The
readers of Hebrews “suffered” as “gazingstocks”
and were “ridiculed and treated with contempt and shame” when
they first became believers in Jesus Christ, and the writer of
Hebrews desired for them to remember their “reproaches and
afflictions”. These readers were “companions of them
who were so used”, and in
chapter ten and verse thirty-four of Hebrews the writer shared how
they “had compassion of”
him in
his “bonds” where we read:
For you
had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of
your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and
an enduring substance.
The
verse begins, “For you had compassion
of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods,...”.
The writer
began with the word, “For”
which means “even as, indeed, seeing then, verily and therefore”
“you had compassion”
or “the writer's readers were affected with the same feeling,
sympathized and felt for”, “of me”
which refers to “the writer of Hebrews” “in
my bonds” or
“in the writer's shackles, chains and strings”, “and
took joyfully”
which means “and received, allowed and accepted in a happy, glad
and rejoicing manner” “the
spoiling”
or “the plundering and robbing” “of
your goods”
which refers to “the reader's possessions, wealth and property”.
According to the writer of Hebrews, his readers not only cared deeply
for him while he was in “bondage and chains”, but also endured
with “gladness” as their earthly possessions were taken away and
stolen from them.
The
verse continues, “...knowing in yourselves that you have
in heaven a better and an enduring substance.” The
writer added the words, “knowing” or
“learning, perceiving, understanding and having knowledge” “in
yourselves” which means “in
the readers” “that you have in heaven”
which refer to “that the readers hold, own and possess in the
region above the sidereal heavens where the seat of order of things
eternal and consummately perfect where God dwells as well as other
heavenly beings” “a better”
or “a more useful, serviceable, excellent and advantageous” “and
an enduring” which means “and
a remaining, abiding tarrying and continuing” “substance”
or “possession, good, wealth and property”. Though these
believing readers lost their temporary “earthly possessions”,
they had the “eternal” “wealth and property” awaiting them in
heaven.
When
we consider these words in Hebrews, we may marvel at the faith of
these early believers. Not only did they have compassion upon the
writer of Hebrews who was in “bondage” (which is one of the
reasons I believe this writer was Paul the apostle), but they also
endured with “gladness” the “spoiling” of their personal
valuables. The only way this was possible was to realize there are
other everlasting and eternal possession which were held in heaven
for them. Though their “earthly” treasures were “plundered”,
no one could steal their heavenly rewards. Jesus Christ desires for
us to know this “eternal relationship” with Him that is based not
only upon what we endure upon the earth, but also what we are
promised to gain in heaven. When we examine the behavior of these
early believer to whom the writer addresses, let us be inspired to
live in the same manner where “earthly things” mean less and less
and heavenly things mean more and more.
Next
time the writer tells his readers not to “cast
not away therefore your confidence”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment