Hebrews 6:11-15

 

 

Heb 6:11 (KJB)

And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

 

There may have been some Christians who had begun to vacillate in their Christian ministries and the writer is encouraging them that they remain diligent and steadfast in their callings with the full assurance that if God said something was going to come to pass, it would, but in His own timing. The patriarchs had received the promises but did not receive the ultimate fulfillment of those promises. It is the same with us that even if we may not live to see the fulfillment of the promises of a New Heaven and New Earth, nevertheless, we live in the full assurance of those promises. Many may have felt that God may have forgotten about them but the writer wants these Christians to also live in the same diligence that God has not forgotten about them and that whatever they do, is never in vain in the Kingdom of God.

 

Heb 6:12 (KJB)

That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

 

Slothful - Lazy, sluggish, or indolent

 

The writer is admonishing the believers not to be slothful but to be followers of the patriarchs in Genesis who believed God. He wants them to imitate those who had great faith in God even when they were in the midst of their lives which were marked by suffering and great challenges when faith in God was all they had to keep them going. He is trying to get the point across that as they had faith and patience, so they too, must have faith and patience realizing that God’s timing is not their timing. Laziness causes a believer to let their guard down and that is when Satan attacks and the believer becomes weaker.

 

Heb 6:13 (KJB)

For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,

 

Swear and sware - Take an oath, or confirm by an oath

 

(Gen 22:16 KJV) And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: There is none greater than God in the universe and when He made a promise to Abraham, He had sworn by Himself that everything that he told Abraham would come to pass. To swear is to take an oath and God takes oaths very seriously. An oath is a courtroom or business procedure designed to show the gravity of the matter at hand. The oath was not for God’s sake because He does not need to take an oath for His word is as it has already happened but it was for the sake of Abraham to give him confidence that what God was telling him would come to pass without any hesitation.

 

Heb 6:14 (KJB)

Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

 

Multiplying - Increase, abound or grow

Multiply - Same word except in the future tense

 

(Gen 22:17 KJV) That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; The promise that God was giving Abraham would be two-fold: First, there was the physical fulfillment which was the Israelites through Isaac and the Arabs through Ishmael. Then the second part of the fulfillment is the spiritual fulfillment which is fulfilled in Christ. All those who become saved are spiritual descendants of Abraham. (Gal 3:29 KJV) And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Of course, Abraham could not live to see the ultimate fulfillment of both sides of this promise and therefore he relied upon the promise of God knowing it would come to pass. This is how Abraham’s faith was made great as he believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. (Rom 4:3 KJV) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

 

Heb 6:15 (KJB)

And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

 

Obtained - To secure for one’s own possession

 

It was 25 years between the time that God promised Abraham he would have a son and the time it actually happened. It is important to realize that God’s promises are not always on our time frame. Abraham had to patiently endure with faith that what God promised him would come to pass. (Gen 18:14 KJV) Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. A key phrase in Genesis 18:14 is “At the appointed time.” We must remember that God has appointed a time for everything, even the last day, and that timing may cause us to bear patiently like Abraham did from the time of pronouncement to the time of fulfillment. Abraham endured 25 years of faith living and finally the time came when Sarah bore him Isaac. This is a great lesson for us that faith is an integral part of the Christian walk and we must be prepared to wait upon the Lord. (Psa 27:14 KJV) Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

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