Hebrews Chapter Ten: November!

I like the month of November. Here in my area of residence, it's finally beginning to get cold. People are walking around all bundled up. The anticipation of the holidays is building, and something in the air smells like happiness. Of course for me, it also means my birthday, and this year, I will be turning eighteen. I know, you know already right? Moving on. My family just received a new computer from a friend of my grandma's, and it's so weird! I haven't used it yet. The keyboard is actually in front of the screen, and it's this grey-ish color...and it's dirty. Hmm.

Hebrews ten and eleven are the longest chapters in the book, so expect lots of rambling in the next two blogs. I will be doing chapters twelve and thirteen in the same blog, so that means we only have three weeks left of Hebrews! It feels like my blog has been nothing but Hebrews for a very long time, but it was worth it. I've learned so much by publicly sharing my notes with you guys, and it's my prayer that you've also gained a deeper understanding of the greatness of belonging to God.

1-4 I mentioned earlier in this study that my family used to belong to a religion that put at lot of stock into keeping the law. The certain one that my family was involved with, however, is not the only religion that teaches that you will be judged according to how well you keep the law. Many people believe that being good and doing more right instead of wrong will get you into heaven. This is clearly not the case. If it was, the people in the old testament wouldn't have needed to offer sacrifices all the time. For if it was, they would have been made perfect with the first sacrifice, and guilt for sins and sin itself would have vanished. The law is not a means by which we can be saved, it is only a reminder that we sin. It acts like a mirror, showing us what we're doing wrong.

5-10 By following the will of his Father and dying on the cross, Jesus gave the Lord what he truly desired: A complete removal of sin and the old ways. Although they were required by the law, offerings of animal flesh didn't please the Lord, There was something more he wanted to accomplish with his relationship to His people, and it wasn't happening with the old way of doing things. With the help of Jesus, we have been made holy and perfect enough for us to have the connection with God He desires to have with us.

11-18 I kinda feel sorry for the priests, repeating the same act that could never save the people, only keep God among them for a limited period of time. But he had nothing to worry about with Jesus on the way. Jesus took care of the whole thing for eternity. Forever we are covered by his blood. There won't ever be a need for us to worry about our sin separating us from God! I love verse 16, where the Lord says, “I will put my law in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” It's like He's saying that we have the ability to keep the law now, because we have Jesus who took away all our offenses against it. We are forgiven! And if we have been forgiven, there is no longer any need to pay for our wrongs. YES! HE'S AWESOME, ISN'T HE?!?!?

19-25 I almost don't want to say anything about this part, because it clearly gives us instructions about what we should do now that we belong to Christ. We shouldn't be afraid to draw near to God, for we have been made clean. We should hold on to the hope we profess, for the one who promised it is faithful. We should encourage each other to do good things. We should meet with each other and and encourage each other as the day of the Lord's returning draws closer.

26-31 All this stuff about being freed from sin and having to keep the law to be able to enter into the presence of God is wonderful, but does this give us an excuse to do whatever we want? Under no circumstances should we keep on sinning after we have received forgiveness for the things we've already done. In Moses' day, when someone broke the law, he was punished severely for his actions. Someone who sins against God after he's already done so much for us should be punished even worse! It's unthinkable to take the act of Jesus on the cross and throw it back in his face by continuing to sin after we've received his gift. I wouldn't want to receive punishment from God almighty for sure.

32-34 When the Christians were persecuted for their faith, they didn't mind because they had something much better than anything here on earth. They had the promise of heaven and eternal riches that no one could take away from them. The gift of salvation was so great to them, that no amount of suffering could make them loose hope.

35-39 We should be like those Christians, looking forward to the return of Christ and not shrinking back. We live by faith, knowing that God will do as He promised. We have the knowledge of the things He's done for us, and the horrible things He's set us free from. That should be more than enough motivation for anyone to keep pushing through.

Second longest chapter DONE! Next week will be the longest chapter, but probably the one that takes the least explaining. Make sure you keep reading, I have a surprise starting the week after I finish this book. It's a reward of sorts for the faithful readers who stuck with me during this first attempt at doing a bible study. It's so weird, but it's going to be great.

Now go out and do something useful! Please! You must have so much free time if you've made it this far!