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Hebrews 12
hillsbororiver:
Over the past few days I noticed verses from this Chapter of Hebrews quoted by quite a few of us in different threads, I thought maybe we were being led to read the whole thing and if not it certainly won't do any harm. ;)
Hebrews 12 (Amplified Bible)
1THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,
2Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.(A)
3Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.
4You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood.
5And have you [completely] forgotten the divine word of appeal and encouragement in which you are reasoned with and addressed as sons? My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him;
6For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.
7You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline?
8Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God's children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons [at all].(B)
9Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded [to them] and respected [them for training us]. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so [truly] live?
10For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness.
11For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness--in conformity to God's will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God].
12So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees,(C)
13And cut through and make firm and plain and smooth, straight paths for your feet [yes, make them safe and upright and happy paths that go in the right direction], so that the lame and halting [limbs] may not be put out of joint, but rather may be cured.
14Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord.
15Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God's grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it--
16That no one may become guilty of sexual vice, or become a profane (godless and sacrilegious) person as Esau did, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.(D)
17For you understand that later on, when he wanted [to regain title to] his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected (disqualified and set aside), for he could find no opportunity to repair by repentance [what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made], although he sought for it carefully with [bitter] tears.(E)
18For you have not come [as did the Israelites in the wilderness] to a [material] mountain that can be touched, [a mountain] that is ablaze with fire, and to gloom and darkness and a raging storm,
19And to the blast of a trumpet and a voice whose words make the listeners beg that nothing more be said to them.(F)
20For they could not bear the command that was given: If even a wild animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.(G)
21In fact, so awful and terrifying was the [phenomenal] sight that Moses said, I am terrified (aghast and trembling with fear).(H)
22But rather, you have come to Mount Zion, even to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless multitudes of angels in festal gathering,
23And to the church (assembly) of the Firstborn who are registered [as citizens] in heaven, and to the God Who is Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous (the redeemed in heaven) who have been made perfect,
24And to Jesus, the Mediator (Go-between, Agent) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks [of mercy], a better and nobler and more gracious message than the blood of Abel [which cried out for vengeance].(I)
25So see to it that you do not reject Him or refuse to listen to and heed Him Who is speaking [to you now]. For if they [the Israelites] did not escape when they refused to listen and heed Him Who warned and divinely instructed them [here] on earth [revealing with heavenly warnings His will], how much less shall we escape if we reject and turn our backs on Him Who cautions and admonishes [us] from heaven?
26Then [at Mount Sinai] His voice shook the earth, but now He has given a promise: Yet once more I will shake and make tremble not only the earth but also the [starry] heavens.(J)
27Now this expression, Yet once more, indicates the final removal and transformation of all [that can be] shaken--that is, of that which has been created--in order that what cannot be shaken may remain and continue.(K)
28Let us therefore, receiving a kingdom that is firm and stable and cannot be shaken, offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship, with modesty and pious care and godly fear and awe;
29For our God [is indeed] a consuming fire.
This is an inspirational message, especially in times of tribulation and stress.
His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe
orion77:
Hello Joe,
The book of Hebrews is all good, but I like these verses you quoted in the 12th chapter:
(Heb 12:11 LITV) And all discipline for the present indeed does not seem to be joyous, but grievous; but afterward it gives back peaceable fruit of righteousness to the ones having been exercised by it.
(Heb 12:12 LITV) Because of this, "straighten the hands" hanging alongside, "and the enfeebled knees;"
(Heb 12:13 LITV) "and make straight tracks for your feet," that the lame not be turned aside, but rather healed. Isa. 35:3; Prov. 4:26
We definetely all need that admonition from time to time.
(Isa 35:3 LITV) Make the weak hands strong, and firm up the stumbling knees.
(Isa 35:4 LITV) Say to those of a hasty heart, Be strong! Do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance; with the full dealing of God, He will come and save you.
(Isa 35:5 LITV) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf opened.
(Isa 35:6 LITV) Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. For waters shall break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.
(Isa 35:7 LITV) And the mirage shall become a pool, and the thirsty land shall become springs of waters, in the home of jackals, in its lair, and a place for the reed and rush.
(Isa 35:8 LITV) And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called, The Way of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it. And it is for them, the one going in the way; yea, fools shall not go astray.
(Isa 35:9 LITV) No lion shall be there; and no violent beast shall go up on it; it shall not be found there. But redeemed ones shall walk there.
(Isa 35:10 LITV) And the ransomed of Jehovah shall return and enter Zion, with singing and everlasting joy on their head; gladness and joy shall reach them; and sorrow and sighing shall flee.
Amen, His word is so good and true. Here is the reason and purpose for the chastening from the Lord. Wow, what can I say!!!
(Pro 4:20 LITV) My son, pay attention to my words; stretch your ear to what I say;
(Pro 4:21 LITV) let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the center of your heart;
(Pro 4:22 LITV) for they are life to those who find them, and healing to all his flesh.
(Pro 4:23 LITV) Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
(Pro 4:24 LITV) Turn away from you the crooked mouth, and put perverse lips far from you.
(Pro 4:25 LITV) Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids look straight before you.
(Pro 4:26 LITV) Study the track of your feet, then all your ways will be established.
(Pro 4:27 LITV) Do not turn to the right hand or to the left; turn your foot aside from evil.
Thank you Joe for starting this thread, just what the dr. ordered.
God bless,
Gary
hillsbororiver:
Gary,
You are very welcome, some of the questions and posts of late inspired me to start this thread.
The additional scripture you posted fit perfectly. I love it when our fellowship produces this type of edification.
Thank you Brother,
Joe
Kat:
Hi Joe and Gary,
This is a good read.
Every time I read through scripture, it sink in a little deeper.
Staying in the Word, is paramount to growing in Christ.
Thanks for the post.
mercy, peace, and love
Kat
gmik:
Hi. I just reread this entire thread. Then I read Heb 12 in the Concordant and the Youngs and then the Greek interlinear. Then back to the Amplified. The easiest for me to understand was the Amplified. Does anyone know if the Amplified has the same trouble as KJV?
Just talking with someone the other day about why God would hate Esau. How unfair. I had remembered that Ray had said the translation was really "Jacob have I loved, and Esau have i loved less". That appeased my friend who thought God couldn't hate.
Next I am going to do a word study on scourging & disciplining. Still have trouble with all that.
Great thread all of you.
love,
gena
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