Hebrews Chapter Twelve Verses 7-13

HEBREWS CHAPTER TWELVE VS 7-13 (USING KJ TEXT, STUDY BOOK WILL REFERENCE A DIFFERENT VERSION FOR READING)

Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 

Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 

Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 

Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 

Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 

Heb 12:12  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 

Heb 12:13  And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 

Main Point: The writer argues the merit of being a child of God and being disciplined by Him. If we respect it from our earthly parents, how much more from Him?

4. How should we look at our discipline? In this text, suffering for the name of Christ is the discipline. In comparison, we accept the discipline of our fathers and respected them for it ultimately. How much more important is it that God takes the time to mold us and show us he way to righteousness?

5. What is the result of God’s discipline? The above KJ says of earthly parents "they disciplined as they pleased", signifying that these were mere men who do not carry the absolute righteousness of God. Sometimes, their discipline was not necessarily for our good, but for their own purpose. Yet with that, we still respected them.  God’s discipline is for our “profit” ALWAYS. Profit in the Greek meaning “bear together”…to “participate in HIS holiness. This is not God being a control freak and walking away. It is Him drawing us near, and molding us so that we may BE WITH HIM.

6. What is the encouragement in verses 12-13? This is an edification for a people that have been persecuted in various ways (though not through blood yet). It is yet another call as seen in chapter ten. It is an extension of the beginning of the chapter to be fit to run the race. It is an extension of chapter eleven to remember that faith is not a victim of circumstance or emotion. It rises above these things and looks to the future….again Christians are pilgrims.

Additional:

How does the Christian “make straight his paths”?
How does the Christian maintain faith in the face of adversity?

Hebrews Chapter Twelve Verses 1-6

HEBREWS CHAPTER TWELVE VS 1-6 (USING KJ TEXT, STUDY BOOK WILL REFERENCE A DIFFERENT VERSION FOR READING)

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 

Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 

Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 

Main Point: This “therefore” is an extension from 10:32 where the writer asks the readers to “recall the former days” of their acts of faithful living. His example…Jesus, yeah he uses the “Jesus card” to show the lengths to which faith must be ready to serve the believer.

1.    How are each of these statements to help us run with endurance?
”Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses”: Virtually all of God’s valiant servants were regular people, made extraordinary through their relationship with God. It was never something they considered as their own work, but His. The one’s listed who stayed true did so without regard to circumstance…and did not look to the here-and-now as evidence.

“Lay aside every weight, and the sin which clings so closely”: The “race” is the metaphor used in conjunction with this analogy. “Don’t let things get in your way” is the essential message and meaning. “Don’t be burdened so that you cannot race”…
“Every weight” expands from his earlier specific naming of abandoning the church as “sinning willfully”. However, let’s not become dogmatic concerning “church attendance” equating to a faithful life. The writer’s earlier references to “God being written on our hearts” carries more meaning than just attendance. As he has alluded, faith is exhibited in our actions….he just spent an entire chapter showing that.

“Looking unto Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith”: The first ten chapters qualifies this statement of the perfect(ed) example we have. More importantly, the writer is emphatic in his equating Jesus with Jehovah. How do you fight against that?

“For the joy set before Him, endured the cross”: This is the template for Christian motivation. As he has stated more than once, faith looks for the promises. The bearer of that faith understands themselves to be a pilgrim in this world.

2.    What specifically is the “chastening of the Lord?” How can we identify it in our lives?
5)3809: paideia pahee-di'-ah From G3811; tutorage, that is, education or training; by implication disciplinary correction:
6)3811: paideuō pahee-dyoo'-o From G3816; to train up a child, that is, educate, or (by implication) discipline (by punishment): - These are pretty close to the original Hebrew text in that is covers a verbal training, and if needed something more severe if needed. The first denotes the learning what is right…the second denotes the ramifications one can expect if not practicing what we have learned. There are many ways to learn from God. Just look at the wonder of the complexity of the natural world. Like faith, we will know if we have “learned” “right” by our actions…not just lip service.

3.    What is the purpose of the chastening of the Lord? How then should we receive the chastening? The first part of this is answered in Question2. Trying to dissect the what it is from the purpose is virtually impossible since they are one in the same. From the Hebrew, it is God looking to make the recipient “right”. That’s what it is and that is its purpose. Chasten/correct in the Hebrew (Prov 3:11/12) – Warn – to Be Right. Most specifically though the context is a dad speaking to his son, telling him that God will MAKE HIM RIGHTEOUS as His own son! If we are to look at God as a Father who love us…then how should we take it? This was Jesus’ mission, this is why he hung on the cross!

Additional:

Note: This is the fourth time he has alluded to Jesus at “the right hand” of God. Thus equating their rejection of Jesus, as a flat-out rejection of God.  

Verse 2 (Perfecter/finisher) is a direct reference to his earlier preaching of the inability of the law to make anyone perfected….something only found in the Christ name Jesus (chapter 10)

5, 6) OT Ref Prov.3:11-12 The word “son” carries the meaning of “family builder” as in the first born, or one who is to carry the family name forward. You know, like what God calls Christians to do!

Hebrews Chapter Eleven Verses 29-40

HEBREWS CHAPTER ELEVEN VS 29-40 (USING KJ TEXT, STUDY BOOK WILL REFERENCE A DIFFERENT VERSION FOR READING)

Heb 11:29  By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. 

Heb 11:30  By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. 

Heb 11:31  By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. 

Heb 11:32  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 

Heb 11:33  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 

Heb 11:34  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 

Heb 11:35  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 

Heb 11:36  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 

Heb 11:37  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 

Heb 11:38  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 

Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 

Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. 

Main Point: First using notable people from the scriptures, the writer then makes his main point: “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise”  - This is a tell of what was happening within the Christian ranks.
The writer re-iterates the fact that these did not receive the promise! (13,39)

6. How was faith visible in the following people’s lives:

The people of the exodus: Read Exodus 14. In the Hebrew writer’s telling, they exhibited faith by traveling through the Red Sea and when they defeated Jericho. In retrospect, the Israelites complained to Moses concerning their perceived impending doom at the hands of Pharaoh and his army. It took the threat of certain death for them to comply. By the time Jericho happened, they were a different people. Hardened by several decades of wandering, they were ready to fight. But does that mean that they were ready to turn their hearts over to God?

Rahab: Joshua 2 – Rahab helped the Israelites because she recognized Jehovah as the source of their military successes. Her bargain with the Israeli spies ensured not only her safety and her families safety, but set the stage for her inclusion in the messianic anscestry.

The rest: Gideon – Judges 6-7 – Gideon was a reluctant warrior at first. Israel had been given over to their enemies for BAAL and Ashereh worship. Once convinced by signs from God, Gideon became strengthened enough to lead 300 soldiers against thousands.

Barak, Samson, Jepthah: Barak, the soldier actually lacked faith. But he knew God was with Deborah so he would fight if she would come. She did, and they routed the army and ultimately, king Sisera was killed by Jael (another female). Samson, a brute and Nazarite would quite often act unbecoming a chosen one of God. He is most noted for his final act of faith while being made sport of by his enemies. He called to God for one last effort to destroy his (and God’s) enemies. Jepthah is most known for his rash vow, but the vow was based on asking God to bring success in his military campaign.

Samuel and David were catalysts though which God would bring Israel to its most powerful position in the region. Samuel was dedicated to God from birth and lived his life with that moniker. David was noted as a man “after God’s own heart” made songs to God and exemplified the trust God seeks from mankind.

The prophets of God spoke to the people whatever God wished. These were the true prophets and were mostly hated and persecuted because the people wanted to practice idolatry.

All of these in their faithful acts understood that there would be something better after this life on earth….or at least that trust in God transcends anything another person may say about them, or anything anyone would try to do against them.

They all ignored the sufferings imposed on them by others, knowing they belong to God and ultimately will gain presence with Him in another dimension. Their sight was set on their eternal place with God, not the immediate, temporal state of being human.