get a kick out of it. Thank you, Lord. He doesn't enjoy. He doesn't treat you like a chess piece. Thank you, Lord. Why? Because that's not his desire. His sovereignty is at stake here. Then very powerful verses, you see so far.
So the immutability, the immutability of his counsel is confirmed by his oath. So the sovereignty is interdependent upon that oath. It's, wow. The Lord's in trouble then. He's got to treat you well. He's in trouble. He's got to treat you well. He's got to love you. Amen. He's got to make sure that through your suffering, he'll work it for good. Amen. That he doesn't get a kick out of it. That he won't, uh, be unfair with you. Good. Amen. Amen, brother. Amen, amen. All right, that this beats the deep meat doctrine, doesn't it? This is something that you can take upon your life and carry it with you. There's your devotional, brother Max. Amen. Yeah. Amen.
Verse 18: "That by two immutable things, oh, isn't that better?" So he doubles his immutability. He doubles his immutability right here. What are the two things that are immutable? He, they, he already explained it to you: the oath and the promise. So notice right here, that what's at stake is because of his promise and oath, it's a double immutability. I don't just believe in an immutable God, but a double immutable God. His double immutability is at stake. If he mistreats you, then, if he does evil to you. Let's keep reading.
"These are two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie." So that makes it impossible for God to ever lie to you. If he made a promise, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." "All things work together for good." "They that, uh, suffer shall reign with him." And, uh, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." That, I empathize with your problems. Christ, uh, beareth our infirmities. I mean, he can't lie about that. It's impossible for God to lie.
So the fifth thing that I'd love to add right here is basically, it's impossible then for God to be mean to you. It's impossible for God to be evil. It's impossible for you to, uh, go through unfairness with him. That's a great. So I want to say it's impossible. So it's as impossible as, uh, basically, if you think that God is unfair, that God is evil, that God will, uh, mistreat you, then just say that's impossible. All right? You have more possibility with spontaneous, uh, generation through a blob of goo and you coming to existence than for God to lie. Wow. I'd sooner believe in evolution than for God to lie. That's the idea. How about that? That's how impossible it is. All right. Well, God mistreated me? Impossible. Yeah. All right. That's like saying that I can jump off the Golden Gate Bridge and fly. Impossible. You, I'd sooner believe you flying off the Golden Gate Bridge than for to mistreat you, friend. Yeah. Amen, brother. That's how, uh, you know what? The chances of God mistreating you are not even one out of 10 to the trillion times trillion. It's just impossible. Don't even put a number in there, right? That's right. Yeah. Amen. This is good stuff. All right. Yeah, that's good. We can, we can open up altar call right here and say, "Oh God, I'm sorry for doubting you. Oh God, I'm sorry for, uh, being depressed and sad so easily. Oh God, I'm sorry that I let the devil get to me. I'm so sorry that my flesh became, uh, oh God, I'm sorry." Yeah. Amen. That's good. Preach, brother. Yeah.
Notice right here that it's impossible for God to lie. That's why, hence, all of this makes us what? The middle of verse 17, the middle of verse 18 says, "We might have a strong consolation." Do you not, you all have a strong consolation now after hearing all of that? After all of this, it's not just you felt consoled, you felt strongly consoled. Amen. That's a, we have a strong consolation. Strong one. Not just a consolation, a strong consolation. So I'm sorry if you went to Pastor Kim and his counseling let you down, he consoled you, but it wasn't that strong. Then, uh, if you, if you weren't pleased, just go back home and cry and then open up Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 18 about your strong consolation. All right. Yeah. Amen. Bless God. Amen. Feel like running around the room after that. Yeah. Yeah. I'm encouraging some of you. Yeah. I know I don't console you. I don't console you. Okay, let's be real. I don't console you. All right. All right. Ask my wife. I don't console her. I try, but I can't. All right. But God is a strong consolation. God is the strong consolation. My wife is screaming, "Amen." But please don't embarrass me like that. All right. All right.
That, the middle of verse 18, "who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." So because of such a strong consolation, it makes us run. It makes us like automatic instinct, just run to this. Not run to, uh, to your best friend and then blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and crying. Is that what you flee for refuge? What about all this that you've heard? This is something you got to go by instinct. Just flee. Run away to. I believe in running away from your problems. Now, Pastor, you said many times, you can't run away from your problems. No, this, this one you can't. You can't run away from your problems. Run away from your problems to this. Run to this as your strong consolation. All right. Amen. How many people run away to the bottle? Huh? How many people run away to sin? How many people run away, uh, in their own ways? Run away to this, man. Yeah. This is more powerful than, uh, the laws of thermodynamics itself. Wow. That's true. So that's who, uh, who you can flee to as your refuge. See your safety, shelter. And you, that's why you want to lay hold on that. So in other words, you want to grab it. And you're grabbing on what? The hope set before us.
Now, remember in the tribulation, doctrinal Jewish context, you're laying hold on this hope that is set before you. And this hope that is set before you, remember, it has to be in context with salvation and heaven, uh, and rapture in heaven. Salvation and going to heaven, or aka the rapture. That's the whole context for the tribulation Jew. So I've explained how it can apply to the Christian. But we see right here about laying hold, where it would be a tribulation Jewish context. That was proven already from our previous history class, that, for example, chapter 6, verse 11, right? Chapter 2, I've explained that. And I think chapter 4. All right. So that was already explained on the meaning of that.
So think about it. Tribulation Jews, they've got to do this because the whole world's standing against them. And then their whole life, remember, is revolved around 666. You can't even buy or sell. Everything depends on this. So then they're starving to death. And then they remember those hymns that their, uh, Christian friends, who who are no longer with them because they raptured up to heaven, they remember those Christian friends singing, "God will take care of you." And then those promises. And then as they're living through the tribulation, how can they really believe that? You think your life is tough and unfair? Picture being a tribulation saint during that time. Huh? Uh, think about criticizing God, being questioning about his methods, caring for you, and everything. That's why hearing this is going to be more meaningful to tribulation saints than you right now. Tribulation saints, to them, this is going to be more meaningful to them than to you. Okay? Okay. That's going to be very important for you to understand. The tribulation Jews, this is going to sound more meaningful to them because, I mean, they got everything standing up against them. So they're going to have to remember those promises, right? Amen. They're going to have to remember what God promised to Abraham's seed. That's right.
Those tribulation Jews. For the Christians, who are the spiritual seed of Abraham, uh, we already have salvation in us, and we will be raptured to heaven. So we don't have to worry about that. However, excluding the part about "to lay hold upon the hope set before us," we can instead, uh, apply everything pretty much doctrinally. And I mean doctrinally, from verse 13 all the way through the middle of verse 18. See that? But excluding that last phrase, we can claim all those things doctrinally. The last part, then, from a dimensional standpoint and the three-fold application, then you can apply that spiritually. See that? Yeah, you can apply that spiritually. So "to lay hold upon the hope set before us" can mean that that's why you got to lay hold on this hope that you've heard, right? Okay. So you can lay hold on this hope that you've heard. So you can take that as a spiritual application from the three-fold application from your, your dimension, from your dimension. All righty, then.
Now we can see right here in verse 18 that, uh, we found proof then that God is not truly God because if God can do anything and he is so powerful, notice right here in verse 18, "it was impossible for God to lie." So apparently, your God is weak. That's now the thing is this. Let's look at the book of, uh, Matthew 19. Matthew 19. Smart aleck answered, "Can God create a rock that he cannot move?" Come on. Wow. One of the dumbest statements you can ever make. "Can God create a rock that he cannot move?" Who gives a dumb statement like that? Idiots do that. "Can God sin?" You know, "Can God do this?" "Can God do that?" There are some things God cannot do. And some of those people will go, "Well, why won't God do this? Why won't God do that?" Because God can do anything, right? For example, uh, they, that's why they keep hitting on the problem of evil in this world. And they say, "Can't God do anything where people can maintain the free will but at the same time, you get rid of the consequence of evil, sin, and suffering?" To be, I'll give you the answer: No. All right. No. Impossible. Well, see, see, your God is weak. No, stupid. Then God cannot be God. Now, you might say, "No, that don't make sense." Yeah, it makes perfectly sense. Okay, let me explain it this way: Because of his attributes, if God has certain attributes, he won't go against it, right? Otherwise, he cannot be God. That's right. Think about it. If God really, if you, if God got rid of free, uh, if God got rid of the problem of evil in this world from people and people can somehow maintain free choice, that still don't make sense. Free choice has a choice of good and evil. Otherwise, how can you make a choice? What's a choice? You need two things. No. Does anybody, don't anybody know that? So choice means you have to have two things. So, oh, Eureka! I didn't know that.
So the thing about, thing about atheist idiots nowadays and scholar idiots nowadays is that they always make these, uh, dumb questions because they always, uh, pick on his one attribute, wow, and that is his omnipotence. So they keep picking on that so that they can disprove God. No, they don't pick on his holiness. What about his holiness? If they picked on that attribute, they would understand the problem of evil in this world and why God would let people burn in hell forever. They would understand that. You ever seen them touch on his attribute of holiness? No. They don't touch it with a 10-foot pole. As a matter of fact, they don't want to hear about holiness at all because they want to do what they want to do with their sin. If they studied his most important attribute, holiness, rather than his omnipotence, then they would have become saved Christians. But to become atheists because you pick on his omnipotence, you're picking on the wrong attribute.
Now, the thing is this. So because of his attributes and certain rules and statements he makes, he's not going to go against that. You have to understand that. That's right. So let's look at Matthew chapter, uh, 19. Matthew chapter 19. And then, uh, here are, uh, some of the things that they love to say about God because he can do everything and anything. So it just does not make sense. Okay, um, it looks like I got the wrong verse. Ah, here it is. Verse 26. "But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Now, notice how this contradicts then Hebrews. See that? So there's a contradiction in your Bible. In which it was impossible for God to lie. The reason why it's not a contradiction is because verse 26 is concentrating on his omnipotence, things that God can do that men are unable to do. That's the context right there. Things that God can do that men are unable to do. If that's the context, aren't men able to lie? Yes. Not just able, they do. So that has no application then. That cannot contradict Hebrews. See that? Why? Because Hebrews says God is not able to lie. God cannot lie. So that verse, Hebrews, has to be a separate context then from Matthew 19. Why? Why do you have to make that a separate context? Because the context of Matthew 19 is, is what men are not able to do, God is able to do. And then Hebrews is pointing out, this is what God is not able to do, which men are able to do. See? So those have to be separate contexts. It's not a contradiction. It's just it has to be different scenarios, different contexts for the meanings to come out.
Here's another thing right there. Another thing, like I mentioned to you before, is that there are some things that, uh, are impossible and that God cannot do. And what we saw right here is that it is impossible for God to lie. There are just some things that God cannot do. God cannot sin. For example. God cannot sin. Amen. God cannot lie. Amen. God cannot go against his holiness. Amen. God cannot go against his love. Amen. Which is why he allows people to make the wrong decisions that they make. And that's why he has sin as a consequence. Why? Because he can't go against his attribute of holiness. He can't go against his attribute of justice. Wow. That's right. Oh, but he's so omnipotent, he could get rid of all that. Then you're getting rid of his attributes. He'll have to get rid of his attribute of justice. He'll have to get rid of his attribute of holiness. They don't really understand God.
All right, go back to Hebrews 6:18. Hebrews 6:18. Boy, I bet you you are, uh, able to lie if you are God. Well, if I was God, I would do this. Boy, I bet you would. You would contradict your godhood attributes and violate it every time you make a poor qualification for God. Yeah. Amen. Park it right there. Right. Well, why won't God do this? Because if he did that, he cannot be God. Then why don't you take God's place? Well, I sure can do that. No, you wouldn't. You'd violate your godhood, and Satan would win against you, and Satan would become God, not you. Amen. Period. See, they don't think about all this stuff. They don't think it's so easy to be God and then act God, play God because you're so omnipotent, you can do all that. Ain't that easy, bud? It ain't easy also that you have to leave heaven, leave your power, become a stinking human being like you, and take all your sin and die for you, knowing that you same human beings would spit at him, reject him, cuss him out after all the sacrifice that he did for you. Oh, easy to play God. Why don't you be God then, fool? Too scared, you know? They always concentrate on their poor, woe is me, my suffering. So God is unfair. Why don't you think about God? You know what the point is? Everybody suffers some, some painful thing. Everybody suffers some unfair thing. Stop picking on God. You just because you're feeling that much pain, you you just want to lash out against someone. That's your problem. But how can you lash against a being who you don't believe exists anyway, right? That don't make sense to me.
All right, uh, anyway, let's stop, uh, stomping the poor atheist. Let's go to verse 19, okay? Let's go to verse 19 again. Verse 19 says, "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul." So remember the author of Hebrews, let's first go by now, tribulation context, and then we'll go to church age context. He's saying that these tribulation Jews, they have this hope, and remember that hope is, as I've told you before, that salvation and the rapture in heaven combined with those promises. And that is anchored to their soul.
Now, this is something you have to understand here. Notice that this anchor for the tribulation Jew, it's sure, it's sealed, it's strong. But keep reading right here, "both sure and steadfast." So it will stay stuck. It will not, uh, be budged or moved. It's steadfast. And which entereth, uh, well, before I continue that, the idea is this. So when God, notice right here, he made a promise and oath, and everything's at stake here, all these five things, remember that. So because all these five things are at stake, that means God has to keep his word and give it to those tribulation Jews. So it's steadfast and sure. It's an anchor. So because of that, that's why that tribulation Jew, he's going to be encouraged. He's going to motivate himself to keep enduring to the end to be saved because he realizes, "What I got is sure and it won't be budged." So I've got to, notice right here, hold on to it with everything that I've got. That's why they have to hold on to it at verse 18, right?
So here's the idea. Christians have wrongly used this verse to prove eternal security and to disprove tribulation doctrinal application. That is false. The book of Hebrews, there's so much that's based, that makes the salvation conditional. It makes the salvation very conditional. It's not eternally secured. We see right here that the promise, this, we see right here that heaven and everything else is sure and steadfast based on what? That's why they've got to hold on to it. See? So because this is sure, this, this is fixed, that's why you got to hold on to that with everything that you've got. That's what the author is warning them at verse 18. Why would he say, tell them to lay hold upon it? And remember the context is Hebrews 4, 2, and 3, where it shows you have to hold on to it to the end, right? So the idea is this. The, we see right here that this salvation that they can enter into heaven, and then they can have the promises, and that they can have the rapture, it's a sure, fixed deal. It's a sure, fixed deal. It'll never go away. It'll never pass away. That's why you have to hold on to it.
The church age Christian, notice how this is different for us. The anchor is sure and steadfast. And we've already compared those verses, right, about our hope to the end, confidence to the end. We compared the verses in our case where we look at Romans chapter 8, Ephesians chapter 1, Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 30, where our confidence that's steadfast, that our hope to the end, which is our salvation and rapture, it's sealed, even if you sinned. Yeah, even if you sin or mess up, you're sealed. Yeah. So notice right here that the anchor is sure, just like this for the tribulation Jew. But notice right here, we are held by it, whereas these people, they must lay hold on it. Okay? See the distinction right here? We're held by it. We're already a part of it. That's the idea. But for them, they have to hold on to it. Amen.
So there's, uh, notice right here, it's an anchor of the soul at verse 19. Their soul is anchored to it. Their soul is anchored to it. But for that tribulation Jew, that soul is always anchored as long as they lay hold onto it. But then in our case, our soul, which is anchored sure, we are held by it. That's a clear distinction and difference. I don't have to prove that or explain that. Uh, people who are already whining online without looking through my other Hebrew verses studies, go back to my original Hebrew studies on Hebrews 2. I already explained that. Okay? That's why we can sing, "I have an anchor, safe and sure, that can ever more endure." And it holds, my anchor holds. Blow your wildest then, oh gale, on my bark so small and frail. By His grace I shall not fail, for my anchor holds. It firmly holds, my anchor holds. And that's a song for eternal security for, uh, the Christian. So yes, we can see this in a dimensional plane. We can see this as an eternal security verse. We can see that. But remember, because of the tribulation Jew in their dimension, the problem is that phrase, "to lay hold upon the hope set before us." Right? And comparing by proper scripture with scripture with Hebrews 2, 3, and 4 about laying hold on the hope, confidence, steadfast, sure to the end, that all has to be enduring to the end. That's all works. So we see right here, the two explanations for a church age Christian and then for a tribulation Jew. Amen.
Now we continue on at, uh, verse 19, the next part. So this anchor of the soul that is sure and steadfast, uh, and which entereth, uh, well, before I continue that, the idea is this. So this anchor and all this hope is personified. Okay, let me repeat that again. This anchor that has all these, uh, promises that you've heard, and then the salvation and hope in heaven, they're all personified in this one person, and that is Jesus Christ. You can see that. So notice right here, it is personified through him.
If we continue on, we can see it's personified in Jesus. Keep reading, "and which entereth into that within the veil." See? So it seems like right here, there's a person here that goes through the veil. "Whether the Forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus." So he already told you, yes, I am talking about Jesus. He's saying that whatever that, uh, person is that our hope is personified within, it entered into the veil. And that Forerunner, why did he say Forerunner? Because remember at verse 18, we want to run to that hope, right? We want to run to that hope. But we have, thank God, someone who, uh, started the running for us. Oh, wow. Who ran ahead of us so that we can get that hope. Amen. So that's why it says Forerunner. That, so that Forerunner already for us entered to that veil, and that's Jesus Christ. So, so he ran ahead, made this all possible for us. And I mean, tribulation Jew and a church age Christian. See that? So when he died on the cross, went to heaven, that was considered his running race, and he went ahead of us where he can make all these promises avail to the tribulation Jew and the Christian in the church age.
Now, there are things right here that you have to understand when Paul says this, uh, in verse 19. What is that veil that Jesus Christ entered? That is referring to not the Old Testament temple on Earth. The veil inside there. Jesus Christ went to the veil up in heaven. So Jesus Christ, that's why it's showing right here, Jesus Christ, he went up to heaven. So because he already went ahead of us to heaven, see that hope, see the salvation and our rapture and all those promises in heaven, they've been now anchored to that. So it's tied down right here where the tribulation Jew can now lay hold on it, and for us, we can be held by it. Amen. Amen.
So let's look at verses to prove that. We're going to look at Hebrews chapter, uh, was it 8? Hebrews 8. So notice that the veil has to do with the veil or the temple in heaven. All right, look at the book of Hebrews and then, uh, chapter, uh, it's not 8, excuse me, it's chapter 9. Chapter 9. Notice right here in verse, uh, 8. Verse 8. Hebrews chapter 9, verse 8. "The Holy Ghost is signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing." Uh, notice right here, uh, uh, verse 9, "Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience." But look at this one. This is different. Different. When we look at verse, uh, verse 23. "It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heaven should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these." So notice right here, it sounds like that the tabernacle stuff that's going on in heaven, not just on Earth. So there's some kind of tabernacle stuff going on in heaven, or a temple up in heaven. Verse 24: "For Christ has not entered into the holy places made with hands," ah, now that's plain. The holy place of the temple is not something that human hands have made. It's not on the Earth, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Wow. We see right here then, this, uh, there is a heavenly temple that he can go to. There is a heavenly temple that he can go to. Especially when you look at verse, uh, oh, well, we'll stop right here. But the point is that there is a veil or a temple in heaven that, uh, Jesus Christ went up to, and that is, uh, available to the people. I thought I saw the word veil in heaven. I know I saw that somewhere. I just can't, I just forgot the verse, which I apologize. It actually said veil and then it connected it to heaven. But, uh, I forgot the verse on that one. So, uh, yeah, I'll just have to, oh, I don't want to give up. I want to find that verse. Where are you? You are, you are somewhere right there. Yes. Okay, I found it. Chapter 10. Chapter 10. Yeah. Amen. Uh, verse 19 and 20. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil." See that? "That is to say his flesh." And having an high priest over the house of God. So we see right here that this veil is referring to the heavenly things. And, uh, we tie that down in chapter 10 and verse 12. Jesus Christ is up in heaven doing that.
All right, let's go back. Hebrews chapter 6. Now, the Forerunner, that matches with Hebrews 12. Jesus being our Forerunner. Hebrews chapter 12. Now let's look at a Christian application here to the church age. We use this verse probably so many times. I used it many times in my preachings. Hebrews 12 and then verse 1 through 2. "We're all running a race. We have to endure, go through problems, trials in life as we run our race. We have to look at Jesus Christ who is our Forerunner, who's the author of our race, who went ahead of us. We always have to look at him. By looking at him, we can go through the trials." See that? If we were, uh, to recall, uh, our anchor, the hope that's locked up into heaven, it helps us better to keep running our race when we realize what we're tied into. Yes. So that's why you have to set your affection on things above, not the earth. If you keep looking on the earth, it's hard to run your race. But if you keep looking up there, what you're tied up to, and you might recall the sermon that I preached about body, soul, and spirit, that your soul past is anchored up there. So your spiritual nature is anchored. A spiritual nature already a part of you is up there. So if you see what you're anchored up to, it'll help you run better, help you live or serve God better. Uh, notice verse one: "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." Woo. Okay, there's your Forerunner.
Okay, going back. Hebrews 6 and the last part of verse 20. So Jesus Christ is our Forerunner, made and high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. So Jesus Christ, since he's now up there, that we're anchored to, what is he doing right now? He's doing the duty and work of high priest where he's interceding on our behalf. You might recall that at Hebrews chapter 4, right? That's Jesus Christ doing intercessory work. So he is high priest up there, and that's where we're anchored to Jesus Christ. And he is after the order, not of the regular high priest that the Jews had, that's a Levitical priesthood. He is after the high priesthood of Melchizedek. And you might go, "Who in the world is that? Who is Melchizedek?"
So in verse 7, verse 1, the author now is explaining Melchizedek here. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all. First being by interpretation king of righteousness, and after that also king of Salem, which is king of Peace. So the author, he mentioned that Jesus is after the order of the Melchizedek priesthood, and then he's going to explain who Melchizedek is. He said, "You might, uh, Melchizedek is king of Salem. He's actually priest of the most high God. He met Abraham, uh, after Abraham returned from his battle with those, uh, four kings." And you might recall that is Genesis chapter 14. So if you want to know where that passage is, it is Genesis 14. And in that passage, Melchizedek, he blessed Abraham. When he blessed Abraham, at verse two, Abraham gave a tithe. That's what a tenth part of all means. A tithe means a tenth of what you own or what you have. He, Abraham gave it to Melchizedek.
Now, Mel, first being by interpretation king of righteousness. What that means is, uh, Melchizedek's name, firstly, it interprets to king of righteousness. Melkis, uh, what was it? Melkis, so if I recall, Melkis or Milk is referring to king, and then Sedec is referring to righteousness, or it's the other way around, but I'm pretty sure that's the breakdown. So it means king of righteousness. But also, it has another meaning. It also means king of Salem. Now, Salem means peace. Actually, it means king of Peace. So notice right here how the wording matches very well with Jesus Christ when he, in his first and second coming. In his first and second coming. In his first coming, he came, uh, down with righteousness. In his second coming, he will truly bring peace to the world. So now let's see. Melchizedek is no doubt a type of Jesus Christ. So we're going to see a type of Jesus Christ with his two advents here.
First of all, I want you to go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Second Corinthians chapter 5. There is no doubt that Melchizedek, you can see a typology of Christ's first coming. I go to Second, uh, 2 Corinthians chapter 5. And then Christ's first coming is done where he took our sins upon himself. Amen. And then and traded off his righteousness for our sins. That's why we're able to have salvation in Jesus Christ. We're able to have salvation in Jesus Christ because of his righteousness.
All right, now go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, uh, one of the most unfathomable verses, verses that will humble you, verses that touch your heart. It's amazing. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and then verse 21: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Another verse to prove it is Romans chapter 10. Romans chapter 10. You don't have to turn there, uh, for time's sake, I'll just read it quickly. Romans chapter 10 and verse 4. The Bible says, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." So Jesus Christ is our righteousness.
Now, the peace, notice, is matching with Psalm 76. Nahum 1. Excuse me. Let's go to Nahum. Nahum. Nahum chapter 1. Know that is not after the Book of Matthew, if you're wondering if you're having a hard time. All right, it's after the Book of Micah, if that was helpful. All right. Nahum chapter 1 and then, uh, verse, no, four. We will do the best part is verse two. "God is jealous and the Lord revenge. The Lord revenge and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserve wrath for his enemies." So kind of like the day of wrath, right? Look at verse five: "The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence." See, God is coming down to see them. Look at verse seven: "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble." Look at verse 15: "Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth what? Peace." Oh, Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows; for the wicked shall no more pass through thee: he is utterly cut off. Why is there peace? Not because United Nations getting along with their enemies. It's because of the annihilating of the enemies. That's how God's going to bring peace. Amen. Wow. Yeah. Peace talks, right? Any liberal with you? You see them supporting that one? No, no, no. Let's not wipe out our enemies. Let's get along with our enemies. Diplomatic talks, peace talks. No, no. That ain't how you're going to bring peace. You wipe out the enemy. Wow. It's wiping out the enemy and the warmonger, sink. Yeah. That's the reason why we got to build bigger nukes, and then you got this atomic race, and it just costed more fear rather than peace. You, you want peace? You let God bring the, bring in the kingdom, not mankind. Problem solved. Military spending? No, I don't believe that you should give so much money for military spending where we can finally bring peace on Earth. No, you'll never bring peace on Earth.
We see right here in verse three that Melchizedek, if it's any help for you to know who he is, these are the clues that just makes it better. It sounds like, "without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life: but made like unto the Son of God abideth a priest continually." Wow. That was very helpful. Thank you. Now we know who Melchizedek is. This was very helpful. The idea is the author saying that Melchizedek, he had no parents, and then he had no human genealogy, without descent, he had, uh, no beginning of days nor end of life, meaning that he's eternal. Wow. Here's the difficult part. He's made like unto the Son of God. So he is not the Son of God himself, but he's made like to the Son of God. And then notice right here, uh, he abideth a priest continually. So he stands and he acts.
And works as a priest, uh, constantly. So, whoever, who is this Melchizedek? Then, all right. So, the simplest answer that people say is, he is Jesus Christ. Because, uh, notice right here, "who is made like unto the Son of God." Also, he's eternal. But then there are problems with this. If you say he is Jesus Christ, the verse said that he is not the Son of God, but he's made like to the Son of God. Another thing is, Jesus is from the line of Melchizedek. So then, if Melchizedek is Jesus, then how can Jesus come from his line then? Right? So then, that's not going to make sense.
So then, what people say is that he's like the Angel of the Lord, or basically the God in his pre-incarnate state. In other words, there's no doubt that God showed up in, uh, the Incarnation of God is known as Jesus Christ, uh, basically God becoming human form. But there were pre-times before previous times where God incarnated himself to a human being form, and that is the Angel of the Lord. We've seen that there are so many verses on that one in this, uh. But we can see right here that it's not going to, uh, be, uh, an angel, because an angel doesn't do priesthood work. So an angel does not do priesthood work. He certainly doesn't intercede. So the pre-incarnate God, if not the Angel of the Lord himself, it's a different form. So maybe God showed up as the Angel of the Lord, or as Melchizedek, uh, which can make a lot of sense. And that is actually the most favorable interpretation and viewpoint from Bible believers.
Another one is when we look at Daniel 4:4, Daniel 4. We see right here that God showed up in a pre-incarnate form before when he met Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So Hebrews 3, thank you. Yeah, I said four, but chapter three, it's chapter three. Notice right here that when we look at, uh, chapter three and verse, uh, 25, "He answered and said, 'Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt. And the form of the fourth is what? Like, like the Son of God.'" Notice he didn't say "is," but "like." But we do know that the fourth person here is the Son of God, even though he used the word "like." So see that this interpretation can still work where the pre-incarnate form of God is made like the Son of God. Is light? Yes. So this is the most favorable viewpoint and interpretation, and I do lean toward that. That seems, uh, that has a lot of strength there.
When we continue on in this text, the problem though that bothers me is that he abides a priest continually, right? Melchizedek, he's eternal, right? And Jesus Christ comes from his line and continues that priesthood, right? So then some Jews argue, then, then there must be a fourth person in the Trinity. Wow. So that's the reason why that, yeah, it kind of makes sense because here's Melchizedek doing the priesthood continually, he doesn't end. But then you got Jesus Christ, right, who's carrying on the priesthood. So then it's like there's two going on right here. There's two going on. Now, maybe you can interpret, maybe maybe you can interpret that Jesus Christ continued on the Messianic priesthood. In other words, he took his place, right? So he's in his stead. So maybe you can argue it that way. But then, um, the problem is the wording, "abideth the priest continually." Right? "He has no beginning of days nor end of life." But I can also see, even with those wordings, that if you were to say Jesus Christ, uh, took Melchizedek's place, or replaced in his, or took in, or came in his stead, then the interpretation could work. It could work. So it's kind of like 50/50 right here.
So then, pre-incarnate God. Then the second one is Dr. Upman's viewpoint. And then everyone's like, "Oh, so this is Dr. Ukman." So I guess I'll agree with him. So his, uh, viewpoint is Shem. It's Shem. Now, you might say, "How can that be the case though?" Because, because right here it says, "He abideth the priest continually, beginning of days nor end of life." Dr. Hugman argues that the context right here is referring to, uh, gene, the genealogical record itself. When you look at verse three, when you look at verse three, it says, "without descent." So in other words, it's not recorded. So Shem, who is a priest, he wasn't recorded at all. There's no record of him. If you look at Chronicles and then, uh, the Books of Moses, you see records of priests, but Shem has no record.
Now, here's another interesting thing about Shem. If we go to, uh, Genesis, if we go to the Book of Genesis, chapter, uh, 10, Genesis, actually chapter 11, Genesis, chap 11:10. Genesis 11:10. Here's one interesting note. The Bible says that if Shem is, uh, Melchizedek, it said he had no end of life, right? It's very interesting. There is no record of Shem dying. But his genealogy is mentioned right here. His genealogy wouldn't be mentioned right here, but it's not the priesthood genealogy. One, and number two, it never mentioned he died. It just said he lived. Genesis 11:1, "And Shem lived after he begat Arpachshad 500 years, and begat sons and daughters." It just simply said that he lived after, uh, Arpachshad had. Now, obviously, he's not here on the earth. So then, isn't it interesting? Didn't God rapture Enoch to heaven? Didn't God rapture Elijah to heaven? Right? Couldn't God have done that with Shem? Oh, wow. So that is very, very possible. So he could have bypassed death where he could have been raptured. But like I said, it's theoretical because there's no proof text for it.
Another interesting thing, uh, about Shem's line. So there is no record of his death mentioned. No record of his death mentioned. Another thing is this, it does sound logical that Shem, uh, had to start out some sort of priesthood. If you read Alexander Hislop's book about Two Babylons, Shem had some kind of religious role. He did have some kind of religious role, which is very interesting. Think about Nimrod, Semiramis. That's where all the Catholic priest, Masonic stuff, all the paganism, wrong religious stuff, priesthood came from Nimrod and Semiramis. If you read Hislop's 2 Babylons, it's very interesting. But if Nimrod had his priest, wouldn't it make sense that Shem, who was still alive at that time, he would have his own priesthood? And there are historical records, which is interesting. Uh, we don't know how much is true or false, but Shem's people were in competition with Nimrod's people. So there were two religions that were competing against each other. It is recorded that Nimrod, how he died was because Shem killed him. He just, uh, severed him to pieces, actually hacked him to pieces, 'cause Nimrod was just so evil. Amen. And then Semiramis, that's why she took advantage of that where she became the mother, uh, she became pregnant again, and she claimed this was Nimrod reincarnated. So that's where you get the mother and baby child. That's where you get the Queen of Heaven stuff. So Nimrod was the one who was, uh, the Gilgamesh, so to speak, or a king of all kings. He was the first king ever of all kings. So he was the one-world ruler at that time. But then what happened is that, uh, so he, uh, started the religion, but he got killed. So that's why the Queen of Heaven took that rule, which is Semiramis. So she had to take that also.
Another thing right here, if you, uh, look at, oh, not in this verse, but go to Genesis 14 and compare that with Genesis chapter 9. Look at the wording here, very strange. Genesis 14 and Genesis 9. Look at Genesis chapter, uh, 14. Notice what Melchizedek said. Melchizedek said at verse 19, verse 19, "And he blessed him and said, 'Blessed be Abram of the Most High God.'" See that? Yes. All right. Look how the wording matches, uh, in Genesis 9:26. Noah said about Shem, and this is a blessing on Shem, so Shem has to practice this. Genesis 9:26, "And he said, 'Blessed be the Lord God of Shem.'" So it's not a stretch to say that Shem, that he carried on, uh, this, uh, blessing of the Most High God upon people because he received that from Noah. That's his blessing. That's what he's supposed to live by. So in Genesis 14 and verse 19, when Melchizedek did the same thing, it kind of matches up the wording. So Shem is another possibility.
And then the last one is the most interesting one. It could be one of Eve's children before the fall. And we'll cover that next week. Oh, man. All right. So we can't cover it tonight. All right. So we'll cover that, uh, next time. But that one is extremely interesting right there. Heavenly Father, I pray that tonight's teaching was a blessing to the hearers, and I pray that we've grown more in knowledge of your scriptures. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. Amen.