Wednesday after Judica (Passion) Sunday
Posted on March 20, 2024 by under
Scripture: Hebrews 6:13-20 (NKJV)
6:13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 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.
Devotion
Something ‘immutable’ is neither capable, nor susceptible, to change. When Almighty God called Abraham to leave his country, his kindred, and his father’s house, He made him an immutable promise. That promise included the sending of a Savior, so that through Abraham’s Seed “all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” God continued to reiterate that promise and give more details about its fulfillment to Abraham throughout his life.
According to Deuteronomy 19:15, two witnesses are legally necessary to establish a matter. In order that Abraham and the heirs of the promise might have unswerving hope in God’s promise, God swore by Himself. Normally a man calls God as his witness. Knowing that there is not another person who can testify for God, our Lord gave His oath swearing by Himself, since God cannot lie.
What promise is so important that God swears by Himself? It is the promise of the Gospel. “…the patriarchs knew the promise of the Christ, that for His sake God intended to forgive sins. As they understood that the Christ would be the price for our sins, they knew that our works could not pay so high a price. Therefore, they received free mercy and the forgiveness of sins by faith, just as the saints in the New Testament” (Apology IV, 57). God’s strong consolation gives a sure and steadfast hope.
Collect: We beseech Thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon Thy people, that by Thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
