This is exactly in line with the theme of Hebrews, the pressing on into the land of promise, and triumph over

opposing forces, encouraged by the presence of the Lord (Joshua here is a type of Christ, the true Captain of

The third passage deals with the building of the Temple by Solomon:

`And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD

God, even my God, will be with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work

for the service of the house of the LORD' (1 Chron. 28:20).

This typifies the house built by Christ, `the Son', as contrasted with that in which Moses was a servant (Heb.

The reader may remember the line of the hymn: `I'll never, no never, no never, forsake'. This iteration and

reiteration of negatives may be employed merely to meet the demands of metre and rhythm, but even so, it is but an

echo of the passage, `I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee', which contains in the original, no less than five

negatives. Literally rendered it reads:

`No. I will not leave thee; nor yet not by no means will I forsake thee'.

This is the ground of contentment, the antidote for covetousness, the secret of perseverance.

The great Leader (archegos, 2:10; and 12:2), the true Joshua, appointed others as subordinates, who also are

called `leaders', for the words `them which have the rule over you' are literally `your leaders', in both verses 7 and

17 of Chapter 13. Let us observe what is said of the leaders:

`Remember them which are your leaders, who have spoken unto you the Word of God; whose faith follow, considering

the end of their conversation, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and unto the ages' (literally).

`Obey them that have the rule over you (are your leaders), and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they

that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you'.

Some very important characteristics of the true leader are given here:

They speak the Word of God.

Their faith is such that it is worth imitating.

The issue of their conversation is Christ.

They watch on behalf of your souls.

They will have to render an account.

The reference to `imitating' makes one think of Philippians 3:17-19: `Be joint-imitators of me, and mark those

who walk ... whose end is perdition'.

A great variety of opinion has been expressed by writers on the meaning of the word `end' in Hebrews 13:7.

Some take it to refer to the martyrdom or death of these leaders. The word is ekbasis, and occurs in but one other

place in the New Testament, namely, 1 Corinthians 10:13, where the A.V. translates it `a way to escape'. Has it ever

struck the reader that it is somewhat strange to read of `a way of escape' being provided, `that ye may be able to

bear it'? If we escape the temptation, how do we bear it? A more accurate rendering and one which seems to give

the apostle's meaning is, `God ... will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the

temptation also make the issue, that ye may be able to bear it'.

This verse in 1 Corinthians 10 is in a context exactly parallel with Hebrews 3 and 4. Just as the trial of the

Corinthians was bearable because they knew that God held the issues in His hand, because the trials had an object

and a purpose of which they had been made aware, so in Hebrews 13:7 we hear once again the words of 12:11,

`nevertheless afterward'.

In chapter 13:17 the Hebrew believers are exhorted to obey their leaders. Hegeomai, the word for a leader,

means to think or esteem, then to lead and to rule. We read in Acts 15:22 that Judas and Silas were `chief' men

among the brethren. In Acts 14:12 Paul was reckoned the `chief' speaker. The apostle enjoined a ready obedience