Encouragement to Steadfastness from God’s Faithfulness to His Word and
Oath CONTINUES. Heb. 6:18-20.
“That by two immutable thing” ch. 3:11; 7:21. Ps. 110:4. Mat. 24:35. “Most expositors, as Doddridge, Whitby, Rosenmüller, Koppe, and Calvin, suppose that the reference is to the promise and the oath of God, each of which would be a firm ground of the assurance of salvation, and in each of which it would be impossible for God to lie. Those things were both unchangeable, and when his word and oath are once passed, what he promises is secure.” Pink Arthur W. However, it should be noted that these two things are linked to the Messiah being made High Priest according to the order of Melchisedek; Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6, 10. Christ became the High Priest to secure our salvation, and this was done under an oath Heb. 7:20-24. He performed His first function as High Priest after the resurrection when He took the blood of the covenant to heaven Heb. 9;24-26, Jn. 20:17-23, touch me not, Lev. 16:17 no man shall be in the tabernacle…when he goeth in to make atonement. The blood Christ in heaven and His position as High priest under oath to me are the two immutable things which are ground of assurance of our salvation. Job talked about it when he said in Job. 16:19 ‘my witness is in heaven and my record is on high’. “In which it is impossible to…to tell a lie Nu. 23:19, 1Sam. 15:29, 2Tim. 2:13, Tit. 1:2. The meaning here is, that such was the love of God for truth; such his holiness of character, that he could not speak falsely. We might have a strong consolation Is. 51:12; 66:10–13, Lk. 2:25, 2Cor. 1:5–7, Phi. 2:1. The consolation of a Christian is not in his own strength; his hope of heaven is not in any reliance on his own powers. His comfort is, that God has promised eternal life to his people, and that He cannot prove false to his word; Titus 1:2. Who have fled for refuge Gen. 19:22, Nu. 35:11–15, Josh. 20:3, Ps. 46:1; 62:8. Is. 32:1, 2, Zec. 9:12, 2Cor. 5:18–21, 1Thess. 1:10. “Under the law there were cities of refuge provided for those who were pursued by the avenger of blood. Here is a much better refuge prepared by the gospel, a refuge for all sinners who shall have the heart to flee to it; yea, though they have been the chief of sinners.” M. Henry
To lay hold upon. 1Ki. 2:28, Pro. 3:18; 4:13, Is. 27:5; 56:4; 64:7, 1Tim. 6:12. To seize and hold fast—as one does an altar when he is pursued by the avenger of blood.
The hope set before us. Col. 1:5, 23, 27, 1Tim. 1:1, Rom. 3:25. The hope of eternal life offered in the gospel. This is set before us as our refuge, and to this we flee when we feel that we are in danger of death.
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul Act. 27:29, 40, Both sure and steadfast. Firm and secure. Ps. 42:5, 11; 43:5; 146:5, 6, Is. 12:2; 28:16, Jer. 17:7, 8, Rom. 4:16; 8:28–39. And which entereth into that within the veil. ch. 4:16; 9:3, 7; 10:20, 21, Lev. 16:2, 15, Mat. 27:51, Ep. 2:6, Col. 3:1. “We are in this world as a ship at sea, liable to be tossed up and down, and in danger of being cast away. Jesus Christ is the object and ground of the believer’s hope in several respects. As he has entered within the veil, to intercede with God, in virtue of that sacrifice which he offered up without the veil: hope fastens upon his sacrifice and intercession. And he abides there, a high priest after the order of Melchisedec, a priest forever, whose priesthood shall never cease, never fail. M. Henry. The forerunner. Jn. 14:2, 3, for. ch. 1:3; 4:14; 8:1; 9:12, 24; 12:2, Rom. 8:34, Eph. 1:3, 20–23, 1Pe. 3:22, 1Jno. 2:12.
