"19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 and having a great priest over the house of God; 22 let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our heart sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water, 23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waiver not; for he is faithful that promised: 24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh."

Examination of this paragraph shows that Paul was speaking of the Christians approaching God in worship in terms of the ritualism of the Old Testament service. As we learn from the study of the Books Exodus and Leviticus, the Hebrew worshipper brought his sacrifice of burnt offerings and there presented it to the Lord to make atonement for his sins. After performing the prescribed ritualism, the victim was turned over to the priest who went from the altar to the laver and bathed himself before continuing the service by entering the Holy Place where he sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice upon the altar of incense. Since the readers were familiar with this routine of ritualistic worship, it was natural that the writer of Hebrews should speak of the Christian's approach to God in terms of that which they were familiar. Since Christ has done the perfect will of God by offering Himself for our sins and has taken them away, we have boldness to approach God by this new and living way, which Christ dedicated for us by His sacrifice. Moreover, since our High Priest is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ who loved us and gave Himself up for us and who has been touched with all the feelings of our infirmities, we can come to Him with perfect assurance. Since we have an approach to the Lord, the apostle urged the Hebrew believers to draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith. We must be sincere and must believe. There is no place for insincerity or half heartedness in worship of God. Neither are we to question His promises, for he who is in doubt can receive nothing from the Lord.

The one who was rendered unclean according to the Law had to cleanse himself with the water of purification mentioned in Numbers, chapter 19. Having this ceremonialism in mind, the apostle spoke of our heart sprinkled from an evil conscience (of course by the precious blood of Christ) and our bodies washed with pure water, which latter statement doubtless refers to baptism, as is noted by the leading commentators.

Moreover, the writer urged these believers to "hold fast the confession of our hope that it waiver not." We are saved by hope. When one's hope becomes dim there is a corresponding letting down in the spiritual life and in Christian service. This fact is in accordance of the true principles of psychology. Though things may not appear to be in our favor, let us not consider outward circumstances but look at him who is invisible and who has redeemed us. Both God and Christ are faithful. They will make good every promise which they have uttered. Let us realize that the Lord is working all things together for good for those who love Him, even those who are called according to his purpose. The Lord Jesus is our pilot and he will steer us safely through the stormy weather of our earthly experience and guide us into the haven of rest where we shall ever be with Him.

We are also to be mindful of each other and to encourage one another to love and good works. Satan will discourage the people of God if he possibly can. Each one needs a good word of encouragement from all the rest. We are spiritually akin to one another and should be interested in each other—to the extent that we will do all that we can for the advancement of the spiritual life and activity of our brethren.

According to verse 25 of the quotation given above, the writer urged his readers to meet together for the purpose of worship. Whenever one absents himself from the assembly of the saints, one is depriving himself of a spiritual uplift which always comes, all things being equal, when we meet together and worship the Lord. It seems from this verse that there were certain brethren that were forsaking the assembly and who were in grave danger of becoming lax and indifferent. This meeting is doubtless of saints on the Lords day. (see I Cor. 11; 16:1.)

They were to exhort one another so much the more as they saw "the day drawing nigh." There is some discussion as to what day is here meant. Some think that it refers to the destruction of Jerusalem which occurred 70 A.D. That interpretation is altogether possible. I am inclined however to believe, that the apostle was speaking of the "day of Lord" which is the Tribulation Period and which culminates in the glorious second coming of our Lord. My reason for inclining toward this position is the fact that in verses 26-31 the apostle discussed the judgments of the Tribulation and the those of eternal judgment.

A careful study of the next paragraph will prove this interpretation conclusively.

"26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. 28 A man that hath set at naught Moses's law dieth without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses; 29 of how much more sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant where with he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that said Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (vss. 26-31).

Who are the ones discussed in this paragraph? The answer is: Those who have received the knowledge of the truth but sin willfully by rejecting it. Let us notice verse 26: "For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins." The language speaks for itself. Those who have accepted the truth and who have been born again cannot possibly be referred to in this verse, for nothing is said about anyone's having accepted Christ. Those who are mentioned have been taught thoroughly, had seen the truth, but had sinned willfully in the rejection of the same. That they had heard the message, had understood it, but had willfully rejected is shown in verses 28 and 29 which please read again.

The people mentioned in verse 26 are the same ones as those who are discussed in chapter 6:1-8. As I stated in my exposition of this passage, there were certain ones among the Hebrews who had been given unique advantages and opportunities to see and understand the truth. Not withstanding those special blessings, those people refused the light thus graciously given them. By their doing that they sin against light and grace and rendered their spiritual mechanism incapable of genuine repentance and a sincere acceptance of Christ. In this connection the reader should study again the installment in this series which discuss chapter 6 and appeared in the issue of August 1943, of the Biblical Research Monthly.

One cannot sin against the light and not be punished by the Lord. No provision was made in the Old Testament system of sacrifices for willful, deliberate sin. There is no provision today for the one who, having been given the truth respecting the son of God and salvation through Him, —treads figuratively speaking—the Son of God under His feet, counts the blood of the covenant an unholy thing and does despite the Spirit of Grace. Those who do that have absolutely no hope. Vengeance belongs to God. The Lord will judge. It is indeed a fearful thing for such a one to fall into the hands of the Living God, having rejected truth and the salvation which is freely offered in Christ.

Can one today reject light as did those of whom the apostle was here speaking? This is a question to which I cannot make a definite answer. But we may be absolutely certain that men can and do receive the true light from the Word of God. When they turn their backs upon it and they refuse the salvation which is offered in Christ there is no hope. There is salvation only in and through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. May every reader of this article screen himself behind that precious blood is my sincere prayer!

In the concluding paragraph of this chapter (vss. 32-39) we have the following language:

"32 But call to remembrance the former days in which, after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great conflict of suffering; 33 partly, being made a gazing stock both by reproaches and affliction; and partly, becoming partakers with them that were so used. 34 For ye both had compassion on them that were in bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your possessions, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Cast not away your boldness which hath great recompense of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that having done the will of God you may receive the promise.
37 For yet a very little while,
He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry.
38 But my righteous one shall live by faith:
And if He shrink back my soul hath no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition;
but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul."

After having explained the terrible doom that awaits those who sin willfully after having received the knowledge of the truth, the apostle began again to exhort the Hebrew believers, whom he had addressed in vss. 19-25, to remember the former days of their suffering when they first accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. The persecutions which had been brought against them were indeed severe. Nevertheless they stood firmly for their convictions and gave their testimony to the saving power of Jesus Christ.

The apostle urged them not to cast away their former boldness but to face the crises which was before them with courage and valor. Even though one accepts Christ and is bold in his stand for the Lord he needs patience and courage to go on in the Christian life.

One is saved by the grace of God through faith. He does the will of God by accepting the salvation which Christ purchased. The Jews once asked, "What shall we do that we may work the works of God?" The Lord replied, "This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent" (John 6:29). Having done the will of God by accepting the Lord Jesus, we are to continue in good works, for we are to be rewarded according to our deeds. We shall receive our rewards at the coming of our Lord.

The apostle quoted from Habakkuk a passage which shows that the righteous shall live by faith. An examination of the context from which this passage was taken shows that Habakkuk was speaking of the invasion of Palestine by the Babylonians, but a closer examination of the entire book of Habakkuk proves that the prophet was blending his prediction concerning the Babylonian captivity and all of its horrors with a description of the terrors of the end of this age—of the Tribulation, which will be followed by our Lords return. This quotation then is looking at the national aspect as the race passes through two major crises of its history. The faint hearted and falterers fall back, refuse the light through fear of the consequences. The bold, courageous ones accept the truth, face the issues, and are delivered. As we have already seen in previous installments of this series, the Book of Hebrews deals with the Jewish question nationally. The Lord had brought the light of the gospel to the entire nation prior to the writing of this epistle. The impending fall of Jerusalem which occurred in 70 A.D. was indeed a national crises. The apostle therefore reminded his readers that the righteous always live by faith, but the timid fearful ones shrink back. Then he concluded by saying that those who shrink back do so unto perdition but that the real believers have faith unto the saving of the soul—for God will take care of them and see them through to the end and bless them eternally.