The 11 directives and the cloud of witness... Daniel? and Hebrews 12

 “Listen up: this is better” -- A study on the Bible book of Hebrews

A 13-week series given in 2020

To watch this given live click this YouTube link:  

Lesson Twelve: The commands to follow

Shalom to each of you here on the Zoom call and those who will watch this class lecture on YouTube later. I hope you will feel welcome and when this section ends in about 25 minutes, that you will be a participant in the rest of the questions and discussion time. This letter to messianic Jews was written before the destruction of the Temple in AD 70.  Today we study chapter 12, and if you haven’t yet read it, please, those of you on YouTube, pause the playback, read the chapter, and then press play again to re-join us. Thanks.

Our overarching themes in the reading and understanding of this letter have been twofold: 1) to listen up, that is, to listen to the word of the Lord, really hearing what God has to say, over against what everyone else might say. And our second theme is “This is better.” The author has made it clear time and time again that because Yeshua and what he designed and made is better than anything anyone else has on offer, we should listen to him and acknowledge the betterness of his realities.

 Last week we looked at historical celebrities whose roles were significant in their days, and who are being called, almost to a witness stand, to help the messianic Jews in the First Century, and dare I say, those of us 2 millennia later, to be encouraged to stay the course. 

Today we see 11 more directives from the author to the Jewish recipients of the letter. I list them here and we will unpack those in a moment.

1)     Let us lay aside entanglements and sins (a soft commandment including the author)

2)     Let us run with endurance (another soft one)

3)     Consider Yeshua who endured

4)     Strengthen the hands/ knees [Bring others along]

5)     Pursue peace with all people [Compare modern argumentativeness in conversations about politics and/ or sport]

6)     Pursue sanctification [sounds individual]

7)     See to it that no one comes short [bring others along]

8)     No root of bitterness [between saints]

9)     See to it that no godless “Esau-type” person remains in your community

10)  See to it that you don’t refuse me who is speaking (again the audible is highlighted)

11)  Let us show gratitude (the final soft command)

Proverbs 10 says, “The wise of heart will receive commands,” and the author is hoping that the messianic Jews will be similarly teachable.

Verse one tells us we should do something ‘since we are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses.’ Those 19 people we mentioned last week (if you didn’t hear or read the lesson, please check the link here:  https://bit.ly/HebrewsVideos ) are described as a cloud. I find that term very helpful in my understanding both of the departure and the return of Yeshua. 

Remember the prophet Daniel said that he saw a dream or a vision while he was lying down one night. (Chapter 7) There were four great beasts that came one-by-one, but they were not the main attraction. He kept looking and in verse 9 we read,

“I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were a burning fire. river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, and the books were opened.” (Dan. 7.9-10)

 

What a tremendous scene of biblical proportions, that showcase the Almighty, nicknamed here “The Ancient of Days.” But wait, there’s more. 

“I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him and to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.” (Dan 7.13-14)

I believe this scene took place after Yeshua was killed and rose again. This momentous scene of victory reminds me of an Olympic ceremony. The winner of the decathlon or the ski jump, the equestrian or any sport ascends to the platform and the accolades begin. The crowd cheers; the national anthem is played; every eye is focused on the #1. The winner is in view. So, it is in Daniel’s vision. The Son of Man ascends to the Ancient of Days with the clouds of heaven (v. 13) and the Father presents him with dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that all the people may notice and serve him forever. This is longer than any Olympic ceremony as it lasts into eternity. 

This “Son of Man” with “Clouds” is spoken by Yeshua and recorded in each synoptic Gospel (Matt. 24:30, Mark 13.26, Luke 21.27)

Of interest to me in this scene of Daniel and in this verse 1 of Hebrews 12 is the use of the term “cloud.” Compare that with Acts chapter 1 and you will see why I pause. There, in Luke’s account we read “And after He had said these things, Yeshua was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. (Acts 1.9) 

The ascension into heaven which followed the death and resurrection of our Messiah was accompanied by a cloud. Just a bit of meteorology you wonder? Not at all. The cloud in Acts 1 is the same as in Daniel 7, and here. The cloud is the saints of the Older Testament who went up with Yeshua having waited since their own days for the substance of the Son of Man to make the way. They had died in faith, awaiting that day, and after He took the keys of death and hell from the Devil, he opened the way, once for all. Thus, the long list of 19 from Hebrews 11, the saints of the Older Testament, were the cloud in which our Messiah rode and rose. Victory won. Saints welcomed. 

Now which team are you on?

By the way, remember we read that the angels told the disciples there in chapter one of Acts, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Acts 1.11 Does that mean saints will accompany Yeshua when he returns to establish his kingdom? You betcha! Look at Revelation chapter 1: “BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So, it is to be. Amen.” (Revelation 1.7, 1 Thessalonians. 4.17)

In other words, the accompanying clouds in the ascension are duplicated in the return. The clouds are people; and specifically, the clouds are the believers. Obviously not every reference in the Bible to clouds are people, but don’t miss when the reference is clear. 

So now, the cloud of witnesses are cheering us on, they are there for a major reason. To help us both in identification with other Jews from the past, and as colleagues who have fought the good fight. They are Jewish believers in the Hope of Israel, Messiah Yeshua. And they made it, thus, SO CAN WE! It’s the cloud of encouragement.

We are called to follow Yeshua, and to be joined in this army, this Hall of Faith, this comradery of fellowship. We can endure to the end. Remember Yeshua taught “he that endures to the end will be saved.” (Matt. 10.22, 24.12) That could be read as a dangling wish list, but I read it as an encouragement—he that trusts the Lord and believes will endure to the end. Remember those elementary principles, those opening lessons (Heb. 6.1-2) starts with repentance and faith and includes eternal judgment. We don’t need to fear; we belong to the Lord!

One final item about this cloud. They are not really watching us from heaven. Their testimony is that they are a cloud of witnesses. That’s the Greek word transliterated as ‘martyr.’ In other words, they made it to the end. They died in faith. They died for the faith. Their death and their faith speak loudly to us to keep on keeping on, and thus we shall do.

Now I return to the 11 directives of chapter 12.

1)     Let us lay aside entanglements and sins (a soft commandment including the author)

A runner trains and you might see this at the Fitness First or other places. Using heavy weights, we exercise and push ourselves to a limit and then one more. I think of the baseball season, which is ending in the US just now, with four teams left, vying for a chance to be in the World Series. When a batsman warms up in the ‘on-deck’ circle, he will usually use extra weights on his bat, or even an extra bat. Then when he enters the batter’s box, he only takes his one bat with him. He is able to swing it faster and stronger, due to his warm-up. That’s how I see the author’s use of letting go of stuff that might have been useful previously. But now we are told to let go of two things. Entanglements and sins. 

Not everything which is a distraction is a sin, but it also must be let go if we are to go on in the Lord. I remember Moishe Rosen used to say that we often do the good instead of the best, as it doesn’t cost us as much. That may be what the author has in mind. 

Laying aside sins—that’s another and a clearer story. Sins trip us up. You see that in the story of Cain and Abel. God even warned Cain, “And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” (Gen. 4.7)

Sin, seen as biting at our heels, is destined to trip us up. God says to lay it aside. Walk away. Surrender to the Lord. More on that later.

This sin, (singular) however is one thing. Unbelief. Not listening to the Lord. And not complying. 

2)     Let us run with endurance (another soft one)

Here again we have an Olympic scene. A runner in the marathon, or even here in City to Surf, has to compete well. And it’s not only the sprint, in fact, the sprint is not in view at all here. It’s the long-distance run which the author highlights. Why? Because the messianic life is about staying the course and finishing well. Hence the phrase in verse 2, that Yeshua is the instigator, the author, the alpha, the aleph… AND… he’s the perfecter, the finisher, the omega, the TAV of our faith. This is the long-haul. This is not a propeller flight from Sydney to Newcastle. This is the long haul from Sydney to Houston, 17 hours in the air, until you arrive. It feels interminable, but it will reach the end, and you will be declared the winner, along with the rest of your teammates and colleagues in ministry. Amen?

Running with endurance means continuity, until the job is done. The Latin word is sustentia, to sustain. I love that pedal on the piano which takes a note or chord and sustains it for as long as I hold my foot on the pedal. God is saying the finish line is up ahead, and you will get there, because of Yeshua, as he is the one who sustains us. 

How do we get there? By fixing our eyes on Yeshua. Not by striving after more mitzvot. Not by religious activity. Not by more prayers or more tithing or more singing. Not by rallying others to join us in our religion. The way to finish is to fix our eyes on the one who DID finish. 

I get asked with regularity how I’m able to still be here after nearly 50 years of walking with the Lord, and my answer is always similar—keep my eyes on Yeshua and his word. He’s the living Word. The Bible is the written word. Fix your eyes there. Keep your fingers in the pages of this book. His word will keep us. His life will keep us. He will keep us! 

3)     Consider Yeshua who endured

Next we are assigned the command to consider Yeshua. That’s what our mind gets to do in this life. Ponder. Reflect. Take time away from the newscasts. Don’t check your social media feed, perhaps even now, turn away. Consider means to think again and again. The Greek word is ‘analogizomai’ to cause to analyse the words, or the thing. That doesn’t happen in a moment; it takes extra time. Turn your eyes upon Yeshua and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.

The author reminds the reader to listen to the advice of the Proverbs (3.11-12) that a father who loves a child will discipline that child. And any child who does not experience such discipline may not be a natural child at all, but rather a bastard. 

In other words, if you are a member of the family, and you belong, you will experience pain and suffering and others will want to help you endure. We are not alone.

4)     Strengthen the hands/ knees [Bring others along]

This seems an odd phrase to use when we are talking about sin and collegiality. Unless you remember Job and his friends in their famous story. There in chapter 4, we read the words of Eliphaz the Temanite. 

 “If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient? but who can refrain from speaking? Behold you have admonished many, and you have strengthened weak hands. Your words have helped the tottering to stand, and you have strengthened feeble knees, but now it has come to you, and you are impatient; It touches you, and you are dismayed. Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?” (Job 4.1-8)

 

            Job’s friend tells us that what Job used to do was to encourage people, and he did it by sharing God’s word with them. That, Eliphaz says, was ‘strengthening weak hands and feeble knees.”

Thus, I see the author here telling us that we are to bring others along in this faith. Now, please, hear me well. That’s what I’m trying to do with this class. That’s what I’m trying to do with my staff. That’s what they are trying to do with those of you in the D-Groups, AND, buckle your seat belt, that’s what you are going to try to do with those in YOUR D-Groups. Learn, focus on Yeshua, take these things on board, and then turn and bring others along. Messianic Judaism is not a private or individual sport; it’s a team sport.  

5)     Pursue peace with all people [Compare modern argumentativeness in conversations about politics and/ or sport]

Pursue is not the same as seek. Seeking seems pretty useful when you have lost a coin or your mobile phone. But pursue is a stronger term and I think of those people who spend hours and days searching for a missing elder who has gone missing in the Blue Mountains or the child James O’Reilly who went missing for 12 hours in September south of Perth (https://www.facebook.com/9NewsSydney/videos/615925945760258). His wandering into the bush caused neighbours and police to pursue and eventually little Jimmy came home. That kind of pursuit or the police pursuing a White Bronco in June 1994, remind us that nothing should get in the way. It’s ‘all in’ for the pursuers. That’s the relentless demeanour the author wants for the saints reading this letter. 

Pursue peace… don’t give up. Don’t relax. Give it 100%. And what are we to pursue? Peace with all people. Not only those with whom we agree, but all people. Godly people and those who are not yet belonging to the Lord. Sounds like Paul who wrote in Romans 14, “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” (14.19)

Peace matters. Live it.

6)     Pursue sanctification [sounds individual]

For many people, peace and holiness are distinct and almost completely disjoint, but they flow from the author’s pen with ease. What links peace and sanctification? These objects of the verb to pursue are the result of something Yeshua has already done. They are not religious activities alone by individuals. 

Lane says it this way, “Within the community of faith, there is to be no separation of peace and holiness. If “peace” binds the community together as the achievement of Christ, “holiness” is that quality which identifies the community as the possession of Christ.”

Here’s another item to help us with ‘sanctification.’ 

Again, from Lane, “In koine Greek, nouns ending in -μος describe action. Consequently, it is commonly asserted that τὸν ἁγιασμόν, “the holiness,” in v 14b, as the direct object of the main verb διώκετε, “pursue,” expresses the process of sanctification, not the positional state or fact of sanctification”

God wants us to chase after him! That will get us to ‘see God’ as pure in heart. And we need to bring each other along, not in works of righteousness which we have done, but responding in love to the grace and mercy he extends to us in the beloved. What follow are commands:7, 8) and 9) See to it that no one comes short [bring others along], that no root of bitterness arises and that no godless person remains in the community. 

We find a clause used three times. Me tis, it is. Each of the μή τις clauses becomes progressively longer and more complex. These things we are to see in our personal and corporate D-Group life. By the way, the author didn’t know about computers and the sphere of influence would have been house congregations where these rules for life would have been read and manifest. 

So first, no one comes short. (command 7) That is, bring others along. Be submissive to each other. Listen to one another. As I said from Proverbs 10, be teachable, from one another. 

Secondly, (command 8) don’t let any root of bitterness [between saints] take hold. If you have something that annoys you about a brother, use Matthew 18:15 ff to describe for you your plan of action. That’s peace and holiness merged. 

Third in this section (command 9) is See to it that no godless “Esau-type” person remains in your community. This is a tough one. We want everyone to remain and participate. We don’t want to appear to be Holy Joe or Holy Joan. The phrase from Isaiah about being ‘holier than thou’ echoes at this point and we don’t want anyone to call us that. So to safeguard our gossamer reputation, we fail to confront sinners, even in our community. And yet, we have to guard the others from this “Esau-type” personae. 

Verse 17 reminds us that Esau was a phony in his apparent repentance. Real repentance changes the person; Esau merely had regrets about what he lost. 

Verses 18 to 24 remind us historically that we are not at Sinai any longer. This theme of the better mountain reflects the 2^nd theme of this letter. Verse 22 says we have come to the better mountain. Sinai had fear and gloom. Sinai caused people terror and separation from the Lord. But at the new mountain, the better one, we have angels and the City of God, actually the city of the Living God, which is better than a dead one. We have come to a roster of heavenly beings including those we just listed in the last chapter, and to God himself. Yes, we approached and arrived at God, Judge of all who has welcomed us! We have been accompanied by saints whose spirits are made perfect, to Yeshua, and to his blood, again reflecting an earlier Yom Kippur theme, speaks better than the blood of Abel. Why is it better? Abel’s blood spoke of revenge; the blood of Yeshua shouts mercy and grace.

10)  See to it that you don’t refuse the one who is speaking (again the audible is highlighted)

I love that the author again reminds us of the spoken word. The Lord who spoke in the Scripture, and who now has finally spoken his ultimate word (Heb. 1.1-3) has given me words to say and in the spirit of that conversation, I’m speaking with you (all). This chain-delivery system of divine information is useful to us listening in those days AND IN THESE DAYS. Don’t you agree?

The theme of “Listen up!” has significance. It’s not that everything we say matters, but when we are speaking God’s words to each other, we need to “sh’ma” for sure. 

Verse 25 also has another kal v’chomer phrasing, God didn’t let others escape who merely heard human words, now, buckle your seatbelt, this time it’s going to cost you more than before. Don’t refuse the speaker. 

11)  Let us show gratitude (the final soft command) 

The final command, another soft one, again involves everyone reading the letter along with the author. If you get it, that the Lord is the author of your faith, that he will sustain you to the end, that he is the one who produces peace and holiness, then what can you possibly say, except to say Thank you? If God be for us, Paul wrote, who can be against us?

The word for ‘show’ is ECHO, let thanksgiving echo in your heart and come out your lips. The psalmist said, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will continually be in my mouth.” (34.1) We who know Messiah ought to proclaim him when we are alone and to others when we are not. 

Dear friends, the point today is to help you hear God’s word again, and to live it out, with others in each of your circumstances of life.   You are not alone and it’s because the Messiah has settled the situation with God once for all. This whole arrangement is better. Our job is to receive his love and grace. And to stay the course…to keep meeting together. Some of you are wrong to think you can make it on your own.  None of us is alone on an island. We need others to survive and to thrive. Maybe that’s one of the great lessons of COVID-19. We thought we could make it on our own. Not true. You cannot. And thank God for zoom and other online methods of sharing life. Our own D-Groups highlight that weekly. 

If you’ve never received Yeshua as your Lord and Saviour, I invite you to do so now. Right where you are. Receive him who gave his life for you. Say a prayer of thanks. Say a prayer like “I need you, Lord Yeshua” … he loves to give to you of his life. 

If you want to write me with a question, I’m happy to try to answer. Just write me at the address on the screen, it’s bob@jewsforjesus.org.au and I’ll give it a go.

Until next week, when we will meet again to share about chapter 13, the final chapter in this great letter, and learn what a disciplined life of the believers who have come to the New Mountain actually looks like and how we will finally ‘make it’, until then, Shabbat shalom.

 

 

Actual text:

Heb. 12:1   Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²¹fixing our eyes on Jesus, the ^2aauthor and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

Heb. 12:3   For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary ^1band lose heart. ⁴ You have not yet resisted ^1bto the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; ⁵ and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, 

            “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, 

            NOR ^bFAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;

^{6           a}FOR THOSE ^bWHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, 

            AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”

⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; ^aGod deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline, ^aof which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had ¹earthly fathers to discipline us, and we ^arespected them; shall we not much rather be subject to ^bthe Father of ²spirits, and ^clive? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, ^aso that we may share His holiness. ¹¹ All discipline ^afor the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the ^bpeaceful fruit of righteousness.

 

Heb. 12:12   Therefore, ^1astrengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, ¹³ and ^amake straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather ^bbe healed.

 

Heb. 12:14   ^aPursue peace with all men, and the ^bsanctification without which no one will ^csee the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one ^acomes short of the grace of God; that no ^broot of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be ^cdefiled; ¹⁶ that there be no ^aimmoral or ^bgodless person like Esau, ^cwho sold his own birthright for a single meal. ¹⁷ For you know that even afterwards, ^awhen he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

 

Heb. 12:18   ^aFor you have not come to ^ba mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, ¹⁹ and to the ^ablast of a trumpet and the ^bsound of words which sound was such that those who heard ^cbegged that no further word be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not bear the command, “^aIF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.” ²¹ And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “^aI AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.” ²² But ^ayou have come to Mount Zion and to ^bthe city of ^cthe living God, ^dthe heavenly Jerusalem, and to ^emyriads of ¹angels, ²³ to the general assembly and ^achurch of the firstborn who ^bare enrolled in heaven, and to God, ^cthe Judge of all, and to the ^dspirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, the ^amediator of a new covenant, and to the ^bsprinkled blood, which speaks better than ^cthe blood of Abel.

 

Heb. 12:25   ^aSee to it that you do not refuse Him who is ^bspeaking. For ^cif those did not escape when they ^drefused him who ^ewarned them on earth, ¹much less will we escape who turn away from Him who ^ewarns from heaven. ²⁶And ^aHis voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “^bYET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.” ²⁷ This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes ^athe removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸Therefore, since we receive a ^akingdom which cannot be shaken, let us ¹show gratitude, by which we may ^boffer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; ²⁹ for ^aour God is a consuming fire.

 

 

Bibliography

Allen, Ronald, Lord of Song, Multnomah Press, Portland, 1985.

Jacob, Alex, The case for Enlargement Theology, Glory to Glory, Walden, UK, 2010.

Ladd, George E., A Theology of the New Testament, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1974. (Pages 571 – 587)

Lane, William L, Word Biblical Commentary Series, Hebrews.

Vine, W.E., An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Revell, Old Tappan, NJ, 1966.

Weirsbe, Warren. Be Confident. David C. Cook Publishing, Colorado Springs,1982.

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D-Groups for this week

1)              Tuesday 11 am Sydney time. Led by James Howse

2)              Monday 10 am Sydney time, led by Rebekah Bronn

3)              Thursday 7 pm, Sydney time, led by James White

(Contact our office for zoom details)

If you’d like to host a D-Group either online or in person, please contact bob@jewsforjesus.org.au for further details. It’s almost time to step up. Ponder this—who will be in your D-Group?