The Better Covenant part 4

The Better Covenant part 4

The Danger of Neglect

Hebrews 2:1-4

“Therefore” – because of all of the preceding statements / arguments.

Hebrews 2:1-4

1Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

The importance of the Word of God cannot be downplayed.

The teachings in the Word are matters of life and death.

The dangers of drifting away from them are too grave.

Authorized Version: “lest at any time we let them slip” = allowing a ring to slip off our finger and thus losing it.

Hebrews 2:1-4

2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,

The Law, when it was given included with it swift and sure penatalities for each breech of the law.

For many of the laws the penalty for willful disobedience was death.

All of this was spoken by the angels – or carried to man by the angels.

The blessing of Moses:

Deuteronomy 33:1-3

1 Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

2 And he said: “The Lord came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand Came a fiery law for them.

3 Yes, He loves the people; All His saints are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet; everyone receives Your words.

In the Septuagint that last line in verse 2 is rendered – “At His right hand were angels with Him.”

In the New Testament:

Galatians 3:19

“What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.”

Acts 7:51-53

51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,

53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

The ritual law was treated as a means as access to God rather than a moral Law which is a way of life.

Hebrews 2:1-4

3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

This is the first of many warnings of this same kind.

Through the coming of Christ the Word is now fulfilled – although it had been spoken or delivered earlier by the prophets.

Jesus coming into Galilee after John’s imprisonment:

Mark 1:14-15

14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus in the Synagogue quotes Isaiah then follows with:

Luke 4:18-22

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Hebrews 2:1-4

4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

The witness of the Word was and is followed by the miraculous.

(1) Realize the importance of the Word

(2) Check ourselves for areas of neglect

(3) Repent of areas of neglect

(4) Live so as to bear witness to Christ

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