Alright, just verse 30 and 31,
For we know him that said, Vengeance belongs unto me. I will recompense, saith the
Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge
his people. Verse 31, It is a fearful thing
to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 12 and 29,
for our God is a consuming fire. Now, we have taken a text here
this morning that is so powerful and so arresting of our attention,
and yet it may be cast aside unless the hearer is worthy or
rather aware of two great truths that are set forth throughout
the Bible. Number one, the heinousness of
sin in the sight of God. Many people don't have a right
idea of the heinousness of sin. It is called a mistake. It is
called a slip. It is called an error. But in
using the word heinous to describe the nature of sin, it includes
such descriptive words, sin does, as contemptible. It is contemptible
against God. It is wretched. It is despicable
when viewed from the eye of God. It is abominable. It is atrocious. It is rotten to the core, sin
in the sight of the Almighty God. Now, the second thing that
we need to be aware of that is set forth so often and so violently
in the Scripture is the judgment which God will exercise against
sin. We have such examples in the
Scripture. Outstanding examples. The flood. Sodom and Gomorrah. Sin upon
that wicked generation. What did Peter say? bringing
the flood upon the world of the ungodly, turning the cities of
Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, and condemned them with an overthrow. Now, the flood was not the result
of global warming. It was a manifestation of the
wrath of God against the sin of that generation. Before we
get into our text, and into our subject, let's say a few things
about the leading view and attitude that prevails so much in the
churches in our day, which is that they emphasize, over-emphasize
the love of God, and under-emphasize the wrath, the anger, and such
of God. A.W. Pink once wrote in a little
book that I have by him these words, quote, one of the most
popular beliefs of the day is that God loves everybody, unquote. The worst of sinners today are
appealed to by telling them how much God loves them. Pink warns
the readers of his book to be wary of that which is highly
popular with the world. Those things that are highly
esteemed among men, the Scripture said, are an abomination unto
God. Luke 16 and verse 15. So that when you find something
that is generally accepted and loved by all people, know that
it is an abomination unto God. What doctrines are highly esteemed
among men? Churches and by big name preachers
of the day. What are their favorite doctrines? free will, universal love, and
such like. But when we examine the teachings
of the Lord in the Gospels of the New Testament, when we look
at the sermons of all of the apostles that are recorded for
us in the book of Acts, then we'll make a statement. In all
the book of Acts, in all those sermons preached by the apostles,
and the word love is not one time in the book of Acts. Not once do we read either of
the Savior or of the Apostles telling a public gathering of
sinners, God loves you all. In fact, for all of the Apostles'
sermons, as I said in Acts, the word love does not appear in
them even one time. Because you see, the love of
God is a blessed truth reserved for the ears of the saints. And that love of God is set forth
in the church epistles writing to the children of God. To preach
the love of God to a God-hating rebel and fornicators and open
sinners is to cast pearl before swine. It is the casting of the
children's bread before the dog. He is an unfaithful watchman
who fails to sound the alarm when the enemy is coming with
all of their torches ready to burn down and destroy the city. What position is there that would
give a placebo to somebody near unto death's door? What preacher
would speak comforting words to a sinner suspended over hell
on a rotten string? What preacher would not tell
him of the justice of God? Coming to our text then, in verse
30 and verse 31, let's say this before we wade out into this
most awesome text. and passage from the Word of
our God. And that is that there can be
no right judgment made of the nature and the demerit of sin
apart from a consideration of the nature and the holiness of
him against whom sin is committed. All sin is first and foremost
against God. It is a transgression of His
law, and that He is the supreme judge of all of the earth. Genesis 18 and verse 25. And He will bring every work
into judgment. with every secret thing, whether
it be good or whether it be evil. Ecclesiastes 12 and verse 14. Now, the two verses that we have
read this morning do not stand alone. They are not a separate
context in themselves. The verses have a conjunction
there, and it joins them together and the sentences and the phrases
and the words. And look at the word, far, is
a reason or explanation for the warnings that are given in verse
26 through verse 29. The author will confirm, verse
27, a fearful looking far of judgment and fiery indignation
which shall devour the adversary." Now folks, this is New Testament
language. This is in the New Testament
that we are reading from this morning. Not long ago, or in
a recent sermon, we discussed the apostasy of the angels that
sin. We said some things then about
apostasy, that might be necessary or profitable for us to repeat
this morning. For the subject of Hebrews 10
verse 26 through verse 29 is apostasy from the gospel and
from gospel worship. And it has its primary application
to those first century Jews who profess Christ and profess the
gospel. And they attended the Christian
assemblies along with those Christians. And even being enlightened up
to a point, as described in Hebrews 6, verse 4 and verse 5. And then, after a time, those
Jews were either tempted to turn away, or did turn away again
from the gospel, went back to their legal sacrifices, And the
temple worshiped in all of its fullness. So, let's look at verse
26 and verse 27 and now read it. For if we sin willingly after
we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no
more sacrifice for sin. a certain fearful looking for
of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversary."
Now, let's look at those two words, sin willfully. I know this sin has been given
all kinds of names. Some say the tense is this, if
we go on sinning. the people which the apostle
has in mind as such are, number one, had received the knowledge
of the truth. Again, see Hebrews 6, 4, and
5. That's a powerful passage. Secondly, after having received
the knowledge of the truth, have sinned. They have committed certain
or a particular sin. And yet, notice, They have sinned
willfully. It is a willful sin. What is it? It is renouncing
Christianity and the gospel worship and the revelation that has been
made in the Lord Jesus Christ. And in doing so, here is what
they are guilty of in verse 29. What have they done? They have
trodden underfoot the Son of God, or as in Hebrews 6, 6 says
it, crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and put Him
to an open shame. Here's the second thing they
have done. They have counted the blood of the covenant as
an unholy thing. They have counted that blood,
the blood of Christ, which is the blood of the covenant. They
have counted it common. They have counted it ordinary.
They have counted it to be but regular blood. For you see, Christ's
blood is the blood of the everlasting covenant. Hebrews chapter 13
and verse 20. Then the third thing they have
done, they have done despite under the Spirit of grace. You might render that they have
insulted or done insult under the Spirit of grace. How? Well, they, because of the Spirit's
work and influence upon Christ, that it is the Spirit that conceived
His humanity, it is the Spirit that sustained Him, it is the
Spirit in which He is full of, it is the Spirit that bears witness
of the Lord Jesus Christ. But then be, because whatever
enlightenment they had enjoyed or had in the past had been by
the Spirit of God. If there is any enlightening,
it is by the Spirit of God. Then to cast it all away is an
insult to the Spirit of God or the Spirit of grace. But thus,
when one, at that time, one of those Jews in that day, apostatized,
he by such became a willing deserter of Christ and of the gospel. It was not accidental, not by
surprise. It was a deliberate, willing,
premeditated sin and departure from Christ and the Gospel. By that, he heaved upon the divine
persons and the Son of God and the Spirit of God. And in verse
30, the apostle said very clearly, we know Him that has said, or
literally, we know the One having said. And that's God, of course. The person is God, the Holy Father,
the One having said, and the quote is this, Vengeance is mine,
I will repay, saith the Lord. And the Lord shall judge His
people. And I have no doubt that this
is a reference under Deuteronomy 32, 35, and 36. And in their original, they would
seem to have an altogether different kind of application than Paul,
the writer of Hebrews, is giving them here. In Deuteronomy 32,
it is a prophetic song of Moses. And the thought there is God
would take vengeance on the enemies of His people and promise them
deliverance. While in Hebrews chapter 10,
the words, the very same words, are used in the form of a threat
against those Jews who apostatize away from the gospel. Still,
you notice, the apostle has not misquoted, he has not misused
that passage of the Scripture, nor has he, as we say, quoted
it out of its context. Numerous examples, to prove the
point, could be given where the New Testament writer cite an
Old Testament writer or passage, not that the circumstances are
one and the same or exact, but as Owen put it, quoting an Old
Testament passage in the New, quote, with regard under the
truth and the equity contained it in them." And so they become
suitable proof texts then, even though not to the same occasion,
but of like nature used by the New Testament author. It established
a precedent set there in Deuteronomy chapter 32 that God will take
vengeance on the stubborn and the rebellious. He will pull
down the enemies of the people of God, and those that blaspheme
His name, and those that do evil works in His sight. He will destroy
them who set themselves against the Holy God. I will take vengeance. I will judge. Thus one writer
summed it up saying, it is God that will punish them, and that
said punishment bear proof of His omnipotence, or His great
power. Now, the despiser of Moses' law,
and I'm turning to Deuteronomy chapter 17 to read a passage
for our use this morning. Deuteronomy 17 and verses 2 through
verse 7 in this particular place. He that despised Moses' law was
put to death. The body was killed. They were put to death. He was
stoned to death by the congregation. And that upon a testimony of
two or three witnesses. And the death, says Hebrews,
was devoid of mercy. It was a death without any mercy. There was no mercy shown unto
that one that was to be stoned to death. Here's that record
in Deuteronomy 17, verses 2-7. If there be found among you within
any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, a man or
woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy
God, in transgressing His covenant, and hath gone and served other
gods, and worshipped them, either the sun or the moon, or the host
of heaven, which I have not commanded. And if he told thee, and thou
hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and behold, it is
true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought
in Israel. Verse 5, Then shalt thou bring
that man or that woman which hath committed that sin unto
the gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with
stones till they die. At the mouth of three witnesses
shall he that is worthy of death be put to death, but at the mouth
of one witness shall he not be put to death." That's to prevent
false accusation. "...the hands of the witnesses
shall be first upon him to put him to death, afterward the hands
of all of the people, so thou shalt put away evil from you."
Now this particular case pertains to apostasy particularly. of one that transgressed the
covenant. He went and served some other
god besides Jehovah, verse 3. For by the covenant, by God's
covenant with them, they were to worship only Jehovah. They were not to worship what
He had created. They were not to worship what
others worshiped. They were to worship only Jehovah. concerning the words in Hebrews
10 and verse 28, that it was a death without mercy. Then I want you to hear from
the Old Testament law such passages as Deuteronomy 13 and verse 8,
that if one be a near relation or a dear friend, Seek to proselyte
you over to other gods. Then, in verse 8, don't be persuaded. Don't listen to them. Don't follow
them. And your eye shall not pity him,
neither shall you spare him from that law of which it is prescribed
to him. Don't conceal him. Don't pity
him. Notice, even if he is a kinsman,
Or a dear friend, like unto a brother. It could be a near relative or
a bosom friend that is in mind. Again, in Deuteronomy 19, verse
11 through verse 13, this time it is a murderer that is in view. And verse 13 says, Your eye shall
not pity him. Maybe I shouldn't get on a stump,
but you know, a lot of times when the most violent criminal
is up here in Huntsville and has killed maybe an officer or
two or three people, slain a family, and when he is to be put to death,
there are always those guys and people there burning candles.
moaning and crying for Him rather than for the victor. But here,
it was a murderer. Idolatry was a defiling of the
land. It was a dishonoring unto God. So let's consider one word used
in Hebrews 10 and verse 28. In the King James, you have it
as despised. He that despised Moses' law. First, the meaning which is not
the same as hate. We're not thinking in the terms
of hate. It is not that he hated Moses'
law, but the same word is used some twelve times more in the
New Testament, and it's rendered this way. You'll find it rendered
reject. You'll find it rendered frustrate
in Galatians 2 and verse 21. You'll find it rendered disanulla
in Galatians 3 and verse 15. You'll find it rendered having
cast off their faith in 1 Timothy 5 and verse 12. In 1 Corinthians 1.19, it's rendered
bring to nothing. God shall bring to nothing the
wisdom of man. Now, they set it aside. That
is Moses' law. They abolished it. They disregarded
it. They would make it useless and
treat both the law and the God that gave it with much contempt
when they committed those sins, as if it were nothing. Remember what the prophet Samuel
said to David after he had sinned in 2 Samuel 12 and verse 9, that
he, David, had despised the commandment of the Lord. He set it aside. He had ignored it and committed
a great sin. But secondly, the one despising
Moses' law had a counterpart in the gospel apostate, who having
affronted one far greater than Moses. He has trampled underfoot
one much, much greater in dignity, power, nature, and being than
Moses. And because of that, faces a
much sorer punishment is the way that it is put here. And
because apostasy from Christ is worse than apostasy from Moses
and his law on account of the dignity of Christ Himself. But do you ask, what is the much
sorer punishment in Hebrews chapter 10? What is this word punishment? After all, the apostate from
Moses was brought to the gate of the city where official matters
were conducted and judgments and transactions were made. And the one who had gone a-whoring
after the strange gods of the heathen. And they were stoned
to death there in that particular place. First by the witnesses
casting their stones, than the whole congregation joining in. So the question that might enter
your mind, a much sorer punishment, what could be worse than this? Death without mercy. What is
there that could be worse than that? Slow and painful many times
at the hands of the acquaintances and people that they knew, stone
after stone, landing with a thud until the body is bruised and
bloody, and then life leaves, the breath ceases, and it is
dead. What could be worse than that,
that the Hebrew author threatens us with? Well, the answer is,
that was only a physical death. It was only the death of the
body. For this is the only death that
men can mete out one to another. For they, Matthew 10, 28, are
able to kill the body, but not the soul. while God is able to
destroy both soul and body in hell. And yes, some of those
who lived under the mosaic economy did everlastingly perish in their
sin, that's clear. But the gospel apostate is worthy
of everlasting destruction or damnation. Now coming to Hebrews
10 verse 31, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands
of the living God. A.T. Robertson in his New Testament
word studies, he said that this is the adjective form of the
old word that means to frighten. It is a frightening thing to
fall into the hands of the living God. We find that word three
times here in this Hebrew epistle from the word phobia, to be frightened
or afraid or scared. The three places are Hebrews
10.27, a fearful looking for, that is, a fearful expectation. There is a fearful expectation
of judgment. The second place we find it is
our text, Hebrews 10, verse 31. The third place we find it is
Hebrews 12, verse 21, describing the awful, awful sight that the
people saw at Mount Sinai when the law of God was given. And it says there in Hebrews,
And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly
fear tremble or quake. Phobio, a quake. We do not read
these exact words in the Old Testament Scripture concerning
Moses saying, I exceedingly fear and quake. Though in Exodus 19
and verse 16, all the people trembled when they saw Mount
Sinai on fire. And they were afraid. And this
is meant to impress upon the readers. the very awesomeness
of the giving of the Law. That even Moses, a friend and
servant of God, had a close encounter with God that gripped him in
a deep phobia over there in the Old Testament. Now that we have
a grasp on the meaning of the Word, let's get our focus and
our attention to Hebrews 10 and verse 31, for it is a fearful
It is a frightening, it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands
of the living God. And there is here enough to finish
out our time for today, but there are many more things that could
be said. The author uses a metaphor to
fall into the hands of the living God, such as a person falls into
the hands of his arch enemy and is tortured and is murdered. Or if a soldier be cut off from
his company and falls into the hands of the enemy and is miserably
and horribly treated, they act out their bitter hatred for their
is neither love nor is there any law to restrain them. So only an expectation of death
is left. You have remembered the dead
burned bodies, have you? In those images of our soldiers
burned and hanged on the bridge in Iraq? I think we might remember
that. This is what it is to fall into
the hands of an enemy And on my soapbox again, this is one
reason it is a bad thing to send women into combat in war. 1 Samuel 31 and verse 4, Saul,
who had been king, died upon his own sword and by his own
hand rather than fall into the hands of the uncircumcised Philistines,
saying, uncircumcised, come and thrust me through and abuse me."
And what did Herod do to John the Baptist when he fell into
his hand? Matthew 14 and 10, Mark 6 and
verse 27, he beheaded John in prison and brought his head in
a basket that his old wicked girlfriend might have her way. And Jesus tells the story of
a man going upon a journey. He fell among thieves, and they
ill-treated him, they robbed him, they beat him, and then
they left him there half dead. Luke chapter 10 and verse 30. Now how much more dreadful will
be that when apostate sinners fall into the hands of the living
God, when those who have defied God, those who have deified their
false worship around the world and been enemies of the gospel.
They've blasphemed Christ out of their own mouth. They've despised
the Lord's churches and the people of God and the preachers of God. They have ridiculed the Scripture
and taken away their divinity and made them but the writings
of men. They have taken God's name in
vain. Now, my friend, what will it
be when such as that fall into the hands of the living God?
Now, sooner or later, all will die, and all will fall into the
hands of the living God. Not that they're out of His reach
now, but after death comes a judgment. Hebrews 9, 27. It is one thing
to fall into the hands of the wicked, or even one's worst enemies,
or even one that hates God. But it is another thing altogether
to fall into the hands of the living God. For human enemies,
even the most powerful potentates, can do no more than maim or torture
or kill the flesh or the body. But the living God The everlasting
God is able to destroy soul and body in hell. That's what Jesus
tells us. Let us acknowledge that there
are at least two forerunners of this great wrath and judgment
to come. These are present. These are
visible in people while living in this world. Number one, have
you considered, as in Romans 1, And verse 18, the wrath of
God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness
of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. That is, they
suppress the truth, as it were, of God. Many ways this wrath
is revealed. Or we call it mother nature or
the weather or whatever it is, but God's wrath is revealed from
heaven. Secondly, there is a forerunner
of the awfulness of falling into the hands of the living God in
the conscience of men and of women. In the fear of death described
in Hebrews 2.15, who all their life were subject to the fear
of death, though most in present Christendom have put away any
belief in everlasting punishment and in eternal fire, and have
dulled the conscience with some narcotic of false religion or
psychology or something of that nature, dulling the conscience,
as it were, to the truth of God. But consider a short passage
from Paul, 2 Corinthians 5, verse 10 and 11. In verse 10, Paul
declares that all the works of men will be manifest before the
tribunal of Christ. And then in verse 11, Paul says,
Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. Now, some have translated the
word terror as fear. Knowing the fear of the Lord,
the word is fabos, and it is many times translated in the
King James, it is true. But in Luke 2 and 9, It is translated,
sore afraid. The shepherds were sore afraid.
In John 20 and 29, the disciples hid behind closed locked doors
for fear of the Jews. Thus, when Paul says he persuades
men, that is, he seeks to convince them, he seeks to bring them
to the assurance to have trust in the person and the work in
the Gospel of Christ, Goodwin wrote, seeking to convince sons
that an infinite treasure of wrath is laid up for those who
are the enemies of God. What a horrible thing it must
be to die in sin, to meet God without the blood of Jesus Christ
to cover one's sin. Many have no doubt died holding
to a false confidence, to find in the end it is a fearful thing
to fall into the hands of the living God. But there is a great
ignorance among religious folks concerning the justice of God
in our day, as if He would, because of His great love, suspend the
justice and judgment, not apart from Jesus Christ, my brothers
and sisters. Let sinners consider three attributes
of God that have to do with this matter, and that is His power,
His justice, and His wrath. Because of His power, none can
escape or stay His hand. His sovereignty is to do as He
will. And in 1 Thessalonians 1 and
5, Paul speaks of the righteous judgment of God. And in verse
6, it is a righteous thing for God to recompense tribulation
so that the judgments of God are drawn out against sin because
of His justice and of His righteousness. His justice must be satisfied
ere He can save a sinner and forgive his sin. God spared not
even his own son, my brother or sister, and will any sinner
imagine that God will spare them? Our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12.29, Deuteronomy 4.24
probably is the passage the writer had in mind. Now this leads us
to speak of the good news of the gospel. So far you would
say, my, what a fearful, awesome kind of a message is that. But
there is good news, and that is that Christ has borne the
sins of His people as a Lamb of God. The Lord God made to
light upon Him the sins of His people, and He made an atonement,
made reconciliation, made propitiation unto God in their behalf. which
is why for them death is gain." Philippians 1 and verse 21. Precious
in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Psalms 116
and 15. This is why Paul could write,
there is now no condemnation to them which are in Jesus Christ. Romans chapter 8 and verse 1. Yes, God is a consuming fire. His righteousness, His justice,
and His wrath must be satisfied, and Christ satisfied all of those
things in His death upon the cross. By Him and by Him only
may we escape falling into the hands of the living God in the
way that is described in this particular place. Whatever men
might think, I mean, I've had people come by, pardon the illustration,
but I've had people come by from time to time, boy, they're under
conviction, seen grown men cry and want to talk. So we talk. And when I tell them that God
doesn't have to save them, He's not obligated to save them, but
He's a great Savior, and you can go down the street and find
somebody else that will tell you something comforting. Well,
they always go down the street. Every time. That's what people
are looking for. Make me feel good. Make me feel
good when I go to church. My friend, God is a living God,
and He's a consuming fire. And let us not come before Him
without our Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ. All right, thank
you. Let's stand for prayer being
dismissed.