Heb 6:13-14 “Where There is no Vision, the People Perish: but he That Keepeth the Law, Happy is He” – Part 3

[Study Aired October 2, 2020]

Heb 6:13  For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 
Heb 6:14  Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

In this section of Hebrews chapter 6 our focus will be on looking at the “two immutable things” spoken of in Hebrews 6:13, which God further declares in verse 18 and how these promises made of God cannot be broken because “in which it was impossible for God to lie”.  This truth of God’s character is reflected in all His words which are eternal words that change not (Joh 6:68).

All the “exceeding great and precious promises” given unto us (2Pe 1:4) can only give us “strong consolation” when we know the One who has spoken these promises cannot lie. As we consider “the hope set before us” and the vision those promises can bring to the body of Christ, there are two specific promises, or “two immutable things”, explained for the elect’s sake in Hebrews 6:14 to give us full assurance in this life that what God has started He will finish in us through Christ, and those two promises are: “Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.” These promises of God for the elect are spoken in type and shadow when speaking of Abraham (Heb 6:13), who is a type of Christ and his body. For those who are His workmanship (Eph 2:10) in this age, these promises declare what has been predestined from the foundation of the world for the elect remnant who are the first to trust God (Eph 1:12-15, Rev 12:6, Lev 16:21, Isa 66:7-10, Rev 19:7).

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Eph 1:15  Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

Rev 12:6  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

Isa 66:7  Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
Isa 66:8  Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
Isa 66:9  Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
Isa 66:10  Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

It is by these promises of God that “ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2Pe 1:4) and all that is in the world within us is defined as “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, [and] is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1Jn 2:16).

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

That lust and pride is what we are dying daily from, and God’s word tells us “you have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin” that is “in the flesh” (Heb 12:4, Rom 8:3). Notice, sin is “in the flesh” and flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom (1Co 15:50) and we are also told we are not wrestling against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities that our hope of glory Jesus Christ within is greater than. Christ is greater than the sin that is in our flesh and can give us dominion over it (Col 1:27, 1Jn 4:4, Rom 6:14-16, Joh 8:36).

Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Rom 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace [being under grace is having Christ sent to us as our hope of glory (Col 1:27)].
Rom 6:15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rom 6:16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness [obedience unto righteousness through the faith of Christ (Php 3:8-9)]?

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

It is the promises of God which tell us we can be “partakers of the divine nature” that, Lord willing, by them we’ll grow into mature sons (Eph 4:13). This section of John (1Jn 3:1-12) explains what that “divine nature” mentioned in 2Peter 1:4 really is and how it can only be achieved through Christ (1Jn 3:11-12, 1Jn 3:8). As we read through the verses, notice how many promises are being made to the sons of God mentioned in 1John 3:2 and how this chapter concludes with talking about “his commandment” that God gives us “that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ” (1Jn 3:23, Php 1:29, Joh 6:28-29) and “love one another, as he gave us commandment”. Verses 23 and 24 of 1John 3:23-24 go on then to make it clear how, with this belief we’re given, we are to love one another and bear each other’s burdens “as he gave us commandment” (Gal 6:2). These verses (1Jn 3:23-24) explain to us what John 14:20-21 is talking about which reads, “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

Some of the promises

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

[that love of God being confirmed through the promises given to us in this life]

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. [promise]
1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. [promise]
1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1Jn 3:5  And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; [promise] and in him is no sin.

1Jn 3:6  Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him [1Jn 1:8].

[This verse (1Jn 3:6) means sin has no more dominion over you, as explained for the elect in these verses. (Rom 6:14, Tit 2:12) promise]:

Rom 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Tit 2:12  Teaching^G3811 us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

G3811 paideuō pahee-dyoo’-o
From G3816; to train up a child, that is, educate, or (by implication) discipline (by punishment): – chasten (-ise), instruct, learn, teach.

1Jn 3:7  Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1Jn 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

[Those works are progressively being destroyed little and by little within those who have God’s spirit abiding in them as opposed to those who are still of their father the devil and don’t have dominion over sin (Rom 8:9)  [promise]

1Jn 3:9  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed (Gal 3:16) remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

[A seed (Gal 3:16) grows by the light of the sun of righteousness (Mal 4:2) and we go from glory to glory (2Co 3:18) as we abide in that light and are cleansed of our sins (1Jn 1:7) [promise]

1Jn 3:10  In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

[The fruit of Christ’s righteousness that takes time to mature is being born in our lives giving witness that we are the sons of God who are spoken of in 1John 3:2 who are not yet perfected but being purified or sanctified through a life long process (1Jn 3:3) promise]

1Jn 3:11  For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1Jn 3:12  Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous [no good fruit on the tree by God’s design].
1Jn 3:13  Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
1Jn 3:14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. [promise (Rom 5:5)] He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1Jn 3:15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
1Jn 3:16  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1Jn 3:17  But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1Jn 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1Jn 3:19  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. [promise]
1Jn 3:20  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. [promise]
1Jn 3:21  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. [Heb 10:35]
1Jn 3:22  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight [promise].

[therefore if you lack confidence in what God can do for you or rather is doing in you, ask Him for the faith that your lacking and know that He has brought you to this point of asking (Mar 9:24)]

1Jn 3:23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment [Joh 14:21 dovetail verse].

Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him [promise].

1Jn 3:24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. [Joh 14:20] {dovetail verse}

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you [promise]

These promises that we just read in 1John 3:22-23 are what are needed in our lives to supply the vision that we need to endure until the end, and God has promised to do just that because He knows that “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he”, and He has promised that we can keep His commandments through the faith of Christ (1Jn 5:4) [promise].

Heb 6:13  For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 
Heb 6:14  Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

This opening verse “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself” explains why Christ said in Matthew 5:34 “Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne.” Instead of making oaths, as was done “by them of old time”, we ought to be saying “If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (Jas 4:15).

Mat 5:34  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

Jas 4:15  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

We are seated with Christ today (Eph 2:6) in “heaven” which is where “God’s throne” is in our hearts and minds if “that day” is upon us (Joh 14:20, Rom 8:9). This statement of Christ in Matthew 5:34 was preceded by the words, “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths” (Mat 5:32-33). The closest equivalent to “thine oaths” which was of “old time” that we have as believers is found in Matthew 5:37.

Mat 5:37  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

The context of swearing or making an oath in Hebrews 6:13 is really a type and shadow promise that Christ [typified by Abraham] will have a bride, and their blessings will be multiplied. When God is speaking to Israel of old, it is understood that mankind cannot keep their vows and promises to God, not in their hearts, but through Christ, our communication, our way of life in other words, can be honest saying “Yea, yea; Nay, nay” which “Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths” typified (1Co 10:11).

The spiritual lesson we are learning in this parable of Christ (Mat 5:32-33) is that there is to be no spiritual fornication or adultery found in the bride of Christ, and if we are His bride, all spiritual fornication and adultery (Mat 5:28) will be burned out of us in this age, and we will in fact by the grace and faith of Christ “not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths” because of Christ who is working in us both to will and to do this (Php 2:13).

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Mat 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman [another church or her doctrine] to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

This promise that God was making to Abraham in (Heb 6:13) assures the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, that nothing will prevent or separate (Rom 8:35-39) what God has brought together or is bringing together (Joh 6:44), and that blessing of God “Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee” is accompanied with the promise that “and multiplying I will multiply thee” (Mar 10:9, Joh 10:28-29).

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Mar 10:9  What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

“Multiplying I will multiply thee” is a prophecy of this verse that applies to God’s elect and is connected to children (Gal 4:27), who will be grafted into the family of God at the hand of Christ and His bride, the church. The saviours who come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau will do so with the sharper than any two edged sword of God, and it will be with God’s word [doctrine that represent children] that we will be used to bring all mankind to give an accounting of their own lives (Oba 1:21, Rev 20:6, Joh 12:48). In short, we have become as children having been blessed to read, hear and keep the doctrine of Christ and made to endure unto the end (Mat 18:3, Rev 1:3) in order that we may judge the mount of Esau so they can be received as obedient children who have learned obedience through the lake of fire which will purify their lives. God’s elect will administer that lake of fire or great white throne judgement (Luk 12:5).

Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
Gal 4:28  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Mar 10:9  What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Joh 12:48  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Earthly marriages are a type and shadow of what God is doing with the bride of Christ, and every marriage, in that sense, has been for our sake (2Co 4:15) and foreshadows lessons that we learn from both positive and negative (1Co 10:6-11, how our boldness in the Lord is fashioned Heb 13:3-6).

1Co 10:6  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
1Co 10:7  Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
1Co 10:8  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
1Co 10:9  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
1Co 10:10  Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Heb 13:3  Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
Heb 13:4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Heb 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

(Israel of old was likened unto a wife whose husband was the LORD^H3068 (Isa 54:5), and this union primarily represents our first failed marriage in Babylon where we come out, Lord willing, as the Israel of God, God’s elect who are blessed to be called and chosen  (Gal 6:16) and prepared by the grace and faith of Christ to be that faithful bride because we have been washed with the word by our husband, Jesus Christ (Eph 5:24-26) and been made ready to be partakers of the wedding supper of the lamb Rev 19:9).

Eph 5:24  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

While we were one with the harlot churches of Babylon we had no children [children represent doctrine] because there was no stay of bread or water within those churches where we were joined unto a woman [church] and were dragged out of her by the mercy of God (Isa 3:1, 2Co 6:17, Joh 6:44). This parable in Matthew 5:32-33 we read tells us we are to put away our wife who represents Babylon because of spiritual fornication, and conversely we are being told to see that we don’t neglect Christ’s bride, but rather come together often and cleave unto her which we will do if God permit (Heb 10:25, Mal 3:16).

Offences come from carnal worldly reasoning within us that can cause a little one “which believe in me” to be offended. Christ tells us we are blessed if we are not offended and that great peace have they who keep his commandment for nothing shall offend them (Mat 18:6-7, Mat 11:6, Psa 119:165). However there are those who Christ likens unto “little ones” who should be carefully received and cared for in the body, and they can be offended. Christ says of that person who offends, “it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea”. Being drowned in “the depth of the sea” represents deep repentance for this careless behaviour of which we can all be found guilty because Christ tells us offences must needs be “but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”. It is a woe when they come and, God willing, deep repentance will be granted (Rom 2:4) that will lead to this correct way of dealing with one another spoken of in these verses that carry a very identical message (1Co 8:1-13, Rom 14:12-23).

Spiritually we can “put away his wife” by offending another brother or sister with our words, with our meat: “But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.” That is the underlying message in the first part of Matthew 5:32).

The second part of that verse “saving for the cause of fornication”, represents those who were once enlightened and are impossible to graft back in this age, witnessed in these two sections of scripture (Rom 6:4-6, 1Jn 2:17-29). Our goal is not to offend, but we’re going to offend, and God works all things according to the counsel of His will for a good purpose. So yes, we must repent when we offend, and the person who is offended must forgive that brother or sister from their hearts or a root of bitterness will form (Mat 18:35, Eph 4:32, Heb 12:15).

Mat 18:6  But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Mat 18:7  Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

Mat 5:32  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Mat 5:33  Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at few more verses that confirm who the “heirs of promise” are spoken of in Hebrews 6:17 and how those two immutable promises we discussed are connected to God’s elect.

Heb 6:15  And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Heb 6:16  For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
Heb 6:17  Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
Heb 6:18  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Heb 6:19  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20  Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.