Two unchanging things
Monday, July 16th, 2007The Sacrifice and the Sacrificer – Two unchanging things
“Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 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: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb 6:17-20)
Those who receive Jesus by faith are now the heirs of the promises. However, our salvation is not something we are to take for granted. Neither is it completed at the initiation. The cross is the great starting place, but scripture continually points out that we hold on “unto the end”.
This is especially noted in verse eleven. The writer shows God’s desire is for them (us) to proceed with “the same diligence” and with “the full assurance of hope unto the end”. (See also Heb 3:6 & 3:14) There is a place for “contending for the faith” (Jude 1:3) and entering into spiritual warfare where we “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim 6:12). How can we do that unless we are growing in the Knowledge of Christ? Instead of sitting still, or giving up and falling away, as the writer persuades against, let us obey the charge to “go on unto completion”. (Heb 6:1) .
This teacher exhorted them (and us today) not to be “slothful”, but instead, be “followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Pointing to Abraham - the father of their faith – the writer defers to a covenant God made before the Hebrews received their Law from Moses. Abraham’s faith was evident by his patient endurance, not his sitting still. Faith is not mere lip service or “faith confessions”. Abraham had many shortcomings following the initial covenant God made with him. The writer certainly suggests the need to also be patient with ourselves while in this side of heaved we are faced with so many shortcomings. It was only after Abraham “patiently endure” all things that he “obtained the promise”
The writer reminds them of the oath God gave Abraham. However, this oath was more than just a promise it was an “oath for confirmation”.
Notice, the writer mentions that this “oath for confirmation” was a “strong consolation” given to us. Sometimes we need a strong consolation to “anchor our soul”. The writer adds that the oath of confirmation is both “sure and steadfast”. But what is this oath for confirmation that is identified by two “immutable things”?
The writer directs us to Jesus again, this time as our “forerunner” who has “entered within the veil”. This refers to the Holy of Holies in God’s heavenly temple. Only a High Priest could behind the veil and in Jesus’ case he does it, not after the order of their Mosaic Law but “after the order of Melchisedec”.
The word translated “immutable” in this text means “something fixed, or unchangeable. The two “immutable things” do not refer to the Old and New Testaments; for the Old was exchanged for the New Testament. The two immutable things that confirm His promise was God’s provision for a sacrifice and a sacrificer. Jesus is both.
Christian’s are well aware that Jesus is the sacrifice when He suffered and died on the cross. We must strive to point all sinners to the cross. But most Christian’s do not go deeper in their understanding to see what God provided for the saints of the other side of the cross. They do not recognize that God also required a sacrificer (a High Priest), who could enter within the veil, and offer the (blood) sacrifice and make the atonement for the sins of God’s people. Failure to understand this need and provision for the sacrificer is why many of God’s children today continue to flounder in their confidence to serve.
When a person comes to Christ their initial experience is what we often call “on fire for God”. Some Christian’s consider that stage annoying, calling it “zeal without wisdom”.
I remember when I first got saved, my enthusiasm overflowed with joy and determination. But fellow believers voiced I would cool off. I remember saying to myself, “All others might cool off, but not me, I will remain on fire.” And I strove toward that end for a long season. However, I did cool off. But what cooled me off? Was it some growth in wisdom that cooled me off? No! It was the struggle I faced everyday, seeing shortcomings and failure to significantly overcome them through my trust in Christ. I repented and moved on as best I could, but it was finally proved to me that repentance alone could not renew me. Eventually, with no fault of God or the devil, sin got the better of me.
My sins worn me down. Each failure cooled my confidence that God was with me. Eventually it became easier to yield to my sin consciousness then my God consciousness. Where was the promise of (2 Cor 2:14) that “God always causes us to triumph in Christ”? Where was the song “Oh victory in Jesus, my savior for ever”? I was overwhelmed by my sin and lack of looking unto Jesus, my High Priest. It was there at the right hand of the Father, not at the cross, that I found strength to go on after “crucifying Christ afresh”.
Defeat and rejection happens to any Christian who fails to see Jesus as their High Priest; continually serving as their sacrificer, not only the sacrifice. The sacrifice was offered one time (Heb 10:26), but the sacrificer is offering it “forever” and for all times.
The question was raised because they could not find any Bible Commentaries that mentioned the two immutable things as being the sacrifice and the sacrificer. One added, “Not one commentary I’ve examined even hinted these two things, but it does make sense.”
So today I will attempt to explain how I came up with these identities. As most of you know one scripture spoken strongly to my Spirit was “Study to show yourself approved”. So that has been a quest of mine. As I grew in Christ I came to understand that “study” does not mean “be an intellectual”. No! Study implies searching all things with an open heart. First the scriptures (striving to rightly divide them) but also stay open to what the brethren offer in commentary. So, I am fully aware that no scholars, at least to my present knowledge, have identified the two immutable things as I have.
A studier is a good listener, or has ears to hear what the Spirit says. Merely a repeater what others teach is not a good student. It is great to have confirmation from others of course. However, Christian’s should strive to hear what the Spirit is saying, receive revelation from Him, (1 Cor 14:26) and then test it before the brethren. That is why I have this mailing list and share my teaching publicly. I want what God teaches me to be examined and scrutinized by the brethren.
However, God has also proved to me through scriptures that no leaders (including Abraham to Moses, and the foundation stones of the Church – the apostles) knew or know everything about Him and His word. Therefore it is a fact that there is always more to learn of God.
I’m not sure of the day or even year (It was probably last year or the year before) that I received a revelation on the “two immutable things”. I do remember the experience however. I was studying the Book of Hebrews on my deck, preparing to for a Bible teaching that night. My thoughts where on another issue from Chapter 6 when suddenly I heard a still small voice say something to this effect; “Two things has never changed, there has always been a sacrifice and a sacrificer”. With the thought came a wonderful rush of the Holy Spirit on me, which I have come to respect as something God does to bearing witness (or confirm) to me that this thought is important.
The rest of the day I researching all my commentaries and Bible resources (I have a fine collection, as well as enough skill with the internet to seek a multitude of sources from all denominations) to see if any scholars ever identified the two immutable things as a Sacrifice and the Sacrificer. I could not find one. But neither could I let the experience go, because it is my experience that this is the way God has taught me many truths over the years and later confirmed them through others.
I also learned that a few scholars admitted that the subject “has been made a matter of question among commentators” (Albert Barnes) Therefore, no scholars are definite in their interpretation.
The most common interpretation of the two immutable things are “the promise and the oath”, or the “God’s Word and His oath (promise)”. But that really didn’t make sense, because the text refers to the two things being something that confirms the oath and the promise; not being them. It was obvious to me that no one had looked to deeply into the subject and since the epistle was a call to look deeper into Christ as our High Priest, I would take time and effort to do just that.
The keys that confirmed what the Spirit had said to me are the context, the illustrations the writer used, and some reflection of the issue in prayer. I sincerely sought God for clarity. I wanted to know! It is always pleasing to God to have His children seek to know instead of not caring to know or not being interested in what He said. God rewards the seeker with the finding. (Matt 7:7)
(I know I have been repeating this, but the only way a builder secures what he is building is to drive in the nails (truths) with steady blows) The context
of the epistle is focused, almost exclusively, on the importance of understanding the High Priesthood, or the sacrificer. In fact even chapter 6 ends with another notation of this truth. Verse 20, “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Then consider the illustrations used - Abraham and later Abel. Think about Abraham and when He met the High Priest Melchsedec? It was after Abraham returned from the slaughter (Gen 14, Heb 7:1) There had been a great sacrifice in battle that Abraham led to liberate the region of terrorist. He returned in victory and paid tithe to Melchsedec, who served as Abraham’s High Priest at that time. A blood sacrifice was made by a sacrificer who gave homage to the High Priest of God.
Also consider Abraham in his greatest test of faith. In this case his son Isaac was appointed the sacrifice, while Abraham was the sacrificer. You know the story; out of obedience Abraham (who by the way was still commanded his child Isaac when he was about 30 years old) marched his son to up the mountain to be sacrificed. Abraham, serving as the High Priest went as far as God deemed necessary to prove that He believed God. As the sacrificer, (a faithful High Priest) Abraham even went to the point of raising his and would have plunged it into promised son Isaac (the sacrifice) to show God He trusted that God would raise Isaac from the dead.
In the many oaths God made unto men, promises and oaths have been different, or have changed. But two things have never changed. To confirm His word of promise, whatever it has been, it has always been followed by a sacrifice made by a sacrificer.
When Adam and Eve sinned those two things are notable. The first thing God did when He Adam and Eve sinned was make an oath. He announced the consequence of their sin but then provided them with a covering for they were naked. How did God cover them? He made a sacrifice. He had to slaughter another living, innocent creature to use the skin as a covering. He Himself served as the sacrificer in the slaughter (sacrifice) of an innocent creature. (Gen 3:21) Is this why animal life is so fearful and hostile toward mankind right now?
Consider also the very next generation after Adam, Cain and Abel. The Hebrew writer points to Abel’s sacrifice as the sacrificer. (See Heb 11:4 & Heb 12:24) Both Cain and Abel made an offering, therefore seeking to act as High Priest of their life and family. Abel’s offering however was “more excellent” than his bother Cain’s. (Gen 4:3-5) Abel’s offering was respected because it was a blood sacrifice, while Cain’s sacrifice was not respected because it was not ‘unto blood”. (Heb 12:4)
A blood sacrifice is a greater sacrifice because it required a slaughter. Jesus was slaughtered for all men once and for all. No further blood sacrifice needs to be made for men to be saved. It was made for us on the cross. That is an elementary Christian doctrine. However, Christian’s such as these written too; who are mere babes in Christ, needed to be reasoned with out of their own history, to help their faith and understand a second necessary element of atonement for sins. There must be two things, both a sacrifice (at the cross) and a sacrificer (at God’s right hand – Heb 12:2).
This epistle begs us to go on to completion and recognize the second unchanging thing that confirms God’s oath, the sacrificer (a High Priest). There could never be a sacrifice without a sacrificer. And ultimately, the only respectable sacrifice and sacrificer God could swear by was Himself. So God, made Himself, through Jesus, both the sacrifice and the sacrificer.
These are the only two things that have never changed since the original sin. God’s promises have changed, and they are many. God has modified His methods too, and has made many different oaths to men. The only two things that have not changed in God’s dealing with fallen man is the requirement of a sacrifice and a sacrificer to offer it to God as an appeasement for the fall.