For the rest of this letter, the writer urges, encourages, and supports those who continue in their faith in Jesus.
Hebrews 10:32-34 NLT
[32] “Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. [33] Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. [34] You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.”
He begins his exhortation with “Remember…” A good place to start. They had a history. Everyone has a history.
I learned, a while back, from Jeff Benner, an expert on the language and culture of the ancient Hebrews, that they had a unique perspective on the past and future. Where we, in our western philosophical perspective, view our past as behind us and our future before us, ancient Hebrews saw their past in front of them because they could “see” it in their memory whereas the future, yet unknown and unseen, lay behind them.
“So”, our writer urges, “look at your past. Remember! When you believed in Jesus, you willingly suffered with your fellow believers because you had a hope that better things lay ahead for you.” Despite their suffering, they identified with fellow sufferers because they were in it together and because they had an eternal hope beyond their present.
Hebrews 10:35-39 NLT
[35] “So, do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! [36] Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. [37] “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. [38] And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” [39] But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.”
“Stay with us,” he pleaded. The reward for faith and patience are “out of this world.” Although the future lies behind us and we cannot see the details of our reward for faithfulness… we have God’s infallible promises. Tied in with Jesus’ promise that He will return is the expectation of all that He said would happen when He comes back to set up His kingdom and establish righteousness, justice, and peace on the new earth.
Why would they forfeit (understood), participating in this new eternal order by trying to escape a time of temporary suffering now? What they needed was patient endurance. Push through to the end. Don’t give up. The characteristic of a true child of God is perseverance. Suffering is not intended to destroy but to refine our faith in God. Suffering strips away our dependence on people and things that will fail us. God’s grace alone will hold us steady until we are through the flames of testing and into the realm of eternal bliss. As Paul declared, what we are enduring now pales into nothing when we compare our suffering to what is yet to come.
There is a “table” awaiting those who endure, and a lavish anointing of favour and blessing when we pass through the dark valley. Jesus Himself, the Good Shepherd, is with us to accompany and support us with His authority and power.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT
[16] “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. [17] For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! [18] So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
To be continued…