Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters. They lived to be almost 1,000
years old. Brothers married daughters at the beginning because there were
no other people. Later, cousins married cousins. As more people were born,
marriages became more distant relatives.
Every person on earth comes from relationships of distant relatives. We all
came from Adam and Eve, and from the children of Noah. We are all related.
Marriage between family members was not unusual nor wrong in the beginning.
It was how we all began.
Hebrews 1:2-4
The author proceeded to demonstrate how Christ was superior to angels, Moses and the high priest. Jesus was "designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 5:10) In Chapter 5 Verse 11 through Chapter 6 Verse 12, the author pauses to speak to the issue of maturity.
Hebrews 5:11 - 6:2
Many of the Jews did not even understand the most elementary truths about Christ, even though the truths had been common knowledge through Apostolic ministry for years. They were still spiritual infants and not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. The word "infants" (nepios ) means "immature" as contrasted to "mature." It does not speak to one who is a "child." No implication of salvation is carried in the meaning of the word. In this context, the word refers to unsaved Hebrews. Dr. Wuest wrote that these unsaved Jews "because of their neglect of New Testament truth and their turning away from it, have again become immature in their spiritual apprehension of the same." (Word Studies in the New Testament Greek, Volume 2, Eerdmans Publishing, 1973).
This is something I have witnessed during many years of ministry. Some unsaved people come very close to the truth. They attend church and Bible study. They watch and listen. They ask questions and seem interested. But something pulls them away, and many stay away and become as they once were, lacking completely in spiritual interest. It is not hard to understand how this would have happened to many Jews who were pulled away from the elementary teachings about righteousness because of their background in Judaism.
The author's primary message here was to unsaved Jews. He exhorted those Hebrews to leave the elementary teachings (beginning word - arches logon ) about Christ (Messiah) and go on to maturity (epi ten teleioteta ). The Jews understood the basics of the Old Covenant that included repentance from dead works (nekron ergon ), faith in God, teachings about ritual washings (baptismon ), laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. They knew about God's promise of a Messiah. Jews had been taught about the spiritual issues of the First Covenant since they were children. However, they had learned more than that about Jesus Christ and had seen and heard about the New Way (New Covenant) God had for His people. The First Covenant was the "beginning word" about Messiah (Jesus Christ). Jews needed to move on from that to "maturity" in the Person and Permanent Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 6:4-8
Many Jews had heard the Truth of the New Covenant in Jesus Christ and had witnessed the Power of God's Spirit through the Apostles' message. "...how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will." (Hebrews 2:3-4) Jesus Christ suffered and died for their sins. "...he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him." (Hebrews 5:8-9) Jesus did all that for the Hebrews. What were they doing for Him? They were subjecting Jesus to public disgrace! Their behavior was a ridicule to Christ. They had heard the Truth of the New Covenant, but were continuing in the Old Covenant. Their spiritual "works" produced only thorns and thistles and was worthless in God's sight. They were in danger of being cursed and "burned" in the end. The author warned them about their immaturity and told them to go on to maturity." That is the context of Hebrews 6:4-8.
The rest of Hebrews 6 and Chapters 7 - 10 explain what Jesus Christ did for the Jews. The author summed up the Superiority of Jesus and the New Covenant in those portions of Hebrews.
Hebrews 7:18-28
Hebrews 8:6 -7, 13
Hebrews 9:11-12, 15
Hebrews 9:25-28
Basic Bible Doctrines, Dr. Donald Webb, Day of Grace Mnistries, 1996
Contextual
We do not know who wrote Hebrews, but we know it was written to Jews. Some had received Christ as their Messiah. Some had not. The author began his letter by pointing to the Superiority of Jesus Christ. "...but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs."
"We have much to say about this [Christ being designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek], but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment."
"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned."
"The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: 'The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.'' Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our needs--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever."
"But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another ... By calling this covenant 'new,' he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear."
"When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once and for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption ... For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."
"Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."
"The whole thrust of the Hebrews Epistle is to bring Jewish believers on to spiritual maturity and to rest in their full New Covenant position under their great High Priest, Jesus Christ. They are being exhorted to leave the religious sacrificial system of the law behind."
Dispensational
Another important aspect for our understanding of Hebrews is to recognize the Dispensational feature. The author was writing to Jews in the Messianic or Kingdom Age. Gentiles and Gentile issues were not addressed in the letter. Hebrews is certainly "for" Christians in that it holds wonderful Truths about Jesus Christ. We learn and are inspired from the writings. However, Hebrews is not "to" Christians in that it was not addressed to people living in the Age of Grace.
Now to the question which came to her. She wondered if there is some parallel to the listing of these jewels in both passages ... and if there is why were there a particular 3 stones not possessed by Satan. Is there any particular Biblical significance attached to these 12 particular jewels (a particular one for a particular Israelite tribe for example), and if so, is there any significance as to the 3 particular stones not available to Satan in the Garden?
The King of Tyre is mentioned in Ezekiel 28. "You were a model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turqoise and beryl." (Ezekiel 28:12-13) The three precious stones mentioned in Exodus 28 not mentioned in Ezekiel 28 are jacinth, agate and amethyst. Is there a spiritual significance?
The first mention of precious stones from the earth is in Genesis 2:11: "The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there)." Here are the first mentions of all the precious stones of Exodus 28.
King David listed precious stones in 1 Chronicles 29 when he spoke to Israel about gifts for building the Temple. Job listed precious stones in Job 28 when he compared them to wisdom. The Bible has some other mentions of precious stones, but the next large display is in Revelation 21 in John's description of the New Jerusalem. Note the similarities between the precious stones in the priest's breastpiece and the foundations of the Heavenly City.
Revelation 21:18-21
Ezekiel wrote that "every precious stone" adorned the King of Tyre, yet only mentioned nine stones. It could be that the listing was not meant to be comprehensive or it may be that those nine were the only ones the King of Tyre wore. The lists of 12 precious stones in Exodus 28 and Revelation 21 do not include every stone on earth, but they certainly are some of the most precious and beautiful.
The bottom line to my study of your question is that I did not find a specified reason why the King of Tyre did not have three of the precious stones found on the priest's breastpiece. It does not seem to have any particular significance. However, I will continue to search the Scriptures to see what else may be there for our understanding.
"The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass."
The Hebrew word for "fast" and "fasting" is som . It means "to cover the mouth." The Greek word is nesteuo . It means "to abstain." The idea was to cover one's mouth and abstain from eating food.
Many religions have used fasting in their worship and service to their gods. Many people believed abstaining from eating food for a period of time was a way to win the favor of the gods. Some fasts lasted a day. Others lasted many days. Some fasts included abstaining from eating all food. Other fasts included abstaining from only certain foods.
Paul fasted during special situations. Here are two as recorded in Acts.
Fasting was often combined with grief, contrition or serious decisions in the life of God's people.
2 Samuel 12:16-17
1 Kings 21:9-10
Ezra 8:21-23
Joel 1:13-14; 2:15-17
We find wonderful insights to the true purpose of Israel's fasting in Isaiah.
Isaiah 58:3-9
Fasting had become a legalistic and egotistic issue by the time Christ came to Earth. Here are some of His thoughts about fasting. The insights are amazing!
Matthew 9:14-15
Matthew 6:16-17
Paul said almost nothing about fasting. It was part of his personal life, but he gave no particular instructions to Christians to fast. It is not a legal issue for Christians. We have no direction to do it or not to do it. Fasting is something we should do quietly, privately and to the Lord. There may be times in a Christian's life where we are so burdened or grieved that we cannot eat. If you believe God calls you to fast for purposes He makes clear to you, do it.
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Last Updated: 12/20/1999
"David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them."
"Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death."
"There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble outselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and hosemen to protect us from our enemies on the road, because we had told the king, 'The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.' So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer."
"Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord ... Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, 'Spare your people, O Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"
"Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed? Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I."
"Then John's disciples came and asked him, 'How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?' Jesus answered, 'How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast."
"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."