13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 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. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Commentary
Vs. 13-15 13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Carrying on from the exhortation that we should imitate the faith and patience of those who inherit God's promises, the Word of God now gives us the example of Abraham, the father of our faith, a man chosen by God, who believed God, and thus went onto obey God in offering up Issac, and so God promised him saying, "“Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise, (vs. 14-15, citing Gen. 22:16-17). Therefore though Abraham believed God he was not immediately rewarded with God's promise, he had to patiently endure many trials and tribulations before God's promise unfolded to him; some of which he saw in his own lifetime, some of which came much later too and through his own descendants, and now as God's Promise finds it's fulfillment In Christ, Abraham now observing from heaven is seeing the the innumerable multitudes who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ likewise fulfilling God's Word spoken to him, by having God's longstanding Promise and blessing coming to fruition in our own lives as well, in that we too have become apart of God's chosen people in fulfillment of His promise spoken to Abraham (1 Peter 2:9-10). And so the point that is being made is that trust in God's Promise spoken through His Word is the most assured place to have ones trust and hope, because what God promises He always fulfills. Therefore if you have not yet placed all your faith, hope and trust in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ for your own redemption from sin and death please do so now, because God's Promise in John 3:16 was given by Him for you.
Vs. 16-18 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 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.
If mortal men swear oaths by something or someone greater then themselves as a confirmation of their own words, and thus their word is believed and trusted, how much more should we trust God's Word (vs. 16). Because God in determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, also confirmed it by an oath, not that His own Word needs any such confirmation, but rather He wanted to show us all who are and will be the heirs of His promise the immutability of His counsel, that is the unchangeable nature of it (vs. 17). Therefore when God swore His Promise He also confirmed it by an oath. Now this He did, not that He needed to confirm His own Word, but rather He did this so that all of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to whom His Promise of becoming His people is given, and thus of having His eternal salvation is for, would have strong consolation in His Person, in His Word, and thus in His Promise. For it is impossible for God to lie, therefore we who believe have strong consolation in God's Person, Promise, Counsel and Word, because having fled to Him for refuge from the wrath to come we now have everlasting salvation through His Son, and thus we have now laid hold of all of God's Promises which are all bound up in Jesus Christ alone.
Vs. 19-20 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Therefore this hope of (eternal life by faith In the Lord Christ) we have as an anchor of our souls, for it is sure and it is steadfast, and it enters the Presence behind the veil; a reference to the holy Presence and sacred place of God, which the high priest once a year entered to make atonement and intercession for the people of God. And so just as this was once performed on earth in anticipation of God's Promises fulfillment, now this hope given us through God's Word's fulfillment In the Lord Jesus Christ likewise has now entered the Presence of God behind the veil in heaven, where Jesus the forerunner of us all who believe in Him has entered for us. Therefore in becoming the High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek, Jesus has not only made the everlasting atonement for us all who believe in Him, but He has also established an everlasting and unchanging Priesthood of which He alone officiates in the Presence of God on our behalf (Heb. 4:14-16).
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Commentary
Vs. 13-15 13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Carrying on from the exhortation that we should imitate the faith and patience of those who inherit God's promises, the Word of God now gives us the example of Abraham, the father of our faith, a man chosen by God, who believed God, and thus went onto obey God in offering up Issac, and so God promised him saying, "“Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise, (vs. 14-15, citing Gen. 22:16-17). Therefore though Abraham believed God he was not immediately rewarded with God's promise, he had to patiently endure many trials and tribulations before God's promise unfolded to him; some of which he saw in his own lifetime, some of which came much later too and through his own descendants, and now as God's Promise finds it's fulfillment In Christ, Abraham now observing from heaven is seeing the the innumerable multitudes who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ likewise fulfilling God's Word spoken to him, by having God's longstanding Promise and blessing coming to fruition in our own lives as well, in that we too have become apart of God's chosen people in fulfillment of His promise spoken to Abraham (1 Peter 2:9-10). And so the point that is being made is that trust in God's Promise spoken through His Word is the most assured place to have ones trust and hope, because what God promises He always fulfills. Therefore if you have not yet placed all your faith, hope and trust in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ for your own redemption from sin and death please do so now, because God's Promise in John 3:16 was given by Him for you.
Vs. 16-18 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 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.
If mortal men swear oaths by something or someone greater then themselves as a confirmation of their own words, and thus their word is believed and trusted, how much more should we trust God's Word (vs. 16). Because God in determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, also confirmed it by an oath, not that His own Word needs any such confirmation, but rather He wanted to show us all who are and will be the heirs of His promise the immutability of His counsel, that is the unchangeable nature of it (vs. 17). Therefore when God swore His Promise He also confirmed it by an oath. Now this He did, not that He needed to confirm His own Word, but rather He did this so that all of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to whom His Promise of becoming His people is given, and thus of having His eternal salvation is for, would have strong consolation in His Person, in His Word, and thus in His Promise. For it is impossible for God to lie, therefore we who believe have strong consolation in God's Person, Promise, Counsel and Word, because having fled to Him for refuge from the wrath to come we now have everlasting salvation through His Son, and thus we have now laid hold of all of God's Promises which are all bound up in Jesus Christ alone.
Vs. 19-20 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Therefore this hope of (eternal life by faith In the Lord Christ) we have as an anchor of our souls, for it is sure and it is steadfast, and it enters the Presence behind the veil; a reference to the holy Presence and sacred place of God, which the high priest once a year entered to make atonement and intercession for the people of God. And so just as this was once performed on earth in anticipation of God's Promises fulfillment, now this hope given us through God's Word's fulfillment In the Lord Jesus Christ likewise has now entered the Presence of God behind the veil in heaven, where Jesus the forerunner of us all who believe in Him has entered for us. Therefore in becoming the High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek, Jesus has not only made the everlasting atonement for us all who believe in Him, but He has also established an everlasting and unchanging Priesthood of which He alone officiates in the Presence of God on our behalf (Heb. 4:14-16).
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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