Hebrews 6 vs 9–20 (NKJV)


A Better Estimate

9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.


God’s Infallible Purpose in Christ

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.

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What a comfort it is to have hope even in the fiercest storms of life or when going through our darkest hours. The writer of this epistle desired that each one of his audience would know and show ‘the full assurance of hope’ (Heb 6 v 11) in their lives. He wanted them to demonstrate by the way they lived and acted their absolute confidence in the hope they had laid hold of through the promise of the gospel and their certainty of its final fulfillment at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ when He returns for His people. All that is promised by the gospel is centered on, and assured by Him.

The author goes on to speak about three necessary things for the ‘full assurance of hope’ to be real, sure and certain in a believer’s experience. First of all he reminds them of

The Patience of Faith (vs 11-12)

He writes, ‘that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises’ (Heb 6 v 12). These are the two qualities which keep hope alive. They are inseparable companions. The one follows the other. Keeping faith with the promise of God while patiently enduring the trials of life are the basis for ‘the full assurance of hope’. Doubt, despondency or discouragement are the enemies of faith. There are an abundance of things in this wearisome world to cause the cold dark shadow of these enemies to creep over our souls. The difficulties of the way and the oppression of spiritual darkness can so overwhelm even the believer that the ‘light’ of hope dims in our hearts and the prospect of glory fades in our minds. Thus faith and patience are foundational to the Christian life and essential qualities in daily experience.

Of course, the life of faith begins with the initial act of faith in Christ. The apostle Paul wrote that the gospel of Christ ‘is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith”’ (Rom 1 vs 16-17). Like Paul, the author of this epistle also quotes Habakkuk, the Old Testament prophet, to remind his readers that not only does the life of the just begin with faith, it continues with it. He writes: “Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him” (Heb 10 v 38). There is no point in talking about a life of faith that doesn’t have the starting point of believing in the Lord Jesus as Saviour and there is no reality to faith that does not endure.

The trials of faith have ever been the lot of the righteous. The author reminds his audience and us that ‘we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses’ (Heb 12 v 1) who have exemplified the life of persevering faith. He writes in chapter eleven of his epistle about who they are, what they endured and how they triumphed. One of the greatest was Abraham and the writer presents him in this chapter as a worthy example to follow. Let us think about

The Promise of God (vs 13-17)

Says the writer: ‘For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise’ (Heb 6 v 13-15).
 
Now God had assured Abraham of His promise of blessing and fruitfulness quite a number of times as the story of Abraham’s life in Genesis reveals (Gen 12 vs 1-3; 13 v 16; 15 v 5; 17 vs 1-8), however the reference here reflects the words of the ‘Angel of the LORD’ recorded in Genesis 22 vs 16-17 which read: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants … ”
 
The point is this, while Abraham had believed God’s word and patiently endured over many years waiting for Isaac to be born as promised, the climax of his faith and patient endurance was reached when he offered Isaac on a mountain in the land of Moriah according to the command of God (Gen 22 v 2). When he had done so the LORD responded by verbally restating His promise with this addition, He confirmed it by His oath. He hadn’t done that before. Abraham received God’s verbal promise with His oath. God could give no greater guarantee.
 
The writer informs us that ‘men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute’ (Heb 6 v 16). A witness in a court of law takes an oath by placing their hand on the Bible and saying: “I swear by Almighty God that I will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”. I’m aware that a witness can alternatively make an affirmation or promise, but the point I highlight is that in appealing to the highest power of all, Almighty God, in an oath obligates a person to tell the truth, demonstrates their sincerity to so do and puts or should put their testimony beyond dispute.
 
When God confirmed His promise to Abraham by an oath He could swear by no greater than Himself because there is none greater than He. The issue is not that there was or could be any doubt about Him keeping His promise, rather it is that ‘God determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath’ (Heb 6 v 17). In other words, to show the recipients of His promise in the greatest and clearest possible way that He would not change, rescind or fail to fulfill it, God confirmed it by an oath and by so doing He assured them that no matter what, His promise stands.
 
The first heirs of promise were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We are told at Hebrews 11 v 13 that ‘these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth’. They received the promises verbally, but their fulfillment was beyond their lifetime. In terms of the author’s quote at v 14 concerning the blessing and multiplying which the LORD promised to Abraham, we read at Exodus 1 v 7 that ‘the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them’.

However, in the case of God’s promise to Abraham there was the spiritual as well as the physical dimensions. There was the physical multiplying of his descendants through whom the Messiah would come. That is the story of the Jewish people. But there was also the multiplying of his spiritual descendants and that is the story of all true believers, Jew and Gentile, both before and after the coming of the Messiah. The apostle Paul writes in Galatians 3 vs 8 & 9 that ‘the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham’ and Paul goes on in the same chapter to say: ‘Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ’ (Gal 3 v 16). God confirmed by His oath to Abraham that day in Moriah: “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” (Gen 22 v 18).
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The fact that God confirmed His promise to Abraham with an oath, not only proves the absolute dependability of His word, but also ‘the immutability of His counsel’ (Heb 6 v 17). God had one redemptive plan to be realized through the descendants of Abraham by the coming of the Messiah, the ultimate seed and son of Abraham. The message to these Jewish Christians was clear, Jesus is that Messiah. He truly is Lord, Saviour and the High Priest of His people.

The gospel of hope in Christ is therefore the outcome, the outworking of God’s unchanging word first confirmed to Abraham by His oath. Its truth and certainty are the basis of ‘the full assurance of hope’. Everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus can be sure of eternal life and the hope of glory at His return because this message of good news is based upon the realized promise and unbreakable oath of God. The believer has confidence in God’s word for two reasons. He not only confirmed His promise by an oath, He also fulfilled it in His Son Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and Saviour of the world. 

The writer then says concerning God’s promise and oath, ‘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’ (Heb 6:18). This takes us to the third necessary thing for ‘the full assurance of hope’. Think about
 
The Prospect of Hope (vs 18-20)
 
God wants us to know that His word is absolutely dependable being unchangeable because ‘it is impossible for God to lie’. Therefore He confirmed it by an oath which together with His promise form two immutable or unchangeable things. What an assurance! There is one thing obvious in this world of men and it is that lies are told. How often we have to say, “Somebody is not telling the truth”. We hear contradictory messages. One claims it’s this way, someone else another. Finger pointing and accusing the other side dominate politics. We live in the age when the masters of spin and propaganda are operating at full throttle. Worst of all, in the realm of religion lies are told. The ‘Devil’ is in the pulpit posing as an ‘angel of light’ today as much as ever and he lacks no servants to do his bidding. God offers us truth and certainty. Nothing less will do in light of eternity. The ultimate destines of heaven and hell are before us all and we would need and should want to be sure that I’m going to escape the latter and arrive in the former.  
 
In the land of Israel there were ‘cities of refuge’ where the ‘manslayer’ could flee for safety from the ‘avenger of blood’ (Deut 19 vs 1-13; Josh 20 vs 1-9). The manslayer was someone who accidentally and unintentionally killed another person. He was guilty of the death of another without intent. The avenger of blood was kin to the person killed and he had the right to seek justice on behalf of the dead. There was no place of refuge for a murderer. This is the background to the imagery of the writer’s language in v 18. He reminds his readers that like a guilty manslayer aware of their danger and the pursuit of justice they have fled for safety to ‘the city of refuge’ presented in the gospel. It is not a place, but a person who is none other than the only Saviour of sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
To flee suggests urgency and to lay hold of the hope suggests earnestness. One thing is sure God’s justice will one day ‘catch up’ with this world for the Day of Judgment is coming and with every individual who has rejected His love and mercy when they enter eternity. It says at Hebrews 9 v 27 that ‘it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment’. Now is the time and opportunity to flee to Christ. But we need to be urgent for time is short and earnest for the matter is serious. Act now and flee to the welcoming and waiting arms of Christ, who on the Cross experienced the piercing sharpness of God’s sword of justice (Zech 13 v 7) and in so doing bore the punishment that we deserve for our sins against God. By His finished work He has forever satisfied the claims of God’s justice. There truly is refuge in Christ. Charles Wesley penned these moving words:
 
Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high:
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last.
 
Other refuge have I none,
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, oh, leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenceless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.
 
Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
 
The gospel is a message of hope. It is the hope of glory through Christ. It is the prospect that one day He will come from heaven for all those who believe Him. He is presently there ‘behind the veil’ in the presence of God as the High Priest and forerunner of His people. This hope is ‘an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast’ (Heb 6 v 19). What powerful imagery. As an anchor is to a ship or boat so is a believer’s hope in Christ. It holds us in ‘the highest sea of life’ or in ‘the strongest gales of adversity’. Why? Because it is secure in, and firmly fixed to Him. He cannot fail nor will he let us go.
To conclude, think of the challenge of these words:
 
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift or firm remain?
 
    We have an anchor that keeps the soul
    Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
    Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
    Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's love.
 
Will your anchor hold in the straights of fear
When the breakers roar and the reef is near?
While the surges rage, and the wild winds blow,
Shall the angry waves then your bark o’erflow?
 
Will your anchor hold in the floods of death,
When the waters cold chill your latest breath?
On the rising tide you can never fail,
While your anchor holds within the veil.
 
Will your eyes behold through the morning light,
The city of gold and the harbour bright?
Will your anchor safe by the heavenly shore,
When my storms are passed for evermore?
 
Priscilla Jayne Owens (1829-1899)

​AJC