Boldly Enter
19Therefore dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Hebrews 10:19-25)
In the midst of a reminder of the remarkable access we have to God, the writer reminds the Jewish Christians, and all believers who will follow, not to neglect one another either. Of course, in the first instance the reminder is to take advantage of the access you have to God. That is your first priority. But it is also true that we need to motivate and encourage one another by meeting together. It brings to my mind the passages out of Ephesians where Paul has a similar string of “one anothering”. In that passage he wrote about:-
- accepting one another in love (4:32)
- being kind to one another (4:32)
- forgiving one another (4:32)
- speaking to / encouraging one another (5:19)
- submitting to one another (5:22)
We are part of the body of Christ and as such we need to be in touch with the Head but we must also be connected to the rest of the body. We are in this journey together and so we ought to love and care about those around us. Do you realise you need those around you? Maybe not at the moment but you will need the encouragement of others at some stage; we all do. Think of ways to [paroxusmos] those around you. This is an interesting word. A look at the various translations will show you the range of meanings. The sense is to stir up, provoke, incite, poke, encourage or motivate those around you to love and good works. I like how Eugene Peterson phrased it in the Message.
Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out . . .
Heb 10:24
What I have noticed in these Covid days is that many of us make decisions related to our own personal comfort and ease; as to whether we meet together, i.e. go to church. Many churches report a down-turn in attendance. I too have noticed a drop in numbers. I have also been aware of the number of people who have just taken time out, dropped out or opted out. Opting instead to catch the service online, now that we have that option. “Not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some” is a link to the danger of spiritual drifting the writer was talking about at the beginning of Chapter 2. I am sure you are familiar with the example of the coal taken from the fire and set on the hearth. The coal removed from the fire and left alone very quickly loses its heat and ceases to glow. We ought to care for those around us, our fellow believers and do all we can to ensure they along with us don’t lose our spiritual fervour for Christ and all He has done for us. That is exactly what this writer is talking about.
Don’t neglect to meet together and don’t neglect your fellow brother and sister in Christ. It is essential for you and for them to find inventive ways of stirring their passion and bringing them back into the body. You can’t make it without Christ. He is the only way to salvation; there is no other. But equally you can’t make it without helping those around you. The quickest way to see a brother or a sister slip away is to do nothing. Not to take that coal on the hearth and set it back on the fire is to watch that coal die quickly. I am mindful of a number of people I need to visit or call or put some thought and prayer into reaching out to in the most inventive way. To not do so will see them drift still further. Over the years numbers of people have told me different versions of the following stereotypical comment, “I just stopped going to church and soon realised no one cared. No one called or asked me how I was. I don’t think anyone noticed so I just stopped going.”
You can stop the rot for someone in your circle of friends, loved ones, acquaintances or someone you notice has been absent for a while. Go rescue someone in need today. Hebrews 10:24-25 was one of the first verses I memorised from the Bible. I need to be inventive and go apply it today. Many of us when deciding whether we are going to go to church or not consider first what we will get out of it. “Maybe today I won’t go because I won’t get so much out of today’s service.” Rather than that being your basis of choice, consider thinking, “If I am not there, my spiritual gift will be missing from the body.” Playing your part in the body means being available to help someone else through your encouragement, prayers or timely words spoken.
The last thing I need to highlight in this passage is the remaining segment.
- and all the more because you see the day coming near. [BBE]
- especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. [NLT]
The Greek text doesn’t specify the day in focus. The original text is . . .
καὶ τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον, ὅσῳ βλέπετε ἐγγίζουσαν τὴν ἡμέραν
and {so much} more, as {you (pl) see} {drawing near} the day
Be even more diligent or willing to do this as you see the day coming. To what day is the author referring? Don’t you think it was strange that he didn’t specify what day he was talking about. The options are follows:
- The Day of Judgment
- The Day of the LORD’s return
- The Fall of Jerusalem
- The Destruction of the Temple
- The Onset of the coming persecution
Either one or a combination of these possibilities were likely to have been in the author’s mind. They were all live issues and had been mentioned or alluded to already or were an imminent threat at the time. Most versions I have access to at the moment leave ‘the day’ ambiguous with 14 versions choosing “the day” and thirteen choosing to capitalise “the Day”. Three versions choose the day of the Lord’s return and one refers to the Day of the Lord which could refer to Jesus’ Second Coming or alternatively could refer to Judgment Day. There are many references throughout the Letter to the Hebrews which are possibilities for the Day.
- Bringing salvation (2:10; 5:9)
- Entering the place of rest (3:13-14; 4:3,6,9,11)
- Judgment (6:2; 9:27)
- Age to come (6:5)
- Inheriting the promises (6:12; 9:15)
- Coming of the Lord to bring salvation (9:28)
- And of course the day or The Day (10:25)
The author has chosen to keep the concept open-ended. But whatever focus the author had in mind the point has to have been the sense of the pending urgency given the circumstances. These Jewish believers were likely in the onset of Nero’s persecution. You can find that sense in the third of our segments. Clearly the warning is for us to take seriously the times in which we live and persevere by clinging on in faith to the LORD in the midst of threatening circumstances. We need to look around and take stock of the warning signs we see and make wise decisions. Don’t just flee the church and go back to the synagogue thinking you won’t be persecuted because Judaism was a legitimate religion under the Romans. For us in the 21st Century don’t think abandoning your faith is an option because being Christian is not the flavour of the month. The only safe place to be is in Jesus, only in Him are we assured of our salvation and the good things of the Life of the Age to Come.
Learn to trust Him Who has it all under control and step out in faith.
Ian
Trust in God is not an obligation but a privilege.
Joyce Meyer
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Psalm 32:7-8
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6-7
For those of you familiar with the reaction of Stephen (Acts 7:56) allow the vision he had of Christ giving him a standing ovation be of comfort to you. For those of you who have done Deeper Bible 301 with me or have read before the Nugget series be inspired by Dominggus Kenjam’s testimony. Nothing is impossible for God. The truths expressed in the Bible are rock solid.