Hebrews 12 … if Paul were an attorney …his closing statements…

12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about (encircled) with so great a cloud (a large, dense crowd) of witnesses, let us lay aside (put away) every weight (burden), and the sin (lawlessness) which doth so easily beset (opposes) us, and let us run with patience (endurance) the race (struggle) that is set (in plain view) before us,

The 501(c)3 cheerleading chaplains love to use this scripture to energize their congregations. Paul is trying to encourage the faithful here, but, his encouragement is in the face severe persecution. The Pagan world does not like the early assembly because they denounce the Greek and Roman gods which were then widely accepted. In the same manner, the Pharisees hate the early assembly for denouncing their traditions and the authority of the earthly Priesthood, which by the way, was just detailed previously in this letter to the Hebrews.

2 Looking unto Jesus the author (chief leader) and finisher (one who completes) of our faith (trust/firm persuasion); who for the joy (calm delight) that was set before (to stand forth) him endured (remained under) the cross, despising (thinking against) the shame, and is set down (appointed) at the right hand (authority) of the throne (seat of power) of God.

The trust/firm persuasion one must be in possession, the belief that Yeshua will return for His Bride. We are being told here that Yeshua has come in fulfilment of the first part of the promises given by YHVH.

• Psalm 110:1 “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
• Matthew 26:64 “Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

3 For consider him that endured (remained under) such contradiction (strife) of sinners against himself, lest (in order that not) ye be wearied and faint in your minds.(lose confidence)

I would like for you to use the next verses to filter the question to follow…

• Romans 8:7 “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”
• Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
• John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
• Ephesians 2:16 “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:”

Do you see the depth of which your salvation is derived?

While you were still in your carnal mind, which made you an enemy of God, God sent his perfect sacrifice to end the enmity. The Holy Spirit replaces the origins of the disobedience and guides the believer to grow closer in behavior’s that are of God.

4 Ye have not yet resisted (withstood against) unto blood, striving (struggling) against sin. (lawlessness)

Paul is really hammering the native born believer here. The people had become almost flippant to their behavior and the evidence is all over scripture. The reason Jesus flipped the tables in the Temple courts…. flippant behavior.

• Matthew 21:12-13 “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

It is often pointed out from this text that the ones selling the sacrifices were charging extra for them. Moreover, in an equally sinful manner… the people were less likely to be getting these animals out of real, personal sacrifice, they were more likely purchased because of convenance.

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation (urgent request) which speaketh unto you as unto children (in simple terms), My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

• Proverbs 13:24 “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth (discipline), and scourgeth (to flog) every son whom he receiveth. (delight in)

• Proverbs 22:15 “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”

7 If ye endure chastening (discipline), God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth (discipline) not?

• Proverbs 29:15 “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”

8 But if ye be without chastisement (disciplinary correction), whereof all are partakers (participants), then are ye bastards (illegitimate), and not sons.

• Proverbs 23:13 “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.”

Someone should tell ole Joely O…. we are not meant to live our best life now…. we are meant for our best life in the afterlife!

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits (all souls), and live?

That God is possibly using this life as a training grounds until the time of His return.

10 For they verily (in fact) for a few days chastened (disciplined) us after their own pleasure (reputation); but he [God] for our profit (advantage), that we might be partakers (sharers) of his holiness.

If we are 100 percent on board with YHVH being our sovereign King then we must submit to His authority ..right? In doing so, there is an ordained set of instructions for the citizen/subject of the Kings domain that must exist to create continuity and community. This the Torah. God wants to mold us and shape our behaviors into those exampled by Yeshua to creat this continuity and community. It is through the blessings and curses of the Torah that either chasten (discipline) or flog (the rod) us into liberty, or on to rebellion.

11 Now no chastening (discipline) for the present seemeth to be joyous [think substitute teacher day = no homework], but (in reality) grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit (love) of righteousness (living righteously) unto them which are exercised thereby.

• 1 John 5:2-4 “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down (relaxed), and the feeble knees;

13 And make straight (righteous) paths (course of conduct) for your feet, lest (so as to not) that which is lame (weak) be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

• Psalm 5:8 “Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.”
• Isaiah 40:3 “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
• Matthew 3:3 “For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”

This custom of “making a way” among the ancient civilizations was widely known. The people wanted to “make a good first impression” with the visiting royalty and they would repack the cobblestone roads, or re-work the dirt road or pathway to provide a smooth ride into town. In some cases there would be need of skilled labor to make bridges or ferry’s over creeks and rivers. The Prophets, Apostles and men like John the Baptist played these vital roles in the Scriptures. I believe God is preparing and using many people today in the same manner and this is why the demons voice is getting louder and louder.

14 Follow (pursue) peace with all men, and holiness (righteous conduct), without which no man shall see the Lord:

15 Looking diligently lest (so as to not) any man fail (fall short) of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

16 Lest (so as to not) there be any fornicator (idol worshiper), or profane (heathenish, wicked) person, (just like) as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (privilege)

There is much more detail behind the story of Esau than the current Bible does not contain. Many of the Apocryphal books have certain various insights as to why Esau was “on the run”. The depth of the birthright, and the responsibility of that birthright, however, are detailed in precision in the Scriptures. Esau was to carry the Word of Truth, the Torah, to the people. The birthright held the responsibility of teacher and that is what Esau refused. He denied the Word of Truth!

When people say that the “Law” is no longer valid, they are denying the Word of Truth!

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

• Hebrews 10:26-27 “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”

Remember how the Scripture states it was the carnal mind that made you and adversary!

18 For ye are not come unto the mount (Mt. Zion, God’s holy mountain) that might be touched (manipulated), and that burned with fire (being consumed), nor unto blackness (gloom), and darkness (obscurity), and tempest,(tumult)

19 And the sound of a trumpet (loud blast), and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated (shunned) that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

Paul uses the example of the people in the exile –

• Exodus 20:19 “And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”
• Joel 2:1 “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.”

20 For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

Again referencing to the promise.

• Revelation 5:8-13 “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.”

23 To the general assembly (meeting place) and church (assembly) of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits (souls) of just (righteous) men made perfect,(complete)

• 1 Corinthians 15:20 “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.”
• James 1:18 “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
• Revelation 14:4 “These are they which were not defiled with women;[fornication of paganism] for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

24 And to Jesus the mediator (go-between) of the new covenant (promises), and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

• 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
• Deuteronomy 18:18 “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: (do not refuse the instructions of Yeshua as he is our guarantor by the promise of Father God)

26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

• Isaiah 13:13 “Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.”
• Haggai 2:6 “For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;”
• Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:”

27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

I do not believe there could be any clearer message that the rapture narrative portrayed in the corporate church, especially in America, is completely false. The permanent forever home of God and His forever Bride will be this place we call earth and the wicked are the ones removed forever.

• Genesis 1:6-8 “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”
• Proverbs 10:30 “The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.”
• Matthew 13:29-30 “But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 For our God is a consuming fire.

• Matthew 3:11-12 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”