"For by one offering He has perfected forever
those who are being sanctified."
Hebrews 10:14
This is Part 4 of a study in Hebrews Chapter 12. This is faith for the last days …
Recap of the Previous Lesson:
Comparisons: Earthly Mountain and Heavenly Mountain
“For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them any more. (For they could not endure what was commanded: "And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow." And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.")
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.” Hebrews 12:18-22.
Mount Sinai
Mount Zion
Comparisons: Earth Man and Spirit Man — 1 Corinthians 15:45-58
Part 4
HEARING THE HEAVENLY VOICE
“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven."
“Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
“For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29
What does this passage mean in the year 2013?
What is the Holy Spirit saying to us today?
Time is short! Hear, obey, be watchful.
“If you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Hebrews 3:15
Hebrews 12:15-17 also warns The Church of sin and to pursue holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
The reason this exhortation is so important to The Church right now is because the earth has entered into the time frame called “the last days or the end of the age” and the pull of wickedness has increased all around us. Jesus prophesied that one generation would see love decline and lawlessness increase. He also said, “Take heed…watch… pray…”
Read Luke 21:25-36
The Glorious Church has an awesome assignment ahead.
Jesus could not return until the “fullness of the Gentiles” has come forth. Romans 11:25
Farmers know that all they have done is for the time of the harvest! James 5:7-8
No Couch Potatoes!
Many Christian people, yes Christians, who refuse to hear, will turn away from Him who speaks from Heaven, and fall under the sway of the wicked one. Read 1 John 5:19
This warning from Heaven is not just for baby Christians but also for those who are mature. How could that be? Because those who know much can become lazy and dull of hearing as they rely pridefully on what they have learned in the past. When the scriptures become dull to you, Beloved, watch out!
“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
“For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 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 …” Hebrews 2:1-3
"Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place; unless you repent.” Revelation 2:4-5
SEPARATION
“Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.’ Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
See 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 & 7:1
Just like the children of Israel had to be removed from the sin, idolatry and the corruption of Egypt, God is calling His Church in these days to separate from the wickedness that is around us.
Why?
So that we may experience an increase in God’s anointing and power to minister to the lost and “do the greater works.”
Jesus loves the church and gave Himself for her …
“that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27
Only God’s Word can wash you inside and out!
__________________________________________________
Life Application Suggestions
“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.
“For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
“But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
“And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
“Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
1 Corinthians 10:1-12
___________________________________________________
PRAYER
Prayer is laying the foundation for revival. The Church has her greatest assignment: to bring in the harvest/prepare for the return of Jesus Christ.
The Church—The Lost—Elected Leaders
Copyright © 2013 – 2014 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org
Recap of the Previous Lesson:
Comparisons: Earthly Mountain and Heavenly Mountain
“For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them any more. (For they could not endure what was commanded: "And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow." And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.")
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.” Hebrews 12:18-22.
Mount Sinai
- Mt. Sinai is a mountain located in the desert wilderness
- Moses met God on Mt. Sinai and received His calling to deliver God’s children
- The children were set free from Egypt
- Three months later, God makes an appointment to meet the children of Israel at Mt. Sinai
- They receive their calling, “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
- Covenant is established: “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.”
- Mt. Sinai quakes greatly as Almighty God descends on the top of it
- The top of Mt. Sinai is engulfed in fire, smoke, thunderings, lightnings and the sound of a trumpet blast so loud the people in the camp trembled
Mount Zion
- Mount Zion is located in Heaven
- Every born again child of God has come to Mount Zion, and to God’s city, the Heavenly Jerusalem
- Innumerable companies of angels are there
- The general assembly and church of the firstborn live there
- God the Judge of all resides there
- Spirits of just men made perfect live there
- Jesus, Mediator of the New Testament lives there
- The Blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel resides there
Comparisons: Earth Man and Spirit Man — 1 Corinthians 15:45-58
- First man: Adam
- Last Man: a life-giving Spirit
- First is the natural, then the spiritual
- First man: made of earth—made of dust
- Second Man: Lord from Heaven
- We have borne the image of the man of dust
- We shall also bear the image of the Heavenly Man
- Flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of God
- Corruption cannot inherit incorruption
- Mystery: The change—the rapture of The Church
- Corruptible must put on incorruption
- Mortal must put on immortality
- Then: “Death shall be swallowed up in victory.”
- Thanks be to God—He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
- Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord
Part 4
HEARING THE HEAVENLY VOICE
“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven."
“Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
“For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29
What does this passage mean in the year 2013?
- Do not refuse Him who speaks
- If we turn away from Him who speaks from Heaven to us, we shall not escape the consequences of that decision
- We are dealing with Almighty God here, the Judge of all
- He will shake earth and also heaven
- Shaking will remove things that are made
- Things that cannot be shaken will remain
- We are receiving a Kingdom
- The Kingdom cannot be shaken
- Have grace
- Serve God with reverence and godly fear
- Our God is a consuming fire
What is the Holy Spirit saying to us today?
Time is short! Hear, obey, be watchful.
“If you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Hebrews 3:15
Hebrews 12:15-17 also warns The Church of sin and to pursue holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
The reason this exhortation is so important to The Church right now is because the earth has entered into the time frame called “the last days or the end of the age” and the pull of wickedness has increased all around us. Jesus prophesied that one generation would see love decline and lawlessness increase. He also said, “Take heed…watch… pray…”
Read Luke 21:25-36
The Glorious Church has an awesome assignment ahead.
- In 1960 there were three billion people on earth.
- In 2013 there are seven billion people on earth.
Jesus could not return until the “fullness of the Gentiles” has come forth. Romans 11:25
Farmers know that all they have done is for the time of the harvest! James 5:7-8
No Couch Potatoes!
Many Christian people, yes Christians, who refuse to hear, will turn away from Him who speaks from Heaven, and fall under the sway of the wicked one. Read 1 John 5:19
This warning from Heaven is not just for baby Christians but also for those who are mature. How could that be? Because those who know much can become lazy and dull of hearing as they rely pridefully on what they have learned in the past. When the scriptures become dull to you, Beloved, watch out!
“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
“For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 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 …” Hebrews 2:1-3
"Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place; unless you repent.” Revelation 2:4-5
SEPARATION
“Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.’ Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
See 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 & 7:1
Just like the children of Israel had to be removed from the sin, idolatry and the corruption of Egypt, God is calling His Church in these days to separate from the wickedness that is around us.
Why?
So that we may experience an increase in God’s anointing and power to minister to the lost and “do the greater works.”
Jesus loves the church and gave Himself for her …
“that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27
Only God’s Word can wash you inside and out!
__________________________________________________
Life Application Suggestions
“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.
“For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
“But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
“And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
“Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
1 Corinthians 10:1-12
___________________________________________________
PRAYER
Prayer is laying the foundation for revival. The Church has her greatest assignment: to bring in the harvest/prepare for the return of Jesus Christ.
The Church—The Lost—Elected Leaders
Copyright © 2013 – 2014 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org