Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places—[Ephesians 1:3]
So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.1 Interestingly, Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell of the temple curtain being torn from top to bottom before Jesus surrendered his last breathe.2 An indication that a New Covenant is indeed in place. Jesus is the fulfilment of the Law or the Prophets.3
It is finished!4 Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands, your walls are continually before me.5Having fulfilled his work of redemption, Jesus returns to the Father and constantly intercedes for us believers!6 We are assured of these promises (among others):
1. Holy and Blameless Before God. Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.7 Not by any work of ours but by grace, we who believe by faith in Christ are now acceptable to the Beloved.
2. United In Christ. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.8
Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers, . . . therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter.”9 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I AM WATCHING OVER MY WORD TO PERFORM IT.”10
Notes:
1. Hebrews 6:17-20
2. Matthew 27:50-51; Mark 15:37-38; Luke 23:44-46
3. Matthew 5:17-20
4. John 19:30
5. Isaiah 49:15-16
6. John 17:1-26
7. Ephesians 1:4
8. Ephesians 1:5-10
9. Isaiah 28:16-17
10. Jeremiah 1:11-12 [Upper Case mine]
