Hebrews - The Park Forum

July 15, 2025July 13, 2025

The One True Altar

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Joshua 22 Listen: (6:16) Read: Philippians 3 Listen: (3:21)

Scripture Focus: Joshua 22.24-28

24 “No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, ‘What do you have to do with the Lord, the God of Israel? 25 The Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you—you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the Lord.’ So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the Lord. 26 “That is why we said, ‘Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.’ 27 On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the Lord.’ 28 “And we said, ‘If they ever say this to us, or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the Lord’s altar, which our ancestors built, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’

Hebrews 13.10, 15-16

10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Reflection: The One True Altar

By John Tillman

As a kid, “altars” confused me.

Our church’s “altar” was just steps up to where the preacher, music minister, and choir stood. But altars in scripture weren’t about teaching or singing. One memorable sanctuary had red-carpeted steps. I couldn’t imagine cutting up animals there. (But maybe that’s why they were red?)

“Altar calls” confused me. They happened anywhere, without red-carpeted steps. At evangelistic events in giant sports stadiums or around campfires at camps, we had “altar calls” with no altar in sight.

The confusion was partly linguistic. English uses “altar,” from the Latin “altare,” meaning a raised structure for offerings. But in Hebrew and Greek, the words more explicitly mean “to slaughter” or “to sacrifice.” To Hebrews especially, an altar without sacrifices was a strange thing.

This is why the western tribes assumed the eastern tribes’ altar violated the covenant. Instead, the eastern tribes explained, it was a non-functional, symbolic altar, a “place of sacrifice” without sacrifices. It represented the true altar where sacrifices were made. It was not a symbol of disunity, but a reminder of unity.

As Christians, our strange “altars” with no sacrifices, and our calls to come to the metaphorical altar do a similar thing. Hebrews makes clear that our altars point to the true and better altar—the cross of Christ.

The western tribes feared the eastern tribes betrayed the one true altar. The eastern tribes feared losing access to the one true altar. In reality, both altars pointed to the one true and better altar we all access. All altars point to Jesus and the cross.

Modern altars point back to the cross and every altar of God’s people in the Old Testament points forward to it. In a very real sense, there has only ever been and only ever will be one true altar—the cross. All other altars were and are only symbols.

When we corporately worship at or on a stage, we bring a sacrifice of praise, professing the name of Jesus. “Altar calls” call people to the cross. Our prayer lives happen at the altar of the cross.

Are you regularly approaching the true altar? Christ’s altar is one of unity. Don’t make the mistake of accusing believers of betrayal if their altars point to Christ’s altar.

Individually and corporately, make sure you regularly approach the true altar, bringing praise, repentance, and thanksgiving to Jesus.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Small Verse

My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God. — Psalm 84.1

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Test Results

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Genesis 22 Listen: (4:01), Read: John 21 Listen: (3:58)

Scripture Focus: Genesis 22.1, 17-18

1 Some time later God tested Abraham…

17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

Hebrews 11.17-19

17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

Reflection: Test Results

By John Tillman

A divine demand for child sacrifice wouldn’t have surprised Abraham.

Child sacrifices were common with fertility gods in Canaan. But Abraham went to Moriah expecting God to be different. He expected God to surprise him.

Abraham told Isaac God would provide a lamb. Hebrews tells us Abraham reasoned God could raise Isaac from the dead. Abraham held in one hand the promise that God would bless the world through Isaac. In the other hand, he held a knife and a command to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham did the theological math. He added God’s promises to God’s commands, divided them by God’s nature and came up with resurrection as the solution.

Abraham’s resurrection theory was ahead of his time. David and the psalmists wrote about resurrection. Isaiah and Ezekiel mentioned it. Jonah’s life became a living parable demonstrating it. Resurrection is a theme in the Old Testament, but not during Abraham’s lifetime.

Still, Abraham’s hunch about resurrection was correct. He was just wrong about whose resurrection was needed to fulfill God’s promise. The resurrection of Isaac would have saved one man. The resurrection of Jesus saves all who come to him.

So what is the lesson of Abraham’s test? That we’ll be tested? That we must obey? That we must sacrifice? That we can trust God? Maybe. But we see those lessons in many passages and I am convinced that no story from the Bible has only one lesson. I think there are deeper, more timely lessons.

One lesson is that we cannot fulfill the covenant. Abraham couldn’t. Neither can we. We don’t even have a “lamb” to sacrifice. We cannot give enough, do enough, or bless the world enough.

Remember: The mountain of testing is called, “The Lord will provide,” not “We measured up.”

Also, avoid trusting in fleshly, worldly solutions. Abraham had a history of this. So do we. Technology, politics, media, governments, leaders, manipulation, lying, bullying… Why do we turn to these instead of trusting God?

Remember: Worldly solutions can never provide heavenly blessings.

Are you headed for a mountain of testing? Is your church? Is your nation? Think about what you have been trusting. Think about what you need God to provide and trust he will make a way. What might your test results be?

Our most important test has already been passed by Jesus. Trust in God and expect to be surprised by his solution.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Small Verse

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, grant me your peace. — Agnus Dei

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Listen to Breaking the Rhyme Scheme

Christ will break this rhyme scheme. The rhythms of oppression will be rewritten. The drumbeat of violence will be silenced. The time signature of terrors will give way to rest.

January 13, 2025January 11, 2025

Walk-on Roles

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Genesis 14 Listen: (4:04), Read: John 13 Listen: (5:06)

Scripture Focus: Genesis 14.18-20

18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And praise be to God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand.”
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Psalm 110.4

4 The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 7.1-3

1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” 3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

“I am telling you your story, not hers. No one is told any story but their own.” — Aslan in The Horse and His Boy, by C.S. Lewis

Reflection: Walk-on Roles

By John Tillman

The camera of scripture “zooms in” on Abram, cropping out the rest of the world, but occasionally others who know of God or follow God walk into the frame. One of the most notable and intriguing “walk-on” God-followers in the Old Testament is Melchizedek.

What is the rest of Melchizedek’s story? How did he come to know “God Most High”? How did he become king and priest? There’s no definitive answer within scripture.

In The Horse and His Boy, Aravis asks Aslan what will happen to her family’s servant, whom she drugged to make her escape. Aslan says that he will not tell her someone else’s story.

When Jesus tells Peter about his own death, Peter asks Jesus “What about him?” referring to John. “What is that to you?”, Jesus responded. (John 21.18-22) Jesus refused to tell Peter about the rest of John’s story.

No matter how much we ask God, scripture, or each other, “What about him?” regarding Melchizedek, we will come up empty. The Melchizedek mystery is intriguing and intractable. However, there is something we can learn from the story.

God is working even when you don’t see it. Much of what God does is outside of our limited knowledge. Therefore, when it seems like God is doing nothing, it just means he is doing something we can’t see.

God is working through people outside your group. Whether outside your church, city, denomination, or country, God is working among and using people you don’t know and probably using some you wouldn’t approve of. When we encounter God’s work, we can bless it even if the workers are “not part of our group.” (Luke 9.49-50)

God is working through you where you are. Melchizedek didn’t join Abram’s daring rescue but he was still part of God’s work. Meanwhile, Melchizedek was king of a city while Abram was a migrant, living in tents. Both stood for and established righteousness in God’s name. Your position or role doesn’t make your part of God’s work less valuable. God wants to work through you to stand for and establish righteousness where you are in the role you have.

Melchizedek means “King of Righteousness” and, as priests under Jesus, we are priests in Melchizedek’s line. We are all walk-ons in God’s work. Serve your role, whether as priest, ruler, servant, or “walk-on.”

When it seems like “the action” is somewhere else, you are still part of God’s story.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy before the Lord when he comes, when he comes to judge the earth. — Psalm 96.12

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Parting a Curtain or Entering God’s Presence?

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Daniel 12 Listen: (2:40)

Read: Hebrews 10 Listen: (5:33)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Read: Esther 1 Listen: (4:14), Read: Hebrews 11 Listen: (6:22)

Read: Esther 2 Listen: (4:31), Read: Hebrews 12 Listen: (4:36)

Scripture Focus: Hebrews 10.19-25

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

2 Chronicles 36.18-19

18 He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. 19 They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.

2 Kings 25.13-15

13 The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried the bronze to Babylon. 14 They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service. 15 The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—all that were made of pure gold or silver.

Reflection: Parting a Curtain or Entering God’s Presence?

By John Tillman

Hebrews provides context and commentary on promises of the Old Testament and explains how Jesus brings those promises to fulfillment.

Some promises of God were openly stated: “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12.3b) Some were subtle—hidden in plain sight. The tabernacle (and temple that followed) echoed one of these subtle promises in architecture, reflected it in regulations, and whispered it in worship: “I will make a way back to Eden. You will walk with me in the garden once more.”

The physical and liturgical structure of the tabernacle and temple told this story. Worshiping there we would have passed through stages of purification and doorways of access. Sacrifices representing sin would die. Priests would stand before God and intercede for us. On one special day, the high priest would enter the holiest place, offering the holiest sacrifice on the holiest day on behalf of all the people.

The writer or writers of Hebrews experienced Temple worship and understood it. They knew what it meant to be washed with pure water and sprinkled to cleanse a guilty conscience. They knew what curtain they were talking about when they wrote that “a new and living way” was opened into the Holy of Holies. They knew what it meant to wait for the day that curtain would part.

Parting a curtain is one thing. Entering God’s presence is another. Through war and violence, Babylon parted the curtain but found the holy of holies absent of God. They conquered the place of God’s presence but found no peace. They possessed the implements of God’s worship but found no wisdom. They satisfied their greed and pride but found no transcendent truth or life.

If we enter like Babylon, we’ll be in God’s place without his presence. We’ll use implements of worship and dismiss his wisdom. We’ll find satisfaction of desires but no spiritual direction.

But we can draw near in a better way. Through peace and communion with Jesus, the holy of holies we enter overflows with the invaluable presence, power, and love of God. The spiritual curtain is parted, but on “the Day” spiritual reality will become ultimate reality.

Until that day, draw near. Hold unswervingly to hope. Trust the faithful one. Meet together and spur one another on with the encouraging truth that whispered promises can be shouted from rooftops. The way back to Eden is open.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Search for the Lord and his strength; continually seek his face. — Psalm 105.4

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Mature Fields and Faith

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Daniel 8 Listen: (4:39)
Read: Hebrews 6 Listen: (2:58)

Scripture Focus: Hebrews 6.7-12

7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Reflection: Mature Fields and Faith

By John Tillman

Those who live in rural areas know rising smoke is not always a distressing sign. After the fall harvest, it is not uncommon to see burning fields, pastures, or sections of brush.

Fire can be dangerous, but fire is also a cleansing tool. Fire purifies precious metals and clears unwanted growth for new agriculture or buildings.

The teacher (the unknown writer or writers of Hebrews) gave dire warnings for believers to move on from elementary teachings to a more mature faith. Growth was the goal. Included in this warning was an agricultural metaphor. Fields that do not produce good crops will be burned.

One way of measuring the maturity of our faith is whether what we produce helps others or harms them. Our fields should produce helpful crops that are blessings. Immature fields are likely to produce harmful crops instead. The rain of God’s blessings falls on us, but what are our fields producing? Are we producing blessings or curses?

Do our fields yield thorns and brambles of rancor, violence, and enmity? Have we produced harm? Let us burn our fields and replant.

Have we produced help? Let us praise God that he blesses others through us. The teacher says that we should not become lazy. We must help people and continue to help them. (Hebrews 6.10)

Mature faith is fruitful, producing what God desires. Let God burn what is harmful from your life and replant what is helpful. God will not forget our work.

Pray that God will mature the fields of our faith.

We pray to you, God, planter of the first garden, burn out our harmful thickets and plant in our hearts things which, watered by your Spirit, produce crops of blessings.

Let us produce welcome. Give us wide limbs and branches, providing shade and shelter (Matthew 13.31-32). Let peoples of every tribe and tongue take shelter with us under our vine and fig tree. (Micah 4.4; Zechariah 3.10)

Let us produce wisdom. May our work produce bountiful fruit and seed, both physical and spiritual nourishment. (John 6.27-35) Let us fill bellies with food and hearts with the gospel, strengthening bodies and souls.

Let us produce welfare. Let us produce leaves, roots, and other treatments that promote health and healing. (Revelation 22.1-2) May our words and actions be purifying and therapeutic aids and channels for the healing of the Holy Spirit.

Thanks be to God who makes things grow. Amen.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy Name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. — Psalm 103.1-2

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Listen to Being Anti-Antiochus

Antiochus is the model Jesus chose to warn about “Anti-Christs” and false messiahs to come.

Links for today’s readings:

Scripture Focus: Joshua 22.24-28

Hebrews 13.10, 15-16

Reflection: The One True Altar

Divine Hours Prayer: The Small Verse

Read more: God Makes the Disabled Holy

Read more: Sacrifices Celebrating Peace

Links for today’s readings:

Scripture Focus: Genesis 22.1, 17-18

Hebrews 11.17-19

Reflection: Test Results

Divine Hours Prayer: The Small Verse

Read more: Parting a Curtain or Entering God’s Presence?

Listen to Breaking the Rhyme Scheme

Links for today’s readings:

Scripture Focus: Genesis 14.18-20

Psalm 110.4

Hebrews 7.1-3

Reflection: Walk-on Roles

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

Read more: Last Priest Standing

Read more: Inaugurating The Era of the Servant

Links for today’s readings:

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Scripture Focus: Hebrews 10.19-25

2 Chronicles 36.18-19

2 Kings 25.13-15

Reflection: Parting a Curtain or Entering God’s Presence?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Read more about Things Even Angels Question

Links for today’s readings:

Scripture Focus: Hebrews 6.7-12

Reflection: Mature Fields and Faith

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Read more about A Long Journey to Maturity

Listen to Being Anti-Antiochus