Will you please turn to the letter to the Hebrews?
Hebrews 10:32-39.
But call to mind the former days, in which, after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great conflict of sufferings;
partly, being made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, becoming partakers with them that were so used.
For ye both had compassion on them that were in bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your possessions, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one.
Cast not away therefore your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward.
For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise.
For yet a very little while, He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry.
But My righteous one shall live by faith:
And if he shrink back, My soul hath no pleasure in him.
But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition, but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.
I believe we all know that this letter to the Hebrews is a letter of exhortation. Why? Because, if you turn to the last chapter and Hebrews 13:22, you will find the writer says:
But I exhort you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written unto you in few words.
So the writer reveals his intention, the reason why he writes this letter. This is a letter of exhortation. And he is saying, “Just in a few words.” We think the letter to the Hebrews is a long letter, but it is in a few words.
Now, what is exhortation? Exhortation includes two things. On the positive side, it is encouragement. On the negative side, it is warning. So, when you have warning on one side and encouragement on the other side, you are being exhorted. And that is what the letter really is.
Now, we know that this letter was written to the Hebrew believers in the first century. These Hebrews turned to Christ Jesus, and this was before the destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple.
We know that Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed in AD 70, but this letter was written before this happened. In a sense, you will find that the writer—or we may say the Holy Spirit, who is really the true Writer—directs this letter to these Hebrew believers at that time.
We do not know who the human scribe was, even until now, but we do know that the Holy Spirit is really the Writer of this letter. Why was it directed to these Hebrew believers? Because they were at a very critical moment. In a sense, they were at a crossroads.
They were under pressure: whether they would go back from Christianity to Judaism, or whether they would go forward, leaving Judaism completely behind and entering into the purity of Christ. This was a very critical moment in their lives.
They had been in Judaism before, but they were converted. They believed in the Lord Jesus. There was the possibility of leaving Judaism completely behind them and pressing on to the fullness of Christ. But there was also the possibility of being drawn back into Judaism.
So this was the condition of the Hebrew believers at that moment. And, of course, we know that the will of God was very clear. The will of God for them was that they might leave Judaism completely behind and enter into the purity of Christ.
How do we know? Because we know that God was determined to do a certain thing to show what His will really was. And that thing was a catastrophe, so far as the Hebrews—or the Jews—were concerned, because God was going to destroy Jerusalem and destroy its temple.
Jerusalem and its temple were the very center of Judaism. It was the very meaning of Judaism. But God was going to destroy the temple and destroy Jerusalem. Why? Because He wanted those who believed in His Son to leave the bondage of Judaism completely and to enter into the full liberty of Christ.
So God’s will was very clear, and this thing was coming. But before it came, He wrote this letter to these Hebrew believers to prepare them. In other words, when such catastrophe should happen, their faith would not waver; rather, it would be strengthened. So that was the background of this letter.
Now, dear brothers and sisters, in a sense this letter is most relevant to our time. Of course, every book in the Bible is relevant to our time, but in a very special way, more and more we feel this letter is very, very relevant to our day.
Why? Because we are living at the end of the twentieth century, and we are living at a very critical moment. In a sense, we are at a crossroads. We know that God is going to conclude this age very soon, and He is going to bring in the age to come, which is the kingdom.
This is coming very soon. And, as in the book of Hebrews, it is said that everything that can be shaken will be shaken—not only physical things, but even things in the spiritual realm. Everything that can be shaken will be shaken, that the kingdom which cannot be shaken may remain.
Or, to put it another way, the whole creation will be shaken off. Whatever belongs to the old creation will all be shaken off, so that the new creation may be brought in in fullness. This is what God is going to do in our days.
Because of this, you find that the conflict and pressure at this time are great. There is a pressure upon God’s people to press them back into the world system—not only politically and economically, but in every way. There is great pressure upon God’s people to press them back into the world as a system.
We know the world is a system, and it has many aspects. One of its aspects is the religious aspect, and this is the most subtle one. You will find great pressure upon God’s people to press them into that religious system called Christianity—Christianity as a religious system.
But what God is trying to work in His people is to bring them out of that system into Christianity as Christ. There is a great difference between Christianity as a religion and Christianity as Christ.
Today there is such confusion and such pressure upon God’s people to press us into Christianity as a religion. But we know God is trying to get us into Christianity as Christ.
Why? Because Christianity as religion belongs to the world; it belongs to the old creation, and it will eventually be shaken off and pass away. But Christianity as Christ is that unshakable kingdom that will remain.
So, brothers and sisters, we are today at that crossroads. We need exhortation. We need encouragement very much in these days, and we need warnings too. That is what this book is all about.
Now, this morning I feel burdened just to share with you, dear brothers and sisters, the passage in Hebrews that we have just read. In this passage, you will find three things. The exhortation includes three different things.
Number one, Hebrews 10:32:
But call to mind the former days, in which, after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great conflict of sufferings.
The exhortation is: call to mind. Recall. Remember. Remember the earlier days in which you received light.
There was a day when these Hebrews were in Judaism. They were deeply rooted in the traditions of the fathers. They were a religious people. They thought they were serving God. They tried to keep the law. Even though they did not succeed, they still tried.
They were under the bondage of the law. They served God without joy and without liberty. That was the condition of these Hebrews at that time.
Then they heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, and revelation was given to them. They caught a vision of Christ. They saw in Jesus the Messiah who had long been promised. Because they received that enlightenment and saw the light, they turned away from the bondage of the law and entered into the liberty of Christ.
They were converted, regenerated, and received a new life. They saw a new light, and their whole life was transformed. They entered into freedom, and they had great joy while they lived on earth and served God. That was in the early days.
There was that thrill of the early days, when they first saw the light, when they first received the vision and revelation of Jesus Christ. It was a glorious day.
But then, as time went on, pressure again came upon them. Even though there was pressure, they did not mind. Why? Because when they received enlightenment in those early days, they endured much conflict of suffering.
Now, dear brothers and sisters, we know that in everything spiritual, it has to begin with revelation—or vision, whatever you may like to call it. Revelation is when God unveils something of Himself to you: not to your mind, not to your physical senses, but to your spirit.
That is revelation. In other words, deep down in your spirit something is opened up to you. Something that was a mystery before, a secret before, now becomes known in your very being. Anything that is spiritual must begin with such revelation.
If there is no revelation from above, if there is no vision in your spirit, all you depend on is the tradition of the fathers. The traditions of the fathers may be correct and may be accurate, but you will find that they are burdensome. They are a bondage.
Not to say that oftentimes the traditions of the fathers are far off the center and may even lead us away from what God really desires. But when you receive a revelation from above, you begin to have a new vision of Christ. That really sets you free, gives you joy, transforms your life, and gives you a living relationship with God.
But at the same time, you will find there will be conflict and suffering. That is always true. Whenever there is a vision from above, a revelation of Christ, you will find conflict because it is against the grain of the world as a system. It is something that the enemy contests with.
So there will be conflict. There is no escape from conflict. Oftentimes we find brothers and sisters who really desire revelation. We know how important revelation is: we must see in our spirit, not only hear it.
We need to see it in our spirit because, when we see it in our spirit, it is living and real. It has life; it has power in it. How we long to have more revelations and more visions of Christ—not extra to the Bible, because all the revelation of God is in the Bible—but we need a fresh revealing by the Holy Spirit of what has already been revealed. We all need it, and we long for that.
Do not think that when God gives you a revelation there will be no conflict. You have to be prepared for conflict if you want a revelation. If you do not want conflict, then do not ask for revelation. Just live in the tradition, and there will be no conflict.
But if you want revelation, there is bound to be conflict. Through the conflict there will be much suffering—not necessarily physical suffering. In some places in the world, you will find physical suffering. Probably here, you do not find much physical suffering, but there are mental sufferings, soul agony, and all kinds of spiritual conflict and suffering. They are bound to come.
But these Hebrew believers, in the early days, endured these sufferings. Their suffering was great and their conflict was great. Why? Because they were not only sympathizers with those who were being persecuted; they themselves were being persecuted.
Even their possessions were taken away from them, but they did not mind. Why? Because they still had that vision fresh before them. They knew that they had a better possession and an abiding one.
What is that better possession, that abiding one? Is it not the Lord Himself? Everything in this world will pass away. They knew that. But they had seen the One who never passes away. They had seen the One who is the better One, the better possession. He is the real substance; the others are shadows.
Because of that, they were able to endure much conflict of suffering. But as days went on, gradually they grew weary.
You remember, in the Bible it says that one of the tactics of the enemy is to wear the saints out. In the beginning they were so fresh. They were able to stand; they were able to remain faithful to that vision, and that vision carried them on.
But gradually, when circumstances began to change and press upon them, that vision grew dim. The revelation was no longer fresh to them. Because of that, the world gradually became more and more real, and the better possession, the abiding One, began to fade away.
The danger was that they could either be pressed back into Judaism to live an easy, comfortable life with no conflict, or they could press on. As they pressed on, there would be more conflict and more suffering, but they would come to know the unsearchable riches of Christ.
So that was the situation at the time. When people are in that kind of situation, what is the word of exhortation? Call to mind. Recall. Recall the first days, the early days.
Now, brothers and sisters, we know that if we are going on with the Lord, we should not look back. You remember what Paul said: forget the things that are behind, and stretch out to the things that are before you.
That should be our attitude if we are really going on with the Lord. There should be no looking back. Because if your hand is on the plow and you look back, the Lord said you are not fit to be His disciple. We are exhorted, on the one hand, not to look back.
But here you will find that we are exhorted to look back. Is there any conflict? No, there is no conflict. Why? Because it depends on your situation.
If you are pressing on positively, then you are exhorted not to look back. But if you are wavering, if you begin to doubt, if you begin to be under pressure and wonder, then the exhortation is: remember. Look back. Remember the early days.
Remember the time when you first heard the gospel. Remember the time when you first saw the light. Remember the time when you caught a vision of Christ. Remember the time when God revealed the mystery of Christ to you. Remember the time when you saw God’s eternal purpose. Remember the time when you realized what God was really after. Remember. Recall. Go back and think about it.
That will strengthen us.
For instance, in Psalm 42, you find the psalmist at that crossroads. Psalm 42:4:
These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me,
How I went with the throng, and led them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday.
You know, the psalmist here was in such loneliness. He was in such a situation as though he had lost the presence of God. At that time, what could strengthen him? Remembering.
He remembered the things of the past—how he went along with the multitude, how he went with them to the house of God with a voice of joy and praise. When he remembered and recalled these things, you find that his soul was revived and his spirit was awakened.
Then, of course, you remember Revelation 2. The Lord’s word to the church in Ephesus was that they had left their first love. The Lord said, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.”
So we do know that when a person is at a crossroads, being pressed, wavering, and wondering, the word of God is: remember. Remember the early days when you first received the vision. In other words, let the vision be recalled.
Now, dear brothers and sisters, of course we know there are believers who do not have much vision and revelation. Probably all they know is the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior, and their life remains self-centered even after they believe in the Lord Jesus.
To these people, of course, what they need is vision and revelation. They need to know the mystery of God, which is Christ. They need to know the mystery of Christ, which is the church. They need to know the mind of God from eternity to eternity—what God is really after. They need to have such a vision, the heavenly vision, as Paul would say.
But for those who have had such a vision before, who have passed through conflict, and who are now at the stage of going back, it is time to recall the vision, that the vision may become fresh and living again to us.
As we see this vision, as we recall what we have gone through because of this vision, you will find it will strengthen our hands and enable us to press on. We will find that it is worthwhile.
There is actually no conflict. If you are going on positively with the Lord, do not look back; go forward. But if you are slowing down, coming to a standstill, and thinking whether you should go back because the pressure seems too much for you, then it is time to call to mind.
Ask the Lord to recall the early days to you, to bring back again the vision that He has given to you, that you may be faithful to it. This is the first thing that we need to do.
The second thing is in Hebrews 10:35:
Cast not away therefore your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward.
Cast not away your confidence, or throw not away your confidence, which has great reward.
Now, of course, the confidence here does not refer to self-confidence. I think we all know that. The confidence here is that we are confident in God. We have no confidence in ourselves.
If we are confident in ourselves, or if we trust ourselves, we cannot go on with the Lord. After we believe in the Lord Jesus, after we are saved, I believe we all pass through that period in which we are confident in ourselves.
Now we are saved. Now we are believers. We are Christians. Now we should and will serve the Lord with our whole heart. We will keep His commandments, please Him in everything, and we are pretty sure that we can make it.
I think we all pass through that period. Then, after a time, we find that it does not work. Even though we believe in the Lord, we find there is no good in our flesh, even after we are saved. We discover that our flesh has not changed.
We think our flesh has changed from weakness to strength, but we find that our flesh has not changed. It is still the old Adam. It is still the old flesh.
Through much dealing with the Lord—or, to put it in one word, the cross—we begin to know the cross. The cross begins to cut off our self-confidence. But thank God, it gives us another confidence: confidence in God. We begin to be confident in God, and we know that in Him nothing is impossible.
The confidence here does not come naturally. The confidence here comes through personal experience. As we experience more of the dealings of God, more failures, more defeat, and more of the working of the cross in our lives, gradually our self-confidence begins to sink and confidence in God begins to be built up and increased.
This is the confidence spoken of here. Whatever God has built in you—that confidence in Him—do not throw it away. Why? Such confidence will have great reward.
Look at Psalm 118:8-9:
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.
Oftentimes we put our confidence in man. The man may be yourself, the one next to you, or the one you look up to. We often put our confidence in men, but the exhortation is that it is better to put confidence in the Lord than in man. It is better to put our confidence in the Lord than in princes.
We can paraphrase this as referring also to spiritual people. We look up to these spiritual people and say, “Now they are spiritual, so we depend on them.” No, do not put your confidence in these so-called spiritual people, because spiritual people can do unspiritual things if they do not put their confidence in the Lord.
So just trust the Lord. Put your confidence in the Lord.
Psalm 65:5 says:
By terrible things Thou wilt answer us in righteousness,
O God of our salvation,
Thou that art the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
And of them that are afar off upon the sea.
God is the God of our salvation. In other words, salvation comes from Him alone. Therefore, He is the confidence of all the ends of the earth, even of the distant regions of the sea.
Then another place: Proverbs 14:26.
In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence;
And His children shall have a place of refuge.
In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence. In other words, we need confidence. We cannot go on if we do not have confidence. This is true even in secular things. Even in your job, if you have no confidence, you cannot go on with your job. We need confidence—strong confidence.
But we know that in our Christian life our confidence is in God. If we have confidence in Him, then we find strength there; we can go on. If that confidence is shaken, then we are shaken.
In Philippians 3, Paul said that he did not trust in the flesh. He trusted in God. That was where his confidence was.
Again, this is something that you learn by experience. Such confidence does not come automatically. Such confidence comes by learning. You have to learn to have such confidence.
Let us use Paul, for instance. If you read Philippians, you find that he had such confidence in God. For instance, Philippians 4:12-13:
I know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound:
In everything and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry,
Both to abound and to be in want.
I can do all things in Him that strengtheneth me.
Such is confidence. We often say that in our spiritual experience, first we are so confident that we can do it. Then we are brought to a place where we say, “Without Him we can do nothing.”
But that is not the end, because if that is the end, then we do nothing. We have to go on and say, “I can do all things in Him, or through Him, who empowers me.” Here you find Paul had such confidence.
Before Paul knew the Lord, he had confidence in himself. He was a very confident person. He thought he knew what he was doing, and he was able to carry out what he wanted to do.
But on the way to Damascus, when he saw that vision, it took away his confidence. He asked the Lord, “What shall I do?” His whole confidence was gone. He did not even know the next step.
But thank God, he came to know his confidence in Christ: “I can do all things through Him who empowers me.”
How did he come to that point? If you read Philippians 4:11:
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content.
In other words, he learned. You learn it. Learning is a painful process, but what you have learned is precious and lasting.
You remember in 2 Corinthians 12, Paul went through a very painful experience because there was a thorn in his flesh. As we know, the word “thorn” in the original means a stake. It was not merely a tiny thorn.
I remember the first time I was in Israel. I picked up some thorns, and the thorns really were that long. Another sister picked up something, and just in carelessness she was pricked. It was really painful—really painful. But that was not to be compared with Paul’s experience.
Paul’s thorn in the flesh was a stake. It was not just a tiny little thorn; it was a stake driven into his body, into his flesh. That weakened him.
Because of that, he cried out to the Lord three times that the Lord would remove that thorn. Why? Because it weakened him. He did not want to be weak. He wanted to be strong for the Lord, all with good intentions.
But through that experience, the Lord said:
My grace is sufficient for thee: for My power is made perfect in weakness.
In other words, Paul learned the sufficiency of the grace of God through a painful experience. Because he learned it, what did he say? “I boast of my weaknesses.”
Now, the word “boast,” or boldness, is the same as confidence. If you are confident, you boast. If you are confident, you are bold.
So here you find Paul said, “I boast of my weaknesses.” Why? Because when I am weak, then I am strong. In other words, I am weak, but He is strong, and He is strengthening me. I can do all things through Him who empowers me.
Paul’s confidence came through learning, through the lessons of the cross. It is the cross that gives us confidence.
Do not think the cross is negative. Oftentimes we hear the message of the cross, and it gives a kind of negative feeling: the cross cutting off, reducing everything to zero, subtracting and subtracting. It seems to be very negative.
But no, the cross has two sides. On one side it is negative: it reduces and subtracts. Yes. But it also brings us into the positive confidence that is in God.
The worst thing that can happen to a Christian is when he loses his confidence. In other words, you look out and say, “It is impossible. It cannot be. It will not happen.”
You remember the children of Israel in the wilderness. They lost their confidence in God. They thought God could never bring them into the promised land. It was just impossible.
Because they lost their confidence, they wandered in the wilderness and died in the wilderness. That is the worst thing that can happen to Christians. We need confidence, but our confidence comes from above—not in ourselves, but in God.
In the same letter to the Hebrews, turn to Hebrews 3:6:
But Christ as a Son over His house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end.
In some versions, such as the Authorized Version, you will find the word “boldness” rendered as “confidence,” because it is the same word. If indeed we hold fast the confidence and the boast of hope firm to the end.
Then Hebrews 3:14:
For we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end.
In some versions, you find the word “assurance” rendered as “confidence.” It is the same word. If we hold the beginning of the assurance firm to the end.
When our vision is fresh—that is, when the vision of Christ is fresh—we have that confidence in us. But when the vision is dimmed, we begin to lose our confidence. We begin to wonder whether that vision will ever become true, whether the promise of God will ever be fulfilled, and whether what God has called us into will ever become our vocation.
But if we keep that confidence firm to the end, you know what happens: we are the house of God. We become companions of Christ.
The house of God is God’s calling, but you are not the house of God in reality if you lose your confidence. In the book of Hebrews, you will find the word if many times. Hebrews is a book of exhortation; therefore, it is a book of warning.
So far as God is concerned, there is no “if.” So far as the truth in Christ is concerned, there is no “if.” But when you come down to our experience—our subjective experience—then it is full of “if.”
When it is a matter of our Christian position, there is no “if,” because Christ has provided everything for us. It is finished. But when you come to the matter of Christian condition, then it is full of “if.”
So here you find the “if” is there. If we hold fast the confidence and the boasting of hope firm to the end, then we become the house of God. In other words, if we do not hold fast the confidence and hope to the end, then we miss out.
The same thing is true in Hebrews 3:14. We become companions of Christ. Think of that. What a privilege it is that we can be companions of Christ—life companions.
But there is the “if.” We have to hold fast the beginning of our confidence to the end. When we first saw the light, we had the confidence, but we have to hold fast that confidence to the end.
If we do not, we will miss the opportunity to become partakers of Christ, even His companions. If we hold fast the confidence without throwing it away, there will be great reward.
What is the reward? We have already mentioned it. Then we are truly the house of God. He is the Son over His house, and we are truly the companions of Christ. This is not only true when we think of the future; it is true even today.
So do not cast away that confidence.
For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise.
Oh, that we may endure, do the will of God, and receive the promise.
Then thirdly, Hebrews 10:38-39:
But My righteous one shall live by faith:
And if he shrink back, My soul hath no pleasure in him.
But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition, but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.
I think we are all familiar with that quotation: “The just shall live by faith.” It is from the minor prophet Habakkuk. The just shall live by faith.
We are justified by faith—that is Romans. But this is not the emphasis here in the book of Hebrews. We know that “the just shall live by faith” is quoted three times in the New Testament, and it is explained three times.
Once it is explained in Romans, and the emphasis is justification by faith. Once it is explained in Galatians, and the emphasis is what faith is. Once it is explained in Hebrews, and the emphasis is live.
There are three different emphases. Romans is the just justified by faith. Galatians is faith—what faith is. Hebrews is live. How does the just live? The just live by faith.
In the original quotation, it can be translated, “My righteous one shall live by faith.” My righteous one. So it does not refer to the initial justification by faith, as we find in Romans.
What is mentioned here is living by faith, not being justified by faith. We have already been justified by faith. Now live by faith from now on.
“My righteous one”—that is, those whom I have justified—how should they live? Live by faith. Do not live by sight, but live by faith. That is what Christian life is.
If you still live by sight, you will be bound. But that is not what God has ordained for you to live, because you are supposed to live by faith.
What is living by faith? Seeing the invisible. Living by sight is seeing the visible. Living by faith is seeing the invisible. That is how you are to live.
Brothers and sisters, as we are coming to the end of this age, what is visible becomes more and more disturbing and disheartening. The more you look at what you can see, the more you will think it is hopeless.
But we are not supposed to look at this. We ought to see the One who is invisible, who has not changed. That is the secret of Moses.
You find in the following chapter the heroes of faith—the hall of faith. What is described there all pertains to this matter of living by faith.
Moses had Egypt in his hand. He had the possibility of becoming the Pharaoh of Egypt. All the riches of Egypt were, almost we can say, in his hands. But he despised the riches of Egypt. He would rather take upon himself the reproach of Christ and suffer with God’s people.
Why? The Bible says that he saw the One who is invisible. He saw the One unseen. That is faith.
Faith—what is faith? If you read Hebrews 11:1:
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.
I like this translation because it is close to the original: faith is the substantiating of things hoped for. Things hoped for are things in the future, unseen and invisible as yet.
Now, not because they are unseen, in the future, and invisible, are they unreal. No. We think that whatever is invisible is not real, but no, it is real. Actually, it is much more real.
But it is unseen. How can the unseen be seen? How can you bring the future into the present so that it may become a strength to you? Faith.
Faith substantiates. Faith brings that substance to you: that which is in the future into the present, and that which is unseen to be seen. That is what faith is. That is how faith works—the work of faith.
We are supposed to live by faith. The just shall live by faith, not by sight. But unfortunately, you find many believers today live by sight. They look around, and their hearts sink. They look at themselves, and they sink. They look at one another, and they sink.
It is sight. We live by sight. When we see a certain situation, we live by sight. Where is the hope in that?
Now, what is our faith? It is explained in Hebrews 11:6:
And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto Him;
For he that cometh to God must believe that He is,
And that He is a rewarder of them that seek after Him.
That is the faith He is talking about. It is not the initial faith. It is the faith by which we live. He that draws near to God must believe that God is.
Unfortunately, because it does not look like good English, you find translators render it, “He that draws near to God must believe that there is a God.” But you believed that there is a God long ago. Because you believe there is a God, you draw near to Him.
If you do not believe there is a God, you draw near to nothing. So you believe that there is a God, and you draw near to Him. But when you draw near to Him, you must believe—believe what? Believe that He is.
That is in the third person. But if you translate it into the first person, what is it? You must believe that I AM. God is the I AM.
You must believe that He is the all-sufficient One. He is El Shaddai. You remember, God revealed Himself to Abraham and told him, “Walk before Me, and be thou perfect.” Why? Because “I am God Almighty.” He is the all-sufficient God.
We must believe that He is. He is the great I AM. And we must also believe that He rewards those who seek after Him. He is the great Rewarder.
He is not only the great Giver; He is also the great Rewarder. He gives to us, and He rewards us if we believe in Him. This is what faith is all about.
Brothers and sisters, in our time, we need faith. We need to draw near to God, believing that God is and that He is the Rewarder of all those who seek after Him.
If we do, then we will be able to leave behind whatever is visible or can be shaken and let it go. We will press on toward the goal.
Thank God, it is said, “For yet a very little while, He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry.”
You know, when the night comes, and it is after midnight and drawing close to dawn, that is the most difficult time to stay awake.
But just a little while, and He that comes will come and will not delay. Brothers and sisters, we know He is coming.
It is just a little while. During that little while, it is the most difficult time. Whether we will make it or whether we will break is determined within that very short time.
Thank God, the writer of Hebrews says, “If he draw back, My soul hath no pleasure in him.” In other words, the Lord does not want us to draw back. He wants us to go on.
The writer of Hebrews says, “But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition, but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.”
What is mentioned here is the saving of the soul. The perdition here does not refer to eternal perdition. The whole book of Hebrews does not deal with eternal life or eternal death.
That is the problem when people try to explain Hebrews. They fall into the trap because they think Hebrews speaks of eternal life and eternal death. They say, “You are saved, and then you can become unsaved. You can go back to perdition.”
But perdition here does not refer to eternal perdition. The perdition here refers to the kingdom age.
So the salvation here is not the salvation of the spirit—to be born again. It is the salvation of the soul: to be transformed and conformed to the image of God. That is the salvation of the soul, and that is what is mentioned here.
So, dear brothers and sisters, may we be those who do not draw back. Because if we draw back, we will lose the kingdom.
During the kingdom time, we cannot enjoy life. It is like perdition; we cannot enjoy life.
But if we follow the Lord, follow the vision, and remain faithful to the end, what will happen? We will come to the saving of the soul. We will be transformed and conformed to His image. We will arrive at sonship. We will reign and rule with Him for a thousand years. That is the promise.
Brothers and sisters, I do believe that when the Hebrew believers received that letter, how they were exhorted and encouraged.
Then, when the event of AD 70 came and that catastrophe fell, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. The Jews lost their faith; they lost everything.
But those Hebrew believers, instead of being disheartened and downhearted, realized that God used the environment to deliver them out of the bondage of Judaism, that they could enter with full assurance into the purity of Christ.
What an encouragement that must have been. Brothers and sisters, may it be so with us today.
Let us pray.
Dear heavenly Father, we do praise and thank Thee because Thou dost always exhort us, encourage us, and warn us. We do praise and thank Thee for Thy word.
We ask Thee, O Lord, that Thou wilt enable us by Thy Spirit to recall those early days, when we received the light, when we saw Thee, when we were given that revelation of Thy secrets and Thy mystery.
Our Father, we do praise and thank Thee that by Thy grace we were able to endure and to suffer, and to consider that as nothing—that it is worthwhile to suffer for Thee and for Thy kingdom.
But, our Father, we do acknowledge that we are in danger of gradually losing our vision and gradually being controlled by the things that we see.
Lord, we pray that we may not lose our confidence in Thee; that we may, by faith, see Thee who art unseen; that we may believe that Thou art the great I AM, the Rewarder of all those who seek Thee.
We pray that by Thy grace we may press on and come to that saving of the soul. O Lord, we commit ourselves to Thee afresh this morning, and ask Thee to carry us on through to the very end, that Thy name may be glorified.
We ask in Thy precious name. Amen.