Hebrews Chapter Six, Extreme Consolation

 

Hebrews 6:17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it with an oath, [18] that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

 

To begin, let us map verse 17 and dig a little bit into the grammar. “Thus,” it begins, leading out of verse 16. The previous verse attested to how men used swearing as a means of settling a matter, appealing to an authority above their own as a sign of dealing honestly.

Verse 17 begins with the word “thus.” This may be translated, “like this, consequently or accordingly.” “In a manner similar to mankind,” would be a fair transliteration. Utilizing understandable, human methodology, God stooped to swearing like a man would to vouchsafe that extra level of security to Abraham and everyone that followed. We know that God speaks only truth; the very next verse intimates He cannot do otherwise for it would be less than perfect and unbefitting God’s character. Every word God deigns to speak to us is a promise, because the God who cannot lie and never errs says it.

 

“Thus God, determining.” So we have God, Creator of Heaven and earth, Savior of our souls, determining to utilize the human oath. Determine, according to Oxford, can mean, “to firmly decide something.” God resolutely chose to reveal His immutability in a way that you and I can understand experientially.

 

“Thus God, determining to show more abundantly.” To show, of course means to demonstrate or reveal something. When I want to show my wife something I usually carry the book I’m reading over to her (this happens a lot; bless her soul) and demonstrate something that an author is relating with which I either agree or disagree. Showing someone something means bringing it to light, or out into the open for inspection. What could be inspected in this given instance? God’s promise from Hebrews 6:14, of course. A man’s word is only as good as his character. A trustworthy man, having sworn, may be relied upon more readily than a charlatan, though both may (and inevitably will) disappoint. God wishes for us to understand that if His promise fails, He has failed. God’s name is linked inexorably to His person and all that it entails. More than this, He wishes to show, “more abundantly.” Both of these terms, being adverbs describing the term, “show,” add magnification. More means simply that: “additional, further, extra.” Abundant means, “ample, plenteous, copious, lavish.” Put the two together and you convey the mental image of ludicrous excess. It reminds me of the verse, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,” Ephesians 3:20. God gives in abundance. “For whoever has, more will be given, and he will have abundance. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom,” Matthew 13:12, Luke 6:38.

 

“Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise.” This measureable or testable demonstration of God’s determination is made TO some certain people. That is, the heirs of promise. Who then are the heirs of promise? This is of vital importance, since our God goes to such incredible lengths to make this promise to them. To arrive at this answer we arrive at Galatians chapter 4. The apostle is upbraiding the Galatian church for the self-same reasons the Jewish Christians of Hebrews received their letter: they were sinking into the morass of Law obedience as a means of salvation. Paul had already made this point abundantly clear to the Galatian saints: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,” Galatians 3:26. The Galatians, like every saint of every age, was justified not by works but by faith alone, Galatians 3:24. Galatians 3:29 concludes that chapter and reveals the important phrase, “heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 4:7 continues this thought by stating, “Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

 

Paul’s preaching here focuses on the corrupting influence of the Judaizers that were leading the church back into bondage to the Law and away from faith alone in Christ alone. Whereas Paul iterated that faith in Jesus saves, which makes us a member of God’s household by adoption, one of Abraham’s seed and a fellow heir according to the promise of God found in Genesis 22:17, 18, Hebrews 6:14, Galatians 3:29. Paul chides the saints who desire to be in bondage to the Law, warning them that the Law engenders bondage, not liberty, Galatians 4:21. He then unequivocally states, “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise,” Galatians 4:28. Who are the heirs of promise? They are the children of God who are born again through faith in Christ Jesus. We are part of the seed God promised faithful Abraham, that through Abraham’s lineage the Christ would come and set men free by the sacrifice of Himself. Now liberated, we are not slaves in bondage to sin and the Law which manifests sin in us; we are sons of God through faith, and co-heirs of the Heavenly kingdom with our Lord.