HOLD ON!

Hebrews 10:19-39

 

 

Hebrews is a masterful study in encouragement.  The writer ached for Hebrew believers to remain faithful and obedient -- to "run with endurance the race set before" them.  So he encouraged them by intensifying their understanding of the new covenant, by giving them both positive and negative examples of faithfulness, and by warning them of the terrible consequences of turning away.

 

These Hebrew believers stood on a two thousand year old devotion to the Mosaic covenant.  Time and again, the writer illustrates how the new covenant is even richer, deeper, and stronger than the Mosaic covenant.  This is how he helps the believers to better understand "how great a salvation" they have -- and why they should keep their courage, remain confident in their hope, stay faithful to the end, hold firmly to what they believe, hold to the hope, eagerly wait, hold tightly without wavering, grip, strengthen and mark out a straight path.

 

The believers are reminded of those who have gone before.  Some were unfaithful and disobedient, but many others were faithful to the end.  All these people are encouraging to think about.  But the greatest encouragement comes from considering Jesus, who was made like them in every way.  He also had to live through suffering and testing.  He also had to learn obedience from the things he suffered.  He also tasted death.

 

Finally, the believers are encouraged by solemn warnings not to drift away, turn away or throw away.  The writer dwells much more on hope than judgment.  But he doesn't fail to remind his readers that God has judged in the past and will judge in the future.  As a result of all these truths, the Hebrew Christians should be careful that they do not refuse to listen.  They should not harden their hearts.  They should not ignore this great salvation.

 

Although we aren't Hebrew believers, we share their great salvation, we share the examples of faithfulness and faithlessness, we share the empathy of our savior, we share the need to be warned. 

 

Let us all be encouraged to run with endurance.