I could, say, spend 20 minutes
telling you how much I love this man right here. But I would be
taking time away from something more important, and that is the
preaching of the gospel. Come, Brother Norm. Brag on Christ
for us, will you? Well, I love your pastor, too.
January of 1986, first time in my life I ever heard the gospel.
I was a pastor of a church. I had been religious most of
my life. When I was young, I was drugged. I was drugged to church
by my parents. They never had anything there.
In all the years I went there, there was not a thing about the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was all what you did. Well,
today, if you would, join me. I'd like to read two verses of
scripture in the book of Hebrews, and then I'd like to go to the
Old Testament. So if you'd join me, first of all, in the book
of Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6. We'd like
to speak on the subject this morning of our refuge. Our refuge. In the book of Hebrews
chapter 6 and verse 18, the scriptures share with us that by two immutable
things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have
strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the
hope set before us. Now, I realize that we're taking
a verse of scripture out of context, but I want to spend some time
on those who have fled for refuge. All right? And in the book of
Hebrews chapter 10, verse 1, would you look there with me
for just a moment? And then we'd like to go back
to the book of Numbers for a short reading. In the book of Hebrews,
chapter 10, verse 1, it shares a great deal about all of the
Old Testament, particularly the law. A lot about Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. It tells us here in this passage
of scripture for the law having a shadow, a shadow, remember
that, a shadow of good things to come and not the very image
of the things. So if we go over to the Old Testament
and we read a few verses of scripture about the cities of refuge today,
I want us to know that these are a shadow of good things to
come. They're not the reality. We're
going to find out that these cities of refuge point to the
reality. They point to our refuge. And
if you know Christ, you have fled to him for refuge. There's
been a reason that you needed to flee to him for refuge. And that is our sin. We must
have fled to Him. All right, it goes on to say
there, not the very image of the things, can never with those
sacrifices, we might say, never with those types, never with
those shadows, never with those pictures, never with those things
that they did year by year continually make the comers there unto perfect.
So as we go back to the book of Numbers, will you join me
there in the book of Numbers chapter 35? In the book of Numbers
chapter 35, we'd like to read just a few verses. This chapter
has to do with the cities that were given to the Levites. And
then in the cities that were given to the Levites, there were
six cities that were called cities of refuge. And we'd like to look
at that a little bit today. Here in the book of Numbers chapter
35, the scriptures share this. Numbers chapter 35. and this
is the next to last chapter of this book and it shares with
us in verse 6. Would you read with me in verse
6? We'd like to read just a few verses out of this chapter. I
encourage you to read this chapter because it does share a shadow
of good things to come. But it is not the substance of
good things. It is a shadow of good things
to come. So it tells us here, among the
cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, there shall be six
cities for refuge. There shall be six cities for
refuge. Now, if we follow this out, we're going to find out
that there were three of those in the land that God had promised
to the children of Israel. And there were three of them
on the east side of the Jordan River where Reuben, Gad, and
half the tribe of Manasseh settled because there was lots of grass
there. They didn't enter in. They didn't claim what God had
promised them. They left it outside. But God,
by his great mercy and grace, gave them also three cities of
refuge. It says here, which he shall
appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither, and to them
ye shall add 42 cities. All right. So we have the Levites
given 48 cities. Six of those were cities of refuge.
Three of those on the east side, three of those on the west side
of the Jordan River. And what a joy it is to read about them.
But remember, they're only a shadow of good things to come. Down
in the book, the same chapter in verse 22 and 23, We read these
words. There's a difference between
a manslayer and a murderer. Did you know there's a difference
between the elect and the non-elect? God never pays much attention
to the non-elect, but he pays very close attention to the elect. Now, I'm not saying that he doesn't
pay attention to them. They are his. And he has great
care over them. He said, even his long suffering
to them, who are vessels of destruction, he watches over them. In reality,
we're going to find out that they are the props that God uses
for all his children. They're just the props. absolutely
God is sovereign on his throne and he rules this world according
to his divine purpose and everlasting grace and then he has some actors
and they are called the church they are called the elect and
everything else is props they are hewers of wood and drawers
of water for the elect they are the ones that feed us and they're
the ones that pump our gas and all that stuff so we find that
God has a purpose for all of them well here it talks about
some people that by accident and there's no accidents with
God but they're out doing something
and they kill a friend of theirs. Notice with me here in this verse
of scripture these verse 22 says, but if you trust him suddenly
without enmity or have cast upon him anything without laying to
wait or of wait or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing
him not encasted upon him, that he died, and was not his enemy,
neither sought to harm him." So there is a caveat for this
group of people that are not avengers of blood, and they're
not murderers, but they are manslayers. And they're going to give the
opportunity to flee to a city of refuge and their stay in that
city of refuge. All right, join me if you would
in the book of Deuteronomy for just a very short reading also.
Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua give us some insights concerning
the cities of refuge. And I'd like to read just a couple
of verses here in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 19. Deuteronomy
chapter 19, it tells us there, beginning with verse four. Deuteronomy
chapter 19 verse 4, it says, and this is the case of the slave,
which shall flee thither that he may live. Whoso killeth his
neighbor ignorantly, whom he hateth not in time past, as when
a man goeth into the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and
his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe, to cut down the tree,
and the head slippeth from the helm, and lighteth upon his neighbor,
and he die, he shall flee unto one of the cities, and live."
So he's out in the woods, he's chopping down a tree, and he
forgot to take care to make sure that the axe head stays on the
handle. It flies off, it strikes somebody
that's helping him, and the man dies. He has the privilege and
the right to flee to a city of refuge. All right. Now, join
me, if you would, in the book of Joshua, chapter 20. In Joshua,
chapter 20, verses 1 through 9, it discusses this. And this
is after they enter into the land, after they've taken it
over, after they've defeated the enemies. And it tells us
here in the book of Joshua, chapter 20, verses 1 through 9. But I'm just going to read verse
3, I believe, of that. Joshua chapter 20 and verse 3 that the slayer that that's the
slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may
flee thither and they shall be for refuge from the avenger of
blood now this morning I'd like to spend a little time on three
peoples that are found in our reading. Now one of them is kind
of hidden away, and Mr. Hawker, who I love to read after,
and other writers that have to do with this section of scripture,
share with us that in those cities of refuge that there were some
magistrates, and that the responsibility of those magistrates was to make
sure that the roads to the cities of refuge were very flat, clear
of all brush, clear of all debris. It was opened up and they were
responsible for making it as clear as possible that there
would be no hindrances whatsoever for anybody that needed to leave
where they lived and flee to a city of refuge. The magistrates
were responsible to do that. And there are a couple of verses
in the Old, one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament
that insinuates this very thing was necessary. If you'll turn
with me to the book of Isaiah chapter 40. In Isaiah chapter
40 is one of my favorite passages of scripture because it gives
me my commission as a pastor. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people. That is my commission. And I
do that by preaching Christ in him crucified, that he died on
the cross for a people, and he will take care of those people
from beginning to end, and that those people shall be with them
for eternity, because he has put away their sin forever. That's
a comforting note. I love that kind of comfort.
But here in the book of Isaiah, chapter 40, we read these words
that share with us that those magistrates had some responsibility. It was the responsibility of
these magistrates that at least once a year to examine the roads
leading to the city from every direction. It was also their
responsibility to have signposts out so that people coming along
would not be mistaken and go the wrong direction. They had
signposts out. You know what? Your pastor is
one of those signposts. He is continuously and ever telling
people that are fleeing from an accident, quote unquote, and
we'll get to that in a moment, to the city of refuge, go to
Christ. Go to Christ. He's this way.
He never throws up a restriction that says, you must come down
into the baptismal font. He never throws up a restriction
that says, you must change your life and get better before you
can come to Christ. You know what? Jesus Christ died
for sinners. And that is so important for
us to realize that it is sinners that Jesus Christ went to the
cross to die for. And when it is in our interest,
if you please, to flee to a refuge, we are to find out that the Scriptures
are very pointed and sharing with us that there is absolutely
no restrictions imposed upon us to stop us on our way. There's nothing that God requests
of us to do on our way to the refuge. It is completely open. It is completely, every barrier
has been removed. The law has been removed. Implications
have been removed. It is truly a straight line to
Christ that God opens up for us. Here in the book of Isaiah,
chapter 14, verse 1, it shares, comfort ye, comfort ye my people,
saith your God. Speak comfortably to Jerusalem.
Now that's the church. Comfortably to Jerusalem and
crying to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity
is pardoned, and she hath received of the Lord's hand double for
all her sins. Sin and all sin has been completely
and totally paid for for Jerusalem. for the church, for all the elect.
Then it goes on to say, in the voice of him that crieth in the
wilderness, prepare you the way of the Lord. Make straight in
the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted. You know what was the responsibility
of those magistrates? If there was a valley between
the point A and the city of refuge, they were to fill in that valley.
so that you didn't have to go down and come back up. And if
there was a mountain in the way, it was their responsibility to
make sure that that mountain was carved down so that you would
not lose your way. Every restriction possible was
removed. And there is only one. Flee to
Christ. Flee to Christ. Flee to Christ. Don't stop along the way. Flee
to Christ. So it goes on to say, and every
hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough places plain. Everything that would hinder
people from coming to Christ has been removed. And these magistrates,
in the type and the shadow and the picture of our refuge, the
cities of refuge, it was their responsibility. And out there
at intersections, there was to be a sign that says, Miklet,
meaning refuge. This is the way to the city of
refuge. Well, you know, the church says, hallelujah, because I got
lost along the way. And yet, he has put up people,
preachers of gospel, preachers of truth, preachers of righteousness,
along the way, all our way. Now, a lot of times, we didn't
recognize that. But there was a time when God
Almighty, in Christ Jesus, caused us to recognize that that man
has the truth. And he's telling me where to
go. And it's not here in this church. It is to go to Christ.
it is to flee to Christ. Alright, over the book of Luke
chapter 3 that same passage of scripture is mentioned and John
is mentioned there along with it. John the Baptist, he was
the one to announce and it tells us in Luke chapter 3 verses 4
and 5 the same passage that the magistrates were to do while
Jesus Christ made sure that it was taking place during his public
ministry that there was someone declaring that. It says in the
book of Luke chapter 3, as it is written in the book of the
words of Isaiah, the prophet saying, the voice of one crying
in the wilderness, prepare you the way of the Lord, make his
paths straight. Flee to Christ. That is exactly
it. You know, John is going to have
a bunch of people come to him for baptism. Because to a lot
of people, that's an encumbrance. That must be done. Well, John
said it doesn't have to be done. He said, who hath warned you
to flee? from the wrath to come. He told
a bunch of Sadducees, Pharisees, scribes that came there, people
that were legalistic and law abiders, they thought, well this
is something new, we better go out and get that taken care of.
And he said, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to
come? He didn't tell him that. Some preacher didn't tell him
that you have to go down to the baptismal font to be safe and
secure on your way to the city of refuge. He said, who hath
warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Every valley shall be
filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low. This
is spiritually speaking now. It's a picture and a type and
a shadow of what we find in the Old Testament. But every hindrance
possible, every hindrance, God has taken care of it in the blood,
by his grace, in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. There
is absolutely no hindrance whatsoever. Flee to Christ. Flee to Christ. Alright, so we have the magistrates.
You know the next actor that we have here is a manslayer. Now that's the guy that's out
in the woods and the axe head comes off. You know it was interesting
to me when I started looking at this that every time this
happened in scripture Somebody was working. They're out in the woods hewing
wood. They're piling rocks and doing something. And you know,
I think there's something here. Because we are very satisfied
with ourselves in our religious works until we're brought to
the attention, it's not it. There has to be something better.
The manslayer is doing some sort of work when this unthinkable
happens. You know, we may say, that was
an accident. And I use that term. Have you
ever used that term with regard to a situation that came up in
your life? Yeah. But we find out there's absolutely
no accidents with God. Everything has been purposed
by God. My aging has been purposed by
God. My aches and pains have been
purposed by God. everything about me has been
purposed by God. He's not left anything undone. And so it was when that axe head
came off and struck the friend on the other end of that log
in the face and killed him, it was not by accident, but this
guy was doing some works at the time. We find out that it is
unfortunate, yes, to have a hammerhead come off, or a pickhead come
off, or an axehead come off, or a shovelhandle break and kill
our neighbor, or a cable breaks and kills our neighbor. But let
me ask you this question. Did you ever think while you
were doing all your religious work, it was really a slap in
the face of almighty God, that it was actually a statement against
his goodness and mercy, that our works are a statement to
God that we don't need Him? That a statement to God that
His blood of His Son was really not necessary? I've had people
tell me that Jesus really didn't need to go to the cross for me.
Well, I'll tell you the truth. He absolutely needed to go to
the cross for me. I'm a sinner, but I'm a sinner
saved by grace. Here we find out that not by
works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to
His mercy, He saves us. So it was we defamed the glory
of God. Every work of righteousness which
we did was a statement that God is really not necessary. And
on and on we go. And lo and behold, by God's intervention,
something happens. And now it is brought to our
attention. I used to think that that the next guy, let me get. The
Avenger of Blood was my enemy. I used to think he was my enemy.
I thought he was the enemy of those who had done that accidental
work. They killed their neighbor by
mistake. As we go through here, we find, no, that's not really
true. The manslayer that he has the
opportunity of fleeing, but what is going to be the pressure behind
that fleeing? Would we just stay? Oh, I better
bury this guy. I don't want to tell his family
about it. Oh my goodness, what a situation I'm in now. You know,
I found out that my religion was absolutely worthless. I'd
been lied to. That everything about it was
wrong. That there was absolutely no hope in it. I got so depressed
about it. It was terrible. I was working
my head off, and I was not making any gain. And by the grace of
God, by the grace of God, when that hammerhead flew off, or
that axehead fell off, I found out that there was an avenger
of blood. You know what his business is? Get to the city of refuge,
or I will kill you. Now, you know, if you committed
murder, It didn't matter whether you fled to the city of refuge.
If you made religious things, did a religious thing, it didn't
matter at all. You were taken out and slain by the avenger
of blood. Now, the avenger of blood, that's
an interesting term. Almost every time in scripture
that that particular Hebrew word is used, it means kinsman. It's
used some 21 times in the book of Ruth alone, because we truly
have our kinsman-redeemer identified by Boaz. Now, what Boaz was is
wonderful for Ruth, but what Christ is is wonderful for the
Church. He is our kinsman-redeemer. But he is also the one that puts
his hands in the back of all the elect and pushes us to the
city of refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Holy Spirit
as he comes along. We've just done something so
terrible. We have committed a crime, but
if we get to the city of refuge, we've been promised that we will
be able to live as long as the high priest lives there. All
right, let's look at this. We know What the Proverbs says,
there is a way which seemeth right of the man, but the end
thereof is the ways of death. We have all kinds of ways, and
people are going to come up with all kinds of ways, but there's
only one. And this avenger of blood. this
one, this avenger of blood, this avenger of blood, if he catches
you before you get to the refuge, he has the right to take your
life because that is part of his responsibility. We find out
that this avenger of blood, it means the nearest of kin called
an avenger of blood whose duty it was to redeem his kinsmen
and to state, and it was that it was mortgaged, to marry his
kinsman's wife, there was no child, to raise up the kinsman's name,
and it was also to slay the person who murdered his kinsman. Well,
the Avenger of Blood, in some ways, is the best friend that
a person who is a manslayer could ever have because he begins to
put pressure on us to flee. No, without that, we would not. We would stay put and try to
make excuses for all that happened. But here we have someone that
has been called out by God, a kinsman redeemer, on one side, and on
the other side, he has the right to take her life. Do you think
God had the right to take your life? Yes. Absolutely. He had the right to take Adam's
life and smash it all up, but you know what? He'd already made
a promise. in the covenant of grace that he was going to save
some. So he was not going to do that. I've had a friend bring
up, you know, Moses had to plead for the children of Israel. Do
you think for a moment that God was going to do away with his
covenant with Israel until it was fulfilled? Not on your life.
He's letting us see God Almighty is a merciful and a gracious
God. Well, this God that we have,
this one that is a avenger of blood, on the trail of His people,
forcing them, if you please, because we would not go on our
own, we would never flee to Christ on our own, we would never come
to Christ on our own, we must have some pressure put upon us
by Almighty God in His sovereign purpose and will of grace to
get us to flee to Christ. And you know what? When He gets
us started, there is no stopping us. There may be people, you
know, you've heard the gospel before. You don't have to do
that. No, no, no, no, no. I've never heard it like this.
I've got to go. I must go. I must go to Christ. There's nothing. Oh, just settle
down. Join our church and we'll help
you out. No, no, no. I must flee to Christ. I must
go to Him. There's only hope in Him. There's
only peace in Him. Oh, settle down for a minute.
We'll make you a deacon. we'll make you a preacher, we'll
make you this, we'll make you... No, no, no, no. I've been made
to know my sin and I'm fleeing to Christ. I'm fleeing to Christ. You know, as we look at this,
we find out to the church Christ is the only refuge. Here's a
picture, here's a type, here's a shadow, and it's good. You
know, to the people that needed to flee there, that was a good
thing. Their lives were spared because the avenger of blood
could not go into the city of refuge. He could stay outside. Now, there's some differences
between Christ and the cities of refuge because a person that
is in Christ is never going to leave him. Those people could
go outside of the city of refuge, but if they were caught by the
avenger of blood, they could be killed right on the spot.
That's what that Avenger of Blood could do. But a person that is
saved by the grace of God is never going to leave Christ.
Why? Because he's got his rope around him. They're never going
to leave him. That's a promise he's made. I
will lose none of them. Well, as we look at this, Christ
is our only refuge. Upon being drawn to the refuge,
we realize the benefits of the passages in Scripture that share
with us of what it is to be in You know, there's a lot of benefits
to being in Christ, in the refuge. I'd like to read just a few of
them, found in the New Testament. Would you join me in the book
of Romans, chapter 3? Romans, chapter 3. Romans, chapter
3, verse 24. This is our city of refuge. This
is our refuge. Romans, chapter 3, verse 24.
And it is identified as being in Christ Jesus. It's so blessed. to be in Christ Jesus, to be
in the refuge, to have Him as our refuge. We read there in
the beginning, to flee for refuge. We've been given the grace to
flee to refuge, being justified freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Nowhere else do we find
that redemption. There's no other Redeemer. You
know what? One of the terms that we find
that this Avenger of Blood, one translation is Redeemer. He is
the Redeemer. He is the kinsman Redeemer. He's
the one that bought his people, paid for their sin on the cross.
As Isaiah said, Our sin was laid upon Him, and then God took out
His justice upon Him and paid for it all, being justified freely
by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. We heard
this read in the Bible class this morning, but I don't believe
Brother John will mind if we read chapter 8 and verse 1 of
the book of Romans. Chapter 8, verse 1, again. There
is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
Boy, when he has forced us to the refuge, when he has forced
us to Christ... You know, I have a lot of people
that get really upset when I share with them that our will is just
as dead as the rest of us, spiritually speaking. They have a will that
is separate. It's out there in no man's land. I'm going to Jesus, or I'm not
going to Jesus, but this part of me is separate from it all,
and I can make up my mind which way I want to go. You know, the
vote was taken with Adam. The vote was taken with Adam.
We didn't participate in it, but we're responsible to it.
Adam said, I vote not to go with God. And guess what? He fell. And in that fall, we
are all spiritually dead, in trespasses and sins, so dead
that we cannot quicken ourselves, and we need someone to do it.
We need someone to come after us. We need someone to retrieve
us. We need someone. We need an avenger of blood after
us, a judgment redeemer after us. And you know what he does?
He ushers us one way and one way alone, and that is to our
refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them that are in Christ Jesus. We have a refuge. There's no
condemnation. You know, we are sinners, sinners saved by grace,
which we don't worry about having it taken care of. It has been
taken care of. All right. Would you look with
me into the book of Romans chapter eight and verse 39, chapter eight
and verse 39, we find a little bit more about what it is to
be in this refuge. nor height, nor depth, nor any
creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which
is in our refuge, Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing can separate
us from the love of God. Who is he that condemneth? It
is God that justifies. We have been put in Christ Jesus. We have a refuge, Christ Jesus,
the Lord. And it is so settling, it's no
wonder we read, comfort ye, comfort ye, my people. God's people in
Christ Jesus have nothing to worry about. It's all been settled
in the covenant of grace. Jesus Christ the righteous died
in your place. Galatians chapter 2 and verse
4. Galatians chapter 2 and verse 4. Let's read that verse of scripture. Galatians chapter 2 and verse
4. The scripture says, and that because of false brethren unawares
brought in who came in privately to spy out our liberty, which
we have in Christ Jesus. You know what? We have a wonderful
liberty in Christ Jesus that frees us. It frees us. You know, I have people tell
me, well, if I believe that, then if you teach that, you're
just going to have people sinning. Absolutely not. We're going to
sin, but I'm not going to go out and sin just that grace may
abound. That's taken away. God changes us. He gives us a
love for Him. So, people want to come in, steal
our liberty that we have in Christ Jesus. He says, no! I'm in the
city of refuge, you're not going to take it away. If you will
look with me in chapter 3 of the book of Galatians. Galatians
chapter 3, and there in verse 26, we have this recorded about
being in the refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ. For ye are all
the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. He's caused
his people to flee. Now those who murder, those who
murder, You know, he said, I've created all things, yea, even
the wicked, for the day of evil. I've done that. People don't
like it. People don't like what God says
about God, about what he's going to do. But he said it. I have
created the wicked, yea, even for the day of evil. That's my
business. I can do that. Don't charge God with impropriety. He knows what he is doing. All right, and then if you would
look with me into Ephesians chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2 and verse
10, some more of what we have in our city of refuge in the
Lord Jesus Christ. It tells us, herefore we are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. God has,
what it says? We are His workmanship created
in Christ Jesus unto good works? Yes. I love it. To be the workmanship
of Christ and to have Him work in us both to will and to do
of His good pleasure. Isn't it wonderful? My mother
would say, well, you've just made man a puppet. And I said,
you know, I'm just going to answer this by saying, it depends on
who's the puppeteer. Yeah. All right. And then finally,
2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 9. 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse
9, we read here these wonderful words. He saved us. Oh my goodness. Here we are working
our fool heads off. And by God's grace, one day something
happens. You hear something you've never
heard before. You've heard that what you have
is nothing, and what he has is everything. Flee to him. Flee
to him. Well, I don't know the way. Well,
he's going to send up some signposts for us. You know, talking to
Brother Mike Loveless, the odd ways that he does that sometimes.
And then, lo and behold, his daughter said, let's go check
out this church over here. And there was a man who had the
truth of the gospel. You know, where am I going to
go? God is gracious. And here it says, who has saved
us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Lo and behold,
we found out we were appointed to the city of refuge all along.
My goodness, what a joy filled our hearts that that Avenger
of Blood was actually my friend. He brought me along. This is
hallelujah. Oh, that I was so despondent
in religion. I just came to the end of my
rope in religion, and you know what? A man from Kentucky flew
out to Oregon that I'd never met before, and I was encouraged
to go hear him. And the words out of my mouth the very next
day at the breakfast table to my wife is, I hate that man. Well, I found that he was one
of the kindest men I'd ever met. But he had something to say that
I was not agreeable with. the gospel of Jesus Christ as
the only refuge and don't depend on anything else whatsoever. Flee to Christ. Flee to Christ. All right, we'd like to go back
to the book of Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 18 in closing. The
book of Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 18. There's much said in this. This
whole section has so much to say. He's, well, verse 17, where
in God will he more abundantly to show unto the heirs a promise,
the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath that
by two immutable things, unchangeable things, God never changes his
mind about anything and never will. We might have strong consolation
who have fled for refuge. to lay hold upon the hope set
before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both
sure and steadfast, which entereth into within the veil, whether
the forerunner for us entered Even Jesus made a high priest
forever after the order of Melchizedek. Where is our anchor of our soul? Jesus Christ. Where have we fled
to? Jesus Christ. Who is all in all? Jesus Christ. Thank God for his
purpose of grace that moves us from our stupid, foolish works
of religion to come to Christ and bow before him and say, my
Lord,