Hebrews Chapter 12

Notes

Chapter 11 covered all those great names of faith. In chapter 12, the Holy Spirit connects what they did to what we are called to today. We are running toward the King, the One above all, but we have an audience observing how we handle this sanctification process. How can we be successful in this race? Was there anyone that set a better example then those great names of the faith in chapter 11? Yes, it is JESUS. We can succeed and not grow weary if we keep our eyes focused on Jesus! Keeping our eyes focused on Jesus will also help uproot all bitterness in our lives. _MF-NCC

Notes

There is a link between bitterness and one's willingness to forgive. If you are unwilling to forgive someone, you are essentially saying that you must carry the weight and the burden of their trespass. Is it too much for Jesus to bear and forgive? Obviously not, so why do you hold onto it and not let Him take it? It is also a way that people try to hold others hostage. In reality, the only one being held hostage by it is you. _MF-NCC

Notes

The Lord now turns to make a contrast between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. Sinai is the place where the law was given, a place of fire, smoke, thundering, God's very presence sitting on top of the mountain and wanting etc. It is where the children of Israel were terrified of God. Zion is quite a different place, ultimately Zion will be a Holy place where Jesus rules and reigns, but it did not start out that way. During this time period when Hebrews was written, if the Jews continued the temple sacrifices, they were essentially saying that they wanted to go back to Sinia. Meanwhile, the Lord is calling them to venture onward to Zion, the heavenly city of our God, and to rest with him. That is the same call we have today as Christians...press on to Zion! _MF-NCC

Notes

The children of Israel did not want to hear from God directly! God wanted to come down to mee his people, give His word, and strengthen them in their walk. However, they were terrified at what God had to say. As a result, they wanted a commentary, an interpreter, another man's translation of what God said... ' _MF-NCC

Exodus 20:19—And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

This is the same trap for us as Christian today. God is desperate to speak to His people in the same way today. You may not always like what He has to say, but it is the source of abundant life! _MF-NCC

Some direction from God for us: _MF-NCC See →I Thessalonians 5:12-28

° Is there anyone in you life that you need to forgive? Do not hold onto, release yourself physically and spiritually; forgiveness is so important..._MF-NCC

Matthew 18:34—And his load was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

Matthew 18:35—So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Notes

The last section talked about the journey from Sanai to Zion. The children of Israel refused to hear God. They did not want to hear his Word and as a result their journey to Zion never materialized. You can see the progression and result of all five of these warnings from the time the children of Israel institue the Passover to the point that they are denied access into the promised land.

1. Danger of drifting
2. Danger of hardening the heart
3. Danger of failing to mature
4. Danger of willful sin
5. Ultimately culminates with apostasy

2:1 - 2:4
3:7 - 4:13
5:11 - 6:20
10:26 - 10:39
12:25 - 12:29

Everyone of fighting age (20+ years old) passed away in the wilderness as God swore that they would not enter into the land because of their rebellion. Joshua and Caleb were the only two who believed and trusted God, so God rewarded them with leading the next generation into the land. _MF-NCC

Notes-Thy Kingdom Come

_MF-NCC↓

Section A
- We are going to do a deep dive study on The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven.
  
  ° Are they the same or are they different? There is a foundation of the Bible having a kingdom focus for much of it from Adam to the millennium.
  
  ° Let's keep three main points in mind throughout this study:
  
  Acts 17:11—These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
  
  II Timothy 2:15—Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly divinging the word of truth.
  
  ° Three times God says to not add or take away from His Word, He means exactly what He says; if He has two different terms that He uses, lean toward the view that He is being very specific about two different things.
  
  Deuteronomy 4:2—Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, thay ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
  
  Deuteronomy 12:32—What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
  
  Revelation 22:18—For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
  
  Revelation 22:19—And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
  
  As Hebrew Chapter 12 closes, the Lord makes a statement about a kingdom that cannot be shaken. (Hebrews 12-28-29). Hebrews 12:28 is the launching point for this deep dive study into the Kingdom.
  
  ° What are the primary themes of The Word of God? JESUS (He is on every page)
  
  ° God's plan of redemption (it is in every book from Genesis to Revelation)
  
  ° But one that is overlooked is that it is also all about the Kingdom.
  
  ° What is the first quote chronologically in The Word of God?
  
  Isaiah 14:12—How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
  
  Isaiah 14:13—For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
  
  Isaiah 14:14—I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
  
  ° The first quote choronologically in the Bible is an attack on God's throne and His Kingdom. It is difficult for Americans living in a constitutional republic, with elections, to really relate with what it means to live in a kingdom, under a monarch, with a throne established.
  
  ° However, we need to get used to the idea if we are born again, because a Kingdom is coming, and we get the opportunity to help establish it (Revelation 19).
  
  ° The word king shows up 2,364 times in the Bible.
  
  Kingss 334 times
  Prince 103 times
  Princes 273 times
  
  Throne 176 times
  Thrones 9 times
  Kingdom 342 times
  
  Kingdom 57 times... that is 3,658 occurences of something kingdom related, and that is barely scratching the surface.
  ° Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, etc. were all kings.
  
  ° Adam was created to be a king; he was given dominion...
  
  Genesis 1:26—And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
  
  Genesis 1:27—So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
  
  Genesis 1:28—And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
  
  ° Noah was a king who was given the same dominion mandate.
  
  Genesis 9:3—Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
  
  ° All through the Bible it is a fight for a kingdom.
  
  ° Moses was a king.
  
  Deuteronomy 33:4—Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.
  
  Deuteronomy 33:5—And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.
  
  ° The kingdom under Israel starts to fall apart after David. However, God promises David that his offspring will have a kingdom forever:
  
  ° See →II Samuel 7:8-13

Section B

° In the gospels there are two different kingdoms preached. The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven.

° In both Hebrew and German, the words "of" and "from" are the same.

° Below is a comparison of the Gospels. Each Gospel is different and presents a different perspective.

° I personally like to think of the Kingdom of heaven, as the Kingdom from heaven... because Jesus comes from heaven to establish it on the earth.

	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
Jesus Presented	Messiah	Servant	Son of Man	Son of God
Genealogy	Abraham (legal)	N/A	Adam (blood)	Eternal (Pre-existing)
Focus on Jesus	Said	Did	Felt	Was
Written to	Jews	Romans	Greeks	Church
First Miracle	Leper Healed	Demon Exercised	Demon Exercised	Water to Wine
Ends With	Resurrection	Ascension	Promise of the Spirit	Promise of His Return
This Sets Up			Acts	Revelation
Camp Side	East	West	South	North
Lead Tribe	Judah	Ephraim	Reuben	Dan
Ensign	Lion	Ox	Man	Eagle

° The royal line was taken from Israel in Jeremiah when God had enough of Israel's rebellion. Jeconiah led the nation into deep idolatry and rebellion in the time Babylon was on the brink of destroying Jerusalem. As a result, God pronounces a blood cures on David's line.

° See →Jeremiah 22:28-30

Section C
- ° In the wilderness you run across an interesting inheritance detail; The daughters of Zelophehad (who had no sons). In Numbers 27 they approach Moses and request an exception.
  
  Numbers 36:10—Even as the LORD commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad:
  
  Numbers 36:10—for Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglash, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father's brothers' sons:
  
  Numbers 36:10—And they were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the famiy of their fathers.
  
  Joshua 17:3—But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, sthe son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
  
  Joshua 17:4—And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son o Nun, and before the princes, saying, The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
  
  ° The law of beneficiaries—You had to marry within the tribe in order for your inheritance to stay within the tribe. When that happened, you could pass your inheritance to your son-in-law.
  
  ° This is how Mary (Jesus' Mother) was able to pass the Kingship back to Jesus since the line from Joholachin to David was not allowed to inherit the Throne of King David.
  
  ° Matthew presents Jesus as the lion of the tribe of Judah.
  
  ° Kingdom of heaven is used 32 times exclusively in the book of Matthew. This is interesting because Matthew is mainly writeen to the Jews, contains instruction on what to do during the tribulation, and it is in Matthew that Jesus says they would have ushered in the kingdom had Israel received Him.
  
  Matthew 11:12—And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
  
  Matthew 11:13—For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
  
  Matthew 11:14—And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
  
  Malachi 4:5—Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
  
  Malachi 4:6—And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
  
  ° They could have ushered in the Kingdom of heaven had they just received Jesus; can you imagine God's throne being taken by violence? Kingdom of God is spiritual in nature. It is where God sits on His throne in heaven, and it currently dwells inside of us as the church, as its' presence on the earth.
  
  Luke 17:20—And when he was demanded of Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
  
  Luke 17:21—Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold the kingdom of God is within you.
  
  ° They were looking for a kingdom, but were confused on which one was being offered at the time.
  
  Romans 14:17—For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
  
  ° Diving deeper into the parables concerning the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God. It is critical to understand God's promises to Israel and His promise to set up a Kingdom on the earth because there is some false teaching in the church today. Many believe that the church has replaced Israel and taken over their promises. Many believe that a literal, physical, earthly Kingdom will never be established on the earth, and thus they dismiss a lot of prophecy (Kingdom Now theology). That is part of the danger in blurring the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. What do we mean when we pray "thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven?"
  
  ° John the Baptist opens Matthew 3 with this statement:
  
  Matthew 3:2—And say, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
  
  Matthew 4:17—From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
  
  ° The Kingdom of heaven was at hand, had they received Jesus. After Jesus is resurrected, He only discusses the Kindome of God. You and I have a standing invitation to a wedding. A wedding with the bridegroom, Jesus Himself.
  
  ° See →Matthew 22:1-14
Section D
- ° Seven times in the book of Acts the Christians are preaching the Kingdom of God, never the Kingdom of Heaven:
  
  Acts 1:3—To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
  
  Acts 8:12—But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
  
  Acts 14:22—Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
  
  Acts 19:8—And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
  
  Acts 20:25—And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
  
  Acts 28:23—And when they had appointed him a day, thre came many to him into his lodging; wo whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
  
  Acts 28:31—Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
  
  ° After Jesus was resurrected, the disciples come together with Him. Look at what they ask, after He was speaking of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3)...
  
  Acts 1:6—When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
  
  ° It is critical to understand God's promises to Israel and His promise to set up a Kingdom on the earth because there is some false teaching in the church today. Many believe that the church has replace Israel and taken over their promises. Many believe that a literal, physical, earthly Kingdom will never be established on the earth, and thus they dismis a lot of prophecy (Kingdom Now Theology). This is part of the danger in blurring the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. What do we mean when we pray "thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven?"
  
  Acts 1:7—And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
  
  ° There will be people entering the millennial kingdom that survive the tribulation but are they "born again?"
  
  ° Notice Jesus does not say it will not happen, but rather it is not for you to know the times (Marriage ceremony in heaven, return of Christ, establishment of the millennium, and then marriage supper on the earth.) ° What is this earthly kingdom from heaven all about?
  
  ° Jesus will rule as King of the earth, and David will be the prince ruling in Israel. God promises to resurrect David to rule in Israel three times:
  
  Ezekiel 34:24—And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.
  
  Ezekiel 37:25—And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shal be their prince for ever.
  
  Jeremiah 30:9—But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.
  
  ° What is this earthly kingdom from heaven all about?
  
  Jeremiah 23:5—Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Brance, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
  
  Isaiah 9:6—For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
  
  Isaiah 9:7—Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
  
  ° Kingdom from heaven is always in twelves (the millennium):
  - 12 Tribes
    1. Reuben
    2. Simeon
    3. Levi
    4. Judah
    5. Dan
    6. Naphtali
    7. Gad
    8. Asher
    9. Issachar
    10. Zebulun
    11. Joseph
    12. Benjamin
  - 12 Kingdom parables
    1. The Sower (Matthew 13:1-23)
    2. The Wheat and Tares (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
    3. The Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32
    4. The Leaven (Matthew 13:33)
    5. The Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44
    6. The Pearl (Matthew 13:45-46)
    7. The Drag Net (Matthew 13:47-50)
    8. The Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18;23-35)
    9. The Vineyard Laborers (Matthew 20:1-16
    10. The Marriage Feast (Matthew 22:1-14)
    11. The Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13
    12. The Talents (Matthew 24:14-30)
  - 12 Kingdom Mysteries
    1. Kingdom of Heaven
    2. Israel's Partial Blindness
    3. Translation of the Saints, Living and Dead
    4. The Divine Will of God
    5. The Church
    6. The Church as the Bride of Christ
    7. The Indwelling of Christ
    8. The Deity of Christ
    9. Godliness
    10. Iniquity
    11. The Seven Stars and Seven Lampstands
    12. Babylon
  - 12,000 sealed from each of the 12 tribes
  - 12 apostles ruling over the 12 tribes
  Matthew 19:28—And Jeusu said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
  
  ° The New Jerusalem has 12 gates, 12 foundation stones, and is 12,000 furlongs cubed.
  
  ° Pilate even knew that Jesus is King.
  
  ° See →John 18:33-39
Section E
- ° God will not let this injustice remain in the earth. The blasphemy of sin will reach a pinnacle at which point God will move. The wheat and tares will grown together. He will call His church home. The antichrist will rise to power and affirm a covenant with Israel. That will trigger the worst 7-year period in human history. Until the heavens are opened and One sitting on a white horse comes to make war in righteousness.
  
  Revelation 19:11—And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
_MF-NCC↑

HEBREWS

Chapter 12

Our Hope to Endure Discouraging Times

Run with Perseverance - Follow Christ

God Disciplines His Sons

Exhortations to Holiness

The Mount of the Living God

Contrast of Mt. Sinai and Mt. Zion

Our Kingdom Cannot Be Shaken