This episode invites listeners to immerse themselves in the teachings of Hebrews 10 and the profound message it holds for believers today. Dr. McGee highlights the danger of returning to old ways and the spiritual implications of willful rebellion against God’s truth. Meanwhile, Steve and Greg present an exciting vision for the year, including expanding their digital presence and supporting faith communities in challenging regions like Ethiopia and Somalia. Together, they underscore the beauty of a life lived by faith and the responsibility it carries for each believer in the modern world.
The foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith.
SPEAKER 04 :
Have you ever driven the wrong way on a one-way street? Well, I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s really pretty dangerous. And, you know, the street in front of our former Pasadena office was a one-way, and every so often we’d hear horns honking, and, well, we just knew right away what was going on. But that’s what happens when we ignore warning signs, isn’t it? Well, Happy New Year and welcome to Through the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McGee. I’m so glad that we’re together to start 2025 off right in God’s Word. I’m Steve Schwetz, and in our ongoing study of God’s whole Word, Dr. McGee gives us some warning signs in the book of Hebrews. So far, we’ve heard about the perils of drifting, doubting, dull hearing, and departing. And next we’re going to hear about the fifth danger signal, the peril of despising. We’re in Hebrews 10, verse 26. And while you find your seat on the Bible bus, Greg and I want to share a few things that we’re looking forward to this year.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, Steve. First of all, Happy New Year, everybody. We are so excited about what God has for us on the great road ahead in 2025 as the Bible bus travels through the closing books of the Old Testament.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, those minor prophets that we’re going to be going through, that maybe your pages of your Bible are stuck together because you haven’t been there in a while. Well, Dr. McGee is going to help you open each one.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s right. That’s right. I love that. And also, of course, because we go between the Old Testament and the New Testament, in the New Testament, we’ll be finishing Hebrews, and we’ll get all the way through Jude, getting ready to start 2026 with the book of Revelation, which is always an exciting and sometimes a life-changing study for our listeners.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, if I recall, Dr. McGee refers to Revelation as the grand central station where all the lines of prophecy come together. So if you want to figure out and get a better understanding of what the Bible teaches in that area, you need to be on board the Bible bus with us.
SPEAKER 03 :
Absolutely. Now, let’s just take a peek ahead at what we think God already has for us as we look ahead into 2025.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, I think about, you know, if I had to go down a list, I’d say the TTB study apps. And currently we’re in 30 languages with those apps. That’s a digital app that is going through Dr. McGee’s teaching. And our goal is to get to 100 in 2025.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, and it also has the Bible. And Steve, you’ve been really influential in reminding all of us that we have to read the Bible. Don’t have to. We get the most out of it. Absolutely. I’m actually doing it. Because you said so. That’s wonderful. And this may be the only thing in our friendship I ever have done because you said so.
SPEAKER 04 :
No, but if you’re using the app, we have the option for you to quickly just click a little toggle button and go right to the New King James Version of the Bible, and you can read it in advance. You can also listen to the study simultaneously as you’re looking at the Bible passage, and that’s really helpful to get the most out of God’s Word.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, now we only have a little time, so let’s just quickly highlight. We expect, by God’s grace, to expand our home group ministry in Afghanistan and also in a couple of countries that you will have traveled to.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, well, one I’ve already been to, which is Ethiopia. Exciting place where God is just blessing that ministry everywhere. And it’s spilling over into other countries. And I know Somalia is one of them. And both of those, Ethiopia as well and Somalia, very difficult places to live and be a believer. So you can be praying for those ministries that the Lord would reach many new people for Christ. Absolutely. Greg, unfortunately, we’re out of time. Why don’t you pray for us as we begin our study?
SPEAKER 03 :
Father, we’re just so grateful that you lay out the path and we just follow it. And we look forward to what you have for us in 2025. And we pray that even today as we open our Bibles, that you change our lives in Jesus’ name. Amen.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, if you haven’t already done so, open your Bible to Hebrews 10 as we make our way through the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McGee.
SPEAKER 01 :
Now today, friends, we come back into the 10th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, and I want to consider beginning with verse 26. Now, I know we went much farther in that last time, but this is so important, and we only are touching the high points even at best. But there’s so many wonderful things that are here, that we would like to go back and lift out several of them. Now, verse 26 is a verse that makes your hair stand on end. It’s a rather frightful verse in many ways, and yet it’s a warning. You see, it’s one of the many dangerous signals that God has put up, the peril of despising. And frankly, it is a verse that I personally feel like we ought to emphasize it more today. I’m going to read it now. For if we sin willfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. It’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Now, I think we emphasized before what Simon Peter said in 2 Peter 2.21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. Now, this is a warning he gives to these Hebrew believers because many of them were continuing to go to the temple. And some were actually offering sacrifice there. They were keeping up a front there. that they were still under the Mosaic law. And in so doing, they were making it also clear that the sacrifice of Christ was meaningless to them because to continue to offer these sacrifices, the sacrifices pointed to Christ. And now that he’s come, it’s all fulfilled. And what before was commanded now becomes sinning willfully. Because you know now that this sacrifice is fulfilled in Christ. But to continue to go on is frightful. It’s a terrible thing. It’s to act as if the Lord Jesus has not come. It is to act as if this temple sacrifice is going on forever. And you can’t look to the temple anymore because there’s no more sacrifice for sin, no more sin offering for them. Because you see, they had gone each year, or at least that, and some many, many times during the year. Each time they’d sin, they could bring a sacrifice. Can’t do that anymore. Because Christ now has come and you have to look to him. And that is the thing that is important. The word of God is very expressive in this connection for these people who had heard the way of righteousness to reject God’s son. It’s a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. That is a tremendous thing. It is something that, as I’ve said, cause your hair to stand on end. Now, I want to note something specifically here. When he says that we sin willfully, actually, it means to go on sinning willfully. And to offer the sacrifices is just to continue to go on sinning willfully. It doesn’t mean they’ve committed or are responsible for committing the unpardonable sin. It’s actually an attitude toward the Word of God that God calls willful rebellion. There’s no more sacrifice in the Old Testament or the New Testament now for presumptuous sins. This is very important to see, friends. And we are emphasizing that. Now he goes on to say here that this is just a certain fearful looking for of judgment. You see, there’s nothing between the cross of Christ and the coming of Christ but judgment. That’s all. He’s not going to do anything else. He’s not going to die again. It’s not necessary for him to. And now it becomes willful rebellion or disobedience on the part of those that would continue to go on with the temple worship and offering of sacrifices. Now he makes a comparison. He says, “…he that despised Moses’ law died without mercy.” Under two or three witnesses, the comparison is made, but of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite under the spirit of grapes. Now, this is a frightful thing here that he’s talking about. It says here, and I’d like to lift this out, wherewith he was sanctified. And that speaks of Christ, by the way, as the Son of God. And seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, that is, it means to treat the death of Christ as inadequate to settle a sin question and to go on as if he had not died. That’s to treat the blood of Christ as something you despise. In other words, to know this now, the privilege creates a responsibility. He makes this tremendous statement here now. For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me. I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge his people. And friends, God is going to judge. He’s the sovereign ruler of this universe. And you are going to have to appear before him. The Lord Jesus said, he’s that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him. We are told again and again in Scripture, as we find in verse 31, it’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Now, that’s a very interesting expression. It’s one that we need to look at, and I want to dwell on it for just a moment here. And I think that this is for Christians, and it’s for unbelievers, too, because it’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. It’s one thing to have the good hand of our God upon us for good. And this is quite an interesting little study. I refer you to Ezra, the seventh chapter, verse nine. This is what he wrote. For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon. And on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem. according to the good hand of his God upon him. Now, the hand of God is upon this man for good. God wants to put his hand upon you for good. But sometimes he puts a very heavy hand upon those that are his children and he chastens them. Or as we say, he takes them to the woodshed. I’ve been there. Maybe you’ve been there. And the very interesting thing is that David had been there too. And over in the 32nd Psalm, verse 4, now listen to him. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me. Now, David was God’s child. He was God’s man. What was God doing? God was chastening him. God had taken David to the woodshed. And David was trying to cover up his sin. He had to confess it. He had to deal with that thing. And God’s hand is sometimes upon those of us that are his children. But my friend, it’s altogether different than to have the hand of God upon you for judgment. He’s spoken of vengeance here. God doesn’t take vengeance in a vindictive, spiteful manner. God judges, and God is going to judge sin. That’s something that needs to be emphasized today. And again, will you listen to the psalmets? And I’m turning now to Psalm 75, verse 8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup. And the wine is red, it is fully mixed, and he poureth out of the same. But the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall drain them and drink them. In other words, the prophets, as well as the psalmist, spoke a judgment as a time coming when the cup of wrath would be filled up. And it’s filling up today. God’s in no hurry to move. He’s long-suffering. He’s not willing that any should perish. But my friend, that cup of judgment is filling up. And I tell you, it’s a bitter cup. That cup is the cup of judgment that’s coming. And that’s the thing that he’s saying. If you despise what Christ has done for you on the cross, friends, there’s nothing ahead but judgment for you. You have no hope whatsoever. And that’s the point that he was making with these believers. Now, under the law, they could bring a sacrifice every year or every day if they wanted to, but no longer. That’s over. You have to turn now to the Lord Jesus Christ. Then he gives them a rather personal word, verse 32, but call to remembrance the former days in which after ye were illuminated, ye endured great fight of afflictions. Now, I assume that these believers to whom the writer here has in mind, they were saved and there was no question in this man’s mind, and I think it was Paul, that they were believers, partly whilst ye were made a gazing stock, both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me and my bonds. And that’s somebody in prison. It sure would fit Paul the apostle. And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods. That would fit some of the saints in Jerusalem. Knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Now, he speaks of this substance here, and I think that’s very important for us to see. For ye had compassion of me, and ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance, that is, possession. And he’s resting upon their past experiences, you see. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. Don’t cast away your confidence. Now, that’s pretty important. And that’s just another way of saying, let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, you see. Now, he moves on here. You have need of patience that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise. Now, tribulation, work of patience, according to Paul. Verse 37, for yet a little while, and he shall come, will come, and will not tarry. Now, the scripture says that the Lord will not tarry, that he’s going to come. I hear this expression a great deal today. Well, I’ll see you next time, Dr. McGee, if the Lord tarry. Well, I got news for you. He’s not going to tarry. Some folk act as if he keeps putting off his coming, that he’s tarrying. He’s not. He’s not going to tarry. It’s on his calendar when he’s going to come. And somebody says, well, what is it? Well, he won’t let me see the calendar. We’ve got some folk here in Southern California. They think they’ve seen the calendar. But I think they’ve been looking at man’s calendar because nobody’s seen his, but he won’t tarry. He’s coming. That’s as sure as his first coming to this earth. And now he goes on to make this statement, verse 38. Now the just shall live by faith. But if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Now, this is a quotation from Habakkuk, the second chapter, verses three and four. This verse is a very important verse, and I’m not going to deal with it as we will when we get to the minor prophet Habakkuk, and we will. But it’s quoted in Romans chapter It’s quoted in Galatians, and it’s quoted again here in Hebrews. And the emphasis in each one of these epistles is different. In the epistle to Romans, the emphasis is upon the just shall live by faith. It’s how God justifies a sinner, and the emphasis is there. Now, the just shall live. And in Hebrews, it’s the just shall live by faith. You see, we’ve had a reference several times to the living God. This epistle tells of a living intercessor. that it was the same one who died on the cross for us, came back from the dead, and the emphasis is upon his resurrection, that he is the living Christ, that God’s right hand, and those that are his own, since we have a living God, we have a living Savior, God’s right hand, we shall live by faith. That, as we’ve said before, it’s no leap in the dark. It rests upon the Word of God. It’s whether you believe God or not, and whether you have the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart and in your life. The just shall live by faith. That’s Hebrews. And then in Galatians, it’s by faith. The just shall live by faith. And Paul emphasizes by faith there. Now he talks here about drawing back. He says, if any man draw back. My soul shall have no pleasure in him. And then verse 39. But we are not of them who draw back under perdition. You see, Paul, if he’s the right here, did not consider that they had drawn back. But he’s speaking of the danger. It’s a warning he’s giving. But we are not of them who draw back under perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. And that word drawback means to take in sail. The believer is like a sailor who should let out all the sail. It’s what he’s been saying. Let us go on. And the thought here is that a believer could reef the sails. He could become stranded because of discouragement, because of trouble, because of persecution, because of hardship, because of depression, or some other stumbling block. But the thought here is, friends, since we have a living God and today we have a living Savior, let’s go on. Let’s go on. Let’s open up all the sails. Let’s move out today for God. What a tremendous thing this was in the past, the men and women. You remember the story of the French Huguenots. They were persecuted. They had been betrayed. And when France destroyed them, they destroyed the best of French manhood and womanhood. And France has never been the nation it was at the time that they destroyed the French Huguenots. When these French Huguenots went into battle, and they knew they were going into battle to certain death, you know what their motto was? If God be for us, who can be against us? Now, we need something like that today in the life of believers. We have a lot of boo-hooing today among Christians, a lot of complaining, a lot of criticizing, a lot of finding fault, a bunch of crybabies, a bunch of babies that need to be birthed. Oh, my friends, The whole tenor and tone of this epistle has been, let’s go on. Let’s go on. Let’s go on, friends. Now, we come to chapter 11. And we’ve come to the second major division. Up to this point, we’ve been dealing with the doctrine. And we’ve had a lot that’s practical. I think you’ll agree with that. But now we come to the practical implications. Christ brings us better benefits and duties. And we’re going to see them now put down for us. And first of all, he’s going to give what has been called the faith chapter of the Bible. Some call it the catalog of the heroes of faith. Personally, I don’t care for that. I do not think that’s the thought at all. The thought in this chapter is what? Faith has done in the past, in the lives of men and women, in all ages, under all circumstances, in every strata of society, that men have been able to live by faith. Now, we’re going to see how it worked in the lives of men and women of the past and their encouragement for us today. If they could do it, we can do it. Oh, not because we have any ability. Tell the truth, these folks didn’t have any ability either. They were weak men and women, human beings, just like you and I are. But by faith, they did these things for God, and they were able to live under all kinds of circumstances. Oh, my Christian friend, let’s enter this chapter with a head held high. We’re going to be walking again in the tall coin. Until next time, may God richly bless you.
SPEAKER 04 :
How appropriate that we’re beginning the year studying what it means to be a man or woman of God who walks by faith. I certainly want to walk by faith in 2025, don’t you? Well, if you want to hear this study again, it’s available by our app or by visiting ttb.org. And if you want to be in touch, just call us, 1-800-65-BIBLE is the number, or email us at biblebus at ttb.org. I’m Steve Schwetz, and for the entire Through the Bible team, we wish you a very happy new year.
SPEAKER 02 :
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.
SPEAKER 04 :
We’re grateful for our committed listening family who faithfully pray and invest in Through the Bible as we together take the whole word to the whole world.
