Thursday: These Last Days
Read Hebrews 1:2; Hebrews 9:26-28; Hebrews 10:25, Hebrews 10:36-38; and Hebrews 12:25-28. What point is Paul stressing here, particularly regarding time?
Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com
There is a very important element that the apostle emphasizes that adds urgency to his exhortation: the readers are living in the very “last days” (Hebrews 1:2) and the promises are about to be fulfilled (Hebrews 10:36-38). It is interesting, as we will see, that throughout the document Paul compares his audience with the desert generation that stood right before the border of Canaan, ready to enter into the Promised Land. He reminds them, “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry” (Hebrews 10:37, NKJV). And then he encourages them: “we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:39, NKJV). This last exhortation reminded the readers, and us, about the dangers that the people of God have historically experienced right before the fulfillment of the promises of God.
The book of Numbers talks about this very thing. The biblical record says that two times, right before entering the Promised Land, Israel suffered important defeats. The first time, recorded in Numbers 13 and 14, tells us about the doubts that several leaders spread through the congregation and caused the faith of Israel to fail. As a result, the congregation decided to appoint a new leader and return to Egypt, just at the moment when they were about to enter Canaan.
The second time, the Israelites got entangled with sensuality and false worship in Baal Peor (Numbers 24, 25). While Balaam was not able to bring a curse upon the Israelites, Satan used sexual temptations to lead Israel in false worship and sin, and to bring God’s displeasure upon them.
Paul warns the readers of Hebrews against both dangers. First, he exhorts them to hold fast to the confession of their faith and to fix their eyes upon Jesus (Hebrews 4:14, Hebrews 10:23, Hebrews 12:1-4). Second, he exhorts them against immorality and covetousness (Hebrews 13:4-6). Finally, he exhorts them to observe and obey their leaders (Hebrews 13:7, Hebrews 13:17).
| Considering our understanding of the state of the dead — and that as soon as we close our eyes in death, the next thing we know is the Second Coming — why can we say that all people have lived in the “last days”? |
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The first verses of Hebrews set out the thesis of the whole book: the long promised "last days" have arrived in the ministry and revelation of Jesus Christ.
The phrase "last days" is a classic Old Testament reference we find in Book of Daniel and other places. They are marked as such because God has "spoken to us by his Son" (Heb 1:1-3). In the view of all relevant New Testament passages, the "last days" or "time of the end" refers to the time of the incarnation and ministry of Christ 2,000 years ago and since, not to calendar rime since 1798, or 1844, or to modern times as we know them. This is especially the meaning here at the beginning of the Book of Hebrews.
If we are to be truly Christ-centered in our thinking, then we accept that the great time division in our worldview is before and after Christ. The fundamental contrast of Hebrews is set up: before Christ --the time of the Jewish sanctuary, with its types and shadows, and since Christ -- the time of the fulfillment of those types and the appearance of the real, know as the "heavenlies". The rest of the epistle explains in great detail that the divine reality which was promised by the prophets has now arrived. The author is helping readers to manage that transition in their own hearts and actions.
Thanks, Jordan. I had not thought of it that way, but it makes sense in a number of different ways.
I listen to Hebrews twice using different translations and I can see your point, Jordan. Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Old Covenant pointed to. Why then will you abandon such great salvation!!??
I am in my mid-seventies and if my ancestors are anything to go on I can expect to live for another 10-15 years. (Except for my mother who was a shining example of good health and longevity and lived to 100.) The fact that I have fewer years ahead of me than behind me does not fill me with fear and dread. It is a fact of life. And there are things that I would like to get done in that time. I plan to use it to the best of my ability rather than sitting around waiting for the inevitable. I have mentioned previously in my comments, my involvement with the U3A which is essentially a volunteer organisation to encourage older people in education and socialisation. It is a great way to share and be productive in our older age. We teach and encourage one another.
There is a tendency for Seventh-day Adventists to go into panic mode about "These Last Days" with vloggers grabbing their video cameras and microphones and giving a doomsday account of the latest news. We have our own set of triggers that we use to create fear. Sunday laws, earthquakes, global government, ecumenism, plagues, and so on. Rather than concentrating on the fearful, I think the advice given in one of the parables about the absent landlord is pertinent.
To cut to the quick, the story is really about getting on with the business at hand so that when the landlord returns he finds us occupied and not sitting around discussing theories about when he returns or being fearful about what he will do when he does come.
Don't get me wrong. I think Jesus will come again. But, we live in the present and the Kindom of Heaven is now. We are charged with making that a reality for others now. "Occupy" is an active word.
This lesson references Heb. 10:38-39. We're not unfamiliar with the concepts presented. But I'd like us to stop a moment and share:
1.) What does to "live by faith" mean to you?
What does it mean to "believe to the saving of the soul?
2.) What is involved in "drawing back"?
Is Paul's warning necessary?
To me, to live by faith involves peace in the present problems, acting in ways our Wise Adviser has laid out, having confidence in His plan even when it is seemingly wasted effort or worrisome.
To me, believing brings me to accept a connection to and companionship with the Heavenly Counselors which saves my sanity and my life, now and eternally. To fully understand my understanding of this, you would need to understand my conclusions about what the soul is.
I think it is like a computer: the electric spark of life,
acting on physical material appearance of my body,
setting in motion the skills I was born with and/or developed,
including my personality, preferences, experiences, relationships, and accomplishments. That is my soul, which God will save and someday download in a glorious new body.
Drawing back is pulling away to some degree from my relationship to God and from my confident determination to do God’s will.
We do need to occupy us with the Lord's work and we can get through any trouble with Jesus on our side!
We need to:
1. Hold fast to our faith and fix our eyes upon Jesus (Faith)
2. We need to flee from immorality and covetousness (Prayer)
3. Observe and obey our leaders. (Work)
Obie, I like your questions. On #3, I would have to ask who do you consider “our leaders”? Romans 14:5, would lead me to believe that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are our leaders. The leaders of our church are mere humans, and yes, they are hopefully following Gods leadership, but in the end, we each have to come to a belief in God for ourselves, not just follow what someone else says. I have to have that one on one relationship with God, myself, and know and understand scripture for myself. That is what will give me the ability to endure to the end. I’m not asking this to create an argument, I am just asking for a clarification on what you mean by observe and obey our leaders.
Matthew 6:33;
Acts 4:19,20;
Acts 5:29
In the Acts references they were replying to the 'accepted religious leaders of their nation.
"These last days" are about days that were still with Moses before they entered Canaan in Deuteronomy 4:29,30; and are still with us with disease, with sin, with death etc., and will still be with us until Jesus returns in the clouds of heaven.
Amen
I just heard this the other day and can't remember where, so I don't know who said it: "We can focus on the coming crisis or we can focus on the coming Christ." We need our focus in the right place!
Amen, M. Lorraine, We are to stay focused on Jesus, His Holy Spirit, His word (especially Philippians 4:4-8.) Many of us are always sick because we are just simply too negative with our focus on things like Covid-19 etc. and etc. EGW says that God via His Son can still remove sin and sickness just like He did when He restored Lazarus to life, the blind to see, and the paralytic to walk again, even now in "These Last Days."
I really appreciate Jordan River's insight when setting the stage in her comment's first paragraph, helping to direct our perspective regarding the study of the book of ‘Hebrews’.
It is important for me to keep in mind who it is that has spoken to ‘the fathers by the prophets and speaks in these last days unto us by his Son, Christ Jesus.’ Likewise, it is important to recognize that we believe that the Son is now in the presence of God, the Father, having concluded/fulfilled the promise of God to send us a Savior who offers Life to creature ‘man’ who is ‘dead in trespasses and sin’ in the understanding of heaven.
Though the letter was written to inform the Hebrews, its overarching Truth is applicable for all mankind. “These Last Days" is presented to all as Truth – the one who believes this does not quibble with this any longer; it is foundational to the believer's faith.
Always keeping the bigger picture in mind, I do not focus on details as interpreted by one denomination or the other – spiritual Truth is universal, applicable to heaven and earth. The purpose/reason for Heaven’s effort – which includes the involvement of all the heavenly hosts - is to save man who is lost; life lost in this world means Life-everlasting lost in the world to come. Heaven offers restoration of man's ability to *live* - period! This is Heaven's ultimate purpose when engaging with us here on earth.
Because Heaven has come down to earth, everyone living in the spiritual kingdom of God here on earth is now walking the Way of/to the ‘promised land’. Both, heaven and earth will be shaken, cleaned of that which no longer has part in them - ”Therefore, receiving, as we now do, a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us cherish thankfulness so that we may ever offer to God an acceptable service, with godly reverence and awe.” Heb.12:28 Weymouth New Testament.
I grew up believing the Truth was a set of propositions, kind of like mathematical theorems or chemical reactions or religious theories. Over time, I have come to the realization that the Truth is a person: Jesus.
Richard - Thank you for sharing! Yes, I can agree with your finding, though the definition of 'person' as usually understood is not adequate to describe the hight, breadth, and depth of Truth as examplified by the person Jesus. In Christ Jesus, God's Son, our Lord and Savior, 'Life' in Heaven and Earth became one (again).