October 14, 2012
Morning Service

1.       All life after the flood is re-established with the family of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.  Abraham is a descendant from Shem, through which God chooses to claim a people for His own.

2.      With Abraham the story of the Hebrews begins, and it is clearly stated that Hebrew origins lay outside Canaan. The summons to leave his ancestral home and journey to Canaan is accompanied by a promise (Gen. 12:2) that becomes a submotif in patriarchal accounts, re-appearing again and again (cf. Gen. 13:14 f., 15:5 f., 18:10, 22:17, 26:24, 28:13 f., 32:12 f., 35:9 ff., 48:16), finally taking covenantal form (Gen. 17:14 ff.). The promise has two parts: nationhood and divine blessing or protection. The precise location of the nation-to-be is not specified but was, of course, known to those hearing or reading the account. The promise of blessing signified the unique and particularistic bond between Yahweh and his followers, so that the enemies of Abraham or the nation were enemies of Yahweh, and those befriending Abraham and/or the nation would be blessed. With this assurance, Abraham journeyed to Canaan, Egypt, the Negeb, Hebron, Gezer, Beer-sheba and back to Hebron where he and his wife Sarah died.

3.      The covenant, was that of circumcision.  Gen 17:13 KJVR  He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

4.      Many times in our studies, especially on Wednesday evenings we have discussed the Bible families. 

·                     Abraham, and Sarah

·                     Isaac, and Rebecca

·                     Jacob, and Leah, and Rachael

·                     The twelve sons of Jacob, who’s surname became Israel, which means one who wrestles with God.

·                     Jacob’s twelve sons.  Who make up the nation of Israel.

5.      We also realize that Abraham had a son by Sarah’s handmaid, Hagar.  His name was Ishmael.  It was also told that he would produce a great nation.  These also would be considered Hebrews since Abraham was their father.  However, we find this: Gen 17:20-21 KJVR  And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.  (21)  But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

6.      So we can see that the majority of people in the middle east are half brothers, descendants of Ishmael, and Isaac.

7.      So we see as God faithfully deals with His chosen people Israel, we see a wonderful story unraveling.

·                     God works in the life of Joseph, one of Jacobs sons.  Through much trouble he becomes the second in command of Egypt.  There is a 7 year famine, in which Jacob has to take his family of 75 people down into Egypt to survive.  Joseph reveals himself to his family, and the Israelites sojourn in Egypt for 400 years.  After 400 years the Israelites are delivered from slavery by God, using a man that He chooses, Moses.

·                     God gives a set of laws to Moses as they are traveling in the wilderness, that we know as the Ten Commandments.

·                     Because of Israel’s unbelief in God’s ability to protect them in the land of promise, God punishes them, and they wander in the wilderness for 40 years.

·                     When the time comes for Israel to conquer the promised land, God does not allow Moses to lead them in.  He replaces Moses with Joshua.

·                     Joshua divides the land between the tribes, and the time of Patriarch begin.

·                     Then Israel goes through the time of being led, and governed by Judges.

·                     Then arrives on the scene one Samuel the Prophet.

·                     The people eventually start complaining that they want a King like the nations around them.  God, through Samuel, warns them of the consequences, but they persist, and Saul becomes the first King of Israel.

·                     After Saul, and his unfaithfulness to God, God places David on the throne.  Whom God said, “David is a man after Mine own heart.”

·                     Next was Solomon, David’s son.

·                     After Solomon, the nation of Israel is split, Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, taking just two tribes, that of Judah, and Benjamin, and Jeroboam, a mighty warrior, taking the other ten.  Rehoboam leads Judah, and Jeroboam leads Israel.

·                     Eventually through their disobedience to God, the ten tribes of Israel are led of into captivity, and eventually lose their identity. 

·                     Through the kindness of some of Judah’s captors, they are allowed to come back, and rebuild the temple.

Through many trials, and turmoil, God continues to lead the Hebrews to a time of peace, and prosperity.  Malachi being the last prophet of the old testament.  In the beginning of the letter to the Hebrews, this is said;  Heb 1:1 KJVR  God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.  Now it has been another 400 years since they have heard from a prophet of God.

And all of a sudden out of the wilderness comes this madman crying “repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.”  John the Baptist bursts on the scene of a dry and parched land.  A land, and people that are thirsting for a spiritual awakening by God.  Those hungry, and thirsty people flock to John for his baptism of repentance.

• John’s message was to be? 
• Mat 3:1  In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, Mat 3:2  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mat 3:3  For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  Mat 3:4  And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Mat 3:5  Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, Mat 3:6  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

John pointed people to the Lamb of God that would take away the sins of the world.

Joh 1:29 KJVR  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

 

Moses also told of this day;  Deu 18:15 KJVR  The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

 

God confirmed this when at the mount of transfiguration said this; “this is my beloved Son, hear ye Him.”  Peter, James, and John were eye witnesses of this event.  Because of the assuredness of their belief in Jesus as the Son of God, they were willing to die.

 

Jesus’ own testimony;  Mat 5:17-18 KJVR  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.  (18)  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

• We believe the Apostle when he said, Gal 3:24-25 KJVR  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  (25)  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
• Col 2:14 KJVR  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Remember Jesus said “till all be fulfilled.”  He has fulfilled all the requirements of the law, and as Paul said, “we are complete in Him.”  And we get into Him, by being baptized into Him.  Gal. 3:27.

After Jesus starts His ministry He chooses His twelve Apostles, and then as one born out of due time, Jesus picks Saul of Tarsus, who is named Paul, as the Apostle to the gentiles.  It is upon their writings, our Holy Bible that we build our faith in Jesus of Nazareth, as the very Son of God, the Christ, the Anointed One of God.

 

I said all that to say this;  the purpose of the writing of the Hebrew letter was to show the Hebrews, those still believing in the Abraham covenant of circumcision, and those still holding onto the Mosaic Laws, that having faith in Jesus being the Son of God, and the Christ, this covenant is far superior to the old covenant. 

The Scriptures show us clearly what the expectations of God are for mankind, and it is Christianity, and it is perfect.  God has brought his dealings with mankind to a perfect ending.  YOU CAN REST ASSURED “YOU ARE COMPLET IN JESUS.”

   Father we would ask this morning that You would help us to see that without faith in Jesus we are eternally lost from Your presence.