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Take now the case of Moses himself, because he spoke unadvisedly with his lips and
sanctified not the Lord in connection with the giving of water, even Moses was prevented
from entering the land. Listen how he pleads:--
"I pray Thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly
mountain, and Lebanon. But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not
hear me, and the Lord said unto me, let it suffice thee, SPEAK NO MORE UNTO ME
OF THIS MATTER" (Deut. 3: 25, 26).
Esau is put before us in the epistle to the Hebrews as a typical example, having
despised his birthright and having sold it for a mess of pottage, he had no opportunity of
undoing his wrong or of regaining his lost birthright. His case is used as a warning to the
Hebrews, as is the case of Israel's failure, to show them that they who "draw back", must
suffer loss, and that there is, as in the cases of both Moses and Esau, no further
opportunity. When once we grasp this solemn lesson we shall perceive the true import of
that much abused passage, Heb. 6: So long as we believe the epistle to be dealing with
redemption from sin, and the salvation of the sinner, so long shall we stumble over the
words of Hebrews 6: In the light of the examples already considered Heb. 6: is clear
and plain; the goal in mind is exhibited in the first verse, "let us go on unto perfection".
This implies and indeed necessitates that those to whom the apostle spoke were saved
ones; their fault was that they had become "dull of hearing". Like the apostle in Phil. 3:
who forgot the things behind, these believers were urged to leave the word of the
beginning of Christ, and to go on unto perfection. He then utters the solemn words that
have caused so much anxious thought:--
"For it is impossible for those ONCE having been enlightened, and having tested of
the heavenly gift, and having become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and having tested of
the good word of God and the powers of the coming age, and having fallen away, to
renew AGAIN unto repentance".
The two words once and again take us back to the sad experiences of the three
examples already quoted. The apostle in Heb. 6: applies the teaching and show us of
what he speaks when, at verse 9, he turns to the believers, and tells them that he is
looking for "the better things, even those connected with salvation" (not salvation itself).
He then speaks of their service, and says that God will not forget it; he earnestly desires
them to endure to the end. Why?
"In order that you may not become dull (same word 5: 11, "Gk. nothros"), but
imitators (Phil. 3: 17) of these who through faith and long endurance are inheriting the
promises."
The example of Abraham follows (but not the example of the one who believed God
and it was counted to him for righteousness without works), but the example of him who
having been told by the Lord to walk before Him and "be perfect", did eventually arrive
at the point where, willing to offer up even Isaac his beloved son, he fulfilled (as James
tells us) the early scripture of Gen. 15:, and "obtained the promise".
These things must be duly weighed and considered when contemplating the apostle's
statement and attitude expressed in the words, "But I pursue". Twice in verses 12 and