Hebrews in Light of Grace (Part 1):
Israel’s Doctrine and Our Understanding
God Spoke in Time Past
The book of Hebrews opens with a declaration that sets its foundation: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son…” (Heb.1:1-2). This opening statement establishes that Hebrews does not introduce something disconnected or new. It builds directly upon what God has already spoken through the prophets in time past and through His Son during His earthly ministry.
The Bible is its own interpreter, built upon the principle of comparing scripture with scripture (Isa.28:10; 1Cor.2:13). It provides an all-sufficient, complete revelation that does not rely on human commentaries, encyclopedias, or private imaginations to be understood. As the fifty-eighth book of the Bible, Hebrews is preceded by fifty-seven books of divine revelation. It was not birthed out of thin air, nor can it be comprehended by jumping into its pages without a firm grasp of the scriptures that came before it. Understanding the word spoken in time past is mandatory to prevent the twisting of its contents.
The very first chapter of Hebrews bombards the reader with Old Testament passages, drawing directly from Israel’s sacred writings:
- Psalm 2:7 and 2 Samuel 7:14 in Hebrews 1:5
- Psalm 97:7 in Hebrews 1:6
- Psalm 104:4 in Hebrews 1:7
- Psalm 45:6-7 in Hebrews 1:8-9
- Psalm 102:25-27 in Hebrews 1:10-12
- Psalm 110:1 in Hebrews 1:13
These continuous citations demonstrate that Hebrews is saturated with Israel’s scripture. It addresses a people steeped in covenant history, pointing them toward the culmination of those promises in Christ. For those living under the dispensation of grace, recognizing this contextual framework is vital. Hebrews is Israel’s doctrine. It represents the continuation and fulfillment of their covenants and prophetic timeline. While Paul’s epistles reveal the distinct mystery doctrine given to the Body of Christ, studying Israel’s doctrine allows believers to rightly divide the word of truth (2Tim.2:15) and appreciate the structural harmony of God’s complete plan.
The Law and the Prophets
Moving into the second chapter, Hebrews grounds its exhortation in the severity of the Mosaic law: “For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him” (Heb.2:2-3).
The “word spoken by angels” refers to the law delivered to Israel at Mount Sinai. As recorded elsewhere in scripture, the law was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator, Moses (Acts 7:53; Gal.3:19). Every infraction under that system carried an exact, unavoidable penalty. Hebrews highlights this history to remind Israel of their covenant accountability. The salvation spoken of here began to be uttered during the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ—recorded in the gospels—where He ministered exclusively to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt.15:24; Acts 1:1-2).
Hebrews 3 continues this focus by evaluating the role of Moses within God’s house: “And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after” (Heb.3:5). Moses’ ministry was not an end in itself; it served as a prophetic shadow and testimony of the greater truths that would follow. Ignorance of the former testimony leaves one incapable of understanding the later revelation.
To reinforce this, the text quotes directly from Psalm 95: “Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness…)” (Heb.3:7-8). The writer consistently weaves Old Testament scripture into the argument to demonstrate that God’s dealing with Israel in the present is in complete continuity with His dealings in the past. Spiritual dullness comes from failing to remember what God spoke through the prophets. To remedy this dullness, one must go back to the first principles of the oracles of God to build a proper foundation (Heb.5:11-12).
The Gospel Preached to Israel
In Hebrews 4, the narrative addresses the nature of the message delivered to Israel throughout their history: “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Heb.4:2).
The “them” in this passage refers specifically to the generation of Israelites who came out of Egypt under Moses. The "gospel" preached to them was not the gospel of the grace of God—which centers on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for personal justification (1Cor.15:1-4). Rather, it was the good news of entering the promised land of Canaan and enjoying God's rest. Though they heard the good news of the promise, the message produced no profit because it was not met with faith. Consequently, their unbelieving bodies fell in the wilderness.
This historical account serves as a vital lesson in basic biblical principle. While the content of God’s message changes across different dispensational ages, the requirement of faith remains constant. Israel failed not because God’s word was insufficient, but because they lacked faith in what was explicitly spoken to them. Under grace, salvation is received by grace through faith apart from the works of the law (Eph.2:8-9). Understanding how God dealt with Israel’s unbelief clarifies the necessity of trusting God's word in every age without confusing Israel’s earthly gospel with the grace gospel committed to the Body of Christ.
Christ as High Priest
The central argument of Hebrews shifts toward the priesthood and the sanctuary system: “For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins” (Heb.5:1).
Under the Levitical order detailed in the book of Leviticus, the high priest served as an essential mediator between a holy God and a sinful nation. Every sacrifice, washing, and ritual performed under the Levitical law was designed to foreshadow a reality to come. The sacrificial system served as an object lesson, displaying the holiness of God and the necessity of blood atonement. However, that system was inherently temporary and weak, unable to permanently take away sin or make the worshiper perfect.
This brings the narrative to a critical doctrinal turning point in Hebrews 7: “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law” (Heb.7:12). The Mosaic law and the Levitical priesthood were indivisible. A change in the priesthood required an absolute change in the law. Christ did not come from the tribe of Levi; He sprang from the tribe of Judah, a tribe about which Moses spoke nothing concerning the priesthood.
Christ’s priesthood is not based on a carnal commandment or physical lineage, but on the power of an endless life, patterned after the order of Melchizedek (Heb.7:16-17). For Israel, this transition signifies the complete setting aside of the Levitical system in favor of an eternal High Priest who offers a better sacrifice under a better covenant. For believers today operating under the dispensation of grace, this highlights the absolute sufficiency of Christ’s finished work on the cross. Members of the Body of Christ do not look to an earthly sanctuary, a human priest, or ceremonial laws, but rely entirely on the full, once-for-all redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ.
The New Covenant with Israel
This transition in priesthood provides the foundation for the replacement of the old covenant. The initial covenant given at Sinai was broken by the people, making it necessary for God to institute a new agreement: “For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord” (Heb.8:8-9).
The scripture explicitly identifies the contracting parties of this new agreement: “the house of Israel and the house of Judah”. It is not a covenant made with the Body of Christ. The first covenant relied on human performance and was written on tables of stone. Because Israel broke that agreement, God scattered them among the heathens in judgment. The new covenant, however, rests entirely on God's divine action.
This promise was first revealed through the prophet Jeremiah: “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jer.31:33). The phrase “after those days” points to the completion of Israel’s period of chastisement and scattered captivity. Under this covenant, obedience will no longer be an external struggle. God will write His law directly into their inward parts so that all will know Him, from the least to the greatest.
Ezekiel expands on this national restoration, showing that God will unite the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah into one single nation under one King: “Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore” (Ezek.37:26). This prophetic event involves the physical resurrection of the whole house of Israel to enter their promised kingdom (Ezek.37:11-14).
Hebrews repeats this truth to confirm its upcoming fulfillment: “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb.10:16-17). The new covenant is earthly, national, and future. It is tied directly to Israel’s land, their physical restoration, and their kingdom. Members of the Body of Christ are not party to this national covenant. Our spiritual blessings are secured by grace through faith apart from covenant terms, placing our citizenship in heaven rather than on the earth (Phil.3:20).
Israel’s Future Restoration
The narrative of Hebrews continually points toward Israel's ultimate hope, which is tied to what the text calls "the world to come": “For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak” (Heb.2:5). All the Old Testament quotes embedded in Hebrews 1 describe the establishment of this future world—a literal, earthly kingdom where Christ reigns over the nations.
Before Israel enters this world to come, they must pass through a period of severe distress. Jeremiah describes this time of trouble: “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it” (Jer.30:7). This period represents the final half of Daniel’s 70th week (Dan.9:27; Matt.24:21). Scriptural language consistently marks this time with specific phrases: a time of trouble, a travailing woman, sudden destruction, and a day unlike any other. It is a time marked by trembling and fear rather than peace.
God's deliverance of Israel during this crisis involves breaking the long-standing yoke of Gentile dominion: “For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them” (Jer.30:8-9). Israel has been subjected to Gentile domination since the Babylonian captivity. The time of Jacob's trouble ends that dominion through direct divine intervention.
Ezekiel confirms that this rescue results in total gathering and permanent possession of the land: “And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all…” (Ezek.37:21-22).
The culmination of this deliverance is an everlasting covenant of peace where God establishes His physical sanctuary among them: “My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Ezek.37:27). To survive this period, a believing remnant within Israel must escape the wrath poured out upon the land. Scripture repeatedly highlights this escape:
- Joel describes a quaking earth and darkening stars where the Lord roars out of Zion, serving as the hope of His people and the strength of Israel (Joel 2:10; Joel 3:16).
- Haggai speaks of God shaking the heavens, the earth, and overthrowing the throne of kingdoms to destroy the military strength of the heathens (Hag.2:6; Hag.2:21-22; Heb.12:25-26).
- Luke records Christ’s warning to pray always to be counted worthy to escape the catastrophic desolation and great wrath coming upon the land (Luke 21:36).
- Ezekiel depicts a scenario where the sword devours outside the city while pestilence and famine rage within, forcing those who escape to flee to the mountains like doves, mourning their iniquities (Ezek.7:2-19).
This fleeing remnant finds supernatural protection and provision in the wilderness. As illustrated in Revelation 12, the travailing woman flees into the wilderness where God feeds her for 1,260 days. In that solitary place, God strengthens their feeble knees and weak hands, commanding them to fear not because their God will come with vengeance and recompense to save them (Isa.35:3-4; Isa.66:7-8). They find grace in the wilderness, resting under the shadow of the Almighty until the indignation passes (Jer.31:2).
The warning passages throughout Hebrews—such as the call not to neglect so great salvation or turn away from Him who speaks from heaven—are addressed to this historical and prophetic context (Heb.2:3; Heb.12:25). They urge Jewish believers not to draw back to a temple system scheduled for destruction, but to endure unto the end to inherit the promised kingdom.
Heavenly and Earthly Hope
The book of Hebrews establishes that Israel’s hope is earthly, covenantal, and national. Their promises center on a restored land, an earthly kingdom, a physical sanctuary, the line of David, and the written law within their hearts. These promises line up with the Old Testament prophets and are guaranteed by Christ's priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.
In sharp contrast, the Apostle Paul reveals an entirely distinct program and hope for the Body of Christ: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph.1:3). The Body of Christ is not waiting for a land, an earthly kingdom, or a wilderness escape from the 70th week. Believers today are delivered from the wrath to come and possess a heavenly inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled (1Thess.1:10; 1Pet.1:4).
Hebrews presents the fulfillment of Israel's covenant redemption, detailing their High Priest, their better sacrifice, and their restoration in the world to come. Paul’s epistles reveal the mystery hid from ages past—the formation of the Church where Jew and Gentile are made one new man in Christ without law or national distinction (Rom.16:25; Eph.2:15).
Both programs demonstrate the total depth of God's wisdom. Paul summarizes the ultimate goal of God’s dual program: “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him” (Eph.1:10).
Hebrews must be understood as Israel’s doctrine, providing the necessary bridge between their broken past and their glorious future in the kingdom. Paul’s letters contain the doctrine for the Body of Christ today. While Israel’s promises will be fulfilled on earth and our inheritance will be realized in heaven, both outcomes are secured by the cross work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rightly dividing these distinct programs allows the believer to appreciate the precision of scripture, maintain doctrinal clarity, and rest securely in the finished work of Christ.
An adapted lesson from Paul Lucas here.
