Jesus is the Hope set before us!
The writer of Hebrews strengthens the hope of the Jewish believers in Christ – “For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, ‘Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.’ And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6: 13-20)
From C.I. Scofield – Justification is an act of divine reckoning whereby the believing sinner is ‘declared’ righteous. It does not mean a person is ‘made’ righteous in himself but puts on the righteousness of Christ. Justification originates in grace. It is through the redemptive and propitiatory work of Christ who fulfilled the law. It is by faith, not works. It may be defined as the judicial act of God whereby He justly declares and treats as righteous the one who believes in Jesus Christ. The justified believer has been declared by the Judge Himself to have nothing laid to his charge.
What do we know about Abraham? He was justified by faith. From Romans we learn – “What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” (Romans 4: 1-5)
In the Abrahamic covenant God said to Abram – “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12: 1-3) God later confirmed the covenant and reiterated in Genesis 22: 16-18, “’…By Myself I have sworn…”
The writer of Hebrews was trying to encourage the Hebrew believers to turn fully to Christ and rely on Him and turn away from the Levitical system of worship.
“…that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” God’s oath was with and to Himself, and He cannot lie. The hope that was set before the Hebrew believers and us today is Jesus Christ.
“…This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,” Jesus has literally entered the throne room of God. We learn later in Hebrews – “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” (Hebrews 9: 24)
“…where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
The Hebrew believers needed to turn from trusting in their priesthood, trusting in their obedience to the Mosaic law, and trusting their own righteousness; and trust what Jesus had done for them.
Jesus and what He has done for us is an anchor for our souls. He wants us to trust Him and the grace He stands waiting to give us!
