Spurgeon on Hebrews Chapter 2

Tim Wehse is currently teaching through the Book of Hebrews in our Adult Sunday school at GRBC. He sent me this excerpt from Spurgeon he found while preparing for his lesson.

BELIEVING THAT GOD foreknoweth all things, we cannot but come to the conclusion that he foreknow the fall, and that it was but an incident in the great method by which he would glorify himself. Foreknowing the fall, and fore-ordaining and predestinating the plan by which he would rescue his chosen out of the ruins thereof, he was pleased to make that plan a manifestation of all his attributes, and, to a very great extent, a declaration of his wisdom. You do not find in the method of salvation a single tinge of folly. The Greeks may call it folly, but they are fools themselves. The gospel is the highest refinement of wisdom, ay, of divine wisdom, and we cannot help perceiving that not only in its main features, but in its little points, in the details and the minutiae, the wisdom of God is most clearly to be seen. Just as in the making of the tabernacle in the wilderness not a single loop or tache was left to human chance or judgment, so in the great scheme of salvation, not a single fragment was left to the human will or to the folly of the flesh. It appears to be a law of the divine action that everything must be according to the fitness and necessity involved in perfect wisdom—"It behoved that Christ should suffer;" and in our text we find, "It became him from whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, that he should make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." It seemed to be but the order of natural fitness and congruity, in accordance with the nature and character of God, that the plan of salvation should be just what it is. Oh! how careful should we be who have to preach it never to alter it in the slightest degree. How should we lift our prayers to heaven that God would give us a clear understanding, first, of what we have to teach, and then a clear method of teaching what we have learned, so that no mistake may be made here, for a mistake here would mar that express image of God which shines in the gospel, and prevent our hearers from seeing the beautiful fitness and proportion which are so adapted to reveal the perfect character of God. We say the plan must be what it is; it could not be otherwise so as to be in keeping with the divine character; and, therefore, it is imperative upon us that we make no alteration in it, no, not of a word, lest we should hear the Apostle's anathema hissing through the air like a thunderbolt from God—"If we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel than that ye have received let him be accursed!"

Christmas should remind us that nothing is impossible with God

Luke 1:34–37 (NKJV)


34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”


There are many significant truths about God that were manifested at the birth of Christ and perhaps the most obvious fact is that God has the power to do the impossible. This truth should be something accepted at face value because it is inherent in the nature of God to do the supernatural. Yet from our perspective we have to be reminded of this fact.


In the case of Mary, God sent an angel to tell her that He would create life in her womb. God does not require the natural reproduction process of procreation to give life to a human being. Remember the first man was created from dust (Genesis 2:7) and the first woman was made from Adam’s rib (Genesis 2:21). So it should not be much of a surprise that God would create life by supernatural means. In fact in our text the Angel points to Mary’s cousin who is with child beyond her natural childbearing age.


Christmas should remind us that nothing is impossible with God, including granting eternal life. (See Matthew 19:16-26)

Got Insurance?

This week life has been interrupted quite a bit by the rains that have fallen resulting in considerable flooding. The photo above was taken today on Brainerd road a few blocks down from my insurance office (for those of you who may not know, my vocation is a pastor and my occupation is an insurance agent). Fortunately, our insurance office is on a hill and though the flood waters will continue to rise until eight this evening it is not likely to reach us.

We have had plenty of flood related claims called into the office this week. Several cars were flooded and many more homes received some flood damage. We have been able to help those who purchased flood coverage. Those who had losses who did not purchase coverage wish they did. Hindsight is 20/20.

I often tell folks that “you have to buy insurance when you don’t need it, because when you need it you can’t buy it.” Or to put it another way, “no one will sell you a fire policy when your house is on fire” or “flood insurance when your basement is full of water.”

Many in Chattanooga learned a tough lesson this week on being prepared for natural disasters.

There is another cataclysmic event on the horizon for which everyone needs to be prepared. It will not be a local event it will be a global event. The consequences of this event are even more severe in that they are eternal and final.

What event? The return of Jesus Christ can happen at any moment. He will crush Satan and the forces of evil and usher in the eternal state. Those who are clothed in the righteousness of Christ will be admitted to His kingdom and those who are not will be banished in eternal judgment forever. Jesus illustrated this event in several parables. For example, the ten virgins in Matthew 25:

" “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (Matthew 25:1-13, NKJV)

The point of this story is that only those who were prepared received blessings. In the mundane insurance world which occupies much of my time only the people who were properly insured received benefits. Those who were not prepared were denied benefits. Likewise there will be two groups of people at Christ’s return, those who are prepared and those who are not prepared. In which group do you belong?

If you have doubts you can read the good news of how to be prepared to meet the Lord by following this link. If you have no doubts about your preparation do you know of someone who may? I encourage you to encourage them.

All Israel Will Be Saved

Daniel’s 70^th Week

Daniel 9:26-27 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

At first reading this passage is a bit confusing. It may be helpful to read it in context before reading commentaries on the passage. This passage is often understood with respect to the interpreters eschatological view. If you see a future Israel then verse 27 and following are future events. If you believe that there is no future Israel then verse 27 has already happened. I happen to be in the former camp.

One of the reasons I see a future for Israel is that future restoration is not only portrayed in the OT but it is also promised. The Abrahamic, Davidic, and New Covenants are all everlasting unconditional promises. These covenants have not been fully realized. Another reason to believe that there is a future Israel is because the NT points to that and specifically declares it in Paul’s exhaustive treatment in Romans 9-11.

Romans 11:1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

Romans 11:25-36 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” 28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” 35 “Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?” 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

If you take the plain sense of the text and understand that there is a future Israel then the mysteries of Daniel 9 become increasingly clear. Daniel predicted that the Messiah would be “cut off” or killed. The time was calculated to the day he walked into Jerusalem on 9 Nissan AD 30. (for further details see Sir Robert Anderson’s The Coming Prince)

There is a mysterious pause in the timeline between the 69^th and seventieth week. This pause in the events is the church age.

Ephesians 3:9-10 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

The rapture of the church will close the church age. It will mark the ‘fullness of the Gentiles” and God will glorify His name by restoring His people Israel. The unfolding of the seventieth week of Daniel is resumed in the Book of Revelation.

Romans 11:26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

Kirk Cameron's Testimony with John MacArthur

Behold the Lamb

"And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission." (Hebrews 9:22, NKJV)

Could you imagine what going to the Temple would have been like for those folks in the Old Testament? No doubt that the scene would not be the clean pristine center of worship that we imagine, but a nasty and bloody affair that would have been difficult to stomach.
I think that one of the purposes of the animal sacrifice was to be disgusted. Those people who witnessed the slaughter of innocent animals not for food but for sacrifice recognized that it was because of their sin that this tragedy occurred. Can you imagine being a parent that had to explain to your children why the beautiful innocent lamb must be savagely sacrificed in front of their eyes? Surely the children protested, “Don’t kill him!”

Sin is awful. Sin is nasty and disgusting. We have a way of masking the consequences of sin, but its ugliness shows itself from time to time on our television sets and far too often in the tone of our conversation.

Our sinful acts are the very things which caused the ugliest bitter sweet sacrifice of all time.
"knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." (1 Peter 1:18-19, NKJV)

Salvation is free because someone paid the price.

Pray for Salvation

Last night we continued with our discussion on prayer. Specifically we dealt with the concept of praying for the Salvation of people. Based on a Biblical model we encouraged each other to consider including praying for co-workers, family members, friends, and strangers that they may see the beauty of Christ turn from their sin, and call on the name of the Lord and be saved.

"… if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10, NKJV)

God is sovereign in salvation. That is why Christians from most every theological position pray that God will open the heart of the unbeliever.

Acts 16:14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.

Consider the following facts:

· God does all things according to His will

Ephesians 1:11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

· People are born again by the will of God.

John 1:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

· God choose men to be adopted in the family of God at the beginning of time.

Ephesians 1:4-5 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will

If we affirm these facts then why should we bother praying? After all it appears that God has already made His decision.

Some have suggested that well even though God has already made His sovereign choice He wants us to pray because we are commanded to pray and prayer is good for us. While I would not dispute that we God commands us to pray and that prayer is good for us, I suggest that God in His providence actually uses prayer to accomplish His will.

God has chosen the means to accomplish His will. For example, faith is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9) but the means by which that faith is distributed is through the proclamation of His Word.

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17, NKJV)
I may not be able to explain how God accomplishes His will in this world, but He has invited us to be a vital part of the process. Our calling is to pray without ceasing and participate in our commission as ambassadors for Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

Call on the Name of the Lord

"And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord." (Genesis 4:26, NKJV)

The people in the Old Testament were saved or made righteous before God in the same manner as those in the New Testament.

"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”" (Romans 10:12-13, NKJV)

This concept of calling upon the name of the Lord is foundational to a right relationship with God. From the very beginning in Genesis men recognized their sinful condition which required forgiveness by God. Becoming righteous before God then is not something you do, rather it is something that God does for you.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NKJV)

This Day in History

1744 - Colonial missionary to the American Indians David Brainerd wrote
in his journal: 'We are a long time in learning that all our
strength and salvation is in God.'

"But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31, NKJV)