Judgment and fire about to devour the adversaries

[gregoryfl]

Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. A man who disregards Moses' law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, "Vengeance belongs to me," says the Lord, "I will repay." Again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
(Heb 10:24-31)

These verses used to give me the willies. All of those horrible tortures in hell awaiting those who sin willfully (yep, I was screwed) after receiving the knowledge of the truth. A worse punishment by far than anything Moses law spoke about.

We can take heart though, for he is not speaking about any future judgment, nor of any hell. In context, this is an historical event that took place in their day specifically and is tied directly to his admonishment to not forsake being together and instead heading back to the old Judaism which they had left.

We have the history of Josephus, Philo, and others who give us much information as to how these verses did indeed happen during their time. Unfortunately, as is much of scripture, people have twisted these in an effort to get people to conform to what they want, namely, in this case, being part of THEIR group or church.

Did not want to give any details yet as to why I believe it has nothing to do with our day or any other period of time outside of the first century, but do any of you see it the same way?

Ron

[Rose]

Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. A man who disregards Moses' law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, "Vengeance belongs to me," says the Lord, "I will repay." Again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
(Heb 10:24-31)

These verses used to give me the willies. All of those horrible tortures in hell awaiting those who sin willfully (yep, I was screwed) after receiving the knowledge of the truth. A worse punishment by far than anything Moses law spoke about.

We can take heart though, for he is not speaking about any future judgment, nor of any hell. In context, this is an historical event that took place in their day specifically and is tied directly to his admonishment to not forsake being together and instead heading back to the old Judaism which they had left.

We have the history of Josephus, Philo, and others who give us much information as to how these verses did indeed happen during their time. Unfortunately, as is much of scripture, people have twisted these in an effort to get people to conform to what they want, namely, in this case, being part of THEIR group or church.

Did not want to give any details yet as to why I believe it has nothing to do with our day or any other period of time outside of the first century, but do any of you see it the same way?

Ron
Hey Ron

Wow! As I was reading the quote from Hebrews, before I even read your commentary it was like instant clarification! Paul was not condemning some poor soul like you or me who happens to have moments of doubt or worse yet even falls away from the faith, but rather of the whole Temple system of the time of the manifestation of the Son of God on earth and His sacrifice.

Those Jews of the 1st century who continued with their sacrifices in the Temple as if the Son of God never came, and in so doing continually trampled under foot the sacrificial blood of the Lamb of God with every sacrifice, bringing upon themselves the judgment of the Living God.

Thank you for bringing up this topic, it is one that has caused endless grief for many.

God Bless

Rose

[Rose]

....and focusing on the magnitude of what Paul is saying:
.
Hebrews 10:28-29 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

He is speaking to those who saw the manifestation of the Son of God's ultimate sacrifice at the very place on Mt. Moriah where God spared the life of Abraham's son Isaac by providing a lamb, and that lamb He provided was His own Son, Jesus Christ.

Every Jew that continued to sacrifice at the Temple, and every Jew who turned back to sacrificing after receiving the blood of the New Covenant trampled underfoot the Son of God. It is clear from the context of those verses that Paul was talking to his fellow Jews of the 1st century, the ones who like him were born under the Law of Moses. The only way the blood of Christ could be trampled underfoot was by turning back to the Old Covenant and sacrificing an animal in what Jesus called My Fathers House (Temple).

Rose

[gregoryfl]

I'm glad to hear you share your witness of this Rose. :) When I compare this with Matthew 23, as well as Revelation 18, I see a beautiful tapestry form, a completing of various details all putting it together to understand.

Ron

[Rose]

I'm glad to hear you share your witness of this Rose. :) When I compare this with Matthew 23, as well as Revelation 18, I see a beautiful tapestry form, a completing of various details all putting it together to understand.

Ron

One of the outstanding connections between Matt.23 and Rev. 18 is that of Christ's prophecy of the House of God being left desolate because of their rejection of Him.
.

Matt.23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Rev.18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas,that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.


Rose

[Rose]

Early on in my study of Revelation I noticed some very significant connections between Matt.23 and Rev.18 that helped me come to understand that the vision of Revelation was fulfilled in the 1st century.


Matt. 23:35-36 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

Rev.18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

Notice how what Jesus foretold in Matthew was fulfilled in Revelation. As you said Ron, it fits together to form a beautiful tapestry.

Rose

[TheForgiven]

Hebrews 10:

19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. 26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. And again, 'The LORD will judge His people.' 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: 33 partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; 34 for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. 35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 ' For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the[k]just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.'

39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

The author of Hebrews, probably St. Paul, wrote this master piece exhorting his fellow kinsmen according to the flesh, to understand that the temple and it's former requirements under the Law were overshadowed by a new and better covenant. After delivering such a fine explanation of the New Covenant, a better and more perfect hope through the body of Christ Jesus, there can be no doubt as to who the Messiah is, was, and ever shall be.

Hebrews chapter 10, although scary in some ways, was not a passage regarding Eternity Security, whether for or against it. I used to believe that Hebrews chapter 10: 28-21 was about falling from grace. I once thought that the author was showing that once a sin was forgiven, and the same person commits the sin again, then no sacrifice in the world could atone for repeated sins. That, of course, is out of context, and that is not what the author of Hebrews was trying to say.

St. Paul was showing that those who turn their back from the truths he just presented are just as guilty as those who violated/rejected the Laws of Moses as it was delivered to them. Those who rejected it, ever after witnessing all that God had done for them, were subsequently killed. Thus Paul, having delivered the message in a flawless presentation about the Messiah, and His new and better Covenant, was warning his kinsmen that if they too reject the truths he just presented them, they (like their forefathers who rejected Moses) would end up suffering wrath as well. And since they refused to refrain any further animal sacrificing, and rejected the true and perfect sacrifice, no other sacrifices (animal or any other sacrifice) exists to atone for their wickedness.

In short, if you turn your back on the truth of the New Covenant, and choose to go on sinning, as though the Covenant of Christ were some common thing (common, as in plain or worthless), the no other sacrifice remains, or would come, to atone for such a rejection. The only thing left is a fearful expectation of raging wrath that would consume the enemies of Christ.

This, of course, happened as Paul forewarned. Just as Paul states:

Hebrews 12:

25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, 'Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.' 27 Now this, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

God was about to wipe out the heavens/earth that were "made", as in things. He's referring to the temple made of hands, along with its city. Why? Because He was about to deliver an eternal kingdom/temple which could not be shaken. Thus, we who have lived in the Kingdom since its establishment partake of the divine kingdom, not made by hands, but by God, who is the creator and savior of all.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all.

Joe