To The Hebrews

by Mark Waters

The word "Hebrew" is a word that speaks of those "crossing over".

It has to do with one from beyond who "passes over" or "through".

The word is first used in reference to Abraham. In Gen.14:13, he is designated, "The Hebrew". Thus, Hebrews are those on a pilgrimage, those yearning for something other than the present world. They are those who have lost their home and are looking for and yearning for another. Abraham "…looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

The Bible begins with man at home, not in the world, not in a garden, but home with God.

The voice of God walked with Adam in the cool of the day. Man and God had a home together. God's home was in the heart of man and man's home was in the heart of God.

Think of the terrible tragedy called "sin". Because of sin, man lost his home and since then has become a displaced race, a wanderer. Those who search and yean to be restored to "home" are the Hebrews.

These Hebrews are those who are not at home here on earth and have heard the call from God's heart to come back home. They have made a response to the call to rise to the mountain, that place of intimacy with Him.

There is a cost involved. Finding home involves a coming out of their country of birth, leaving its ties, advantages and seeming blessings. There's an unusual restlessness, an inability to settle anywhere, because they have believed the report of a better country. They are classified as pilgrims, passing through but never settling.

From this letter to the "Hebrews" comes a badly needed message to all who yearn for home. Yes, there's a specific word for those who are giving themselves to the gospel's call to "come up". They can keep pursuing their objective because of the powerful message that comes from this letter.

What is the message? It is a word concerning His Son. God who spoke in times past by the prophets is now speaking by His Son! And the object and focus of the message is indeed those who are moving towards home again!

All who are pilgrims are encouraged in their journey by this fresh revelation of the Son, the minister of the Sanctuary, He who speaks from heaven, He who exhorts us, "let us go on…"

I, personally, have seen that my great need is to behold the Son, to hear the Son in a specific way. The journey is long and weariness can set in. It is a fresh revelation of the glory of the resurrected Son that will enable us to continue.

What a loving and gracious God we have! "To the Hebrews" ! His eyes are upon us. His heart is moved on our behalf. He is releasing something especially for us pilgrims. We are not left to make it on our own, in our own strength.

Behold, see, there's the glory of the Son! That glory will cause us to bear up, to endure and to make it all the way back home to the heart of our God.