Hebrews 10 - The Park Forum

Links for today’s readings:

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.

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Scripture Focus: Hebrews 10:5-7
5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, my God.’”

Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Matthew 1:20-23
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Reflection: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel — Carols of Advent Hope
By Jon Polk

Somewhere across Italy in the 6th century, a series of Latin chants for the season of Advent began to take shape. By the 8th century, these chants, the “O Antiphons,” were being sung in monasteries and convents around the world.

For over twelve centuries, the seven “O Antiphons,” known also as the “Great Advent Antiphons” or more simply, the “Great Os,” have been sung or recited at vespers from December 17th through 23rd, preceding the “Magnificat of Mary” sung on Christmas Eve.

Around the 12th century, the chanted antiphons were converted into a metrical Latin poem bearing the title, “Veni, Veni, Emmanuel.” This hymn was discovered and translated into English by John Mason Neale in 1851, published in his Hymns Ancient and Modern as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

The original “O Antiphons” consist of seven passages focused on the meaning of the Incarnation. As might be expected from a series of monastic chants, the resulting hymn is theologically dense, each verse consisting of a Messianic title from scripture with additional explanation.

O Sapientia (Wisdom)
1 Cor. 1:24, “Christ… the wisdom of God”

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things, far and nigh

O Adonai (Lord)
Ex. 3:15, “The LORD, the God of your fathers”

O come, Adonai, Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height

O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse)
Isa. 11:10, “the Root of Jesse will stand”

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny

O Clavis David (Key of David)
Isa. 22:22, “the key to the house of David”

O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heav’nly home

O Oriens (Dayspring)
Luke 1:78, “the dayspring from on high” (KJV)

O come, Thou Dayspring, from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh

O Rex Gentium (King of the Nations)
Jer. 10:7, “King of the nations”

O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind

O Emmanuel (God with Us)
Isa. 7:14, “The virgin… will call him Immanuel.”

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel

The first letters of the titles in reverse is an acrostic of the Latin, “ero cras,” meaning “I will be there tomorrow,” a sentiment appropriate for Advent as we await the return of Christ.

Before we rush into the joyful exuberance of the Christmas season, distracted by parades, pageants, and presents, the calm and quiet “O Come, O Come” reminds us that all the trimmings and trappings of the season are temporary. Our true hope and longing is for another Kingdom where the coming Messiah King soothes our doubts, heals our afflictions, wipes our sorrowful tears, and rescues us from captivity to sin.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Listen: O Come, O Come Emmanuel by Sixpence None the Richer
Read: Lyrics from Hymnary.org

From John: I was excited to see Jon writing on the O Antiphons since I was only introduced to them last year when the church I attend used them as the focus of our Advent season. You can check out more info about them on our church’s website, including a video explaining their history, sermons from last year, and pictures of an art gallery focused on the O Antiphons. (You can even spot me and my wife, Melissa, looking at the art in the gallery.)

Divine Hours Prayer: The Small Verse
Keep me, Lord, as the apple of your eye and carry me under the shadow of your wings.

Today’s Readings
Daniel 12 (Listen 2:40)
Hebrews 10 (Listen 5:33)

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One Worth Rejoicing In — Joy of Advent