Hebrews 5: Are You Obedient?
Verse of the Day: (V8) “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;”

1. Ordained (V1-5)
V1 “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:”

God called and ordained His high priests, namely, the tribe of Levi, to serve Him in His temple by offering gifts and sacrifices to Him to atone their own sins as well as the sins of the people. However, Jesus Christ was the perfect High Priest, when He offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, not for His own sins, but for the sins of the whole world.

V5 “So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.”

2. Obedience (V6-10)
V7 “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;”

Why does God allow suffering? God allows suffering so that we learn obedience and trust in Him. For the unbelievers, it is a time when they can choose to repent of their sins, and believe and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. For the believers, it is a time when we learn obedience and trust in God as we know that only God can deliver us from our suffering. Even Jesus, the Son of God, cried out in pain to God, His Father, as He learned obedience when He suffered and died on the cross for the sins of the world.

V9 “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”

3. Oracles (V11-14)
V12 “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”

It is sad that today, just like the days of the apostles, there are many Christians who are immature, and still need to be taught of God’s oracles or words, when they should be rooted and grounded in them, and teaching and guiding others to obey God and His Word.

V14 “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be obedient to You like Your Son Jesus Christ.