Free Bible Commentary
“Hebrews 10:19-25”
Categories: Hebrews“Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
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All of the confidence that a Christian possesses is supplied by “the blood of Jesus” (verse 19). That is to say, by what He accomplished for us by his self-sacrifice through the atoning work of His shed blood. We can confidently (boldly) enter “the holy place” and approach the very presence of God and have intimate fellowship with Him because our “great Priest” (verse 21) and Forerunner has opened (“inaugurated”) the way for us into heaven itself. This is the “new and living way”—not through a lifeless curtain with dead animal blood, but through the reviving sacrifice and eternal life of Jesus.
Under the old covenant “the veil” of the tabernacle (and afterward the temple) was a physical reminder of the barrier that existed between God and His people. Only the high priest could enter through that veil, and then only one time per year, in order to approach God in the most holy place. But Jesus grants all of God’s children access into the presence of the Father in heaven through the veil of “His flesh” (verse 20). Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life” and “no one comes to the Father but through” Him and the sacrifice of His body on the cross (John 14:6).
The only way we can “draw near” to God is to do so with a “sincere heart in the full assurance of faith” (verse 22). “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (11:6). And this dynamic faith must issue forth from an honest, sincere and pure heart. We must allow our whole person to be cleansed and purified by the blood of Christ so that we can be clean “inside and out” so to speak (heart, conscience and body), in order to have true communion with our God (verse 22).
This confidence we have to enter into the holy place through our faith and Christ’s blood prompts us to do three things: (1) Draw near (verse 22). (2) Hold fast (verse 23). (3) Stimulate one another (verse 24). At all times, but especially during times of stress and difficulty, we should draw near to the throne of grace from which we draw strength and help in our time of need. We should cling to our faith and our hope in our Lord and His promises ever so tightly and withstand the urge to let go of our lifeline. And we should “not forsake our own assembling together” (verse 25) where we find encouragement and stimulation for “love and good deeds” (verse 24).
Every day of our lives draws us closer to Judgment Day. As we “see the day drawing near,” we must give strong consideration to three vital truths: (1) We need the Lord and His strength. (2) We need strong conviction in our faith. (3) We need the stimulation and encouragement of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Do not be so foolish as to abandon the Lord, your faith, and God’s people during times of trials and testing. These are the times you need them all the more urgently.
Please read Hebrews 10:26-31 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
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