The End of Hebrews

I know, everyone is sick of hearing me talk about Hebrews.

Well, I have some good news for you. After 1 year and 1 month of studying Hebrews at our church in Las Palmas, we finally finished last Sunday!

So what’s next, you ask? Well, we’re starting in on a series about prophecies of the Messiah – appropriate for this time of year. And then in the new year we start on the book of Daniel.

But then again, maybe you shouldn’t get too excited – Hebrews has without doubt become part of the DNA of our church. So it just keeps coming up in conversation.

I know you’re likely to say this about any book of the Bible to some extent. But I’ve thought for a long time that Hebrews uniquely addresses many key issues in our culture here in Mexico. Perhaps most notably, it addresses many of the false teachings that are so common in this area.

For example, it explains in a deep way who Jesus Christ is, and what His purpose was on earth. It shows us how to use and apply the Old Testament – demonstrating continuity and value in the Hebrew Scriptures, while at the same time explaining why the eternal covenant in Christ’s blood is the greater reality.

It attacks works-based religions, gives us the hope of a secure salvation, and shows the danger of any system that asks us to come over and over to try to find peace with God.

And so, during a recent Sunday school class when we were discussing common false doctrines in our area, people in our congregation kept bringing up passages from Hebrews to counter the lies.

Talking with some friends the other night, we were discussing some of the challenges they face with their own family. Questions of traditions that get in the way of true worship, questions of how to be a good testimony. And, of course, the book of Hebrews came up again.

And in our own lives the same has been true. The reminder that Jesus is the great “Shepherd” has been a recent theme. Reviewing a school lesson with Nathanael today, once again passages from Hebrews kept coming to mind to clarify things. Comfort and clarity – we’re still getting these things from the treasures in Hebrews.

So we’re very thankful for the 13 months we spent in this wonderful book. And we’re especially thankful to see that it’s not only sterile knowledge (Hebrews 10:26) – but instead a Spirit motivated application in our lives. God’s Word is powerful (Hebrews 4:12-13) – so maybe don’t expect that I’ll stop talking about Hebrews altogether!

The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but [Jesus] holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 7:23-27