Daily Truth

It’s not enough to arrive at the Celestial City alone. Who are you serving, so that they complete the journey also?

Covenant Succession is the idea that the children of believers “are expected to succeed in the faith of their parents, and this is accomplished through the divinely ordained means of covenant nurture.” There is no theological reason Reformed Baptists shouldn’t believe this.

Just as the Israelites were encompassed with the pillar of cloud in the wilderness, New Testament saints are also surrounded by a “cloud.” Only, this cloud which surrounds us is “a cloud of witnesses” - the Old Testament saints whose faith and patience were just mentioned in the preceding chapter. Remember, some of these Old Testament saints experienced immense victory, while others experienced crushing defeat. In either case, they all bore noble testimony to God and received commendation from God for their faith. And these Old Testament saints now serve as witnesses for, or against us, as we seek to live by faith. They are compared to a "great” cloud because they encompass us on every side, and are many in number.

Although the daily sacrifice in Israel ought to have ceased at the death of Christ, it did not in fact cease until the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. Therefore, when considering the larger context of the preceding chapters (Hebrews 10 & 11), what “weight” and corresponding “sin” would most likely be hindering these Christians ability to “run with endurance the race... set before [them]”? It was the weight of constant participation in the ceremonial system of Judaism, and the sin of unbelief in the finished atonement of Christ.

Scripture teaches that we are “surrounded by a great cloud which surrounds us is “a cloud of witnesses.” These past saints, now in glory, are not mere cheer leaders for Christians living today. They serve as witnesses for, or against us, as we seek to live by faith.

Has God always saved people the same way? Why does it seem that so few were saved in Israel in the Old Testament?

Just as the Israelites were encompassed with the pillar of cloud in the wilderness, New Testament saints are also surrounded by a “cloud.” Only, this cloud which surrounds us is “a cloud of witnesses” - the Old Testament saints whose faith and patience were just mentioned in the preceding chapter. Remember, some of these Old Testament saints experienced immense victory, while others experienced crushing defeat. In either case, they all bore noble testimony to God and received commendation from God for their faith. And these Old Testament saints now serve as witnesses for, or against us, as we seek to live by faith. They are compared to a "great” cloud because they encompass us on every side, and are many in number.

The spiritual battle of this generation may be won or lost. But even if we are to lose, we can spend our lives in such a way that we position future generations for victory.

There are at least three benefits possessed by Christians today that Old Testament saints did not have.

The 1st Century Church was not the spiritual heyday of Christianity. We have not been on a steady decline for the past 2,000 years.

*The title of this clip comes from my friend Brian Sauve.