Hebrews 5:7-10 "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; (8) Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (9) And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (10) Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec."
We often are guilty of subconsciously thinking the Word of God was written
"willy-nilly." By that I mean, sometimes because of the luxury
of having the book, chapter, and verse number, we tend to look at some passages
as though the subject has been changed from what was previously
discussed. As I read these verses this morning, I found myself trying to
wrestle with them. Do you ever do that? I tried to make them fit as a
square peg in a round hole. I'm so thankful the Lord has given to each of His
children the Holy Spirit whereby we are able to seek the truth of meaning as we
search the Scriptures. I pray I can share what the Lord showed me in these
passages.
From the very beginning, the writer has been focusing on the person and work of
the Lord Jesus Christ. He has methodically taken us from the basic fundamental
truth that Jesus is indeed the Son of God to now He is showing us the truth of
Christ as our Great High Priest. Chapter 4 was speaking to us of the
"rest" (calmness of soul) that we can experience when we take
our struggles and cares to the Lord. He is touched by the feelings of our pains
and heartaches. Not only is He touched by them, He is able to give us sweet
relief concerning these matters. The beginning of chapter 5 tells us that Jesus
was not of the Levitical (earthly) priesthood. This was important for the
Hebrews to understand, for they often clinged to their ritualistic traditions
by thinking they were perfect in the law.
In today's passage, the writer is speaking to us of the experience of Jesus
Christ. We often talk to one another about our experiences with God. We share
how the Lord has manifested Himself to us in many ways. We speak of the peace
that passes understanding that the Lord gives to us even in the worst of
situations in our lives. Well, guess what? Jesus endured situations
and circumstances that go beyond anything you or I will ever have to
experience. Today's verses speak to us of those times. Remember chapter 4?
"He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities." Have you
ever feared? Well, guess what? Verse 5 tells us that Jesus, the man, also
feared. He understands when we go to Him with our fears. Have you ever cried
out to God to change situations in your life or to help you endure hard
times? Well, guess what? Jesus cried out to the Father "with strong crying
and tears unto him that was able to save him from death." Have you
ever felt the difficulty that is often experienced when you feel you are
"the only one" suffering because you are trying to do the right
thing? Well, guess what? Jesus also suffered, alone, as a result of His
obedience unto the Father.
When we can understand the truth of Jesus having experienced the things we are
going through, then He truly becomes the "author of eternal
salvation." By that, He becomes the source to which we go when we have a
need. We can understand Jesus knows all about our struggles. He will stay with
us through it all. No, He was not of the Levitical priesthood. Those
priests could not in any way empathize with the suffering of the people. Jesus
can and He does. He is the author, the source, of all our help and deliverance.
Do not hesitate to call upon Him, no matter how big, or how small, the
situation might be. Come boldly. He understands.
Praise His Holy Name!