God’s Mission
Hebrews 6:13-20
The Certainty of God’s Promise
13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
What was so important to God that He would confirm it with an oath?
As a few Old Testament buffs may know, God allowed oaths to be taken to settle a disputed matter (see Exodus 22:11). Here we see the book of Hebrews leaning on an Old Testament parallel to say that God wanted to “settle a matter” of sorts. The Lord had promised blessings to Abraham and his heirs. That was the disputed matter at hand.
Was God saving His people through Jesus or was there some other way? Was Jesus, this High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, really the promised Messiah?
God took oaths both with Abraham (Gen. 22:16,17) and about Melchizedek (Ps 110:4). These God-given oaths were to be confidence-builders for people to trust God at His Word. That Word is fulfilled in Jesus – both the promise and oath confirmed. That is the point for the author of Hebrews. Believers in Jesus are considered heirs to that promise, legal heirs with an oath from God Himself to back it up!
Prayer Prompt
Father God, the Apostle Paul noted that if we belong to Christ, then we are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29). I have put my hope in You and in Your only-begotten Son Jesus as my Lord and Savior. In His name I pray. Amen.
Micro-Meditation Scripture
Psalm 84:1-8
- How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD Almighty!
- My soul yearns,
even faints for the courts of the LORD
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. - Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young
— a place near your altar,
LORD Almighty, my King and my God. - Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you. - Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. - As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools. - They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion. - Hear my prayer, LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
Micro-Meditation
Teaching or Command of God
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and
that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
Ephesians 2:22
In him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Micro-Meditation
Pondering Point
Psalm 84:1-2 from the Lord’s perspective:
God: My child, come – come to My dwelling place,
come to the courts of My house;
Heed that call on your heart and flesh
as it cries out for Me, the living God.