Letter to the Hebrews Volume 35

 The Unique Mighty Power that is the Word of God Part 1

Hebrews 4:12 For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. KJV

Because of this very visual age or era we now live in, we recognize that many people younger than the age of 40 prefer watching a story line in a film or movie rather than reading about it in a book. Reading has almost become obsolete, but there are still many people who find and take pleasure in the excitement, emotion, and escape some fictional and even true stories bring to life between the pages. Many people might find it quite unbelievable that the most read book in all of history has been and still is today the Bible. Despite the devil doing all that he can to destroy this book for centuries and centuries it still thrives right up to this very moment in human history. Unlike the many fine books of poetry or mystery or love stories or crime novels or any other genre, the Bible is unique for one reason and that is, its author is God the Holy Spirit who wrote every Word (found in the 66 seperate books that make up the Bible) through several different men, as it is written here through the Apostle Paul speaking directly to this very point with these words, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Timothy 3:16) (KJV). In this verse 2 Timothy 3:16, the little English phrase 'is given by inspiration of God' is translated by the Greek word theopneustos (used this one time only in the New Testament) which means divinely breathed in.

So, we now see the author of the Book of Hebrews (whose words are also divinely breathed in) saying this concerning the Word of God, "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) (KJV). The other books written throughout human history can be read and enjoyed, but these books and the words on their pages cannot read the reader, however, that is exactly what the Word of God does to every person that opens up its pages and begins to read line by line and precept upon precept. How is this possible one might ask? Well, the little English phrase 'is quick' translated by the Greek word zaō a primary verb meaning life, to live, or alive in this verse gives us the answer, that is, the Word of God has within it the life of God. The English word 'powerful' is translated by the Greek word energēs meaning active, operative: - effectual, powerful, that is, the spiritual life giving power of the One True Living God who made all things (seen or unseen) with the Words spoken by Him, as it is written here, "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him:" (Colossians 1:16) (KJV). Here is what Dr. John Gill has to say of the Word of God being 'quick' and 'powerful', "As it may be better rendered, 'living'; He has life in Himself as God, He is the living God; He is the living Redeemer and Mediator, and He lives for ever as Man; He is the author and giver of life, natural, spiritual, and eternal: and He is powerful, as He appears to be in the creation and sustaining of all things; in His miracles and ministrations; in the work of man's redemption; in the preservation of His people, and in His advocacy and intercession:"

The English word 'sharper' used here in comparison with a physical and tangible knife blade is translated by the Greek word tomōteros (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning to cut; as if by a single stroke. The English word 'piercing' is translated by the Greek word diikneomai (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning to reach through, that is, penetrate: - pierce. Just like a very sharp knife can cut through, say deer flesh when one has killed a deer and begins the gutting, skinning, and quartering of the animal, so is the Word of God sharp to cut through self delusions and those unfounded human reasonings. The sharpness of the Word of God destroys the deliberately invalid arguments displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone because it is the truth the whole truth and the only truth. For example, many human beings say that the fetus inside the Mother's womb is not a human being (all pro-choice people have to believe this), but here is what the Word of God says, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5) (KJV). The Word of God destroys the entire lie of the Pro-choice movement. It is a lie from the very pit of hell.

The English phrase 'the dividing asunder' is translated by the Greek word merismos meaning simply a separation. The author here makes a comparison of the division of bone joints and the marrow inside of the bone to the soul and spirit that also are united together but are separate just like the bone is from the marrow, as it is written here speaking of the uniqeness of soul from spirit, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23) (KJV). We human beings are spirit, soul, living inside a human body. In other words, the Word of God cuts and pierces so deep that it can split apart the soul from the spirit and discern the thoughts and intents of the heart or the inner man or inner woman. The little English phrase 'is a discerner' is translated by the Greek word kritikos (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning decisive ('critical'), that is, discriminative: - discerner. The English word 'thoughts' is translated by the Greek word enthumēsis meaning deliberation: - device, thought. The English word 'intents' is translated by the Greek word ennoia meaning thoughtfulness, that is, moral understanding: - intent, mind. The English word 'heart' is translated by the Greek word kardia meaning (as used here) (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind). Here is what Robertson's Word Picture had to say of this discerning of the thoughts and intents of the heart, "Skilled in judging, as the surgeon has to be and able to decide on the instant what to do. So God's word like his eye sees the secret lurking doubt and unbelief  'of the thoughts and intents of the heart' (enthumēseōn kai ennoiōn kardias). The surgeon carries a bright and powerful light for every dark crevice and a sharp knife for the removal of all the pus revealed by the light. It is a powerful picture here drawn."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 34

 The Eternal Rest for All of God the Father's Adopted Children Part 7

Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. KJV

The eternal rest of God that belongs to each and everyone of us who are true believers is certain, however, the certainty of this rest does not belong to every professing believer in God, just as our Lord Jesus declared in His Parables and specifically the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9 & Matthew 13:18-23). Therefore, because of this reality and truth we now find the writer of Hebrews sounding another warning for the Hebrew converts then during the time of the writing of his letter (as well as for us today and those of every generation) with these words, "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4:11) (KJV). The writer here is certainly not advocating a works salvation where someone needs to do good in order to earn his or her reward of salvation and heaven from God, but instead he is declaring to them and to us that we should quickly give diligence to our gift of salvation from our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ and not take His grace for granted, but seek more grace and to use that grace to get out the Gospel of Grace to as much of the world as we have been given access to by Christ Jesus our Lord. Because the most important thing for every human being on the earth is to hear the Gospel and to know that Jesus Christ is the only way to have rest here and now on the earth (Matthew 11:28-30) and the ONLY WAY to enter into heaven after the death of the body (John 14:6). The little English phrase at the very beginning of this verse 'let us labour' is translated by the Greek word spoudazō meaning to use speed, that is, to make effort, be prompt or earnest: - do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavour, labour, study.

The only sin that the Blood of Jesus Christ cannot cleanse is the sin of (unbelief), that sin locks the sinner out of salvation and forgiveness of sins because he/she refuses the only remedy for their sin. Example, if a person's ailment or illness is determined to be a specific thing and there is only one medicine available that can eliminate the ailment and some people accept the medicine and take it while others reject it and look for another alternative for the same ailment, then when their bodies decline, deteriorate, and die it will be because of their unbelief in that medicine. Likewise, when the sinner chooses to accept an alternative to the Gospel of Jesus Christ/Cross of Jesus Christ as the ONLY payment for their sin and seek their spirituality in other sources, then when they here Jesus Christ say to them (after their death) depart from Me, I never knew you it also will be solely because of their unbelief. When the writer here says 'lest any man fall', he is referring to the example of the multitude of Israelites who came out of captivity in Egypt, yet they still did not believe God despite all of the awesome and mighty miracles He performed in delivering them and keeping them during their wilderness march. They had the visible truth before them but still were unbelievers, just as someone today can be baptized in water and join a Church but still be an unbeliever because of never hearing the Gospel (with spiritual ears) as our Lord Jesus often said at the end of many of His Parables, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." The Hebrews that came out of Egypt fell because of their disobedience and the witer of Hebrews in this verse 11 is giving a warning that none should fall in the same manner as they did, but instead believe God and obey the truth of the Word of God, no matter what standing for the truth brings to you, for truth is not plural, it is singular. The writer is so eager to warn because those Hebrews allowed their disobedience, defiance, and ultimately disbelief to lead them away from believing God and landed them into perdition, that is, hell or everlasting punishment.

Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of this verse, "Not eternal rest; this is not to be entered into now; nor is an entrance into it to be obtained by labour; salvation is not by works; eternal life is a free gift; good works do not go before to prepare heaven for the saints, but follow after: nor is the saints' entrance into it a precarious thing; God has promised it, and provided it for His people; Christ is in the possession of it, and is preparing it for them; and the Spirit of God is working them up for the self same thing, and Christ will give them an abundant entrance into it: but the Gospel rest is here meant, that rest which believers now enter into, and is at this present time for them, Hebrews 4:3 and though true believers are entered into it, yet their rest, peace, and joy in Christ, is not full; they enter by degrees into it, and by believing enjoy more of it: and this is to be laboured for by prayer, hearing the word, and attendance on ordinances; and this requires strength, diligence, and industry; and supposes difficulties and discouragements, through the corruptions of the heart, and the temptations of Satan; and this is designed to quicken and awaken a godly jealousy in God's people, over themselves: lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief; into the sin of unbelief, and into punishment through it, as the Israelites did; who sinning, their carcasses fell in the wilderness, and they entered not into God's rest, as He swore they should not: true believers may fall into sin, and from a degree of the exercise of grace, and of the steadfastness of the Gospel; but they cannot finally and totally fall away, because they are kept by the Power of God; yet they may so fall, as to come short, or at least seem to come short of enjoying the rest and peace of the Gospel state: external professors may fall from the Gospel, and the religion they have professed, and come short of the glory they expected; and fall into just and deserved punishment, in like manner as the unbelieving Israelites did."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 33

 The Eternal Rest for All of God the Father's Adopted Children Part 6

Hebrews 4:10 For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. KJV Note: CEV = Contemporary English Version

The goodness of humanity is now and has always been a very authentic certainty, that is, it has always been widely accepted by many, most, and the majority of human beings that some people are born good and others are born bad. It is defined, discovered, and determined by what the child grows up and performs or does during the course of their life here on the earth. Those that are born good work hard in showing that innate, inborn, and inherited goodness by the wonderful things they do in the world. The reasoning for their 'doing good' is that they were born good. Those born bad are those who hurt others and they likewise do so because they were born bad and they can only work at performing bad things during the course of their lives on the earth. This is not my theory, but the one that has been theorized or speculated by most of humanity for centuries. However, when we go to the Bible (the One and Only source of absolute Truth) we find something completely opposite to what many human beings have thought and continue to think about themselves. The Bible declares this about all human beings on the earth, "The Scriptures tell us, No one is acceptable to God! Not one of them understands or even searches for God. They have all turned away and are worthless. There isn't one person who does right. Their words are like an open pit, and their tongues are good only for telling lies. Each word is as deadly as the fangs of a snake, and they say nothing but bitter curses. These people quickly become violent. Wherever they go, they leave ruin and destruction. They don't know how to live in peace. They don't even fear God." (Romans 3:10-18) (CEV).

So then, when we see the supposed good man or woman (without a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ) doing good deeds we can conclude (because of the Word of God above) that those things are being done to make the person 'feel' good about themselves or to pacify their conscious rather than from the agape love from God (love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: - (feast of) charity, dear, love) that is poured into the inner man/inner woman of every sinner when we are born again, as it is also written here with these words, "By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God. Christ has also introduced us to God's undeserved kindness on which we take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God. But that's not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us. All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with His love." (Romans 5:1-5) (CEV).

Therefore, we read these next words from the writer of Hebrews who continues to expound on what it means for the child of God to enter into the rest of God here and now on the earth, "For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His." (Hebrews 4:10) (KJV). The writer of Hebrews here speaks of the present rest of the people of God who still remain on the earth, for that rest is enjoined and enjoyed by believing in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness of our sin and in so doing we cease from our own human works of righteousness and rest alone in the righteousness freely given to us by Christ Jesus our Lord, just as the Apostle Paul said with these words, "But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ and to know that I belong to Him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ." (Philippians 3:7-9) (CEV). The future rest of every believer in our Lord Jesus Christ is the rest from all our spiritual warfare with the enemy, the rest from the warfare with our own flesh, that is, old nature and the toil and labor of getting out the Gospel of Grace to as many people in this world as we have been commanded to do (Matthew 28:19-20).

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of this verse, "That is, the man who is so happy as to reach heaven, will enjoy a rest similar to what God had when He finished the work of creation. It will be: (1) A cessation from toil; and, (2) It will be a rest similar to that of God - the same kind of enjoyment, the same freedom from care, anxiety, and labor. How happy then are they who have entered into heaven! Their toils are over. Their labors are done. Never again will they know fatigue. Never more will they feel anxious care. Let us learn then: (1) Not to mourn improperly for those who have left us and gone to heaven. Happy in the rest of God, why should not we rejoice? Why wish them back again in a world of toil! (2) Let us in our toils look forward to the world of rest. Our labors will all be over. The weary man will lay down his burden; the exhausted frame will know fatigue no more. Rest is sweet at night after the toils of day; how much more sweet will it be in heaven after the toils of life! Let us. (3) Labor while it is called today. Soon we shall cease from our work. All that we have to do is to be done soon. We shall soon cease from 'our' work as God did from His. What we have to do for the salvation of children, brothers, sisters, friends, and for the world, is to be done soon. From the abodes of bliss we shall not be sent forth to speak to our kindred of the blessedness of that world, or to admonish our friends to escape from the place of despair. The pastor will not come again to warn and invite his people; the parent will not come again to tell his children of the Saviour and of heaven; the neighbor will not come to admonish his neighbor; compare Luke 16:24-29. We shall all have ceased from our work as God did from His; and never again shall we speak to a living friend to invite him to heaven."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 32

 The Eternal Rest for All of God the Father's Adopted Children Part 5

Hebrews 4:8-9 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would He not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. KJV

It was the rejection of God's goodness and power that led to all the Israelites who were 20 years and older perishing in the wilderness march that lasted 30 years. This again was their resistance and ultimately their rejection of God's salvation/redemption, as it is written, "For if Jesus had given them rest, then would He not afterward have spoken of another day." (Hebrews 4:8) (KJV). Likewise, as we declared in the last study/commentary, every sinner who hears the Gospel of Grace and disregards it as false or of no meaning to them and their lives is resisting or finally rejecting God's only way of salvation of the souls of men and women on His earth. The writer of Hebrews in this verse explains to the Hebrews then and to every soul willing to listen today and in any era and generation that back then, as well as today, Jesus Christ offered salvation to the Hebrews enslaved by Egypt/Pharaoh (a type or picture of Satan) for over 400 years which was a life lived in the land of Canaan, yet they did not believe Him despite all of the mighty miracles He executed on their behalf, their minds were blinded by Satan. All of humanity throughout the world are offered this same salvation in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ alone, yet it is Satan today who is still blinding the minds of every sinner who wants to believe in a god of their on making or who wants to believe their are many roads or ways to get to what is called god or the universe.

You see it is the heart/inner man/ inner woman that is corrupt, as it is written by the Prophet Jeremiah, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:9-10) (KJV). God/Jesus who is the One True and only God will allow any sinner to have their false, fake, and fruitless god until that sinner's heart is ready for the truth, then the blindness will be taken away (2 Corinthians 3:16). Next the writer of Hebrews goes on to speak of a further or future rest for the people of God, as it is written, "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." (Hebrews 4:9) (KJV). The entrance into the land of Canaan was for only those who believed God, this was their entrance into salvation. Likewise, for those today who hear the Gospel of Grace and their inner man/inner woman/hearts are ready to believe then God the Holy Spirit resides with us and in us and salvation by grace through faith equals adoption into the family of God, as it is spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself when He said, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." (John 14:16-18) (KJV).

The rest we presently enjoy down here on the earth as pilgrims and sojourners is the confident assurance that all our sins (past, present, and future) have been and are forgiven eternally and that we will never come into condemnation, as it is again spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ with these words, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24) (KJV). Despite this wonderful rest in the assurance of our adoption by our Lord Jesus Christ, we still face daily spiritual battles with the enemy of God and of us the devil and his demons. Warfare with him and warfare with our old nature and sin will always be a prevailing, prominant, and prevalent problem as we continue our sojourn here on the earth. However, in the middle of all of this we rest, that is, now and in our future home in heaven because for now we know that none of our many battles we fight down here are fought alone because our Lord Jesus Christ is with us always in every trial, trouble, test, and tribulation, as it is written, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) (KJV).

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of the remaining rest for the people of God, "That heaven is a place of cessation from wearisome toil. It is to be like the 'rest' which God had after the work of creation (Hebrews 4:4, note), and of which that was the type and emblem. There will be 'employment' there, but it will be without fatigue; there will be the occupation of the mind, and of whatever powers we may possess, but without weariness. Here we are often worn down and exhausted. The body sinks under continued toil, and fails into the grave. There the slave will rest from his toil; the man here oppressed and broken down by anxious care will cease from his labors. We know but little of heaven; but we know that a large part of what now oppresses and crushes the frame will not exist there. Slavery will be unknown; the anxious care for support will be unknown, and all the exhaustion which proceeds from the love of gain, and from ambition, will be unknown. In the wearisome toils of life, then, let us look forward to the 'rest' that remains in heaven, and as the laborer looks to the shades of the evening, or to the Sabbath as a period of rest, so let us look to heaven as the place of eternal repose. Heaven will be like a Sabbath. The best description of it is to say it is 'an eternal Sabbath.' Take the Sabbath on earth when best observed, and extend the idea to eternity, and let there be separated all idea of imperfection from its observance, and that would be heaven. The Sabbath is holy; so is heaven. It is a period of worship; so is heaven. It is for praise and for the contemplation of heavenly truth; so is heaven. The Sabbath is appointed that we may lay aside worldly cares and anxieties for a little season here; heaven that we may lay them aside forever."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 31

The Eternal Rest for All of God the Father's Adopted Children Part 4

Hebrews 4:6-7 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, He limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. KJV

The writer of Hebrews next reminds those Hebrew converts back then of the failure of their ancestors, that is, the majority of the Israelites who were brought out of slavery in Egypt by the goodness and mighty power of God, yet they continued to distrust, disregard, and disbelieve His goodness and power and because of their unbelief they did not enter the physical place of blessing that He had already prepared for them, the land of Canaan. This was then and still is now and will always be a Word Picture of every human being who is presented the Gospel of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ and resist it or rebukes it or rejects it as the only way of forgiveness of sin and a place in heaven through faith in Him. So then, we read these next words of the writer of Hebrews, "Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:" (Hebrews 4:6) (KJV). The idea here is that because those who do not believe are denied entrance into heaven then those who do believe the Gospel message have God's promise of their entrance into eternal life and heaven with Christ Jesus our Lord the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

The Parable of the Great Banquet told by our Lord Jesus Christ is a Word Picture of His compassionate desire to save sinners, "Then said He unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent His servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto Him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his Lord these things. Then the Master of the house being angry said to His servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my House may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper." (Luke 14:16-24) (KJV).

This parable illustrates the multitude, myriad, and many reasons sinners all around the world of every era and generation tell themselves that keep them from truly repenting and believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ for their only way of salvation and the rest found in Him and heaven with Him. This is the reason why saved people share the Gospel of Grace with the world because our Lord wants His House in heaven to be filled. Here is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary had to say of Hebrews 4:6, "This house, or, if you please, this household, are we Christians. We are the house in which Moses showed the utmost faithfulness as servant. We are the circumcision, we the true Israel of God. If, then, we turn away from Christ to Moses, that faithful servant himself will have none of us. That we may be God's house, we must lay fast hold of our Christian confidence and the boasting of our hope out-and-out to the end."

The writer of Hebrews now reminds them how God had made the offer of this very same promise made to the Israelites who were brought out of bondage or captivity in Egypt to the Israelites alive during the time and reign of King David (the time span was over 400 years between Moses and David), which is the same time period those early Israelites (who refused the goodness and power of God then) were held in captivity by the Egyptian people, as it is written here, "Again, He limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts." (Hebrews 4:7) (KJV). King David in Psalm 95:1-11 reiterated the rebellion of their ancestors again warning those Hebrews during his time to not be like those who came out of Egypt but rebelled against God and against His servant Moses. The English word used at the beginning of this verse 'limiteth' is translated by the Greek word horizō meaning to mark out or bound ('horizon'), that is, (figuratively) to appoint, decree, specify: - declare, determine, limit, ordain.

In other words, He (God) defines for every generation of sinners that 'today', that is, right when the message of salvation is brought to you is the time to hear, hearken, and heed the Gospel of Grace and be born again of incorruptable seed, that is, by the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23). Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of this verse, "The term day signifies not only time in general, but also present time, and a particular space. Day here seems to have the same meaning as rest in some other parts of this verse. The day or time of rest relative to the ancient Jews being over and past, and a long time having elapsed between God's displeasure shown to the disobedient Jews in the wilderness and the days of David, and the true rest not having been enjoyed, God in His mercy has instituted another day - has given another dispensation of mercy and goodness by Christ Jesus; and now it may be said, as formerly, To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. God speaks now as He spoke before; His voice is in the Gospel as it was in the law. Believe, love, obey, and ye shall enter into this rest."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…