7 Things that Hebrews teaches that you need to know:
1. Inheritance- God didn't just create a bunch of random people and then put them together. God established humanity by way of the family which is His family. Inheritance goes to family members. Here are some verses that show that sons receive God the father's inheritance.
Heb. 1:4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
Heb. 1:14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? (because of Jesus, not bloodline)
Heb. 2:10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. (Sons receive the inheritance)
2. Rest- Rest, not land, is promised.
Hebrews 4:8-10 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his.
Rest is not national Israel or a piece of land as Hebrews clearly states. Wherever we are we can rest because of his finished work.
3. Spiritual Maturity- Maturity is because of trust in the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 5:12-13 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.
Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.
This section of scripture on spiritual maturity shows us that we are not mature because of doing works or anything else, but by our relationship with Jesus and that only comes when we recognize we are a son or daughter in God's family. Also move beyond the teachings of things that don't really matter, and move into the things that do. Hebrews shows us the stuff that we should not waste our time on so that we can become mature believers who listen to God's voice and trust him.
4. Teaching of the New Covenant-
Heb 8:7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.
The faults of the Old Covenant are covered in the New Covenant. Hebrews teaches us what the New Covenant has that the old on lacked.
A. Direction- Hebrews 8:10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
B. Security- Everlasting because He will always be your God and you will always be His people.
C. Authority- Heb 8:11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
No more spiritual hierarchy like in the Old Covenant. You don't need a priest or prophet to connect with God. You are a son with direct access to your father.
D. Forgiveness- Heb. 8:12 For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.
You are forgiven of all sin through Jesus work for you. No more looking at animal sacrifices knowing that didn't really take care of your sin. Finished work on the cross.
5. Spirit of Grace- Hebrews 10 (Read it all)
Hebrews 10 clearly discusses that you cannot go back to a performance based religion because it tramples on Jesus and his blood. Don't ever think that you can do something to earn or help your salvation along.
6. Godly Discipline- True discipline is for your good.
Hebrews 12:5-6 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
True discipline is correction for your good. Sons get that kind of correction, not servants. That discipline is preparation for tomorrow, not punishment for yesterday.
7. Current possession. - This is what you have now, not in the future.
Hebrews 12:18-24 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
This section of Hebrews clearly shows us what we have now. Notice the language says things like "you have come," not soon, or when you die, or in 2000 years, etc. So we are not at Mount Saini in the Old Covenant with physical sacrifices and rituals we need to do. No, we are on Mount Zion which is the heavenly Jerusalem now. We have it all and it was given to us by our father and though the work of Jesus, not our works.
I am going to leave you with a couple more verses from Hebrews that will get you excited about your inheritance that you have right now when your heart is established in grace!
Hebrews 13:9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.
Hebrews 13:25 Grace be with you all.
1. Inheritance- God didn't just create a bunch of random people and then put them together. God established humanity by way of the family which is His family. Inheritance goes to family members. Here are some verses that show that sons receive God the father's inheritance.
Heb. 1:4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
Heb. 1:14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? (because of Jesus, not bloodline)
Heb. 2:10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. (Sons receive the inheritance)
2. Rest- Rest, not land, is promised.
Hebrews 4:8-10 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his.
Rest is not national Israel or a piece of land as Hebrews clearly states. Wherever we are we can rest because of his finished work.
3. Spiritual Maturity- Maturity is because of trust in the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 5:12-13 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.
Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.
This section of scripture on spiritual maturity shows us that we are not mature because of doing works or anything else, but by our relationship with Jesus and that only comes when we recognize we are a son or daughter in God's family. Also move beyond the teachings of things that don't really matter, and move into the things that do. Hebrews shows us the stuff that we should not waste our time on so that we can become mature believers who listen to God's voice and trust him.
4. Teaching of the New Covenant-
Heb 8:7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.
The faults of the Old Covenant are covered in the New Covenant. Hebrews teaches us what the New Covenant has that the old on lacked.
A. Direction- Hebrews 8:10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
B. Security- Everlasting because He will always be your God and you will always be His people.
C. Authority- Heb 8:11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
No more spiritual hierarchy like in the Old Covenant. You don't need a priest or prophet to connect with God. You are a son with direct access to your father.
D. Forgiveness- Heb. 8:12 For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.
You are forgiven of all sin through Jesus work for you. No more looking at animal sacrifices knowing that didn't really take care of your sin. Finished work on the cross.
5. Spirit of Grace- Hebrews 10 (Read it all)
Hebrews 10 clearly discusses that you cannot go back to a performance based religion because it tramples on Jesus and his blood. Don't ever think that you can do something to earn or help your salvation along.
6. Godly Discipline- True discipline is for your good.
Hebrews 12:5-6 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
True discipline is correction for your good. Sons get that kind of correction, not servants. That discipline is preparation for tomorrow, not punishment for yesterday.
7. Current possession. - This is what you have now, not in the future.
Hebrews 12:18-24 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
This section of Hebrews clearly shows us what we have now. Notice the language says things like "you have come," not soon, or when you die, or in 2000 years, etc. So we are not at Mount Saini in the Old Covenant with physical sacrifices and rituals we need to do. No, we are on Mount Zion which is the heavenly Jerusalem now. We have it all and it was given to us by our father and though the work of Jesus, not our works.
I am going to leave you with a couple more verses from Hebrews that will get you excited about your inheritance that you have right now when your heart is established in grace!
Hebrews 13:9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.
Hebrews 13:25 Grace be with you all.