Weekly Bible Studies (Page 3)

The Weekly Bible Studies category contains the short, but information-packed, weekly studies written by Kevin Simpson. The studies appear in the bulletins distributed during Lord’s Day assemblies at Christ’s Church in Billings, MT. The studies are published here each week for your edification and enlightenment.

He Sat Down, Received the Crown, Now Satan’s Goin’ Down

He Sat Down, Received the Crown, Now Satan’s Goin’ Down

“And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”
Heb. 10:11-14 (NAS)

The Holy Spirit, as He impelled the writer of Hebrews to emphasize the superiority of Jesus Christ as the eternal, perpetual (meaning only) High Priest of the New Covenant, utilizes not only direct quotes from the Old Testament but also allusions to Old Testament passages. Our text for today is one of those Old Testament allusions and not really a direct quote. But don’t be mistaken, the Hebrews who had turned to Christ in those days, and the saints of today, would and should have a well trained ear and eye to recognize language lifted from Old Testament scriptures. They’re all designed for our edification and to help us properly appraise and appreciate just who Jesus Christ is declared to be according to the Scriptures.

Behold, I Have Come To Do Your Will

“For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,

‘SACRIFICE AND OFFERING THOU HAST NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY THOU HAST PREPARED FOR ME; IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES FOR SIN THOU HAST TAKEN NO PLEASURE. “THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME

(IN THE ROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO THY WILL, O GOD.’ “

Hebrews 10:4-7 (NAS)

The Superior Blood of the New Covenant

The Superior Blood of the New Covenant

“Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU.” And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” – Hebrews 9:18-22

God’s Mercy Equals Sins Remembered No More

“FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM UPON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’ FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.” Hebrews 8:10-12

As we prepare to consider the last section of the quote from the prophet Jeremiah concerning the New Covenant which the writer of the letter to the Hebrews cites from Jeremiah 31:33-34, it would serve us well to remember the reason the Holy Spirit moved the writer to pen these words of Jeremiah. The Spirit was seeking to establish firmly for the Hebrew hearers at that time, and the modern day reader now, that Christ Jesus as the eternal High Priest has mediated “a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.” (Heb. 8:6b).

They Shall Not Teach, ‘Know The Lord.’

We’ve almost finished our journey through this rich Old Testament quote of the prophet Jeremiah by the writer of the letter to the Hebrews concerning the prophesied New Covenant. The last section of Jeremiah’s inspired words are found in Chapter thirty-one, verses thirty-three and thirty-four: “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Their God, My People

Well, we’re working through the last parts of the Hebrew writer’s quote from the prophet Jeremiah found in Jeremiah chapter 31. Here is that last section of verses referenced by the writer of Hebrews as found in the Old Testament in the NAS translation. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jer. 31:33-34

Placed In The Mind, Written On The Heart

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them upon their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:10-12

Okay, we’re in our fourth week on our study of Jeremiah’s prophetic utterance concerning the coming New Covenant as quoted by the writer of the letter to the Hebrews. This week, we’ll begin our consideration of the superior benefits, blessings and promises of the New Covenant. Remember now, Judah was in its death throes headed for the Babylonian captivity, and Israel to the north was long gone as a nation. These were the conditions that existed when Jeremiah was moved to utter and record these hopeful words for the posterity to come. This was the great hope of the faithful prophet and a prophesied faithful remnant. Here’s Jeremiah’s quote in its entirety as found in the Old Testament (NAS). “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jer. 31:31-34)

After Those Days

This week, we press on in our study of the quote by the inspired penman of the letter to the Hebrews from the prophet Jeremiah concerning the New Covenant as recorded here in chapter eight. The passage cited by the writer is found in Jeremiah 31:31-34. “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

A New Covenant For A Spiritual-Minded Israel

Two weeks ago, we began our consideration of the New Covenant as foretold by the prophet Jeremiah, that which the inspired writer of the Hebrew letter quotes here in chapter eight. Here is Jeremiah’s quote in entirety.

Developing Disciplined Children

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.’ And, fathers, do no provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:1-4)

In Mr. Simpson’s absence (he is on a family vacation this week), we will temporarily digress from looking at Old Testament quotations in light of their New Testament meanings. This week we will instead look at the importance of raising up Godly children who will continue to carry the spiritual revolution on to the next generation. When God ordained the family, He established the parents to be a united leadership, with the father ultimately being the head of the household. Under this divine family structure, the children are to be in subjection to their parents, growing “in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” The family is the initial training ground by which children learn the fundamental principles for living as adults in subjection to the heavenly Father.