Hebrews 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
God wants all people to understand that the Old Testament system was finished when Jesus Christ went to the cross and shed His blood. He presented that blood before His Father in heaven. This passage again declares that the Catholic system is dead. It is worthless. Most of the “protestant” churches came from Catholicism. Most of them never made a clean break with Catholicism and most have decided to go back under the umbrella of the “mother” church. The devil is a fool and he is also very persistent. He thinks he is playing the long game. He does not want to accept the fact that his days are numbered. He has decided that if he has to go to the lake of fire, he will try to take as many people with him as he can. The good news is that we have the Word of God. We do not need to follow the lies of the devil. Those who are saved will not do so. They may be tempted at times to look back, but the indwelling Holy Spirit will help them to stay on the right side. As we noted in verse 9, “it is a good thing if the heart be established with grace”. The true child of God truly has his heart established with grace. The rest prove they were frauds. God gave us His Word to help us to be sure we are on the narrow road. God told Ezekiel to remind the nation of Israel of his day:
Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
God wanted that generation of Jews to turn to Him and be forgiven and saved. Many of them were too stubborn to do that. Throughout the generations since that time, most people have been too stubborn to turn to the Lord, both Jew and Gentile. God is still not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. The way of salvation is clear in the Bible. The devil has tried to muddy the waters but he is limited in his attempts. All people have the opportunity to know the truth and to walk in the truth. In verse 10 of our text we read of an altar that we, the saints, have. That altar is in heaven. It is the antitype of the altar that was in the tabernacle. Jesus’ blood was sprinkled on that altar and thus the type is no longer needed. In verse11 we read that the bodies of those beasts and the blood they shed, were burned outside the camp. The high priest did as he was commanded. Some of those high priests looked beyond those beasts and that blood. They knew there was something better coming. They did not know when, but they trusted in the promises of God. In verse 12 we are again reminded of the fact that Jesus Christ fulfilled all the typology. He was crucified outside the city. He bore our sins on His cross. On that cross He cried out:
Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Jesus Christ knew no sin but He was willing to be made sin for us. What a sacrifice! What a blessing to know His salvation. In verse 13 we are invited to go outside the camp, bearing His reproach. We are born as lost sinners. We are saved by God’s grace. The world will despise those who are truly saved. Jesus warned us of that. He was hated by His own people. The apostles suffered for their faith in the book of Acts. We are not any better than they were. We, those who are saved, must also identify with the true God. We cannot be ashamed of our precious Saviour and Lord. The world does not understand the holiness of God. His people need to be holy even as He is holy. We are not working our way into heaven. We are trusting in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are willing to follow Him outside the city. We are willing to be rejected by the world. We will continue to proclaim the truth to those who hate God. The love of God motivates us to tell them the truth and to pray and trust that some of them will eventually receive the truth. In verse 14 we are reminded that we have no continuing city here. We live here for a few short years. We work and buy things and occupy our time in many things. As we grow in the Lord we learn the importance of spending our time in those things that have eternal value. We want to help others to know the peace and forgiveness of God. We are looking forward to heaven. In verse 15 we are reminded to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. It is a worthy sacrifice. God is worthy of our praise. Our sufferings here are just for a short time. They are nothing in comparison of what Jesus suffered for us. They are nothing in comparison of what Jesus has provided for us through His shed blood. True Christians cannot be silent. We have a message that is so precious that we want others to know it as well. We will offer thanks to His name in our witnessing and in our preaching and teaching. We will live in the light of His glory. We do not want to cheapen the gift that God has given us. We want others to know the truth. The truth is what makes a person free. When the repentant sinner turns to God and trusts in Him, he or she receives the most precious gift ever known to man. Let us take the invitation given to us in verse 13 to heart and let us draw nigh to God and be that bright light that we can be in Christ. Pastor Bartel
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