Notes on Hebrews - Part 2
The Overview.
By brother T. Swaim,
_______
Reader
The Bible is a unique book. The Bible is not designed to be read only once. It is meant to be studied. It is designed to be studied over a life time and looked at over and over again. Our first reading of the Bible was amazing. There was so much to learn. There was so much to begin to see. And so much more that was still mystery to uncover. We needed to read it through once. And then again and again. And with each reading, the basics of the Bible started to become familiar and the deeper truths of the text started to emerge. We found that some of the Bible could only be understood only after we’ve gone through a life experience. How much of God’s word became more relevant after marriage, or the birth of our first child, or the first great disappointment at work, or the graduation of our youngest from high school and on and on it goes. I’ve found it helpful to read and re-read the whole book each year just for the sole reason of lodging parts of the Bible into my mind that the HOLY SPIRIT can use on certain occasions when HE feels I’m ready to understand and do what the text says.
The same is true with each book in the Bible individually. HEBREWS is meant to be studied. GOD wants us to prayerfully read and re-read it. Outline it. Think hard about it. Talk to others about it. Read commentaries about it. And grasp for a greater experience with the book than just a first reading. Each book of the Bible is “Authored”. This means that the concepts, truth and general text have been arranged with a purpose pointing or guiding the reader to a point, a conclusion or the “Big Why” as mentioned in my first introductory article. Understanding the outline of the book is so important. When we see where our Author is taking us, it becomes easier to enjoy the journey. I like to read through the book for at least a month once a week to and start to work up the outline of the whole book before I start looking for verse by verse truth. Mapping out the authors sign posts and markers I find challenging and exciting and I am always thrill to see how wise GOD was when HE put HIS Bible together so long ago.
When I’m outlining a book, I first look for the markers or the beacons. The original dictation of our Bible did not include chapter and verse or punctuation. A reader had to find other “literary” elements in the writing to help understand when GOD was starting a thought, and when GOD concluded a thought. Finding these markers in HEBREWS is actually quite simple compared to other books. The Author will use language like “Now this is the main point of the things we are saying...” and other statements to help us see how HE divides the text. In my opinion, the HEBREW markers are as follows:
Hebrews 3:01-06 – “Brothers, let’s consider what Jesus as a High Priest said or confessed with His mouth. Let’s think about HIS WORDS”
Hebrews 4:11-16 – “Jesus has spoken a LIVING WORD to us.”
Hebrews 5:01-04 –
“Let’s look at how a High Priest is selected.
Hebrews 7:20-28 – “Jesus is the only High Priest with Endless Life.”
Hebrews 08:01-06 – “Let’s look ways of the priest. Look at the gifts and the sacrifices the priests have to perform or let’s look at the priests ways in the temple.”
Hebrews 10:19-39 – “Jesus has a new and living way for us.”
These markers help me see the books outline as follows:
Introduction
GOD has spoken. We don’t have much time. These are the last days. We’d better listen.
Chapter 01 – JESUS is Higher than the Angels.
Please listen to me.
Chapter 02 – JESUS was made a little while Lower than the Angels.
The LIVING WORD
I’m an Apostle and I’ve Confessed or Spoken a Word to you…
Chapter 03 – Psalm 95 Sermon “
Chapter 04 – Psalm 95 Sermon “Don’t let this happen to you.”
JESUS has LIVING WORDS for us. We’d better not get hard and not listen.
The LIVING PRIEST
Chapter 05 – Psalm 02, Psalm 110 Sermon “Melchizedek looks like he lived forever….”
Chapter 06 – Psalm 02, Psalm 110 Sermon “Are you alive? Life means you are growing up. Are you maturing? Do you have life?”
Chapter 07 – Psalm 02, Psalm 110 Sermon “ Melchizedek’s “forever and endless life”.
JESUS is a LIVING PRIEST. HE has endless life to give to mankind. We’d better receive it.
The
Chapter 08 – Jeremiah 31 Sermon – “A new covenant in my heart. My sin can be purged in me.”
Chapter 09 – Jeremiah 31 Sermon – “A new covenant not only in my heart but in
heaven also."
Chapter 10 – Psalm 40 Sermon – “A new covenant not based on animals but based on something much better; CHRIST. My sin is purged because JESUS did it.”
JESUS
has a
WE DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME. YOU GOT TO LISTEN TO JESUS.
FAITH
Chapter 11 – What does true FAITH look like?
Chapter 12 – Where does true FAITH come from?
DON’T REFUSE TO HEAR ME.
Chapter 13 – What do I do once I have true FAITH?
APPENDIX (Last Three Verses)
The dictation has stopped and the one who wrote down what the author says addresses us with a “few words.”
Once I see this path through the book, I step back and start to look at the whole of HEBREWS from “afar off” and I see ….
1. JESUS offers a complete purge from my sin that I can enjoy in my heart and heaven can respect and honor. GOD has found a way to “forget my sins forever.”
2. JESUS offers an endless life. His gift to me is eternal life…. Just as the leper was touched and healed, I can be touched today and have forever resurrection newness of life.
3. JESUS offers direction for life. Clear and specific direction that brings me into rest and blessing.
4. How do I get all this? I get it by FAITH.
I also notice that the author is unnamed. And that most of the text is laid out like the sermon I heard at Church last Sunday. What is GOD saying in this? GOD is using these Sunday sermons being preached all over the world weekly by “unknowns” who look like ordinary men rather than great prophets to reach mankind. GOD sees this moment in history as the “last days.” We don’t have much time left. WE GOT TO HEAR WHAT GOD IS SAYING TODAY! NOW! EARNESTLY!