Oh, Lord Jesus. Lord, thank You for the bread—Your life broken for us, Your body broken for us, and Your life flowing out from You to us.
Oh, Lord Jesus, we are weak. We need You every day, every moment, that we may take Your life into us and, by Your life, live.
Lord, empower us not only to walk today, facing the problems on earth that make us fall seven times or more, but You raise us up, Lord, even more. We rely on Your life to do Your work here on earth. Build us up, that we may have a strong testimony for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
This morning, I would like to share on the theme, “Heirs of a Salvation Too Great to Neglect.” Let us first read some verses.
But of which of the angels hath He said at any time,
Sit thou on My right hand,
Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet?Are they not all ministering spirits,
Sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?
And king David said, Call to me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.
And the king said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:
And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, Long live king Solomon.
Then ye shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so too.
As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, even so be He with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.
So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.
And Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, Long live king Solomon.
And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
Amen. That is our Scripture reading, and we may read a few more passages as we go along.
Thank the Lord. Last week, Brother Steve shared on inheriting kingship. We did not speak beforehand. The topics are related, but we see how the Lord arranged this time: my theme today is related to inheriting kingship, but from a different aspect. I do not think there is overlap or contradiction between our fellowships.
At the end of Hebrews 1, there are two questions. We can say they are rhetorical questions, but since they are written in the Bible, these are divine questions.
In general, a rhetorical question is posed as a question, but it asserts a statement. It makes an assertion. It can be used for emphasis or proof. Since these questions are written in the Bible, they can shed great light for us.
The phrase, “Sit thou on My right hand,” is quoted from Psalm 110. In Matthew, Jesus conversed with the Pharisees. They asked Him many questions, trying to corner Him and make Him stumble in His own words, but they could not.
Then Jesus asked them a question: “What think ye of the Christ? Whose son is He?” They answered, “The son of David.” Then Jesus asked, “How then doth David in the Spirit call Him Lord?” This is a rhetorical question.
There was an accepted convention: the older did not call the younger “Lord,” because the younger was subordinate to the older. Yet David, in the Spirit, called the Messiah—whom they said was the son of David—“Lord.” They could not answer.
What does that rhetorical question prove? The Pharisees looked only outwardly. They did not look at Christ from the spiritual view. Spiritually, Christ was before David. Christ is God Himself, eternally before David and eternally more powerful than David. Of course David had to call Him Lord.
Psalm 110 says, “The Lord saith unto my Lord.” God the Father says to God the Son, Jesus, “Sit thou on My right hand.” Those are the parties involved there.
The first question in Hebrews is: “Of which of the angels hath He said at any time?” When we read that question, it demands that we search the Scriptures: To which angel? To which one?
The answer, of course, is none—to no angel. The assertion is that God never said to any angel, “Sit thou on My right hand.” By contrast, God said this to Jesus the Son.
This is written in Matthew 22, and also in Acts 2. David did not ascend into the heavens, but he said:
The Lord said unto my Lord,
Sit thou on My right hand.
Jesus ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. Indeed, in reality, Jesus is the One sitting on the throne right now. We thank the Lord for that.
The second question is: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?”
The Hebrew believers had a Jewish background. When reading this verse, they would recognize that angels are ministering spirits. To minister means to serve, to wait on, and to attend to needs—usually the needs of those who are weak, elderly, sick, or very young.
They may have remembered Psalm 104:
Who maketh His angels winds;
His ministers a flaming fire.
They may also have remembered Elijah. He could not fly; he had no wings. He needed angels to transport him to heaven in chariots of fire. They were ministering spirits, flames of fire, and they took him to heaven.
The answer to the question is yes: angels are ministering spirits. Therefore, there was no justification for any Hebrew believer to worship angels. Angels are servants.
The second part of Hebrews 1:14 says, “for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation.” Last week, Brother Steve touched a little on heirs. It is very precious, and I would like to share along the same line.
In a narrow definition, an heir is one written in a will by someone else—the testator—who will pass his estate to the one named in the will. When the testator dies, the will takes effect and the estate passes to the heir.
That is the strict or legal definition of an heir. But the word can be broadened to mean anyone who inherits or receives anything.
In the Bible, God is the Testator. He made a testament, as we see in Hebrews. God cannot die, but Jesus died vicariously; therefore, the testament became effective. Otherwise, a testament has no force while the one who made it is still alive.
What does it mean to be heirs of salvation? In general, we understand it as receiving salvation. Once we believe in the Lord, we receive salvation; we are saved. This is very precious.
But it can also mean that salvation is the source or origin of our heirship. We were formerly enemies of God and fallen people. How could we attain to heirship? It is because of salvation.
It can also describe our character. One day, when angels or others see us inheriting, they may say, “These people are heirs of salvation,” because they received and experienced salvation.
It is like the phrase in Colossians, “sons of disobedience.” It describes and characterizes those we formerly were. But now, after receiving the Lord, we are heirs of salvation. Praise the Lord for that.
How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? I want to connect “heirs of salvation” with “so great a salvation.”
There is a hymn by A. B. Simpson that says, “Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord.” Sadly, I may have remained in only the beginning stages of salvation for a long time. But salvation can save us to the uttermost—not merely to the beginning, not merely so that we believe and go to heaven someday.
What is full salvation? May the Lord show us. Let us consider 2 Timothy 2:10. Salvation entails eternal glory.
Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Salvation comes with eternal glory. Paul also wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17:
For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory.
One passage says “eternal glory,” and the other says “an eternal weight of glory.” That little word with means that eternal glory is attached to salvation. We cannot waive it.
The Lord’s salvation is not like a lifeguard saving someone who is drowning in the ocean, after which the person simply says, “Thank you,” and goes on his way. The Lord paid a great price not merely to save us from eternal fire. Salvation does not stop there.
He paid a great price so that He could save us unto eternal glory. What is the weight of glory? Weight adds emphasis. Something that has weight has substance; it has mass.
“Eternal glory” describes its duration: we will enjoy glory eternally. “Eternal weight of glory” also speaks of its quality: its substance is eternal and infinite. Infinite in substance and eternal in time—that is what is attached to salvation.
How could Paul call his affliction light and momentary? The apostle endured chains, prison, shipwrecks, beatings, and stonings. Today, we may endure many afflictions: illness, rejection, difficulty finding employment, waiting for answered prayer, or mistreatment by family and others.
These things can be very disappointing. Yet Paul calls affliction light and short because he measures it against eternity. When measured against eternity, it seems like nothing.
Those who enjoy mathematics can think of a fraction. One divided by two is 0.5; one divided by four is 0.25; one divided by one hundred becomes smaller still. As the denominator becomes larger, the fraction becomes smaller.
Even if we endured one hundred years of affliction, what would that be when measured against eternity? When the denominator goes toward eternity, the fraction approaches zero. That is the idea.
A brother past ninety was told, “May you live to be one hundred.” He said, “Even if you wish me to live to be two hundred, what is that compared with infinite eternity?” That is the idea.
When we have the vision of eternal glory before us, we can see today’s afflictions as light, short, and temporal. More than that, afflictions work for us. Something divine is going on.
Of course, we must endure in the Spirit. If we merely suffer in vain and complain in the flesh, then the affliction is not working. But if we abide in the Spirit and endure with the Lord, it produces something: a more exceeding, eternal weight of glory.
Consider the grace involved: a small input for an infinite output. Is one hundred years of suffering enough to purchase eternal glory? No. It is entirely the Lord’s grace.
Today, we may suffer shame or a little persecution in America, though not necessarily physical persecution. Family, work, or others may mistreat us. What is that compared to an eternal weight of glory? How great a salvation it is. Thank the Lord.
Heirs begin very young. They begin vulnerable, like infants. Paul calls an heir a child. We need time to grow, and God knows this. He places people around us and sends His servants, including angels, to help us.
The Old Testament portrays servants protecting heirs in the procession of enthronement. Before considering enthronement, we should note that servants serve heirs, and heirs who begin young need protection because they are very vulnerable.
Let us look at Abraham in Genesis. Abraham’s servant served the proper heir. First, we must establish who the heir was.
The Lord spoke with Abram and promised him a great reward. Abram replied, “What wilt Thou give me, seeing I go childless?” He pointed to Eliezer of Damascus, one of his household, as the only possible heir.
But the Lord said that Eliezer was not the heir. Later Abraham begot Ishmael, but Ishmael was not the heir either. The one who came from Abraham’s own body, Isaac, was the heir.
After Sarah died, Abraham took Keturah as a wife and had more sons. But none of them were heirs. There was only Isaac. Genesis says that Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. Isaac was the heir.
When Isaac grew up and needed a wife, Abraham appointed his old servant to serve Isaac. The servant went to Abraham’s homeland to find a wife for Isaac. He met the family, gave gifts, recounted the matter, and did much—all for the purpose of serving Isaac, the heir, and finding Rebekah for him.
The servant then accompanied Rebekah, making sure she came home to Isaac. This story aligns with God’s heart: ministering spirits serve heirs. We are the heirs, and the Lord appoints and commissions servants—angels and people—to minister to us.
Servants protect vulnerable heirs from threats. Isaac needed protection. After he was weaned, Ishmael mocked him. Galatians explains the spiritual reality:
He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit.
Ishmael typifies the flesh persecuting Isaac, who typifies the Spirit. Abraham sent Ishmael away, and he also sent away the sons of Keturah, giving them gifts. Isaac alone received the inheritance.
There is a great need to protect heirs. The heir is named to receive everything, and others may be jealous. It can become a crab mentality: “If I do not get it, you will not get it either.”
Spiritually, angels look into what we are about to receive. Whether this refers to good or evil angels, we cannot say for certain. But the enemy, the devils, may see what we are to inherit and seek to prevent us from inheriting.
They constantly seek to remove us from heirship, whether through physical danger, spiritual attack, or mental disturbance. The enemy tries to keep us from inheriting.
There is another story in 2 Kings. Ahaziah, king of Judah, died. His mother, Athaliah, seized power and reigned over the land. She was evil, and she killed the royal family so that none could become king.
But Ahaziah’s sister took the king’s baby son, Joash, and hid him in the temple for six years. This is a picture of protection. He was the only heir left, the one appointed to inherit the throne.
Jehoiada the priest arranged a plan to overthrow Athaliah. He anointed Joash, brought guards to the temple, and the people shouted, “Long live the king!” Athaliah saw the commotion and cried, “Treason! Treason!” She was taken outside the temple and killed, and Joash was set on the throne.
Joash was only seven years old when he began to reign. Jehoiada mentored him, built him up, and taught him the Lord’s law. Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. We see literally, as well as spiritually, that an heir needs protection, building up, and mentoring.
The highest point for an heir is enthronement. Servants escort the heir in the enthronement procession.
A procession is a formal, ceremonial gathering in which a group of people travels together from one place to another. An enthronement procession is such a gathering for the installation of a king.
In 1 Kings, Solomon rode upon David’s mule. David’s servants accompanied him: Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the military commander, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and many other servants. They went to Gihon and anointed Solomon there.
It was a festive event, with music, rejoicing, and trumpet blasts. It was a fanfare and an acclamation announcing that Solomon was king.
Earlier, Adonijah had his own plan. He thought he would become king, but he did not succeed. David said, “Solomon shall sit on my throne in my stead,” and Solomon did. The military commanders and guards accompanied him to protect him at his enthronement.
I also appreciate the detail that Solomon rode on a mule. A mule is bred to serve; it is a hybrid of a horse and a donkey. The two animals can suggest two groups of people: Jews and Gentiles.
Solomon, the son of David, typifies Christ. His riding upon the mule signifies authority. The mule submits to the rider in obedience and submission. It is a picture of kingship, royalty, and people submitting to Him.
The passage says that the earth rent with the sound of the people piping and rejoicing. The repeated expressions—“piped with pipes” and “rejoiced with great joy”—intensify the scene of music and joy.
I was puzzled by the statement that the earth rent. Some say this is merely an idiom or an exaggeration, but we should read the Bible carefully. The word is the same word used in connection with Korah’s rebellion, when the earth split open.
I considered resonance: when a soprano sings at a frequency matching that of a glass, the vibration escalates and the glass shatters. But no human sound could split the earth in this way. I also considered the trumpet blast—a strong thrusting sound—and whether there was something like a sonic boom. Still, no human could have made or survived such a sound.
So I prayed and concluded that there must be spiritual significance. It was a divine work. Whether the Lord Himself did it or sent an angel does not matter; it was the Lord’s doing. Heaven came down.
Heaven is the realm of ultimate authority. Earth has its authorities, kingdoms, and principalities, but when heaven comes down, it shatters earthly authority. This gives us a picture of the Lord Jesus coming down. Another time, Lord willing, we may consider this further.
The New Testament portrays angels as ministering servants who guide, protect, and effectuate salvation for heirs.
Each heir has an angel who guides and protects. We are all believers. Do you have an angel? Do I have an angel? Does each believer individually have an angel?
Matthew 18:10 says:
See that ye despise not one of these little ones;
For I say unto you, that in heaven their angels
Do always behold the face of My Father who is in heaven.
The grammatical pattern is significant. It says, “one of these little ones,” referring to an individual, and then “their angels.” This is not simply a collective expression. It indicates a one-to-one relationship. Each one has an angel.
This is supported in Acts. When Peter was released from prison by an angel and came to the house, those inside said, “It is his angel.” The Bible records an individual angel.
We should not dwell excessively on angels themselves. We know they are there, but we should focus on the heart of the Lord in appointing angels to minister to us as heirs.
First, there is protection. We need much protection. In Acts 5, the apostles were thrown into prison, but an angel brought them out, and they went back to the temple and continued preaching. The same was true of Peter.
Human servants of God and angels effectuate salvation through guidance and chastisement. I use the word effectuate carefully. Angels and servants are not salvation itself; they help us experience the Lord’s salvation.
We begin as spiritual infants. Galatians says that an heir, so long as he is a child, is like an infant—one who is still unable to speak. At that stage, an infant needs teaching, guidance, and care.
The Lord arranges people—apostles, prophets, and teachers—to minister to us, teach us, help us, and protect us. But although salvation has been accomplished, we still have the free will either to experience it or to neglect it.
Some say that by the time of the New Jerusalem we will all be the same and all be kings. But what is one thousand years compared to a few days or years? A thousand years of reigning with Christ is still a long time. Let us not lose that reward.
When our spiritual life is small, our soul life and flesh tend to be large. Therefore, there is a need for chastisement.
We should view chastisement positively. Hebrews connects it with sonship:
For what son is there whom his father chasteneth not?
Proverbs also says that the Lord chastens those whom He loves. Chastisement may include suffering, but the Lord allows it with the purpose of restoring us, correcting us, and bringing us back to Him.
Brother Nee shared an experience from before he came out to serve the Lord. The Lord spoke to his heart, telling him to go and speak to an older sister and be rebuked by her. He struggled: “Lord, I do not want to go and be scolded and rebuked by that sister.”
Nevertheless, he went. The older sister saw him, called him by his nickname, and rebuked him severely and, apparently, unreasonably. It caused him much affliction in his heart. Yet, even when young, he knew that he needed to learn spiritual lessons.
Later, when the Lord called him to serve in the church, he realized that the scolding and rebuking had been beneficial and helpful in preparing him for service.
The Lord also uses angels in chastisement. David sinned by numbering the people. The Lord sent an angel to bring pestilence, and seventy thousand people died. As the angel was about to continue, the Lord said, “It is enough.”
What was the effect? David repented bitterly. He said, “I have sinned: but these sheep, what have they done?” His heart was torn. He repented and was restored.
There is also the example of a sister who wanted to learn a certain kind of dance. Dance itself can be harmless, even exercise, but this particular dance was not altogether holy. She loved the Lord, but the flesh had overtaken her desire.
One day, as she was putting on high-heeled shoes, her ankle bent inward and was sprained. She had worn such shoes many times without a problem, but that day she knew it was the Lord’s chastisement. It may have been that the Lord’s angel touched her, as Jacob’s thigh was touched.
She cried and cried. The effect was that she gave up her desire to learn that dance and was restored to good fellowship with the Lord.
Believers are saved to be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ in the hope of eternal life. Brother Steve read this last week, but our fellowship is not contradictory; it goes together.
Romans 8:17 says:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.
Young’s Literal Translation brings out the phrase, “on the one hand heirs of God, and on the other hand joint-heirs with Christ.” Paul was a Roman citizen, and Roman law recognized joint heirship.
What is joint heirship? Suppose a man has a vineyard and ten sons. He could name all ten sons as heirs. When he dies, all ten own the vineyard with an undivided interest. Yet disputes may arise: “You planted that part. I want this area. I want that part.”
But suppose the man makes the firstborn the heir, and the other nine joint-heirs with the firstborn. All ten can still enjoy the vineyard, but if disputes arise, the firstborn can resolve them. The inheritance flows from the firstborn.
That is the thought of joint heirship. On the one hand, we are heirs of God; on the other hand, we are joint-heirs with Christ. Christ is the Firstborn, and our heirship comes through our relationship with Him.
This relationship is redemptive. He paid a precious price with His precious blood to purchase us. That is how we can become joint-heirs with Him.
Titus also connects salvation with heirs:
He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
That, being justified by His grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
This is a great deal. Salvation includes washing. Washing means the removal of dirt, the removal of what is unwanted, and the elimination of unwanted things.
What is regeneration? The word means a new genesis, a new beginning, or a coming into being. The old must go, and the new comes in.
Matthew begins, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ.” The word translated “generation” is related to genesis. From Adam to Christ was the fallen age, but with Christ there came another, a new genesis—the genesis of Jesus Christ.
What terminated the old Adamic order and brought in the new genesis? It was the cross. Thank the Lord. When Christ died on the cross, He terminated all the old. When He resurrected, He brought in the new creation.
The washing of regeneration is the washing we experience through the dealings of the cross. Brother Sparks said that the cross is the best cleansing instrument. The blood washes away our sins, but the cross can wash away all the old Adamic order: rebellion, the devil, death, and sin.
Then there is the renewing of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the indwelling Spirit. He lives in us, and we may have constant fellowship with the Lord.
But as we work and live on earth, dealing with people, friends, and family, we may become distracted and forget the Lord. Then we need renewing. We were in the Spirit and in fellowship with the Lord, but we became distracted and fell out of that fellowship. The Holy Spirit renews us and brings us back into fellowship with God.
The purpose is clear: “that we might be made heirs.” God saves us for that purpose.
Does God need heirs? Abraham’s heart expresses something of the Father’s heart. Abraham said, in effect, “I have no heir. You give me all these things, but I have no heir.” He desired an heir to whom he could pass on his riches.
God the Father already has the Heir, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1 says that God appointed Him heir of all things. Yet God desires many more heirs. In Romans, we are children and joint-heirs with Christ.
It is as though God the Father would not be satisfied with only one Firstborn Heir. He desires many, many sons to be joint-heirs with His Son, Jesus.
According to the hope of eternal life, we can be encouraged in today’s afflictions. This hope is not an uncertain wish. It is a confident expectation that we will receive what God has promised.
When we endure affliction today, we can say, “Lord, today I am going through a little suffering, but my direction is eternal glory. My direction is an eternal weight of glory—to be heirs with Christ, ruling and reigning with Him forever and ever.”
I pray that these different passages, considered together, give us a small picture of heirs of salvation and show us why we should not neglect so great a salvation.
Oh, Lord Jesus, I praise You and give You honor and glory, for You are the One sitting on the throne at the right hand of the Majesty, with all power.
We can rest in peace because You are in full control. Though we encounter a little suffering here on earth—persecution, mistreatment from others, illness, or waiting upon You—we can rest and trust that universal power and authority have been given to You.
Oh, Lord, You are also the One who saved us. This salvation is so great. Through Your Word, we pray that we may all be encouraged to go on.
Just like the Hebrews, when they faced persecution, they wanted to draw back. But, Lord, let us not go backward. Let us press on with the confident expectation of eternal life which You promised.
Lord, help us also to endure by Your grace when there is a little chastisement. We are fallen people, and we need to repent. When things happen because of our own fault, You still love us, chasten us, and make us Your sons and heirs.
So we thank You in Jesus’ name. Amen.