PERFECTION

PERDITION

OR

He is the Prophet greater than MOSES.

He embraces all the heroic acts of GIDEON, DAVID and others.

He endured as none else endure, refusing deliverance, refusing to save Himself, and finally attained unto that better

resurrection to glory, where He waits the day of His return.

He is indeed the altogether lovely One, the chiefest among ten thousand. Here, as in Colossians 3, `Christ is

ALL'.

Hebrews 12:5-24 is occupied with a two-fold theme: 5-14, sons; 15-24, firstborn.

The first section, sons, speaks of that of which all are partakers if they are true children. The second, of that

which only the firstborn attain, but of which the Esaus fail.

The structure of 12:5-14 is simple in its broad outlines, though involved when we approach the detail.

A 12:5-10. Mark of sonship. Discipline received.

B 12:10.

The end. Partakers of His holiness.

A 12:11-13.

Fruit of righteousness. Discipline exercised.

B 12:14. The pursuit. Peace and holiness.

The opening verse of Hebrews 11 is twofold in its aspect, viz., (1) faith is the substance of things hoped for; this

is the theme of Chapter 11: (2) The elengchos of things not seen; this is the theme of Hebrews 12:5-14.

Elengchos is balanced by elengcho in Hebrews 12:5, where it is translated `rebuked'. Now the quotation, `the

just shall live by faith' in Hebrews 10:38, takes us back to the same word, for in Habakkuk 2:1 we find it in the word

`reproved' as we have already seen. In Hebrews 12 the apostle quotes Proverbs 3:11,12, where in the LXX

translation, we find elengchos as `correction'.  This `rebuke', `correction', `discipline', is an essential

accompaniment of sonship and growth.

Let us now look at one or two passages that illuminate the purpose and instruments of chastening:

`Thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee,

and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldst keep His commandments, or no. And

He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy

fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that

proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy

foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the

LORD thy God chasteneth thee' (Deut. 8:2-5).

We are apt to fix our minds upon the painful side of chastening, and, by reason of our folly, there is often a need

for that phase, but it is good also to notice that a part of this discipline or chastening was the provision of the daily

manna, the marvellous preservation of clothing, and the care of the wanderers' feet.

`The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. Blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest, O LORD, and

teachest him out of Thy law' (Psa. 94:11,12).

`We are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world' (1 Cor. 11:32).

Here is another comfort: chastening is not condemnation. Chastening is for sons, condemnation for the

unbelieving world. Man's thoughts are vain; he needs a two-fold treatment, chastening to remove folly, teaching to

supply the needed instruction.

Chastening is not only the work of the Father, for Christ Himself says to the Laodicean church: `As many as I

love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent' (Rev. 3:19).