Hebrews Chapter 6:7-20

Verses 7-8 – An Illustration From Agriculture

The ground – Speaks of the person. Luke 8:4-15.

The rain which often falls upon it – The blessings of God (salvation, sanctification). Lev 26:4.

Brings forth useful vegetation – Fruitfulness in the life of the person. John 15:8

To those for whose sake it is also tilled – God and others. Colossians 1:10-12

But if it yields thorns and thistles – If there is a lack of useful fruit.

It is worthless and close to being cursed – The word “worthless” means “disapproved.” Paul uses this word in 1 Cor 9:27. “Cursed” is not referring to loss of eternal life. In Deut 28, Israel, the people of God, dependent upon their responses, are promised both blessing and cursing.

It ends up being burned – This is not speaking of burning in hell. Farmers often burned their fields to destroy unwanted vegetation, not to destroy the field itself. This is a reference to God as a consuming fire (Heb 12:29) and ultimately the testing by fire at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Cor 3:10-15).

Verse 9

But, beloved – The warning is to believers!

Better things – These things are defined in the verses to follow: works, love, diligence, faith, and patience.

Things that accompany salvation – The full salvation promised to them.

Verse 10

For God is not unjust so as to forget –

-Their work

-Their love

-Their ministry, past and present

Although they were immature, dull of hearing, they were still ministering. The danger was falling away from their ministry by not pressing on to maturity.

Verses 11-12

Show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end – Hope is a key element of the Christian life! Faithful, diligent, service is the basis for great hope! In 2 Cor 4:8-18 Paul gives us a magnificent reason to hope – our promised eternal weight of glory!

That you may not be sluggish – Same word as in 5:11.

But imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises – Two key ingredients: faith and patience! Chapter 11 presents the faithfulness and patience we should imitate.

Verses 13-15

Abraham is the perfect illustration of someone who believed the promise of God.

The promise to Abraham – This refers to the promise God gave to Abraham in Gen 22:16-17 after he was obedient to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.

The promise – From Genesis 12 that his seed would be greatly multiplied.

Verses 16-18 The Faithfulness of God

Men swear by one greater than themselves – To end an argument, men appeal to a higher authority.

An oath is given – An oath binds our word to our character.

In the same way God…interposed with an oath –

-To show the heirs of the promise

-The unchangeableness of His purpose

By two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie –

1 – God’s promise

2 – God’s oath

Why? So that we may have strong encouragement, we who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope set before us.

We may flee to the promises of God in time of discouragement!

Verses 19-20 The Anchor of our hope

This hope…an anchor of the soul – A ship’s anchor secured the ship in the harbor and during the storms.

Sure – Something that will not move or totter when put to the test.

Steadfast – Something that will not break down under weight.

One which enters within the veil – The place in which our hope is anchored is explained.

Where Jesus has entered – Jesus, the anchor of our souls, is in the very presence of God, seated at His right hand.

As a forerunner for us – Just as Jesus has gone ahead of us into the presence of God, we will one day follow Him!

Having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek – Our hope is made even more sure because of the nature of Christ’s priesthood!