There are many faithful Christians that have gone before us, yet the work in the earth is not finished. We have our race to run, and in Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us”, the host of heaven, God the Father and Jesus Christ, we are to put “aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us” and we are to fix in Hebrews 12:2 “our eyes on Jesus the originator and perfecter of faith”. We are to strengthen ourselves and in Hebrews 13:15 “Therefore through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name”. 

A Great Cloud of Witnesses

Hebrews 12:1–4
Did you ever wonder if anyone notices you? As a Christian, everyone is looking at you. Certainly, God sees and knows everything we do, but he isn’t the only one. People around us are watching, but that isn’t his meaning here in

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us,

This is talking about the host of heaven, yes, angelic beings looking on, but even more than that, the heroes of faith, those that have gone on before us are looking on. Here, “The image is from a “race,” an image common even in Palestine from the time of the Greco-Macedonian empire, which introduced such Greek usages as national games. The “witnesses” answer to the spectators pressing round to see the competitors in their contest for the prize (Php 3:14).”¹

But this isn’t about them, the witnesses, it is about us laying aside every hindrance in

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, putting aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, let us run with patient endurance the race that has been set before us,

Even more, though, we are to j=keep our eyes on our coach, the one that has set us on this course in

Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the originator and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

God is Dealing With You as Sons

Hebrews 12:5–11 

Make Straight Paths

Hebrews 12:12–21
There is a life that the Lord has for us to live, it is to in

Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

and to do this, it takes strength. We are saved, as it says in

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God;

yet, living in this world we must overcome, as Jesus did, in the power of the Holy Spirit, so when our flesh is weak, we are told to in

Hebrews 12:12–13 Therefore strengthen your slackened hands and your weakened knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame will not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

The City of the Living God

Hebrews 12:22–29

The Lord is My Helper

Hebrews 13:1–9 

Offer Up A Sacrifice Of Praise

Hebrews 13:10–19
There was an altar established through the Law of Moses, with the Holy of Holies behind the veil. This was the place of the mercy seat where none but the high priest could go. But now, Jesus Christ has opened the way, the veil of the temple, to the heavenly altar, was opened. Now, in

Hebrews 13:10 We have an altar from which those who serve in the tabernacle do not have the right to eat.

and just as Jesus “suffered outside the gate” in Hebrews 13:11, “So we must go out to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach” in Hebrews 13:13. In Christ, we are no longer of this world in

Hebrews 13:14 For here we do not have a permanent city, but we seek the city that is to come.

Though we look forward to that city, to the return of Jesus Christ and our final redemption, we have in us, this new life, this overflow of the love that is now in us, in

Hebrews 13:15 Therefore through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.

The Eternal Covenant

Hebrews 13:20–25

Study Verses

• Hebrews 12:1–4 A Great Cloud of Witnesses
• Hebrews 12:12–21 Make Straight Paths
• Hebrews 13:10–19 Offer Up A Sacrifice Of Praise

Today’s Reading

• Hebrews 12:1–29
• Hebrews 13:1–25

References

• 1. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 475). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

God has given great grace to us through “the blood of the covenant” in Hebrews 10:29. Jesus, the Son of God, gave his life for our sin that we could be in Romans 8:2 “free from the law of sin and death”. Yet, we are still in this fallen world, we must still endure as it says in Hebrews 10:35–36 “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has great reward”. Instead, have faith in God because in Hebrews 10:37 For yet “a very, very little while, and the one who is coming will come and will not delay. We know that for those that believe, in Hebrews 11:16 “God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city”. 

If We Keep On Sinning

Hebrews 10:26–31
There is great grace given to us through “the blood of the covenant” in Hebrews 10:29. It is by this blood, by this sacrifice of Jesus Christ, “the Son of God”, that the price for our sin was paid. Our salvation, our reconciliation with God comes “after receiving the knowledge of the truth” in Hebrews 10:26 when we are born again and translated out of darkness and given a new heart sealed by “the Spirit of grace” in Hebrews 10:29. So, once we are free from sin as it says in

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.

How could we continue in sin? If we reject the grace given, isn’t it clear that in

Hebrews 10:26 For if we keep on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins

If we keep on sinning, there is nothing left as it says in

Hebrews 10:27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that is about to consume the adversaries.

You Have Need of Endurance

Hebrews 10:32–39
Life as a Christian comes with, in Hebrews 10:32-34 “great struggle with sufferings … being publicly exposed both to insults and to afflictions … seizure of your belongings”. We know that the fallen world is against God and the things of God. We know there is an adversary that is against us, not just flesh and blood, in

Ephesians 6:12 because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

So, we are encouraged to hold fast in

Hebrews 10:35–36 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, in order that after you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

We know that God is a God of faith. He expects us to trust him and his promise that in Hebrews 10:37 “the one who is coming will come” and because we believe we do stand as in

Hebrews 10:38 But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul is not well pleased with him.”

Now Faith is the Realization … the Proof

Hebrews 11:1–10 

They Aspire to a Better Land

Hebrews 11:11–19
In this chapter, Hebrews 11, we find recorded the acts of the heroes of faith. How many times in the chapter do we find these words, “By faith …”. Many of their promises were fulfilled, as it was for Sarah and Abraham in

Hebrews 11:11 By faith also, with Sarah, he received the ability to procreate even past the normal age, because he regarded the one who had promised to be faithful.

But this was not the end of what they believed, in fact, it says in

Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith without receiving the promises, but seeing them from a distance and welcoming them, and admitting that they were strangers and temporary residents on the earth.

They had not received the “better land”, the “heavenly one”, the fullness of the promise, the city of God in

Hebrews 11:16 But now they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Greater Wealth Than the Treasures of Egypt

Hebrews 11:20–29

What More Shall I Say?

Hebrews 11:30–35

Of Whom The World Was Not Worthy

Hebrews 11:36–40

Study Verses

• Hebrews 10:26–31 If We Keep On Sinning
• Hebrews 10:32–39 You Have Need of Endurance
• Hebrews 11:11–19 They Aspire to a Better Land

Today’s Reading

• Hebrews 10:26–39
• Hebrews 11:1–40

The first covenant, established through the law of Moses, presented the holy of holies and the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat where no one but the high priest could go. Sacrifices were made daily, and once a year the high priest entered in for the people, but in Hebrews 9:8 “The Holy Spirit was making this clear, that the way into the holy place was not yet revealed, while the first tent was still in existence”. Jesus was the final sacrifice, the one that opened the way for us to enter in Hebrews 10:19–20 “we have confidence for the entrance into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way which he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, his flesh”. Now, we can enter, and in Hebrew 4:16 “let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace”. 

For This Is The Covenant

Hebrews 8:7–13
We can look at history and understand that the covenant through the law of Moses did not perfect Israel as a nation or fulfill them as God’s people. Even though the evidence is clear, there will be some that react to these words in the wrong way. I am not saying that God is unfaithful. What I am saying is in

Hebrews 8:7 “For if that first covenant had been faultless, occasion would not have been sought for a second”.

The fault has never been with God, it has always been in humanity as it says in Hebrews 8:8a “finding fault with them”. Now, God goes on to say, in

Hebrews 8:8b “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah”

This new covenant will come with a complete change of heart in people as it says in

Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will decree with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I am putting my laws in their minds and I will write them on their hearts, and I will be their God and they will be my people.

This letter was written to the Hebrews, the children of Israel, so it speaks directly to them, but this is not an exclusive covenant. As we read on, this covenant is for Jew and Gentile, as many as will believe. 

The First Covenant had Regulations

Hebrews 9:1–10
Through the law of Moses was established in Hebrews 9:1 “regulations for worship and the earthly sanctuary”. The outer court of the tabernacle was established for the sacrifices, the tabernacle, for the priests, and in

Hebrews 9:3 “And after the second curtain was a tent called the holy of holies”

where there was the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat in

Hebrews 9:5 And above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, about which it is not now possible to speak in detail.

In the Holy of Holies, where only the priest could go once a years was the “mercy seat The Greek term used here, hilastērion, refers to the golden lid of the ark. This lid was considered the earthly counterpart to the throne of grace (Heb 4:16)”¹

The mercy seat was there, but in

Hebrews 9:8 “The Holy Spirit was making this clear, that the way into the holy place was not yet revealed, while the first tent was still in existence”

But Christ Has Arrived

Hebrews 9:11–17

This Is the Blood of the Covenant

Hebrews 9:18–28

Sacrifice and Offering You Did Not Want

Hebrews 10:1–7

We Are Made Holy

Hebrews 10:8–18 

The New and Living Way

Hebrews 10:19–25
The way was not open to the mercy seat until Jesus Christ died and made the final atonement for us. He, Jesus Christ, opened the way to the sanctuary so that we all could enter in

Hebrews 10:19–20 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence for the entrance into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way which he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, his flesh

This happened in

Matthew 27:50–51 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his* spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook and the rocks were split.

so that now, we can approach, no longer with a conscience clouded by our sin, but in

Hebrews 10:22 let us approach with a true heart in the full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

but this is not just for us to know that we have access to God, it is for us to in Hebrews 10:23 “hold fast” and to in Hebrews 10:23 “stir one another up to love and good works” and in Hebrews 10:25 “encouraging each other” in this new life.

Study Verses

• Hebrews 8:7–13 For This Is The Covenant
• Hebrews 9:1–10 The First Covenant had Regulations
• Hebrews 10:19–25 The New and Living Way

Today’s Reading

• Hebrews 8:7–13
• Hebrews 9:1–28
• Hebrews 10:1–25

References

• 1. Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Heb 9:5). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

We have been offered a covenant of life forever with God through Jesus Christ. This is not like an oath with men who die and they can no longer guarantee their word, this covenant is based on Gods word and the finished work of Jesus who is a priest and guarantor forever. Since we have an offer, this covenant in Christ, we are encouraged to be in Hebrews 6:12 “imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and patience” and to in Hebrews 6:11 to “demonstrate the same diligence” and tend our lives as if we were expecting to produce fruit for God’s kingdom. 

Inherit the Promises Through Faith and Patience

Hebrews 6:7–12
We easily understand the cycle of planting and rain and cultivation that produces the food we eat. We are all blessed by the abundance the earth produces. And the earth will produce whether tended, cultivated or not, but how much more it produces with a little care. We have moved more and more to city living and away from our connection with this agricultural lifestyle, yet I think we still understand that we want good fruit, good produce and not thorns and thistles.

Now, would we expect anything different in the realm of the spirit and in our lives as we live for God? So, we are admonished in Hebrews 6:11 to “demonstrate the same diligence”, that is the same diligence we would if we were tending our ground to produce a good harvest and in

Hebrews 6:12 in order that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and patience.

Guaranteed With An Oath

Hebrews 6:13–20
When we make a commitment to do something, we may emphasize our intent to follow through by saying, I swear. Our word is our promise but we may not have the authority or the ability to deliver what we have promised. With God, resides all authority and all power. There is nothing that God speaks that He cannot perform so in

Hebrews 6:17 In the same way God, because he wanted to show even more to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his resolve, guaranteed it with an oath

Now, we, in Hebrews 6:18 “have powerful encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us“ and can trust God to deliver. This is confidence then in

Hebrews 6:19–20 which we have like an anchor of the soul, both firm and steadfast, and entering into the inside of the curtain, 20 where Jesus, the forerunner for us, entered, because he became a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Priest of the Most High God

Hebrews 7:1–10

A Priest According to the Power of an Indestructible Life

Hebrews 7:11–17 

The Guarantee of a Better Covenant

Hebrews 7:18–22
We have a promise, an oath, a covenant, established by God. This covenant is not just for Israel. This covenant is not based on our ability to keep it. This covenant is for our good, that we can be established with him. This covenant has been guaranteed by Jesus in his position as priest forever in

Hebrews 7:21–22 but he with an oath by the one who said to him, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever’ ”), 22 by so much more Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

The word guarantee here is “surety (engyos). This word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament”.¹ Jesus as guarantor is “ensuring in His own person the certainty of the covenant to us. This He did by becoming responsible for our guilt, by sealing the covenant with His blood, and by being openly acknowledged as our triumphant Saviour by the Father, who raised Him from the dead. Thus He is at once God’s surety for man, and man’s surety for God, and so Mediator between God and man (Heb 8:6)”.²

He is Able to Save Completely

Hebrews 7:23–28

Mediator of a Better Covenant

Hebrews 8:1–6

Study Verses

• Hebrews 6:7–12 Inherit the Promises Through Faith and Patience
• Hebrews 6:13–20 Guaranteed With An Oath
• Hebrews 7:18–22 The Guarantee of a Better Covenant

Today’s Reading

• Hebrews 6:7-20
• Hebrews 7:1-28
• Hebrews 8:1-6

References

• 1. Guthrie, D. (1983). Hebrews: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 15, p. 168). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
• 2. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 457). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

There is a strong message to those of us that believe in Hebrews 3:12 Watch out, brothers, lest there be in some of you an evil, unbelieving heart, with the result that you fall away from the living God. There is an enemy that would pull us away but we have a high priest in Hebrews 4:15 “who has been tempted in all things in the same way, without sin”. Our high priest invites us to come to him directly, there is no other mediator whether man or angel that stands between us and our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our in Hebrews 5:6 “priest forever”. Knowing this, it says in Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

Encourage One Another Day By Day

Hebrews 3:12–19
There are those in the world that are contrary and refuse the things of God. But here, he is talking to brothers, to those that have heard the gospel and learned of the kingdom of God. To these he says in

Hebrews 3:12 Watch out, brothers, lest there be in some of you an evil, unbelieving heart, with the result that you fall away from the living God.

It is a reminder that there is sin in the world and it will deceive us if it can so he says in

Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another day by day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you become hardened by the deception of sin.

But God is not far off from us, we are sealed by His Holy Spirit. He is calling us, teaching us, guiding us and says in

Hebrews 3:15 while it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

We Also Have Had The Good News Proclaimed To Us

Hebrews 4:1–5

The Word of God Is Living And Active

Hebrews 4:6–13 

Let Us Approach With Confidence To The Throne

Hebrews 4:14–16
Many view God as being far off and unreachable. Others believe that they must go through an intermediary, an earthly priest, to access God. But It says something very different here. First, “we have a great high priest” in

Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, because we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.

and he, Jesus Christ, has taken his place in the heavens, seated at the right hand of the Father on the very throne of God. Second, he has walked the earth as we do and is fully aware of the weaknesses of our flesh in

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is not able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but who has been tempted in all things in the same way, without sin.

Finally, we can come directly to Him, right to the throne in

Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

You Are A Priest Forever

Hebrews 5:1–10
Priests among men are subject to human frailty, not only temptation and sin, but in the end, they also die. But Jesus was born of a woman, the son of God in

Hebrews 5:5 Thus also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but the one who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you,”

and declared a priest forever in

Hebrews 5:6 just as also in another place he says, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,”

and this because in Hebrews 5:7 “he learned obedience” and in

Hebrews 5:9 and being perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey him

Jesus became, not only the sinless man, not only the final sacrifice for sin for all mankind, not only an eternal spirit, but the eternal priest risen from the dead forever able to stand as our great high priest.

We Have Much to Say

Hebrews 5:11–14

Taste The Good Word of God

Hebrews 6:1–6

Study Verses

• Hebrews 3:12–19 Encourage One Another Day By Day
• Hebrews 4:14–16 Let Us Approach With Confidence To The Throne
• Hebrews 5:1–10 You Are A Priest Forever

Today’s Reading

• Hebrews 3:12-19
• Hebrews 4:1-16
• Hebrews 5:1-14
• Hebrews 6:1-6