Hebrews 3:3-4
The International Date Line
For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. (Hebrews 3:3)
For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. (Hebrews 3:4)
The International Date Line is peculiar to the mind of man. There is no set line that can be seen. We travel over an imaginary line; in fact, the International Date Line is the closest that man has come to time travel. In one direction today becomes tomorrow, and in the opposite direction, tomorrow becomes today. And the man who travels through time remains in his 24-hour time day. This is amazing to this writer, how man can conjure up such a mystery and believe it and propagate as fact; yet, when the Creator of all things reveals Himself in the Word of God, man stops his ears, and closes his eyes, and grimaces in unbelief. So much so for the reliability of the thoughts of man and man’s perverted truth. Why bring up the International Date Line when we are considering God’s Holy Word? Just as a comparison of what man believes as truth in the IDL (it is not truth, but a convenience)? and what he does not believe what God has said? Our verses in Hebrews 3 deals with the Son of God who has more glory than Moses. Moses was a mere man, and he was given glory from God Almighty; however, his glory is the glory of man. And God reveals to us the difference between Moses, as a man, and the man, Christ Jesus, the Son of God who is the glory of God and the express image of His person. (Hebrews 1) We, therefore, have a division between the Son of God who is the glory of God, and Moses who was given glory by God. These two men, one being divine (the Lord Jesus Christ), and the other being a man (in the natural sense a child of Adam) represents two different covenants: one being grace, and the other being law.
The cross of Calvary being the line of departure from law to grace. It is the spiritual dateline of eternity, where the law gives way to grace in our Lord Jesus Christ. Now it is Christ who has laid the foundation stone of grace. The foundation stone is His death and His sacrifice on Calvary’s cross. From this foundation we have His resurrection, and from His resurrection we have His ascension to the right hand of God. It is from here that He is building His house, whose house are we. Both covenants (law and grace) were given by God. The first covenant was meant to draw us to God and to show us our need under the judgment of God. In this judgment (although Levitical sacrifices were given) the sacrifices could not make he who came perfect. God was still a God of redemption, even from the days of Adam, for it was God who offered the first sacrifice to clothe our parents who had trespassed and sinned against the Almighty God. Both Adam and Eve were clothed with the skins of animals. Why? They were male and female, and because of their relationship they were one flesh. And they were both under the judgment of God. Although the law came later, it was given to expose the sin of man. It was given to show man his inward condition before God, and although man offered many sacrifices, they could not make him perfect before God. Man could not be delivered from his personal sin; he could only justify himself before an Almighty God with the blood of another. Man would have to travel to God’s dateline, in the fullness of time God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Galatians 4:4) To establish the time period of God’s redemption in grace one must see that God’s Son, (although conceived of the Holy Spirit) was born of a woman, this was to identify Him as man, just as being conceived of the Holy Ghost identified Him as being God. This was to meet the natural man in Adam for He must take away the sin of the world. Law had condemned man; the Lord Jesus must be made under the law so that He could redeem them who were under the law and under its heavy weight. The law could be seen as a heavy sack of stones upon the backs of the Israelite. He could never measure up to the law, and had no way to remove that heavy weight. The only way that the weight could be removed was by divine redemption, and the sacrifice of a pure lamb who was the Son of God. Christ came in the fullness of time to meet and fulfill the law and the will of God His Father. He would grow up as a tender plant and would minister to a dry ground. (Isaiah 53)
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; (Galatians 4:1)
But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. (Galatians 4:2)
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: (Galatians 4:3)
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Galatians 4:4)
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:5)
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:7)
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24)
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (Galatians 3:25)
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:27)
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
The Spirit of God through Galatians reveals a better covenant in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. The covenant of grace removes us from under the law.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3)
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:4)
We have a better covenant in Christ Jesus, for this covenant of grace is established under the blood of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. And we thank God that grace is more powerful than the law. The law could only show me my personal need and my personal failure, it could only show the sin that was within me and the sin that I committed. Instead of delivering me (as I said before) it became a burden. It became a burden to Israel so that Israel did not honor and obey the law. Because of their faithlessness they could not and would not keep the law of God. For the law could not answer to faith. In that fullness of time God sent forth His Son to establish grace and to build a better house, a holy house, a righteous house in His own blood. By His grace He has built a pure house not under the law, but under grace. How is this house different? It is made up of holy brethren with a heavenly calling. The covenant of the law was given to an earthly people (Israel) with an earthly calling, and an earthly future in the millennial kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is not an earthly calling but a heavenly calling. We are the children of God in heaven. We not only have a heavenly calling, but through faith we have been translated into the kingdom of His dear Son. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. (Colossians 1:13) And by being a new creature in Jesus Christ (a new being) we are placed by God the Father in heavenly places. To show the power of our translation into the presence of God we have an example given in Genesis of Enoch who walked with God. We have the New Testament fulfillment of Enoch’s translation in Hebrews 11:5. God the Holy Spirit gives us details of Enoch’s translation. First, it was by faith that he was translated, and the purpose was that he should not see death. The second aspect of his translation was that man searched for him, and he was not found. Then the why? because God had translated him. Now, if we examine the reason for his translation, we will find that it was because of his testimony. Remember, according to Jude, Enoch was a prophet and prophesied of the Lord’s coming with ten thousand of His saints. Hebrews 11:5 concludes the great translation by God of Enoch in the words that he pleased God, bringing us to verse 6 of Hebrews 11, But without faith it is impossible to please him.
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5)
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
We find that Enoch is a man of faith in that he walked with God, and that he pleased God; so that God in the New Testament in the Book of Hebrews brings before us the marvelous translation of Enoch as an example of our translation into the kingdom of His dear Son. Even though we are still on earth, and in the flesh, we walk after the spirit and by faith as Enoch in the Old Testament. We are waiting for the translation of our body in which we will be changed into the image of God’s dear Son. Enoch was given to encourage us in our belief of this great translation that is to come for God’s dear children when the Lord will descend and receive us up into the air, and so we shall ever be with the Lord. Grace, therefore, is a heavenly calling, and we are seen by God as His children in heaven. All that is of the earth is not for us, for He in the work of the Spirit of God has already translated us in the fact that Christ liveth in me, and I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Let’s examine the heart. Under the law, the law expected me to do works in order to approach God, and to receive a measure of earthly forgiveness because of my works. My heart did the works because of the law, so my heart could not be justified before God. Only my works let me approach God, but I could never be possessed by Him. In grace we have the cross, and from the cross we have the tomb, and from the tomb we have the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. God giving to us in His resurrection the proof of His work and His worthiness to redeem us unto our God. For salvation is not of ourselves, but of God and God alone! Grace brings me into God’s house by the blood of Christ, now because of the love of God in my heart I desire (by faith) to please God. It is the divine covenant of grace that secures me, and that I have been changed by the power of God to walk in the path of Jesus Christ. I am now a son under the heirship of God. And as a son I want to please my Father and fulfill His will in my life. Whatever I do in the will of God I do it because of divine love and for divine love. (Galatians 2:20)
In the law there was a distance between God and man. In Christ that distance has been taken away. I have a closeness to Christ that the world cannot understand, for the world is still under the law of sin. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:25) Because of the law of sin the mind of man is enmity against God. Those who have previously read Romans 1 see the heart and mind of man alienated from God. It is only the power of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that can free man from his burden of sin. If one has not the Christ of God then they know not the knowledge of God, the wisdom of God, and most of all the grace of God. God had to build a new house, a house that was not made by hands, It was a house that God Himself had to create and build, the chief corner stone being the Lord Jesus Christ. This house with its sure foundation in Christ would be built in heaven. And being part of this house, I am secured by its builder.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2)
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)
Being part of this great new house, I should realize the reality of Colossians Chapter 3. This is part of my salvation. If I cannot, through the Spirit of God, place myself and enjoy myself in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven, I should examine myself whether I am in the faith, or under the law. We are heavenly people; our citizenship is in heaven. We are part of the many mansions. (John 14) We are part of the house of God. We are the temple of the living God, and the Spirit of God dwells in us. We are part of the heavenly Jerusalem, not made with hands. And we are the children of God by Jesus Christ. Does not this give us something to cheer about. Should not our worship be loud and clear in our hearts to the Almighty God; for it is within us that our worship (in the Spirit of God) ascends up to heaven. The center of our worship is the Builder of our house, whose house are we, for we belong to Jesus Christ.
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:19) The Spirit of God after reviewing the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness, proving God and tempting God reveals to us that all who came out of Egypt fell in the wilderness. They fell because of unbelief; yet not all fell because of unbelief. But those with unbelief could not enter into God’s rest.
But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. (John 5:36)
And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. (John 5:37)
And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. (John 5:38)
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39)
And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:40)
I receive not honour from men. (John 5:41)
But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. (John 5:42)
I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (John 5:43)
How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (John 5:44)
The Lord Jesus speaking separates Himself from those around Him. For it is He who has come down from heaven. It is He who has brought grace and truth, and this separation remained because of man’s condition, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The Lord also brings out the self-justification of man. We always refer to the simple pat on your back in a sense man has a self-justifying motive even with that expression. This type of mind-set which receive honour one of another as the Lord refers to gives a false assurance to man with a false hope.
Man declares ‘Do what I tell you and you will be alright.’ Christ goes to the cross to show you that you will be alright if you believe in Him. The Spirit of Christ witnesses with my spirit so that I know that I am alright as a child of God in Jesus Christ. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14) This verse is based on belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. We have the opposite in Romans 8:9, But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. The division is ‘they that walk in the flesh are of the flesh, and they that walk in the Spirit of Christ belong to Christ.’ We have belief and unbelief as in Hebrews 3:19.
Now to the assurance of the house. The assurance of the house is from heaven, from the Lord Jesus Christ, He is the one building the house. And this man, Jesus Christ, has more glory and honor than the house. This house is made up of all true believers. In the heavenly sense God sees us in His house where there is no mixed multitude, only holy brethren. And we can say about this house not only do we have a divine builder, but we are part of this house whereby we can say, whose house are we. Once again, bringing our personal relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ to the forefront of our faith. Since all believers are part of this wonderful house in the Son of God, we are in Him divinely and eternally bonded to the Son of God, and to each other.
Abraham walked by faith and without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God must first believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) When Abraham was first come into the land of Canaan, he built his first altar at Bethel (the house of God). (Genesis 12:8) In the name, therefore, and in the location, we have the first mention of the house of God in the Bible. This was over 400 years before the law. Abraham walked not by the law, but by faith. To confirm this altar, we can read Genesis 13:3. This verse confirms that the altar in Bethel was his first altar. It is described as Bethel on the west, and Hai (the place of ruin) on the east. Even though the law had not yet been given, do not we see a shadow of grace versus law? We have Bethel (the house of God), the altar stands between Bethel and Hai (a place of ruin). Only the altar allows us to appreciate the house of God and our redemption; where Hai speaks of our ruin under the law to come. When the law of Moses was given, it revealed to man his great need. As he stood before God under the law man was in complete ruin, so that the law exposed his sin, but could not remove it; therefore, by grace we cast ourselves on the Spirit of God to know the Scriptures. We see the continuity of God’s thought in the total plan of redemption through His own Son, Jesus Christ. Our faith and belief in Christ bring us into the presence of God in His house. It is all based on the new covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ. If one would look on God’s part to the believer, first we would have the love of God, second, we would have belief, third faith, forth grace, and fifth eternal life. This all starts with belief in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. When we receive from God, it is a bit different: one is belief, two is faith, three is grace, four is love, and five is eternal life. Why the difference, because all God’s actions are based on His love. Whereas on our part, we must have belief first and then progress with faith and grace and thereby understand the love of God, that He gave Himself for us, then the eternal blessing of eternal life. This all takes place in a moment of time when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God might have taken many years brooding over us, many days, many hours before we are brought to the place of belief on the Lord Jesus Christ. This is all part of our heavenly calling. We are brought into the house of God as holy brethren, and we are in a place where the Lord Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren for, He sees us without spot in divine grace in His heavenly house.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1)
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)
And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (John 14:4)
In John 14 we see the many mansions of the Father’s house. The Lord Jesus refers to it as already being in existence; then, He declares that He is going to prepare a place for us. Could it be that the many mansions include Old Testament saints who walked by faith. And now also us who also walk by faith under the new covenant, or His Body (the Church) as the new house being built in the Father’s house.
The Holy Spirit of God has come down from heaven, He resides in our hearts and souls. This wonderful Sovereign, the Holy Spirit, is the third Person in the Godhead. This Person dwells within every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. In our life on earth, He is the unifying force drawing all believers to the center of their faith, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is building His most holy Church by the Word of His power. We, as believers, are united together although miles apart, even centuries apart from Pentecost to the present day. Each and every believer are all one in Christ. And that includes those who are to come. Those of us, today, have the same indwelling Spirit, we are controlled by the Spirit of God. Although man has assaulted the kingdom of God in his unbelief through his traditions of man, and by the mysticism of the occult, man cannot divide us from the Lord.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (Romans 8:38)
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)
We are so much part of each other in the family of God. That God, the Holy Spirit, moves us to pray for those who we have never met and warns us of pending danger and tragedy concerning the children of God. I give you an example from my life experience. Many years ago, while residing in St. Petersburg, my wife and I were in the backyard conversing when suddenly a mighty fierce wind powered through the yard (you could almost feel a sinister element in this wind), the Spirit of God touched our hearts that somewhere the children of God were in dire trouble. We immediately began to pray at that moment for the safety of God’s children (who — we did not know, and why — we did not know, and where — we did not know). Later that day, we received the news that the Skyway Bridge (approximately 6 miles from our home) had been destroyed and that many people had perished, and many others had barely escaped. We also found out that two dear elderly friends had made it over the collapsed section by mere seconds, (as their car shook violently it propelled their rear tires forward). Our friend told us he thought they had been rear-ended by the car that had been following closely behind, but when he looked into the rear-view mirror there was no car and no bridge. A large tanker had been slowly making its approach under the bridge when a ferocious wind came out of nowhere and threw the tanker into two main pilings. That day the Lord taught my wife and me that we are united with every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that we fail in not praying for the whole house of God each and every day. Scripture exhorts us to have the whole Body of Christ before us each and every day in prayer. The Apostle Paul reminds us that he prayed for the Church daily. Remember the same spirit that dwells in me dwells in you. So that where I go, you go, and where you go, I go as representatives of the Lord of lords, and King of kings. We are a light in a dark and sinful world. Our prayers ascend up to heaven as incense to the Almighty God. We are here as representatives of Jesus Christ to spread the gospel of God’s dear Son. We are also here to comfort each other, and the Word of God is given to us that through the working of the Spirit of God, and the Word of God we are comforted one with another. Many times, I have come home, and the world has laid heavy on me that day, and God gives me a verse of comfort or encouragement. Today is was Isaiah 66: 16-20.
For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. (Isaiah 66:16)
They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD. (Isaiah 66:17)
For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (Isaiah 66:18)
And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. (Isaiah 66:19)
And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. (Isaiah 66:20)
In closing, we are all waiting, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, for the shout and the voice of our Savior calling us home to our house, and Rock of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
© Copyright 2015, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)