THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFESTYLE AS TAUGHT IN THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS
(Suggested Reading: Heb. 12:25-29; 1325See 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: 26Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27And 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. 28Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:25‑29)
25Grace be with you all. Amen. <<Written to the Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy.>> 1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (Hebrews 13:25‑James 1:4))
Morally the epistle to the Hebrews is concluded when we reach heaven 12:22-24 for the running of the race from earth to heaven was the theme of the epistle. Paul wanted them to leave the earthly Jerusalem and run the race to the heavenly Jerusalem. In the book of Hebrews the race is now over. Our hope has been attained when we come to the heavenly city in spirit our fondest prospects made good. The epistle concludes with comments, warnings, exhortations, prayer all based on that body of doctrine which is to be given effect to in our lives. Our character is sketched as it should be in the world the image we should make in men's eyes "you are our letter...known and read by all men" 2 Cor. 3:22Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: (2 Corinthians 3:2). In the previous chapter the great thought was how God saw us here we are witnesses in the world and the great thought is how man sees us. But these are generalizations. What we should look for as well, is the application of the doctrine of the epistle to ourselves. And so it is not surprising to discover an immediate linkage with the beginning of the epistle as we come to its end.
The Opening Command and Warning From God Himself
The opening two verses here refer back to the opening two verses of the epistle, reversing the order. Let us compare them. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken to us by His Son" Heb. 1:1, 21God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:1‑2). At the end we read "see that ye refuse not Him who speaks" 12:25 i.e. God the Son, followed by a quotation from the prophets "yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven" Hag. 2:66For 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; (Haggai 2:6). God is content to speak only at the beginning of the epistle at the end He insists on being heard and obeyed. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord" 2:3 is the great question posed at the beginning. It is answered here for such there is no escape "for if they escaped not who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven." The shaking of heaven and earth spoken of here as the result of God the Son pronouncing judgment on everything opposed to Him will introduce the millennial kingdom. Man will not bow to righteousness willingly it will be enforced. That state of things which now exists good and evil both contending must be swept away "that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." The result is that we shall receive a kingdom which cannot be moved. This is because "a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy kingdom" 1:8. The world cannot have peaceful rule because it spurns righteous rule. Righteous rule will characterize Christ's kingdom.
A babe in Christ should know that the kingdom which cannot be moved is Christ's millennial kingdom, the principles of which were enunciated in the Sermon on the Mount. But it is important that we connect it to the two cities we have come to in 12:22 Mount Zion i.e. Jerusalem on earth and "the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." When the kingdom has come, heaven and earth will be linked together in a divine administration involving Jerusalem on earth and the heavenly Jerusalem above as stated in Eph. 1:1010That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10). Jacob's ladder connecting heaven and earth with the angels of God ascending and descending was an earlier forecast of those good things still to come confirmed by the Lord when He was on earth to Nathanael see John 1:5151And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. (John 1:51). In summary Paul is directing the attention of the Hebrew Christians to something they never understood from the law and the prophets that the kingdom has a heavenly side. As Hebrews they thought only of an earthly kingdom. Quite true, Paul is arguing, but not for you. As belonging to the Church of the Firstborn, your place is in heaven and your role in the future administration of the kingdom will be played from heaven, not earth. Don't you see, he is saying, that that is why I have been telling you to run the race from earth to heaven, discarding the old earthly religion along the way?
Six Exhortations to Regulate Our Life in This World and to Serve and Worship God
The reader should now consult the chart captioned "The Six Exhortations at the Close of Hebrews." Notice how the subject of three of these exhortations the inner group is our life in this world. These three exhortations are bracketed by other Scriptures about the service and worship of God. This tells us that practical life in the body is central to the service and worship of God. How could we serve or worship Him if our life contradicts our testimony?
The first exhortation is "let us have grace." We saw what happens when this is lacking in 12:15. This is positive. If we preach the grace of God to others we must exhibit it ourselves. We must serve God acceptably that is to His satisfaction not our evaluation of ourselves with reverence and godly fear. Fear in the service of God? Yes "for our God is a consuming fire." At the judgment seat of Christ He will burn up the wood, hay and stubble in our lives. The gold will remain.
Next come exhortations to govern our lives in the Church 13:1, the family 13:4, and in the world 13:5. It is noteworthy that these exhortations lack an abrasive tone. First, brotherly love is assumed so it is to continue. Brethren in Christ are to show love to one another. But to confine it to an inner circle would breed sectarianism. We mustn’t neglect hospitality to strangers. Abraham didn't and we are his children by faith. We too may be rewarded for doing so. We must not forget those who are not at liberty like ourselves. We are to evangelize those in prison, comfort those who are in prison for Christ's sake, or who have been saved when imprisoned. We too are in the body and should feel for their sufferings. To remember them tells us of two things prayer for them and visitation too. So Paul wrote "the Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me" 2 Tim. 1:16, 1716The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 17But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. (2 Timothy 1:16‑17). Next come the exhortations that marriage is to be held in honor by all. Purity of life is to be maintained whether in or out of the marriage bond. God who is the Judge of all 12:23 will judge all who defile God's holy institution of marriage. Then comes our lifestyle in the world it is to be characterized as free from the love of money. It is not money which is in question for the Lord may give it to some believers for careful stewardship in His work but rather the love of money. Still the heart can use this as an excuse and the world will watch us. So "be content with such things as you have" don't accumulate unnecessary worldly possessions baggage which will weigh you down in the race an example of a "weight" in 12:1. The Lord will never leave you nor forsake you. David acknowledged as much when he said "I have been young, and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread" Psa. 37:2525I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. (Psalm 37:25). So that we may boldly say "the Lord is my helper and I will not fear. What shall man do to me?" The primary thought here is practical help in life. An old believer confirmed David's words to me by saying that the Lord sees His people through to the end whether they are rich or poor. Sometimes the rich end up poor for riches take wings and fly away. Wonderful then to have the Lord as our helper. Nor should we forget the spiritual side of this "the Lord is my helper" tells us also of His High Priesthood on our behalf.
Following these exhortations on life in this world come two verses concerning the worship of God 13:3 and 13:15, 16. One is negative accepting the reproach of Christ in this world, being identified with a crucified, not a conquering Christ, and the other positive praise and thanksgiving. The sacrifice of praise (worship) is to be followed by practical sacrifices doing good and sharing what we have with others. If you are in the presence of God as a worshipper you are to come out with the imprint of the divine presence and so doing good. These verses take us ahead of our subject but because of the unique connection shown in the chart cannot be ignored as a group. The teaching of the six exhortations is that to serve God you need grace to worship God there must be practical godliness in the Church, the family and the world and then identification with the cross (the outside place with man) to enjoy the glory in spirit the inside place with God as a worshipper.
A Closing Reference to the Day of Atonement—The Six Exhortations at the Close of Hebrews
SERVING GOD
REQUIRES GRACE Let us have grace whereby we may serve God.
OUR LIFE DOWN HERE IN THE
CHURCH IN THE Let brotherly love continue.
IN THE FAMILY (Let) marriage be held in honor by all.
IN THE WORLD (Let) our lifestyle be free from the love of money.
WORSHIPPING GOD
THE OUTSIDE PLACE WITH MAN Let us go out therefore unto Him without the camp bearing
His reproach.
THE INSIDE GOD Let us offer the sacrifices of praise to God continually.
A Closing Reference to the Day of Atonement
In Chapter 1:9 we touched upon the Day of Atonement. Much that is written in Hebrews would not be understood without an explanation of the meaning of the ritual of that day. Here at the close Paul reverts to that Day in a closing appeal to withdraw from the system of Jewish ritual and occupy full Christian ground and privileges. "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek one to come.”
Notice the many lines of truth which converge in this appeal. The Hebrew Christians were to run the race from earth to heaven and arrive at the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem 12:22. Therefore the earthly city Jerusalem and its temple were to be given up. Christ had suffered outside this earthly city on a cross while the ritual of Jewish services was being performed inside that city. So Paul takes them back to the days of their fathers when the tabernacle, not the temple, was the official structure for the worship of God. And of all the ritual of the tabernacle services he singles out that performed on the Day of Atonement. We know this because the blood which the high priest brought into the Holy of Holies for sin was the blood of the bullock and the blood of the goat in Lev. 16. That same chapter tells us that the bodies of the sacrifices whose blood was brought in were burned outside Lev. 16:2727And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung. (Leviticus 16:27) which agrees with 13:11 here.
What then is the altar of 13:10? It is clearly spiritual in nature and sets forth Christ as the true sin offering whose blood alone is efficacious before God. The other reference to "altar" in this epistle is in 13:13 a turning point following the statement that the priesthood is changed and so the law must be too. Our High Priest does not offer continual blood sacrifices without value. The greatness of His Priesthood is attested to by the fact that He has sat (down) on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens 8:1. Share His rejection by man then withdraw from the visible system which rejected Him and cleave to Him obtaining an inside place with God. This altar calls for two classes of sacrifices spiritual sacrifices rather than material ones. The first is continual sacrifice of praise to God the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name. The second sacrifice is manward 13:16 good works with which God is well pleased. We come out of the holiest of all and do good to men a proof to all men that we have been in God's presence for He is the Source of all good.
Principles Governing Leadership of the Flock of God
The exhortations on Christian leadership which are grouped together in the closing chapter of Hebrews are full of instruction. First of all we must divest ourselves of misconceptions arising from the reading of the authorized version which renders 13:7, 13:17 and 13:24 as "those who have the rule over you." This would imply elders who have local rule whereas the epistle is on Jewish rather than Church ground and there is no thought of confining the teaching in it to such a restricted group. The best modern versions render these passages "leaders" or "those leading you" (The American Standard Bible, The Modern Language Bible (Berkely Edition) J.N. Darby Translation, New International Version, and Young's Literal Translation). The distinction is an important one for as already stated the epistle is not addressed to one or more Christian assemblies but rather to the entire Hebrew nation a nation once in exclusive relationship to God, then blessed with the first introduction of Christianity in the world, now in danger of giving up this profession. Who among that nation, then, were the leaders, and what was the goal to which they were leading the flock of God. The verses which we will now consider group these leaders into those who are no longer with them (due to death), those still with them, and Jesus Christ the Leader and Great Shepherd of the sheep. The leaders are those who lead others to follow the great Leader from earth to heaven.
Remembering the leaders of the past Our first exhortation is "REMEMBER your leaders who have spoken to you the Word of God, and considering the outcome of their way of life, imitate their faith" 13:7. While these leaders are not named they are easily identified from the Acts of the Apostles. Perhaps of all the leaders those who were preeminently before Paul's mind were those of the twelve apostles who had laid down their lives for Christ's sake. This thought is reinforced by the allusion to their sufferings as a way of life among others of course "REMEMBER prisoners, as bound with them those who are ill-treated as being yourselves also in the body" 13:3. The apostles, more than others, had spoken the Word of God to them see 2:3, 4, and who were imprisoned more than they? Stephen's stoning tells us the cost of being a leading Christian in the early days of Christianity.
The class of leaders referred to here were now absent from the body and present with the Lord like James the brother of John whom Herod killed with the sword Acts 13:1, 21Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. (Acts 13:1‑2). The Hebrews were exhorted to weigh the outcome of their Christian life and testimony and to imitate the faith that made them leaders. Christian leadership here is for the purpose of helping others to attain the goal they have attained. For them the race from earth to heaven ended with their death. Let their faith encourage others to run the race to the same destination. God never forgets those who serve Him, as man does. Heb. 11 is God's shining recollection of those who died in faith those whom He remembers. As God's children the Hebrews were to remember their past leaders and imitate their faith. Having heard the Word of God from such leaders they would not be carried about with every fanciful doctrine that arose like a small sailboat in a gust of wind. The anchor of the soul 6:19 is both safe and secure a certain hope. Why listen then to fanciful doctrine about what to eat and what not to eat and other regulations of the law?
Obedience and submission to leaders still alive and salutations of grace to them A second exhortation follows "OBEY your leaders, and be submissive for they watch over your souls as those who shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not groaning, for this would be unprofitable for you" 13:17. Clearly the reference here is to the living leaders to whom obedience and submission were due as the reference in 13:7 was to the dead leaders who were to be remembered. The dead leaders were to be remembered as having established them in the truth to which no man can add the living leaders are viewed more as pastors tending the sheep "for they watch over your souls." Because of that responsibility they have One over them to whom they report “that Great Shepherd of the Sheep" referred to in the closing prayer of this chapter but inferred in "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever”
13:8. It is natural for the sheep to turn every one to his own way see Isa. 53 causing distress to the leaders discouraging them making them fall short of the example of the leaders of the past robbing them of their reward. If such misconduct occurred it would be recompensed on those who caused it. Their works would be burned up in the day when God judges the secrets of men. They should resist their natural tendencies so that their leaders could report to the Great Shepherd with joy concerning their pastoral work among them.
Their leaders were to be SALUTED also—something we shall briefly comment on later.
The leader of our salvation the Great Shepherd of the sheep Jesus Christ Between the dead leaders and the living leaders comes "Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday and today and forever" 13:8. Servants of God may come and go but He remains the same the Leader of our salvation through whom God is bringing many sons to glory 2:10. His Shepherd character as the leader of God's sheep is given to us in three ways in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. First He is "the Good Shepherd" John 10:1111I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11) in which character He gives His life for the sheep. The counterpart of this in the Old Testament is Psa. 22 in which His sufferings on the cross are prophetically forecast even to the piercing of His hands and His feet and the cry of abandonment by God when made sin on the cross a cry which opens the Psalm. Secondly in Paul's closing prayer in 13:20 He is "that Great Shepherd of the sheep" because as the leader of our salvation He has brought us to the goal at last heaven and satisfying approach to a God well known through the blood of His cross. The counterpart of this in the Old Testament is Psa. 23. In that Psalm the Lord is not only our Shepherd who provides for our wants down here but at the end He leads us home "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Thirdly He is "the Chief Shepherd" to whom the leaders in 13:17 must give account of their conduct in shepherding the sheep. So Peter writes in his first epistle "feed the flock of God which is among you...and when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory which fades not away" 1 Peter 5:2-42Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (1 Peter 5:2‑4). The Old Testament counterpart of this is Psa. 24 when the kingdom has come (and all our rewards are in connection with Christ's coming kingdom). The earth then is claimed for God "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof the world and those who dwell in it" Psa. 24:11<<A Psalm of David.>> The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1).
The Throne of Grace Appears at the End As at the Beginning
In the early part of the epistle Paul had written "for we have not an high priest not able to sympathize with our infirmities, but tempted in all things in like manner, sin apart. Let us approach therefore with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find seasonable help" 4:15, 16. Here as the epistle closes we find Paul first of all requesting that the Hebrews pray for him and then his prayer for them. This is the beautiful reciprocal note on which the epistle closes although there are two 'Amens' one for the message of grace closing it all and the other at the close of Paul's prayer.
The apostle's request for the Hebrews' prayers. Just as in most of our own prayers or requests for prayer, we find here the general and the specific. "Pray for us for we persuade ourselves that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to walk rightly." This is the general request. The specific request follows "but I much more beseech you to do this, that I may the more quickly be restored to you." Note, however, how Paul ties the specific request to the general. Before commenting on the specific request let us weigh 1 John 5:1414And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (1 John 5:14) "and this is the boldness which we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." Sometimes our requests are not according to His will although we do not know it at the time. It has been said that God always answers prayer but that sometimes He says no. I recall an esteemed teacher of the Word exclaiming at a Bible Conference "Do you want to pray a prayer that God will always answer? well here it is 'Teach me to do Thy will for Thou art my God'" Psa. 143:1010Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. (Psalm 143:10).
Clearly it was not the will of God that Paul should be restored to the Hebrews sooner 13:19 or at any time for his life and ministry were drawing to a close. What value would there be in another visit to Jerusalem? Natural affections, national aspirations perhaps, a limited amount of teaching among them. Historically his three previous missions had all started at Antioch. Should another start instead from Italy with that destination in mind Jerusalem which ended his third mission so disastrously? Suppose God had said 'yes' rather than 'no' to the Hebrews' prayers for Paul what might have happened? He loved his own nation dearly and the temple was a magnet to his heart. Had he gone there he might have denied everything he had written in this epistle. God prevented this from happening, so that the close of Paul's life was in keeping with his teaching in the epistle to the Hebrews. Paul finished the race he wrote about in Hebrews with joy. Faith, hope, and love "these three things" see 1 Cor. 13:1313And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1 Corinthians 13:13) buoyed him up.
In Heb. 4 references to faith (4:2 6:12 10:22 13:7) are supported by 3 references to hope (3:6 6:11 10:23) and 3 to love (6:10 10:24 13:1). This does not exhaust the rich variety of ways in which faith, hope and love "these three things" are presented in the Word of God not by accident but by design. Finally there is the moral application of these design features. In Hebrews Paul links up "these three things" in an absolutely unique way "Love" 6:10 "Hope" 6:11 "Faith" 6:12. Then he reverses the chain, beginning with "Faith" 10:22 "Hope" 10:23 "Love" 10:24. In this way, though he links the chain together with his own principle of faith, he begins and ends with love, proving his own thesis that, of "these three things" the greatest of all is love.
So in the wisdom of God Paul was not diverted from finishing the race by turning aside to the trappings of that Judaism he had condemned in his epistle to the Hebrews. Writing to the Philippians he says "brethren, I do not count to have got possession myself; but one thing forgetting the things behind, and -stretching out to the things before, I pursue (looking) towards the goal, for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus" Phil. 3:13,1413Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13‑14). These three things, then, "faith, hope and love" helped Paul run the race from earth to heaven and obtain the cherished prize at the end. May they help us also.
“And when we've run the race
And fought the faithful fight
We then shall see Him face to face
With saints in light.”
The Apostle's closing prayer for the Hebrews peace, the will of God, the eternal glory of Jesus Christ. The Apostle started his epistle with God, but now addresses Him as the God of peace. This is because peace has been made by the blood of Jesus' cross see Col. 1:2020And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20). So the blood is brought in, Jesus having been raised from among the dead by the God of peace and this is the blood of the eternal covenant. It is eternal, as so often in Hebrews, in contrast to the transient things of the law, shadows about to pass away. It is in this way God is to be known to them.
Next, the God of peace would have them do His will. Sometimes we do not know what the will of God is for us. Even Paul didn't at a crucial juncture of his service for Christ see Acts 16:6-106Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. (Acts 16:6‑10). Here it is made clear to the Hebrews. First of all, as mature Christians, with "senses exercised to discern both good and evil" 5:14 they are to choose the good and do it "make you perfect in every good work to the doing of His will." The prayer continues "doing in you what is pleasing before Him through Jesus Christ." Unquestionably this refers to the main doctrinal thrust of the epistle. Should he not pray for them to separate from the shadow of Jewish ritual to the reality of Christianity? Surely the will of God was that they should approach God in the Holy of Holies with confidence, since the way of approach had been opened for them by the shed blood of Christ. This was the time Jesus foresaw when He told the woman of Sychar's well "the hour is coming when you shall neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father...but the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for also the Father seeks such as His worshippers" John 4:21-2321Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:21‑23).
The prayer closes with glory to Jesus Christ for the ages of ages. Amen. Paul's second prayer in Ephesians ended with "to Him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages. Amen." That prayer was early in the epistle this one toward the close. Ephesians, being the epistle of Church truth, brought the Church prominently in view as associated with the glory; in Hebrews glory all belongs to God. There are seven mentions of glory in Hebrews, three of which are general 2:10, 3:3; and 9:5. The other four are in connection with Christ's glory. At the beginning He is called the brightness of God's glory 1:3 then God crowned Him with glory and honor 2:7 then we see Him thus crowned with glory and honor 2:9 then at the close we see that that glory is imperishable. It will never fade away nor will the crown of glory be transferred to another. God set a diadem of pure gold on His head Psa. 21:33For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. (Psalm 21:3) and so the prayer here closes with glory to Him forever and ever. Amen 13:21. This is beautifully expressed in an undated composition of E. Williams, someone unknown to the writer:
“Glory, Lord is Thine forever
Ever Thine- Thou art the Son
Great the glory Thou art given
Great the glory Thou hast won
Great the glory and the splendor
Of the holy heavenly place
Greater far the Godhead glory
Shining Savior in Thy face.
Lord of glory, Thou didst enter
This dark world of sin and woe
Veiled Thy glory, yet 'twas witnessed
By Thine own while here below.
Thou didst die, and now we praise Thee
In Thy glory, Lord, above
For in death Thou hast declared
All the fullness of God's love.
Yes, we see Thee crowned with glory,
Highest honor to Thee given
But the glory of Thy Person
Is the light that shines in heaven
Thou art greater, glorious Savior
Than the glory Thou hast won
This the greatness of Thy glory
Ever blest Thou art the Son!”
Following his prayer Paul asks his brethren to hear the word of exhortation in his brief letter. He passes on news about Timothy, greetings and a message of grace, closing the epistle like his prayer with Amen. The close of the epistle takes us in spirit to the beginning. In Hebrews Christians are never viewed as members of Christ's body, united to Him, as in Ephesians. Instead they are looked upon as Christ's fellows, or companions. In the beginning they are grouped into three great classes sons who are being brought to glory 2:10 brethren of whom Christ is not ashamed 2:11 and children in the family of God 2:13. These three classes are found again at the close of Hebrews, but looked at more or less in a corrective way. We are in the wilderness and learning lessons in God's school. As children and sons 12:5 and 12:7 it is a question of discipline to help us become partakers of God's holiness. As brethren we are simply called upon to listen to and act upon "the word of exhortation" in this letter and a most gracious one at that.
The epistle starts with God and ends with grace. Just before the end there was the prayer with glory to Jesus Christ for the ages of ages. Grace and glory are found in the Son of God.