Hebrews Lesson #4

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
HEBREWS 3
LESSON #4
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE SIN OF UNBELIEF

MEMORY VERSE: HEB 3:1

READ HEB 3:1-6 THE SON AND THE SERVANT

THE APPEAL IS TO CHRISTIANS, PARTAKERS OF THE HEAVENLY CALLING, TO CONSIDER JESUS CHRIST.(1)

THE ISRAELITES WERE PARTAKERS OF AN EARTHLY CALLING, BUT CHRISTIANS ARE PARTAKERS OF A HEAVENLY CALLING.
THE WORD "CONSIDER" = MEANS TO CONTEMPLATE AS AN ASTRONOMER CONTEMPLATES THE STARS WITH A CONCENTRATED GAZE AND CONTINUOUS OBSERVATION.

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE PRIVILEGES AND POWERS THAT BELONG TO YOU AS A BELIEVER, THEN CONTEMPLATE JESUS.

THE AUTHOR CALLS ATTENTION TO 2 AREAS OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY TO US:

"APOSTLE" = MEANS SENT ONE. HE REPRESENTS GOD.

MOSES WAS CONSIDERED AN APOSTLE SENT BY GOD. THE AUTHOR IS POINTING OUT THAT JESUS IS ALSO SENT BY GOD.

AS AN APOSTLE, JESUS PLEADS THE CAUSE OF GOD WITH US.

"HIGH PRIEST" = A MEDIATOR. HE REPRESENTS MAN.

A HIGH PRIEST IS SENT BY MAN TO PLEAD HIS CASE WITH GOD.

AS A HIGH PRIEST, JESUS PLEADS OUR CAUSE WITH GOD.

CHRIST AND MOSES (2)

WHICH ONE IS MORE IMPORTANT? FOR THE CHRISTIAN, THE ANSWER IS EASY; BUT FOR THE JEW, THE ANSWER IS NOT EASY.
MOSES WAS CONSIDERED BY THE JEWS TO BE THE HIGHEST, THE ONE MOST WORTHY OF PRAISE, OF ALL MEN WHO WALKED THE EARTH.

MOSES GAVE THEM THE LAW.
MOSES BROUGHT THEM OUT OF BONDAGE IN EGYPT.
MOSES WAS THE FIRST PROPHET WHO BROUGHT THE OLD COVENANT (MOSAIC COVENANT OF LAW)

READ DEU 18:15

MOSES HAD THE GLORY OF GOD ON HIM. (2COR 3:6-18)

WHEN MOSES SPENT TIME WITH GOD IN THE MOUNTAIN RECEIVING THE 10 COMMANDMENTS, HIS FACE SHONE WITH A BRIGHT LIGHT. (EXO 34:29-35) THE PEOPLE WERE AFRAID WHEN THEY SAW HIM, SO HE COVERED HIS FACE WITH A VEIL.

ACCORDING TO 2COR 3, MOSES CONTINUED TO WEAR THE VEIL SO PEOPLE WOULD NOT SEE THAT THE GLORY WAS TEMPORARY AND EVENTUALLY FADED.

THE GLORY THAT CHRIST HAS NEVER FADES. THEREFORE, JESUS CHRIST IS BETTER THAN MOSES.

IN FACT MOSES WAS A PROPHET TO PREFIGURE CHRIST, THE PROPHET WHO WAS YET TO COME WITH A NEW COVENANT.

MOSES A PREFIGURE OF CHRIST HEB 3:5

MOSES	JESUS CHRIST
THE FIRST PROPHET OF GOD DEU 18:15	THE ULTIMATE PROPHET OF GOD DEU 18:15 MAT 21:11
AN INFANT THREATENED BY DEATH FROM PHARAOH EXO 1:22; 2:1-10	AN INFANT THREATENED BY DEATH FROM HEROD MAT 2:13-17
REJECTED BY HIS OWN PEOPLE	REJECTED BY HIS OWN PEOPLE
A WILLINGNESS TO DIE FOR HIS PEOPLE	A WILLINGNESS TO DIE FOR HIS PEOPLE
BROUGHT THE COVENANT OF LAW	BROUGHT THE COVENANT OF GRACE
WROTE THE LAW ON TABLES OF STONE EXO 19:1-20:22	WRITES THE LAW ON OUR HEARTS 2COR 3:3
FAITHFUL HEB 3:5	FAITHFUL HEB 3:2
A MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND ISRAEL EXO 32:30-32	A MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 1TIM 2:5-6
A SERVANT IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD	A SON IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD
AN INSTRUMENT TO LIBERATE THE PEOPLE FROM BONDAGE IN EGYPT EXO 23:1-35	AN INSTRUMENT TO LIBERATE THE PEOPLE FROM BONDAGE TO SIN COL 1:13-14

HOUSEHOLD OF GOD (6)

MOSES REPRESENTED THE LAW (HOUSE), BUT CHRIST IS THE CREATOR, AND THE ONE WHO FULFILLS THE LAW (BUILDER OF THE HOUSE).

CHRIST IS THE CREATOR AND MOSES IS THE CREATED. THEREFORE CHRIST IS SUPERIOR.
CHRIST IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH, CORNERSTONE OF THE BUILDING (EPH 2:19-22 1PE 2:5)

"HOLD FAST" = A WORD USED IN A NAUTICAL SENSE TO MEAN HOLDING ONE'S COURSE TOWARD THE END--STAY ON COURSE AND DON'T LET THE BOAT DRIFT!

STEADFAST PERSEVERANCE IS A GREAT NEED IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

SO MANY PEOPLE ACCEPT CHRIST BY FAITH AND THEN DO NOTHING AFTER THAT. THEY LIVE SHIPWRECKED LIVES. IT TAKES FAITH NOT ONLY TO BE SAVED, BUT BOLD FAITH TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE DAILY.

READ HEB 3:7-19 THE EXAMPLE OF ISRAEL

THE AUTHOR INDICATES THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOING TO REVEAL A VERY IMPORTANT LESSON ABOUT THE PAST THAT IS IMPORTANT TODAY. (7)

NOTICE THE FREQUENCY OF THE USE OF THE WORD, TODAY.

(7,13,15) THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING WARNING ON A DAILY BASIS.

THE SECOND WARNING! HEB 3:7-4:13

BACKGROUND: READ PSA 95:7-11 EXO 17:1-7 NUM 13:27,28,31 NUM 14:1-5,11 NUM 20:1-13

1. BACKGROUND:	2. THE SIN:	3. THE WARNING:
MOSES LED THE PEOPLE OF GOD OUT OF BONDAGE IN EGYPT INTO THE WILDERNESS. THEY HAD FAITH IN GOD TO CROSS THE RED SEA. BUT THEY HAD NO FAITH TO ENTER THE PROMISED LAND. THEY HAD TO WANDER IN THE WILDERNESS FOR 40 YEARS UNTIL A NEW GENERATION GREW UP THAT HAD FAITH TO ENTER THE PROMISED LAND WITH JOSHUA.	UNBELIEF	DON’T HARDEN YOUR HEART AND DISBELIEVE!

THE IMPORTANT LESSON GIVEN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN HEBREWS IS THAT THE EXPERIENCES OF THE ISRAELITES LEAVING EGYPT. (8)

WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS, AND ENTERING INTO THE PROMISED LAND ARE A TYPE (A PICTURE) OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

CROSSING THE RED SEA IS THE CHRISTIAN’S BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE.
ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND IS THE CHRISTIAN LIVING THE FULNESS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

HOW DID THE ISRAELITES PROVOKE GOD TO ANGER?

THEY DOUBTED THE POWER OF GOD. NUM 13:27-28,33
THEY DOUBTED THE LOVE OF GOD. NUM 14:1-5
THEY DOUBTED THE WORD OF GOD. NUM 14:11

A HARDENED HEART LEADS TO AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF

SALVATION CAME BY HEARING THE WORD OF GOD, OPENING YOUR HEART AND BEING OBEDIENT TO LETTING HIM COME IN. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS LIVED THE SAME WAY: HEARING THE WORD THAT INCREASES OUR FAITH BY OPENING OUR HEART TO IT, AND THEN BEING OBEDIENT TO WHAT WE SEE IN THE WORD.

DRAWING CLOSE TO THE LIVING GOD WILL FILL OUR HEARTS WITH LIVING FAITH.

"EXHORT" = MEANS TO COME ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER TO HELP. (13)

CHRISTIANS ARE TO EXHORT ONE ANOTHER SO AS TO HEED THE WARNING AND AVOID THE SIN OF UNBELIEF.

SIN HARDENS THE HEART BECAUSE IT BREAKS FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.

A QUESTION TO PONDER: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DOUBT AND UNBELIEF?

DOUBT IS NOT A SIN; IT IS SIMPLY A QUESTIONING ATTITUDE. IT IS AN INTELLECTUAL PROBLEM. IF DOUBTS ARE NOT PROPERLY DEALT WITH, THEY CAN LEAD TO A HARDENED HEART AND UNBELIEF.

HOW SHOULD DOUBTS BE DEALT WITH?

SUBMIT THEM TO GOD
SEARCH THE WORD OF GOD
EXHORT ONE ANOTHER (13)

UNBELIEF IS A HEART PROBLEM. USUALLY, IT IS BECAUSE THERE IS A SIN YOU DON’T WANT TO GIVE UP FOR CHRIST.

"WE ARE BECOME PARTAKERS OF CHRIST" (14)

THE PROGRESSION IN THE BOOK SO FAR, IS THAT WE ARE ONE WITH CHRIST WHO HAS GIVEN US THE POSITION OF BEING HOLY (2:11) BECAUSE HE BECAME A PARTAKER OF HUMAN FLESH TO IDENTIFY WITH US, SO THAT WE MIGHT PARTAKE OF CHRIST AND BECOME LIKE HIM.

PAST TENSE MEANS WE HAVE ALREADY BECOME PARTAKERS WHEN HE FIRST ENTERED INTO US.

AS JESUS CHRIST WAS SO IDENTIFIED WITH MAN TO BECOME FLESH, LET ME BE SO IDENTIFIED WITH HIM TO BECOME LIKE HIM.

THE PROMISE LAND IS USED TO ILLUSTRATE GOD'S "REST" (19)

HEBREWS USES THE WORD "REST" AT LEAST 12 TIMES IN THIS CHAPTER AND THE NEXT. HOWEVER, THE WORD DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN THE SAME THING.

THE "REST" CONCERNING THE ENTRANCE INTO SALVATION.

MAT 11:28

THE "REST" CONCERNING THE BLESSINGS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. MAT 11:29

THE ISRAELITES WERE SAVED WHEN THEY BELIEVED GOD AND TRUSTED HIM TO TAKE THEM OUT OF EGYPT BASED ON THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB ON THE DOORPOST.
ISRAELITES COULD NOT ENTER THE PROMISE LAND OF GOD'S BLESSINGS BECAUSE THEY HAD NO FAITH (UNBELIEF). THEY LED A MEANINGLESS EXISTENCE WANDERING OUTSIDE OF THE PROMISES OF GOD.

THEIR REASONS FOR NOT ENTERING THE PROMISE LAND WERE:

HARDENED THEIR HEARTS (8)
DID NOT KNOW THE WAYS OF GOD (10)

A KNOWLEDGE GAINED BY EXPERIENCE; BY INTERACTING WITH THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

THE GREAT SIN OF UNBELIEF (18)

NOTICE THE PROGRESSION FROM 1 TO 3.

THE ETERNAL "REST" OF GOD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS BETTER THAN THE TEMPORARY "REST" OF ENTERING INTO THE PROMISED LAND. THEREFORE, JESUS CHRIST IS BETTER THAN JOSHUA.

NOTICE THAT THE SIN OF UNBELIEF IS WHAT ROBBED THE ISRAELITES OF GOD’S GREAT BLESSINGS IN THE PROMISED LAND.

IT IS THIS SAME SIN THAT ROBS THE CHRISTISAN OF GOD’S BLESSINGS AND VICTORY IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

HOMEWORK
HEBREWS 4

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF HEBREWS 3:

EXAMINE THE CONDITION OF YOUR HEART TOWARD GOD AND RATE IT ON A SCALE OF 1-10.

SOFT HARD

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

WHY ARE YOU FALLEN SHORT OF SOME OF GOD'S BLESSINGS?

IF NECESSARY, ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS. (1JO 1:9)

WHAT WILL YOU DO THIS WEEK TO PROMOTE A SOFTER HEART TOWARD GOD?

PREPARATION FOR HEBREWS 4:

READ HEB 4:1-13

TO DISCOVER THE OLD TESTAMENT CONCEPT OF "REST", READ:

DEU 12:9-10
EXO 33:14

JOS 1:13
WHAT WAS THE OLD TESTAMENT CONCEPT OF "REST"?
WHAT DOES HEB 4:10 ADD TO THE DEFINITION OF "REST"?
WHAT DOES HEB 4:11 MEAN IN YOUR OWN WORDS?

READ HEB 4:14-16

BASED ON WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED IN HEBREWS SO FAR, WHY CAN WE COME TO GOD BOLDLY AND EXPECT SOMETHING IN RETURN?

MEMORY VERSE: HEB 4:11