This section of verses is one of the most difficult and troubling passages in the New Testament. A person can hear the truth again and again, yet without ever making a commitment to Christ, and through rejecting the truth, that person develops a hard heart towards God. Through persistent refusal to listen to God, a person can reach a point where they no longer can repent — whether that be through their eventual death or through their debased mind that refuses to acknowledge God (Rom. 1:21-28). A serious passage like this calls for us to examine our lives and to evaluate whether we are growing love for Christ or dullness toward Him.

The writer to the Hebrews addresses the problem of spiritual immaturity. Trying to explain the priestly ministry of Jesus after the order of Melchizedek, he has to pause before going any further because these Jews were too immature to understand the deeper teachings of God. Christians are not to remain as spiritual babies, only focusing on the basic principles of the faith, but we are to grow up. God calls us to spiritual maturity, and we have the responsibility to pursue growth in Christ.

Jesus is our perfect high priest. He has met all the qualifications necessary in order to be our high priest. We no longer need anyone to act on our behalf before God because Jesus is the perfect high priest forever. He alone is the way people can have atonement for their sins. Because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, those who trust in Him can have eternal salvation. As we walk through this life, we can trust in our perfect high priest, Jesus Christ, being confident that He remains our high priest forevermore.

The end of Hebrews 4 begins to get at the heart of what one of the main themes of Hebrews is — the perfect priesthood of Jesus. These familiar verses are rich and encouraging to the believer. Jesus Christ has made a way for sinners to confidently approach the throne of God. Jesus is our Great High Priest indeed.

After warning not to follow the example of Israel’s disobedience and unbelief, the author focuses on the rest God provides for His people. The opportunity to enter God’s rest still remains, so we must be diligent to seek that rest. Don’t ignore the voice of God, but listen to Him, and trust in the promises He makes to His people.

After examining how Jesus is greater than Moses, the author of Hebrews refers to one of the most significant items in Israel’s history — their wandering in the wilderness. Israel wandered for 40 years and the unbelieving generation did not enter the Promised Land because of their unbelief. The challenge from this passage of Scripture is for us not to harden our hearts toward God as the Israelites did so that we may enter into the eternal rest God promises for His people who trust in Him.

Moses was one of the most significant people in the Old Testament. God used Moses to deliver the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, to establish a covenant with His people at Mt. Sinai, and to lead His people to the Promised Land. Although Moses was a righteous man and had a great ministry, he pointed to someone far greater than himself — Jesus. How is Jesus greater than Moses, and why does it matter for us? Hebrews 3:1-6 compares Jesus to Moses and shows the absolute superiority Jesus has even over Moses.

Christians believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world, and we believe Jesus is perfect. But how do we know that Jesus is our perfect Savior? Are those just comforting words for Christians, or is Jesus actually the perfect Savior for mankind? What qualifies Jesus to be our Savior? This section of verses explains how Jesus is able to be our perfect Savior.

God’s intended destiny for mankind was for them to rule over creation. However, as a result of sin, this destiny was lost. The only way man’s destiny can be recovered is by Jesus Christ. Jesus came to recover man’s destiny, and one day mankind will rule with Jesus in the new creation.

The greatest tragedy a person can experience is neglecting God’s offer of salvation, drifting through life and into an eternity in hell. Our tendency is to drift, and therefore, we need to pay close attention to the message of salvation given to us through God’s superior revelation in Jesus Christ. You can know all the facts about Jesus. You can even believe them to be true. Yet if the gospel message of salvation does not change your life, you’re heading towards God’s eternal punishment for sin. Let it not be said of you that you neglected salvation.