The first half of Hebrews 10 drives home the truth that, in contrast to repeated sacrifices (or any other good works) that have no power to make us right with God, Jesus' one sacrifice of Himself has done the job forever. He offers the only permanent forgiveness and cleansing.
Hebrews 9 reminds us that everything under the old covenant God made with Israel dealt with copies of heavenly realities. Actual cleansing from sin comes not from rites associated with the copies, but only through the blood of Christ, offered once for all time.
Hebrews 8 teaches us that Jesus is not only our Great High Priest who ministers for us in God's very presence, but He has also brought us into a new covenant relationship with Him that has the power to transform our lives.
Hebrews 7 explains why Jesus, even though not descended from Aaron, is a better priest than any of Aaron's descendants. Jesus established and guarantees a better covenant, and He offers an eternal and complete salvation.
Every Christian is called to grow to maturity in Christ. But the fact is, not every Christian is maturing. Today's passage urges us to go beyond the basics of the Christian faith with assurance of salvation and the certainty of God’s promises.
As our Great High Priest, Jesus stands before God the Father on our behalf and invites us into His presence in prayer. As man, he understands us and sympathizes with us. As God He is fully capable of meeting our every need.
We need to keep in mind that God knows us fully and perfectly inside and out. Nothing is hidden from Him. That is an incentive for obedience, but it is also an encouragement because His Word, which reveals our hearts, also shows us how we can be more faithful to Him.
The supremacy of Jesus Christ over all things is a truth confirmed by Scripture. It is also a truth that assures us He can and will grant the spiritual rest He has promised when we trust and follow Him.
As we move into the second chapter of Hebrews, we find that Jesus Christ is not only the awesome Creator and Ruler of the universe but also the Savior. This chapter warns us against drifting from the simple, yet marvelous truth of salvation in Him.
The book of Hebrews carries one all-important truth for us: Jesus is supreme, and without Him there is no salvation and no relationship with God. In our passage for today, the writer begins to build his scriptural argument for Christ's superiority.
Psalm 51 records David’s heartfelt confession after his sin with Bathsheba, and Stephen Davey explains it as a model of genuine repentance. He begins with David’s petition—a plea for mercy based on God’s steadfast love. Aware of the weight of his guilt, David asks God to blot out his transgressions, wash away his iniquity, and cleanse him from sin. The second step is admission: David accepts full responsibility, refusing to blame others and acknowledging his fallen nature. His sin, he admits, flows from the sinful heart of humanity inherited from Adam. Next comes restoration: David pleads, “Create in me a clean heart, O God,” recognizing that only divine power can renew what sin has corrupted. Finally, his resolution is to teach others from his failure—to lead sinners back to God through honesty and repentance. Davey concludes that true confession involves humble honesty, complete dependence on God’s mercy, and a transformed resolve to live transparently before Him, proving that no sin is too great for God’s restoring grace.
Psalms 42–44 open the second book of Psalms, where Stephen Davey explains that God invites believers to pour out their hearts to Him with complete honesty. The sons of Korah—descendants of a rebel who chose faithfulness—wrote of spiritual dryness and discouragement: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” Davey notes that even when God seems silent, He is never absent. These psalms teach believers to trust and wait for the Lord, declaring, “Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.” In Psalm 44, this personal trust expands to national suffering as Israel endures consequences for sin yet clings to God’s covenant faithfulness. Paul later cites this psalm to remind believers that suffering is not abandonment but evidence of spiritual maturity. Through these lessons, Davey encourages believers to be honest with God, steadfast in hope, and confident that even in dry seasons, God remains their salvation and strength.
In The Voice of Creation (Psalm 19:1–8a), Stephen Davey contrasts Carl Sagan’s hopeless view of a silent universe with David’s joyful proclamation that creation declares the glory of God. Davey explains that the heavens continually reveal God’s signature, wisdom, and grace—a universal testimony to His power and creativity. The beauty, complexity, and order of nature point unmistakably to a Designer, but this general revelation alone cannot save; it must be joined with the special revelation of God’s Word. David moves from calling God El (Creator) to Yahweh (personal Redeemer), showing that Scripture revives the soul, makes the simple wise, and causes the heart to rejoice. Davey concludes that while creation proves God’s existence, His Word reveals His character and plan of redemption. Believers, therefore, should worship the Creator revealed both in the world around us and in the inspired Word that leads us back to Him.
This lesson from Deuteronomy 16–26 emphasizes God's righteousness as the standard for all of life. Moses reviews the importance of righteous leadership—judges, kings, priests, and prophets—who are called to uphold justice and truth. God's laws are revisited to guide Israel in holy living, covering areas like inheritance, morality, and societal order. These commands act like protective boundaries, showing how a righteous person should live. Finally, Israel’s worship is tied to gratitude and public acknowledgment of God's faithfulness. The lesson encourages believers to live righteously, not just privately but visibly, so the world sees God's wisdom and character through them.
Psalms 39–41 remind believers to guard their words, gain perspective, and give praise. Stephen Davey explains that David, like James, recognized the power of the tongue and the danger of unrestrained speech. Confronted by frustration and fleeting life, David prays for wisdom to live with eternity in view—his hope fixed on God, not anger or enemies. Psalm 40 celebrates deliverance: God lifts the believer from the pit, sets his feet on solid ground, and puts a new song of praise in his mouth. In Psalm 41, which closes the first book of Psalms, David affirms that true wisdom comes from trusting and thanking God continually. Davey concludes that since we speak thousands of words daily, we should dedicate many of them to glorify God—cultivating gratitude, guarding our lips, and proclaiming the everlasting truth: “Blessed be the Lord… Amen and Amen.”
