Hebrews 12
July 9
Reading: Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned." 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I tremble with fear." 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27 This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken-- that is, things that have been made-- in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:1-2 completes the lesson of chapter 11 and prepares us for the applications taught in the rest of chapter 12. The “great cloud of witnesses” includes all those who gained approval through their faith according to chapter 11. The word “witness” is the Greek word marturon from which we get our word “martyr.” It means a person who has trusted God and stood up for Him through their lives till the very end. The people listed in Hebrews 11 have run their race by faith. The end of Hebrews 11 has told us that God’s promise to them will be completed as we run our race. They surround us. They motivate us.
Therefore, we are commanded “run with endurance the race set before us.” The metaphor is that we are a distance runner getting rid of everything that might hinder us as we live and seek to trust God and be faithful. If you were running a 5K you would never bring with you a backpack filled with video games, your favorite collection of mugs, extra T-shirts and dresses, and a chocolate cake. It would slow you down. Likewise, in our lives, we need to get rid of everything that might hinder our pursuit of Christ.
Pursuing Christ is what we are commanded to do. (vs. 2) We are commanded to live with Him as our goal, fix our eyes upon Him, and live according to His example.
We learn in verses 3-13 that this means that things are going to be hard. They are going to be hard because it was hard for Jesus, and we are no better than He. Things will be hard because God disciplines every son He receives. (vs. 6, Proverbs 3:12) It will be hard because discipline is not fun, but it is necessary. (vs. 11)
I have personally found the sweet medicine of committing Hebrews 12:11 to memory. The truth of this verse runs deep.
Verses 14-29 are again a warning not to “fall short of the grace of God.” How could this happen? These verses tell us. We could spurn holy living. We could fall prey to bitterness toward God or other people. We could ignore the words and warnings of God. We could fail to recognize the greatness of our Savior Jesus Christ. We could refuse to obey God when He speaks. We could fail to be thankful to God. Do not quit seeking and obeying Jesus Christ. The chapter concludes with a quotation from Deuteronomy 4:24, “For our God is a consuming fire.”