569 - Les Feldick Bible Study - Lesson 2 Part 1 Book 48 - Coming Up Short of God’s Promise

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 2 * PART 1 * BOOK 48 Coming Up Short of God’s Promise Hebrews 4:1-11 What God said they could do, Israel said, no we can’t. I guess if there was any one act of disobedience in all of Israel’s history that perturbed God the most, that was it. You want to remember that as Israel was there at the gate of the Promised Land, Kadesh-barnea, God had told them distinctly, explicitly that He would drive the enemy out. Pick out twelve men." Now, most people think that God told them to do that. If you’ll go back and recap the whole chain of events, God didn’t say send in twelve spies. God says, "Go in and take the land!" The majority. Total unbelief. Listen, God didn’t send them. Don’t forget what Israel did at Kadesh-barnea, as they failed to believe what God told them. Alright, verse 1. Hebrews 4:1a Hebrews 4:1a "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise…" What’s a promise? Well a promise is something that God has backed with His Omnipotence, with His Sovereignty and yes, with His grace. And when God makes a promise, you and I can trust it. Because God will not lie. God will not play games. And so here again we have the evidence that God has given promises, promises, promises, not only to Israel but to the whole human race. Hebrews 4:1 "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise (one of the promises of God) being left of us of entering into His rest that any of you should seem to come short of it." They’ve got their own idea of what God expects a person to do before God can save him. God will save a person with, I suppose, so little going to him that most of us would say, hey, he could never be saved, and that’s exactly what Paul is saying. Hebrews 4:1b "…lest, a promise being left us…" Paul says, God hasn’t given up on you. God hasn’t yet crossed you off. God never gives up on even a man who will shake his fist and curse God. God’s Grace! No, God never gives up until this soul departs. And so, this is again what Paul is saying, don’t you forget that God has not given up on you. Hebrews 4:1b Here, Paul, of course, is dealing with Felix. (now verse 25.) And as he reasoned (Felix did. Just a rank unbeliever and as he reasoned) of righteousness, (in other words, God’s saving grace) temperance, and judgment to come,…" Paul laid out the whole picture. Paul, I’m ready to believe? Felix hadn’t crossed it off. I’ll never listen to you again. Postponing it, and that just exactly what Paul is warning these Jews and Hebrews. What’s the first word? Acts 24:27 "But (he never responded.) Hebrews 4:1b Well, you see, that’s what happens to many people with God’s plan of salvation. Well, that’s not God’s fault. God has done all He can do. And you want to remember, God never forces His salvation on anybody. It’s a matter of the free will, as God inspires us with the Spirit. Alright, I guess we’ve got time. Here Paul continues the thought. Hebrews 4:2a "For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as unto them:…" Israel at Kadesh-barnea. Don’t forget Israel at Kadesh-barnea, when they had all the promises of God to go in and take Canaan without a drop of sweat or losing a drop of blood and because of unbelief turned away. Alright, Paul is using it again. Hebrews 4:2a "For unto us (today in this Age of Grace under Paul’s Apostleship) was the Gospel preached." We all know from Paul’s Gospel, that Christ died, was buried and rose from the dead, that that’s the means of salvation. Hebrews 4:2a Good news! Well all the way back to Genesis chapter 3. But how far back does Paul’s Gospel go? Here we have good news, but not the Gospel of the grace of God. It’s not Paul’s Gospel that you must believe that Christ died and rose from the dead. But it’s still good news! My, it’s good news. Genesis chapter 3. That God is going to defeat Satan. Now that’s good news! God is.) and between thy seed and her seed; (well, Who’s her seed? Jesus Christ!) it (the seed of the woman, Jesus the Christ) shall bruise thy head,…" Now let’s go up a little further to Genesis chapter 12. Oh, some more good news! It was Gospel! It was good news!! Genesis 12:1 Promises! Hey, they’re good news!! They’re Gospel. And what are these promises that God is making to Abram? Genesis 12:2-3 Oh, God’s means of bringing salvation to various segments of the human race. Now, when Abram responded to that Word of God by his faith, look what God did here in verse 3. Romans 4:3a What does the Word of God say? The Word of God says) Abraham believed God,…" Abraham did not do like Israel did at Kadesh and say, "No God, I don’t think you can do this. Romans 4:3b "… Abraham believed God, (it was his believing, his faith) and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Righteous. #LesFeldick #BibleStudy #Bible