Art Toombs Ministries
Online Bible Commentary
The Unchanging Nature of God’s Purpose
Hebrews 6:16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (NKJV)
The early church claimed that the Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Hebrews. Clement of Alexandria claimed that Luke translated the book into Greek.
Luke was Paul’s amanuensis in Paul’s final days (2 Timothy 4:11) and is believed to be his amanuensis for this writing. This letter is believed to be Paul’s last, written late A.D. 67-early A.D. 68.
This passage marks the end of Paul’s warning concerning apostasy, rejecting Christ (5:11-6:20). This was the third of five warnings in the book of Hebrews.
The first warning was against neglecting the Gospel (2:1-4). The second warning was against unbelief (3:7-4:13).
Previously, in this warning, Paul wrote of the need for Christians to become mature in their faith, so as to ward off apostasy. The point was made that those who do not endure in the faith and fall into apostasy, were never Christians in the first place.
Endurance is proof of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. This is made clear in Scripture: “Who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5); and “Having believed you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession” (Eph. 1:13-14).
Those who profess Christ and then later reject Him never truly believed in the first place. The Bible speaks of wheat and tares, and how it is impossible for men to truly know the difference between true believers and those who are pretenders. Only God knows the difference.
Now, in this passage, Paul completes this warning with His promise for those true believers who heed the warning and endure to the end. He writes “For men indeed swear by the greater” (v. 16a).
Here, Paul begins by defining an oath. An oath is used by men to confirm a promise. They “swear” (issue an oath) by someone greater than themselves.
Paul continues with “and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute (v. 16b). The fact that men issue the oath settles the matter that their promise is true.
The oath puts an end to all argument. Think of a witness in a trial placing their hand on the Bible and taking an oath before God.
Next, Paul writes “Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath” (v. 17). Because God wanted to make clear to us Christians the “immutability”, the unchanging nature, of His purpose, He also issued an oath. The unchanging nature of God’s purpose is Jesus.
Paul writes “that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie” (v. 18a). God made this clear by two unchangeable things “in which it is impossible for God to lie”. Those two unchangeable things were His promise and His oath (v. 17).
Paul continues with “we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us” (v. 18b). Paul means this passage as encouragement to those Hebrews who “fled” Judaism “to lay hold of the hope” of Jesus. It is also encouragement to those of us who have left the dead-end ways of the world to lay hold of Jesus.
Paul writes “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul” (v. 19a). This “anchor of the soul”, Jesus, keeps us from drifting through life with no direction.
We know our direction. It is to be with Him.
Paul continues with “both sure and steadfast” (v. 19b). This anchor, Jesus, is firm and secure. We can put all our hope and faith in Jesus.
Paul continues “and which enters the Presence behind the veil” (v. 19c). Our hope, Jesus, entered the “Presence behind the veil”, the Holy of Holies in the temple.
The Holy of Holies was the domain of God. This is a reference to the curtain being torn open at the death of Christ, torn open by Jesus entering to show us that He indeed is God.
Next, Paul writes “where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus” (v. 20a). Jesus entered before us, and on our behalf.
Jesus was our forerunner. We who follow Him will also be in the presence of God.
Paul continues with “having become High Priest forever” (v. 20b). Jesus also became our High Priest, forever representing us before God the Father.
Paul closes this passage by writing “according to the order of Melchizedek” (v. 20c). Jesus is a high priest in the order of Melchizedek, meaning that he was greater than the Levitical or Aaronic high priests.
Those high priests were appointed only for the duration of their life on earth. In contrast, Jesus was appointed by God to rule forever, as was Melchizedek. There will be more on Melchizedek in the next commentary.
So, the unchanging nature of God’s purpose is Jesus. God the Father sent Jesus to earth to become our savior. He is our salvation, our means to joining God in Heaven.
God wants all of His creation to join Him in Heaven. He loves us and wants to be with us.
He has from the beginning. He had fellowship with Adam and Eve in the garden, daily. He had a personal relationship with them.
He wants that with everyone. He wants that with you.
He wants to hear from you daily, if not more. He wants to know your thoughts, your feelings, your fears, and your joy.
He wants to be the Father that you never had. It doesn’t sound like a lot to ask.
After all, he is our Creator.