Years ago, I began noticing how saturated the final four chapters of Hebrews are with heavenly perspective. That is, the author of Hebrews writes his exhortations in constant dialogue with the idea that the world we see is not all that there is. The author of Hebrews would say that if you want to live life the way God wants you to live, you must look toward what is transcendent, heavenly, and eternal.
As I began collecting verses for this post, I discovered that this theme is not limited to the final four chapters of Hebrews. This author/preacher has sprinkled dozens of preparatory comments about heavenly perspective throughout his letter/sermon that crescendo in the final four chapters of his message.
Here is a summary of the theme of heavenly perspective in the book of Hebrews, following the order they appear in Hebrews.
Hebrews 1:3—Jesus radiates the glory of God
“He is the radiance of the glory of God.” God’s glory radiates throughout the universe, but especially in God’s glorious throne room. Jesus mediates that glory.
Hebrews 1:4—Jesus is seated at the right hand of God (cf. 1:13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2)
The author writes that after Jesus made a way for purification of sins, “he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”.
Hebrews 1:4-2:9—Jesus is greater than angels
One example verse—among many—that shows Jesus’s superiority over angels is Hebrews 1:4, “having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”
Hebrews 1:8—The throne of God the Son is forever
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever” (quoting from Psalm 45:6)
Hebrews 1:10—The heavens were created by God the Son
“and the heavens are the work of your hands”.
Hebrews 2:5—The world to come is subjected to Jesus, not angels
“For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come”.
Hebrews 2:10—Jesus is bringing many sons to glory
“in bringing many sons to glory”
Hebrews 3:1—We have a heavenly calling
“Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling”
Hebrews 3:11-4:11 (esp. 4:1-11)—We have a future, heavenly rest
This is a longer discussion in which the author exhorts his readers to be sure they have entered God’s rest (analogous to the “rest” the children of Israel obtained when they entered the Promised Land). Although we get to presently experience some aspects of this rest, the author looks intently forward to our future heavenly rest. Here is one example verse: “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it” (4:1).
Hebrews 4:14—Jesus has passed through the heavens
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” The high priestly ministry of Jesus is centered in heaven.
Hebrews 4:16—We can draw near to the throne of grace to find grace to help in time of need
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We find our help when we cry out in prayer by looking upward to the throne of grace.
Hebrews 5:9—Our salvation is an eternal salvation
“And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him”.
Hebrews 6:2—We believe in the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment
“Therefore let us…go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of…the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.”
Hebrews 6:4-6—We are warned not to fall away after getting a taste of heaven
“in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift…and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away…”.
Hebrews 6:11-12—We should be diligent to realize full confidence in receiving the future-oriented promises
“And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Hebrews 6:19-20—Our future hope is an anchor for us and allows us to pass beyond the heavenly curtain
“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf”. Because of our connection to Jesus, we have access to the inner sanctuary (analogous to the Old Testament tabernacle).
Hebrews 7:16-17 (cf. 7:21, 24, 28)—Jesus is a priest forever
“who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, ‘You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.’”
Hebrews 7:25—We are utterly and forever saved because of Jesus’s ongoing intercession
“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”
Hebrews 7:26—Jesus the high priest is exalted above the heavens
“For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest…exalted above the heavens.”
Hebrews 8:1-5—The heavenly tabernacle is the true one
“Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things.”
Hebrews 9:11-12—Jesus entered the heavenly tabernacle when he secured eternal redemption through his blood
“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”
Hebrews 9:14—Our redemption was mediated through the eternal Spirit
“how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God”
Hebrews 9:15—We receive an eternal inheritance
“so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance”
Hebrews 9:23-24—Jesus appears in the presence of God in heaven for us
“Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.”
Hebrews 9:27—We die once, followed by judgment
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment”
Hebrews 9:28—Jesus is coming again for those awaiting his return
“so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
Hebrews 10:1 The Mosaic law is only a shadow of future realities
“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities…”
Hebrews 10:25—The [eschatological] Day is drawing near
“encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Hebrews 10:34—We can endure suffering since we know we have a better and enduring possession
“For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.
Hebrews 10:35-36—God has promised future rewards
“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”
Hebrews 10:37—We must be prepared for Jesus to return soon
“For, ‘Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay’”
Hebrews 11:1—We hope for things not seen
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:3—The world was created out of things that are invisible
“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”
Hebrews 11:5—Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying
“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.”
Hebrews 11:10—Abraham looked forward to a city designed by God
“For he [Abraham] was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”
Hebrews 11:13-16—All the heroes of faith looked ahead to a heavenly country
“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”
Hebrews 11:35—Those who suffer look toward a future resurrection
“Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.”
Hebrews 12:14—Without holiness no one will see the Lord
“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:22-24—We are members of the heavenly Jerusalem (See my recent meditation on this passage.)
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”
Hebrews 12:25—We must not refuse him who warns from heaven
“See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.”
Hebrews 12:26—God will shake both the earth and the heavens
“At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’”
Hebrews 12:27-28—We have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken
“This phrase, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken”.
Hebrews 13:2—Some of us have entertain angels without knowing it
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Hebrews 13:8—Jesus Christ is the same forever
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:14—We are seeking a future city
“For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.”
Hebrews 13:17—Our leaders will have to give a future account to God
“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
Hebrews 13:20—The covenant made with Jesus’s blood is eternal
“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant”
Hebrews 13:21—To Jesus belongs glory forever
“through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Kindle Afresh 