jhaynes@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu (05/11/91)
~9Heb 6:4-9 Study We need to test everything we hear on a teaching from the Word of God. I heard a teaching on the passage in Hebrews that you could loose your salvation and they used this passage to prove it. So I read the scriptures for myself and what you are about to read is what took place to my best recollection. Heb 6:4-6 4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. (NIV) I believed the Holy Spirit had given me insight in that the person here would not be restored to a repented state in order to do good works. Exodus 17:1-7 1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" (NIV) This is the first account of where Moses was instructed to bring water from the rock by striking the rock. Note that they were in the Desert of Sin. Let's take a look at the second account. Numbers 20:1-13 1 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. 2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD! 4 Why did you bring the LORD's community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!" 6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7 The LORD said to Moses, 8 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink." 9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. 12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them." 13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and where he showed himself holy among them. (NIV) Here the people were in the Desert of Zin and Moses was instructed to speak to the rock. But in his anger he struck the rock and brought the judgment of God upon him. The blessing of the rock still flowed out because the blessings from God are not restricted to the obedience of our teachers. The elder told me that this sounded good but the passage of scripture in Hebrews was not talking about Moses but about someone loosing their salvation. Well, I know that I had been wrong before so I continued to pray and ask God to guide me into the truth of this matter. I read the passage again and saw that it did speak of salvation in the following verses. Heb 6:7-9 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. 9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case-- things that accompany salvation. (NIV) Looking at this passage it does not pertain to things that accomplish salvation but things that accompany it. So I looked further into the things that accompany salvation. I found that good works are to accompany salvation. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (NIV) Moses, by far, was useful for noble purposes for he was God's instrument to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and it was also through him that the Mt. Sinai covenant was given. With these thoughts in mind, I took my findings to a deacon of another church, some one I had worked with. He told me that the accounts in Exodus and Numbers were the same account and that the Desert of Sin and Zin were the same desert. Again, not trying to push the issue, I went back to the Lord in prayer and asked for guidance to find the truth. It was not long after this while in my quiet time reading the Bible and praying, the scriptures revealed to me that the desert of Sin and Zin were two different locations. Numbers 33:11-12 11 They left the Red Sea and camped in the Desert of Sin. 12 They left the Desert of Sin and camped at Dophkah. (NIV) Numbers 33:36-37 36 They left Ezion Geber and camped at Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin. 37 They left Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the border of Edom. (NIV) Wow! I took all of this to my pastor at that time and showed him what my findings were. But he was in agreement with the elder that the passage of Hebrews was talking about someone loosing their salvation and that the rock in the desert was not Christ. Well, being fully aware that I could be wrong and trying to fit the scriptures to what I thought was right, I went again to the Lord in prayer and asked for forgiveness for trying to push an issue. But to my surprise, the Lord didn't leave me in the dark. Through scriptures He revealed to me that the rock was none other than Christ. 1 Cor 10:1-4 1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. (NIV) Rest assured God does answer prayer and will reveal the truth through His word as we continue to read it. Just to end this study on Hebrews 6:4-9, Moses in his anger did crucify Christ all over again by striking the rock the second time and was no longer fit to do the noble task of leading God's people into the promise land. Moses paid the price for his sin with his own life. Deut 32:48-52 48 On that same day the LORD told Moses, 49 "Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession. 50 There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. 51 This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. 52 Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel." (NIV) Moses did not lose his salvation for I doubt Jesus would have been transfigured with a soul bound for hell. Matt 17:1-5 1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-- one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" (NIV) If your teaching is correct it will always be reinforced by other scriptures for the Bible is its own best commentary. This study on Moses shed light for me on another verse in Jude. Jude 1:9 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" (NIV) Satan disputed over the body of Moses because Moses was never brought back to repentance and died in sin. Satan believes that if he can cause us to sin he still has ownership on us. We need to be careful not to let Satan get a foothold on us for just in the case of Moses it ended his life. God shows no favoritism. We who belong to Him are subjected to His discipline. Eph 4:25-28 25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. (NIV) Rom 2:11 For God does not show favoritism. (NIV) Sorry this is so long but the study itself took about 18 months and after finding that the passage had nothing to do with loosing salvation but a warning to live a life in Christ I thought I should share it. Please comment on this by email or by a posting I would like to hear what other people think about this passage or share a study that reveals a truth about the scriptures. One last thought I have left the church I was attending because they continued to teach falsely my relationship with Jesus is more important than a religion. In His Hands, Joel Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."(NIV) 1 Thess 5:21 "Test everything and hold on to the good."(NIV)