Hebrews 6:16-20

 

Heb 6:16 (KJB)

For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

 

When people make an oath, they usually swear by the name of God who is greater than they. They do this to assure the other person that they are telling the truth or that there is no hidden agenda. The oath helps to establish an agreement or it helps to end strife between two warring factions. In a court of law, people place their hand on the Bible and swear that they will tell the whole truth and will not perjure themselves. An oath builds confidence in the one receiving it. This is why Abraham had so much confidence in God because He swore by Himself and since there is none higher than God, Abraham had confidence that what God promised would come to pass.

 

Heb 6:17 (KJB)

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

 

Willing - Desiring or inclined

Immutability - Unchangeableness

Counsel - Plan, purpose, or design

Confirmed - Guarantee a pledge or act as a mediator

 

The lesson here is that God, who is not like man, had confirmed His promise to Abraham and all the descendants by an oath. He did not have to do this because the word of God is always sure but He did this for Abraham’s benefit and for that of the descendants to show the unchangeableness of the counsel of God. In other words, if God says something is going to happen, it will, but it will be in His timing and His method. Basically, the oath was to give a guarantee to Abraham and his descendants. It must be noted that this was a willing oath and not one that was involuntary. Man’s sinfulness makes it necessary to force him to take an oath because without some kind of binder, man could lie uncontrollably, but if he knows he is now invoking a third party, namely God, he may not be so easily tempted to sin.

 

Heb 6:18 (KJB)

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

 

Immutable - Unchangeable

Consolation - Encouragement

Have fled for refuge - To flee unto for refuge or sanctuary

 

(Num 23:19 KJV) God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19 sounds like it should be plugged right into this chapter of Hebrews. One of the immutable things is that God does not lie, simply because He is holy and cannot sin. So whatever God says, it will come to pass in His timing. In Abraham’s case it was 25 years later. The second immutable thing is found within the oath itself. God has taken an additional step in interjecting an oath which was based totally upon His unchanging character. God’s righteous and holy character cannot change so therefore that oath was as good as if the promise had already come to pass. Our strong encouragement is a result of God’s oath because His unchanging nature is an assurance to the believer that all will come to pass. Even if what God has promised has not yet come to pass, the believer still seeks refuge in the hope which is the unchanging character of God. That unchanging character of God is a refuge for the believer in an ever changing world.

 

Heb 6:19 (KJB)

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

 

Sure - Certain

Stedfast - Firm

 

This verse is a great comfort to all Christians in that it is speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ into which every true believer is anchored. That anchor of our soul is both sure and stedfast, as the verse speaks, it is alluding to the High Priestly office of the Lord Jesus Christ as it mentions “within the veil.” Only the High Priest was allowed to go into the Holy of Holies behind the veil once a year. The Lord Jesus Christ is our eternal High Priest and is also unchangeable and that great stability is a great hope of the believer. The world and its sinful ways change daily but the stability of the believer in Christ need never change every time the wind blows from a different direction. Another great truth which is given in this verse is that since our souls are anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can never lose our salvation. (John 6:39 KJV) And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

 

(1 Cor 3:11 KJV) For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

 

(Eph 2:19-20 KJV) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; {20} And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

 

Heb 6:20 (KJB)

Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

 

Forerunner - One who comes to a place where others will follow

 

The Lord Jesus Christ has entered into the holy of Holies in Heaven, as our High Priest and Forerunner. The forerunner means that He has opened the way and we are now to follow Him into Heaven. When a person becomes saved, they are made clean by the blood of Christ and are readied for Heaven. Christ also makes us Kings and Priests unto God. (Rev 1:5-6 KJV) And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, {6} And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. So Jesus is our High Priest which was typified by Aaron, the true believers are Priests which was typified by the Levitical priesthood.

(Num 18:20-21 KJV) And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. {21} And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

 

Here is the true foreshadow of the believers as Priests. God had ordained that the tribe of Levi would not have a land inheritance with the other tribes. The true believers in Christ would also not have an inheritance in this world because our inheritance is in Heaven. (1 Pet 1:3-4 KJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, {4} To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, While we still have to live and work in this world, our primary reason of existence is not to build wealth and fortune but to be engaged in the sending forth of the Gospel. Just as the responsibility of the Levitical Priests was centered around the Tabernacle and Temple which was spiritual service, the same is the responsibility of the true believer. We do not focus on the Tabernacle or a physical Temple but we focus on the responsibility of spiritual service unto the Lord. There is no such thing as a Christian who is not in full time Christian service. As the Lord was after the order of Melchisedec, which meant an eternal priesthood, so we too, as Priests are also to view ourselves in the eternal milieu.

Back