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Hebrews 12:1 and the Other Verses of Hebrews 12

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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”

Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively. Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior. Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This webpage could be periodically updated. If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated. Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.

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When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:

“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Note: The heart refers to the mind.

It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:

“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”

It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”

A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned. In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher. Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:

If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship: whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.

Note: Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites. Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM]. The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges. The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity. The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness. In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human. When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god. Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.

The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind. In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests. The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:

Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession. Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram. Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:

Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.

The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:

Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. Also, it is still much more evident: that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life. Indeed, it is attested: “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

Note: The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah. Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body. The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.

Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest. In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family. Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:

However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE. You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Note: Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people. In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people. The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23. In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.

Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Put succinctly: itʼs the message rather than the messenger. In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.

Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated. That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:

The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.

Note: The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”

Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies. While it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur on a day other than the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah, one can be prepared for that day because of already being in the habit of being prepared. Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life. Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.

Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52

Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation. The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic. In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober. Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Note: In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent. In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context. Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!” In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness. The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture. In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation. Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.

The verse of the day for July 27th is Hebrews 12:1. The title of the book Hebrews is also known as “The Epistle to the Hebrews” and “The Letter to the Hebrews.” The author of the book Hebrews is unspecified in the Bible. Because it is useful to study verses that share the same context, below is content related to Hebrews 12.

Note: In some of the below notes for Hebrews 12, there are references to the Church Age, the Rapture, and the Second Advent. With regard to the Church Age, the Rapture, and the Second Advent, below is a synopsis of human history as categorized into time periods known as dispensations. In the below synopsis, there is the term hypostatic union [high-PUH-stat-ick YOON-yuhn]. This refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being 100% Deity and 100% humanity. The English word hypostatic is derived from the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word ὑπόστασις [pronounced hoo-PAH-stah-sees and transliterated as hypostasis]. After the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of humanity, His body was in the grave for three days and three nights. He was then resurrected, and He was on the earth for forty days after He was resurrected. He then ascended to Heaven, and ten days after that, the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst] occurred. The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age. The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē]. That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.” Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected. In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected. The Church Age will end with the Rapture. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies. Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026.

Dispensation	Start	Ending or Interruption

Age of the Gentiles	Adam	The Age of the Gentiles ended with the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.

Age of Israel	Exodus	The Age of Israel was interrupted on the Day of Pentecost.

Age of the Hypostatic Union (part of the Age of Israel)	First Advent of Christ	The Age of the Hypostatic Union ended with the Ascension of Christ.

Church Age	Day of Pentecost	The Church Age will end with the Rapture of the Church.

Tribulation (Age of Israel resumed)	Rapture	The Tribulation will end with the Second Advent of Christ.

Millennium	Second Advent	The 1,000-year Millennium will end with the Great White Throne Judgment of unbelievers.

Eternal State	Great White Throne Judgment	The Eternal State will be never-ending.

Regarding the word judgment, the proper way to spell that word is without an e between the dg and the m. In that regard, the e of the root word judge is dropped when the suffix ment is added to that root word. The formation of the word judgment is shown below.

judge −e +ment

= judg +ment

= judgment

Another way to categorize human history is by means of civilizations. Civilizations begin only with believers. Regarding the timing of civilizations and dispensations, the first civilization began with Adam and ended on the occasion of the Great Flood (also known as the Flood). That civilization is known as the antediluvian civilization and the predulivian civilization. In that regard, the prefixes ante and pre mean “before.” Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time before the Flood. Those spellings include antediluvian, ante-diluvian, prediluvian, and pre-diluvian.

After the Flood, there were only eight believers on the earth: Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their sonsʼ wives. With the removal of the unbelievers from the earth on the occasion of the Flood, a new civilization was started. That civilization is known as the postdiluvian civilization (also known as the postdiluvial civilization). Regarding the terminology, the prefix post means “after,” and the adjectives diluvian and diluvial mean “having to do with a flood.” Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time after the Flood. Those spellings include postdiluvian, post-diluvian, postdiluvial, and post-diluvial. The postdiluvian civilization will end on the occasion of the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. On the occasion of the Second Advent, the Lord will remove all unbelievers from the earth. Their removal will be by means of physical death just as the removal of all unbelievers was by means of physical death on the occasion of the Flood. This is called the Baptism of Fire, which is either a metaphorical description because fire can be used to represent judgment or a literal reference to the use of fire in the judgment of unbelievers on the occasion of the Second Advent. The Baptism of Fire is referenced in Matthew 3:11–12; Luke 3:15–17; and 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9.

Just as a new civilization started after the Flood, so also a new civilization will start after the Baptism of Fire. That civilization is called the Millennium. The Millennium is both a civilization and a dispensation. The Eternal State is also both a civilization and a dispensation.

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance/burden/hindrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us struggle with endurance / run with endurance / exert ourselves with endurance regarding / strive hard with endurance regarding / move forward with full effort and directed purpose regarding the struggle / race / battle / conflict / contention / fight / grueling conflict that is set before us,

Note: Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who are mentioned in Hebrews 11 are to whom the phrase cloud of witnesses refers. Those believers who are mentioned in Hebrews 11 are also mentioned in the Old Testament. In this verse, the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek verb that is translated as “struggle with endurance,” “run with endurance,” “exert ourselves with endurance regarding,” “strive hard with endurance regarding,” or “move forward with full effort and directed purpose regarding” is τρέχωμεν [pronounced TREH-khoh-mehn and transliterated as trechōmen]. That verb is an inflected form of the root word τρέχω [pronounced TREH-khoh and transliterated as trechō].

The Koine Greek noun that is translated as “struggle,” “race,” “battle,” “conflict,” “contention,” “fight,” or “grueling conflict” in this verse is ἀγῶνα [pronounced ah-GOH-nah and transliterated as agōna]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word ἀγών [pronounced ah-GOHN and transliterated as agōn]. The English word agony is derived from the Greek word agōn.

Amidst the agonizing challenges that a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ could experience, the believer should have endurance. With regard to having endurance, while trechō and agōn could be used to refer to running in a race, those two Koine Greek words could also be used more broadly to refer to efforts involved in any activity that involves struggling. In that regard, rather than the author of The Epistle to the Hebrews condoning competing in athletic contests, the author was calling attention to having endurance amidst the struggles that a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ could experience. Regarding competing, it is worthwhile to give consideration to the content of Philippians 2:3–4 and to pray to God the Father that He have God the Holy Spirit cause to come to oneʼs mind how to apply the content of Philippians 2:3–4. In that regard, below is content related to Philippians 2:3–4.

Philippians 2:3

Do nothing according to selfishness/contentiousness or empty conceit but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

Philippians 2:4

do not merely look out for your own personal interests but also for the interests of others.

Regarding laying aside the entanglements of sin, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.

Another matter involving laying aside the entanglements of sin is the matter of avoiding sinning. In that regard, a believer needs to learn the Word of God in order to know how to identify what is sinful. In order to learn the Word of God, a believer must be in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit while the believer is studying the Word of God.

The content of Hebrews 12:1 is repeated below for reference.

Hebrews 12:1

Hebrews 12:2

looking to the Chief Leader / the Captain / the Prince and Completer/Finisher/Perfecter of / by means of the faith/doctrine, Jesus, Who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Note: Believers should focus on the Lord Jesus Christ. Focusing on the Lord Jesus Christ can be referred to as occupation with Christ. A believer who is occupied with Christ seeks to follow the example of the Lord. In that regard, this verse calls attention to the Lord having endurance in suffering, and this verse calls attention to the Lord being unselfish.

The Lord had endurance in suffering by applying the Word of God to the Lordʼs life. In that regard, the Lord lived His life by means of faith, and that faith was based on Bible doctrine, which is the Word of God. Doctrine is that in which one believes. Faith is oneʼs action of believing in something. In the context of this verse, the word doctrine refers to Bible doctrine.

The Koine Greek noun that is translated as “of / by means of the faith/doctrine” in this verse is πίστεως [pronounced PEES-teh-ohs and transliterated as pisteōs]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word πίστις [pronounced PEES-tees and transliterated as pistis]. The inflected form pisteōs is in either the genitive case or the ablative case. In that regard, the genitive-singular form of the root word pistis and the ablative-singular form of the root word pistis are spelled the same way.

If the author of The Epistle to the Hebrews used pisteōs to refer to faith/doctrine using the genitive-singular form of the root word pistis, then the author is indicating that the Lord Jesus Christ led by example in having faith/doctrine and that not only did He lead by example in having faith/doctrine, but also He is the perfect Example of having faith/doctrine. If the author of The Epistle to the Hebrews used pisteōs to refer to faith/doctrine using the ablative-singular form of the root word pistis, then the form of ablative case is the ablative of means. The ablative of means indicates the means by which something is done. If the author used the ablative of means when using pisteōs in this verse, then the author is indicating that something is done by means of faith/doctrine. In that regard, if the author of The Epistle to the Hebrews used pisteōs to refer to faith/doctrine using the ablative-singular form of the root word pistis, then the author is indicating that faith/doctrine is the means by which the Lord Jesus Christ led by example and is the perfect Example.

In this verse, the phrase set before Him is used metaphorically in the sense of placed so as to be present in front of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Koine Greek verb that is translated as “set before” in this verse is προκειμένης [pronounced prah-kay-MEH-nayss and transliterated as prokeimenēs]. That verb is an inflected form of the root word πρόκειμαι [pronounced PRAH-kay-migh and transliterated as prokeimai]. The metaphorical usage of prokeimenēs in this verse refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being conscious of the fact that He would later experience joy as a result of being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity. With that anticipation of joy, the Lord Jesus Christ endured the suffering that He experienced while being judged for the sins of humanity.

In this verse, the Koine Greek verb that is translated as “disregarding” is καταφρονήσας [pronounced kah-tah-frah-NAY-sahss and transliterated as kataphronēsas]. That verb is an inflected form of the root word καταφρονέω [pronounced kah-tah-frah-NEH-oh and transliterated as kataphroneō]. Even though being on a cross could be ignominious—in other words, it could involve disgrace—the Lord Jesus Christ disregarded the ignominy of being on a cross—in other words, the shame of being on a cross—and instead voluntarily experienced being judged on a cross for the sins of humanity.

This verse also calls attention to the Lord being honored by God the Father. Regarding being honored, the right-hand side of a ruler is a place of honor. The Lord Jesus Christ sitting down at the right hand of God the Father is referred to as the session of the Lord Jesus Christ. Regarding that usage of the English noun session, the English noun session is derived from the Latin noun sessiō [SEHS-see-oh]. The Latin noun sessiō can be used to refer to an act of sitting or to a seat. The throne room of God the Father is located in Heaven. Regarding the word heaven, below is a summary of the different usages for that word.

• The first heaven (also known as [aka] first heavens): the atmosphere of earth

• The second heaven (aka second heavens): outer space

• The Third Heaven (aka Third Heavens or simply as Heaven): the location of the throne room of God the Father

Hebrews 12:2b references Psalm 110:1. Below is content related to that verse.

Psalm 110:1

A Psalm of David.

A declaration of Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One to my 'Adown [ah-DOHN] / Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

Note: The word Lord in Psalm 110:1 is a reference to God the Son. The pronouns My and I in this verse refer to God the Father. This verse is a prophecy of God the Father honoring God the Son. The Lord Jesus Christ is God the Son. Also, the phrase until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet is a metaphorical reference to the Lord Jesus Christ defeating His enemies. In that regard, the Lord Jesus Christʼs defeating of His enemies can be referred to as Operation Footstool.

The content of Hebrews 12:2 is repeated below for reference.

Hebrews 12:2

Hebrews 12:3

Indeed, consider Him Who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary, fainting in your souls.

Note: In this verse, the pronouns Him and Himself refer to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:4

You have not yet resisted to the point of blood in your striving against sin,

Note: The believers who were the recipients of The Epistle to the Hebrews had not yet suffered the type of suffering that would involve them bleeding.

Hebrews 12:5

and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons: “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM,

Hebrews 12:6

FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”

Note: The passage Hebrews 12:5–6 references Proverbs 3:11–12. Below is content of those verses.

Proverbs 3:11

My son, do not reject the discipline/instruction of Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One nor loathe His reproof,

Proverbs 3:12

for whom Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One loves He reproves/corrects, even as a father reproves/corrects the son in whom he delights / with whom he is pleased.

Hebrews 12:7

So that you endure discipline—God deals with you as with sons, for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

Hebrews 12:8

However, if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are bastard children and not sons.

Note: In this verse, the phrase all have become partakers indicates that all of the recipients of The Epistle to the Hebrews are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and that all of those believers have received divine discipline—in other words, discipline from God the Father. In that regard, the word if in this verse is used for a hypothetical situation. The author of this epistle uses that hypothetical situation to make an illustration involving the receiving of divine discipline that is experienced by believers contrasted with the lack of receiving of divine discipline experienced by unbelievers.

In this verse, the reference to bastard children is a metaphorical reference. A bastard child is a child born out of wedlock—in other words, a child born to parents who are not married to each other. At the time that The Epistle to the Hebrews was written, if a child was born out of wedlock, the father would typically leave the raising of that child to the childʼs mother. A father who left the raising of a child to the mother is a father who was uninvolved in the disciplining of the child. In that regard, the author of The Epistle to the Hebrews used the metaphor involving bastard children to indicate that God the Father refrains from disciplining unbelievers. Of course, God the Father judges unbelievers. That judging is for the sake of carrying out justice. In contrast, the disciplining of believers is for the sake of correcting the believers. In that regard, the content of Hebrews 12:7–8 can be an encouragement for a believer when that believer experiences discipline because the discipline is a reminder to that believer that that believer is a member of God the Fatherʼs family.

Hebrews 12:9

Furthermore, we indeed had fathers of our flesh to discipline us, and we respected them. Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of our spirits and live?

Note: The phrase fathers of our flesh refers to human fathers. The word spirits in this verse refers to the human spirit of each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. At the moment of salvation, each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ receives a human spirit, which is a believerʼs essence that involves thinking of Bible doctrine—in other words, thinking that involves the Word of God. An unbeliever lacks a human spirit. In contrast with a human spirit, a soul is a personʼs essence that involves thinking in general. Each unbeliever has a body and soul; therefore, unbelievers are dichotomous [digh-KAHT-uh-muhs]. Each believer has a body, soul, and human spirit; therefore, believers are trichotomous [trigh-KAHT-uh-muhs]. The usage of the phrase Father of our spirits in this verse calls attention to the fact that each believer has a human spirit and the fact that spiritual thinking is associated with God the Father.

Hebrews 12:10

Indeed, they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for good so that we may share His holiness.

Note: The sharing of God the Fatherʼs holiness that is referenced in this verse refers to experiential sanctification. A believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is experientially sanctified by being unselfish as frequently as possible. In order to be unselfish, a believer must obey the Word of God. In order to obey the Word of God, a believer must learn the Word of God while in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and then apply the Word of God while in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit. In that regard, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again, in fellowship with the Trinity again, and ready to learn and obey the Word of God again. Learning and obeying the Word of God results in changing oneʼs thinking.

In addition to the term experiential sanctification, there are the terms positional sanctification and ultimate sanctification. The term positional sanctification refers to God the Holy Spirit baptizing every Church Age believer in the Lord Jesus Christ into Jesus Christ, which means placing that Church Age believer into union with the Person of Jesus Christ. In other words, God the Holy Spirit makes the believer associated with the Lord. God the Holy Spirit does the baptizing of a believer at the moment of salvation of that believer. This association with the Lord Jesus Christ is a guarantee of eternal security, which means that the salvation of a believer can never be lost.

The term ultimate sanctification refers to a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ receiving a resurrection body. For Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, the receiving of a resurrection body will occur at the Rapture. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.

Hebrews 12:11

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful but sorrowful, yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Note: In this verse, the phrase peaceful fruit of righteousness refers to experiential sanctification. As mentioned in the notes for verse 10, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is experientially sanctified by being unselfish as frequently as possible.

Hebrews 12:12

Therefore, make straight the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,

Note: By learning and obeying the Word of God, a believer becomes spiritually stronger. Also, Hebrews 12:12 references Isaiah 35:3. Below is content related to that verse.

Isaiah 35:3

Strengthen / encourage the weak hands, and strengthen the feeble knees / tottering knees.

Hebrews 12:13

and make straight paths for your feet so that that which is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

Note: Making straight paths for oneʼs feet refers to a believer learning and obeying the Word of God. Also, Hebrews 12:13 references Proverbs 4:26. In that regard, below is content related to Proverbs 4:26–27.

Proverbs 4:26

Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways are established.

Note: Watching the path of oneʼs feet is a metaphor for being careful about how one conducts oneʼs life. The use of a present tense in the phrase all your ways are established in this verse is a reference to what will occur if a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is careful about how that believer conducts that believerʼs life. Such a use of a present tense has a rhetorical effect. In that regard, using a verb in a present tense can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.

Proverbs 4:27

Do not turn to the right nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.

Note: In this verse, the references to turning to the right and turning to the left are metaphorical references that call attention to the fact that there are multiple ways a person could disobey the Word of God. Also, the reference to removing oneʼs foot from evil is a metaphor that refers to stopping being involved in evil.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all men and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

Note: The pursuing of peace that is referenced in this verse is a reference to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ trying to have peaceful relations with people. In that regard, the context of this verse involves sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life. Absent from this verse and the surrounding verses is anything involving trying to maintain peace when being attacked.

The pursuing of sanctification that is referenced in this verse is a reference to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ sharing the gospel. In that regard, the phrase the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord refers to positional sanctification. As mentioned in the notes for verse 10, positional sanctification refers to God the Holy Spirit baptizing every Church Age believer in the Lord Jesus Christ into Jesus Christ, which means placing that Church Age believer into union with the Person of Jesus Christ. In other words, God the Holy Spirit makes the believer associated with the Lord. God the Holy Spirit does the baptizing of a believer at the moment of salvation of that believer. This association with the Lord Jesus Christ is a guarantee of eternal security, which means that the salvation of a believer can never be lost.

Hebrews 12:15

See to it that no one comes short of / falls short of / falls back from the grace of God, that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble and by it many be defiled,

Note: Hebrews 12:15 references Deuteronomy 29:18. In that regard, below is content related to Deuteronomy 29:14–18. Moses is speaking to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 29:14–18.

Deuteronomy 29:14

“Now not with you alone am I making this covenant and this oath

Deuteronomy 29:15

but both with those who stand here with us today in the presence of Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One our 'Elohiym [el-oh-HEEM] / Godhead and with those who are not with us here today—

Note: The covenant referenced in Deuteronomy 29:14–15 can be referred to as the Mosaic Covenant. The Mosaic Covenant was for all Israelites until the Mosaic Law was fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ. The term Mosaic Law refers to the laws communicated by Moses to the ancient Israelites. Because Moses communicated those laws, they are known collectively as the Mosaic Law. Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has been judged for the sins of humanity, the Mosaic Law has been fulfilled.

Deuteronomy 29:16

for you have known how we have lived in the land of Egypt and how we have come through the midst of the nations through which you have passed;

Deuteronomy 29:17

moreover, you see their abominations and their idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which are with them—

Deuteronomy 29:18

that there not be among you a man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turns away today from Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One our 'Elohiym [el-oh-HEEM] / Godhead, to go to serve the gods of those nations, that there not be among you a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood.”

Note: The heart refers to the mind. The word gods with a lowercase g in this verse refers to false gods.

The content of Hebrews 12:15 is repeated below for reference.

Hebrews 12:15

See to it that no one comes short of / falls short of / falls back from the grace of God, that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble and by it many be defiled,

Note: Regarding the below content of Hebrews 12:16, Esau [EE-sah] was the twin brother of Jacob. Esau and Jacob were the sons of Isaac [IGH-zuhk] and the grandsons of Abraham.

Hebrews 12:16

that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.

Note: This is a reference to Genesis 27:34–41. In that regard, Esau sold to Jacob Esauʼs rights associated with being the firstborn son of the family.

Hebrews 12:17

Indeed, you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance / change of mind, though he sought for it with tears.

Note: The pronoun it in Hebrews 12:17 refers to the blessing that Esau wanted.

Hebrews 12:18

Indeed, you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind

Hebrews 12:19

and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them.

Note: The passage Hebrews 12:18–19 refers to the Israelites of the first generation of the Exodus at Mount Sinai [SIGH-nigh].

Hebrews 12:20

Indeed, they could not bear the command: “IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.”

Note: Hebrews 12:20 references Exodus 19:12–13. In that regard, below is content related to Exodus 19:12–13.

Exodus 19:12

“Then you have set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘Beware to not go up into the mountain nor touch its edge—whoever touches the mountain is surely put to death.

Note: All of the Israelites except Moses were supposed to refrain from touching Mount Sinai. In that regard, Moses functioned as a mediator between the Trinity and the Israelites. While God the Son manifested Himself in proximity to Moses, the rest of the Israelites kept far away.

In that functioning as a mediator, Moses served as a type of Christ. A type of Christ is a teaching illustration that foreshadows Christ. In the Bible, there is a variety of types that serve as teaching illustrations for learning about the Lord Jesus Christ. The study of types is referred to as typology. In functioning as a mediator, Moses served as a teaching illustration about the need for the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Savior Who would later function as the Mediator between God the Father and humanity. Regarding the foregoing, what is referenced in the content of this verse serves as a teaching illustration that people in and of themselves are unable to have a relationship with the Trinity. In that regard, what is referenced in the content of this verse teaches that people are unable to obtain eternal life by means of their works.

In this verse, the use of the perfect tense in the phrase have set bounds is for the purpose of giving a command. That use of the perfect tense has a rhetorical effect. In that regard, why would verbs in the perfect tense be used for the purpose of giving a command? Doing so can communicate that obeying that command is 100% expected by God the Father. In other words, the importance of obeying the command is emphasized.

The use of a present tense in the phrase is surely put to death in this verse is for the purpose of giving a command. Such a use of a present tense has a rhetorical effect. In that regard, using a verb in a present tense in order to give a command can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine the obeying of that command as though the reader or hearer is watching the obeying of that command as it occurs.

Exodus 19:13

‘No hand touches him, but he is surely put to death by stoning or is shot through [i.e., with an arrow or arrows]; whether beast or man, he does not live. In the drawing out of the long blast of sound of the cornet/trumpet, they come up to the mountain.’”

Note: In this verse, the uses of a present tense are for the purpose of giving commands, and those uses of a present tense for the purpose of giving commands can help a reader or hearer of this verse imagine the obeying of those commands as though the reader or hearer is watching the obeying of those commands as they occur.

Hebrews 12:21

Even so terrible was the sight that Moses said, “I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.”

Note: Hebrews 12:21 references Deuteronomy 9:19. In that regard, below is content related to Deuteronomy 9:19.

Deuteronomy 9:19

“Certainly, I have been afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One has been wrathful against you in order to destroy you, but Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One listens to me at this time also.

Note: Deuteronomy 9:19 references Moses praying to God the Father that He refrain from destroying the Israelites for making and worshiping an idol. The idol was a golden calf. The word anger in this verse is an anthropopathism [an-thruh-poh-PATH-iz-uhm]. An anthropopathism is a term that describes the Members of the Trinity using human characteristics in order to help understand the essence of the Trinity. The Members of the Trinity donʼt literally become angry; the usage of the word anger helps human beings understand the wrath of God the Father.

Hebrews 12:22

Nevertheless, you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,

Hebrews 12:23

to the general assembly and church [or angels in festive gathering and to the church] of the firstborn ones who are enrolled in Heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous ones having been made perfect / having been completed,

Note: The content of Hebrews 12:22–23 refers to believers being associated with Heaven. In that regard, Mount Zion [ZIGH-uhn] is the mountain on which Jerusalem is located. Also, the word Zion can be used to refer to Jerusalem. With regard to the word Zion being used to refer to Jerusalem, the word Zion, as used in this verse, refers to the future heavenly Jerusalem. Also, the phrase having been made perfect / having been completed refers to ultimate sanctification. As mentioned in the notes for verse 10, the term ultimate sanctification refers to the status of a believer when that believer has a resurrection body.

At the time that The Epistle to the Hebrews was written, the firstborn was the first son that was born in a family. That son typically received the largest inheritance in the family. As used in this verse, the word firstborn metaphorically refers to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ having the right to receive eternal rewards in Heaven. In that regard, the reference to Esau earlier in Hebrews 12 calls attention to the fact that a believer can give up the right to receive those eternal rewards. A believer gives up the right to receive some of that believerʼs eternal rewards each moment that that believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity. In that regard, every moment that a believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity, that believer is missing out on eternal rewards that that believer otherwise could have received had that believer been in fellowship with the Trinity during those time periods when that believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity.

Hebrews 12:24

and to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

Note: In this verse, the phrase sprinkled blood metaphorically refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity. In that regard, the word sprinkled in that phrase references purification rituals under the Mosaic Law. Those purification rituals involved the blood of certain types of animals that were sacrificed. In that regard, those purification rituals were teaching illustrations that taught about the Lord later being judged for the sins of humanity. Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has been judged on the cross for the sins of humanity, the Mosaic Law has been fulfilled, and the requirement of sacrificing animals has ended.

In His humanity, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Mediator between the rest of humanity on one side and God the Father on the other side. In that regard, the Lord Jesus Christ being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity made it possible for God the Father and sinners to have a relationship. It is worth noting that absent from this verse is any mentioning of anyone other than the Lord Jesus Christ being the mediator of the new covenant.

Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve. Abel was killed by Cain, the first son of Adam and Eve. The content of Genesis 4:10 indicates that Abelʼs blood metaphorically cried out for justice. That metaphor calls attention to the fact that there needed to be justice for Cainʼs murder of Abel. The metaphor involving the sprinkled blood speaking better than Abelʼs blood calls attention to the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity fulfilled justice.

Hebrews 12:25

See to it that you do not refuse Him Who is speaking, for if those did not escape when they refused him who warned on earth, much rather we who turn away from Him Who warns from Heavens.

Note: The pronouns those and they in the phrase if those did not escape when they refused him who warned on earth refers to Israelites of the first generation of the Exodus. The pronoun him in that phrase refers to Moses. The pronouns Him with a capital H and Who with a capital W in this verse refer to God the Father.

Regarding the references to warning in this verse, Moses warned by literally speaking the Word of God, and God the Father now warns by means of the Word of God contained in the Bible. God the Father communicating by means of the Word of God in the Bible is metaphorically referenced with the word speaking in this verse. In that regard, the phrase See to it that you do not refuse Him Who is speaking refers to refraining from rejecting the Word of God. The ancient Israelites who rejected the Word of God that was communicated by Moses suffered the consequences for that rejecting. Likewise, a Church Age believer who rejects the Word of God contained in the Bible will suffer the consequences for that rejecting.

In this verse, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “Heavens” is Οὐρανῶν [pronounced oo-rah-NOHN and transliterated as Ouranōn]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word οὐρανός [pronounced oo-rah-NAHS and transliterated as ouranos]. Regarding the word heaven, below is a summary of the different usages for that word.

• The first heaven (also known as [aka] first heavens): the atmosphere of earth

• The second heaven (aka second heavens): outer space

• The Third Heaven (aka Third Heavens or simply as Heaven): the location of the throne room of God the Father

The context of this verse is such that the noun Ouranōn in this verse refers to the Third Heavens. In this verse, there is an absence of a definite article in front of the noun Ouranōn. The absence of a definite article in front of a noun is known as an anarthrous construction [an-AR-thruhs kuhn-STRUHK-shuhn]. When there is an anarthrous construction, the quality of the noun is what is being emphasized in the grammar of the Koine Greek. In that regard, the quality of the Third Heavens is being emphasized in this verse. That emphasis on the quality of the Third Heavens contrasts with the quality of the earth.

Hebrews 12:26

His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.”

Note: Hebrews 12:26 references Haggai 2:6.

Haggai 2:6

“Certainly, thus has said Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One of hosts / armies / tsaba' [tsah-VAH] / צָבָא: ‘Once more in a little while [literally: it is a little while], I am shaking the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land.’”

Note: The use of a present tense in the phrase am shaking in this verse is a reference to what will occur in the future. Such a use of a present tense has a rhetorical effect. In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the future can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine future events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.

In this verse, the word heavens could refer to the atmosphere of the earth, outer space, or both. Regarding the word heaven, below is a summary of the different usages for that word.

• The first heaven (also known as [aka] first heavens): the atmosphere of earth

• The second heaven (aka second heavens): outer space

• The Third Heaven (aka Third Heavens or simply as Heaven): the location of the throne room of God the Father

The content of Hebrews 12:26 is repeated below for reference.

Hebrews 12:26

His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.”

Hebrews 12:27

This expression “Yet once more” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Note: The context of the content of the surrounding verses is such that it is logical to conclude that the content of this verse refers to the destruction of the current heavens and current earth after the Great White Throne Judgment of unbelievers. The Great White Throne Judgment will occur after the Millennium. Those heavens might be the first heavens (also known as the first heaven), which is the atmosphere of the earth, or those heavens might refer to the atmosphere of the earth and outer space, the latter of which is the second heavens (also known as the second heaven). Those heavens donʼt seem to refer to the Third Heaven (also known as the Third Heavens or simply as Heaven), which is where the throne room of God the Father is located. There is nothing in the Bible indicating that the Third Heaven is anything less than perfect; therefore, it is possible that it is unnecessary for the Third Heaven to be replaced.

Hebrews 12:28

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have gratitude by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe,

Note: The phrase kingdom which cannot be shaken refers to the Eternal Kingdom, which is also known as the Eternal State. The Eternal State will start after the Great White Throne Judgment of unbelievers. The Great White Throne Judgment will occur after the Millennium.

A believer in the Lord Jesus Christ offers acceptable service to God the Father by means of that believer being unselfish in whatever that believer does. Also, the content of this verse indicates that that service is offered to God the Father. In addition, the reverence and awe is directed towards God the Father. As mentioned in the notes for verse 10, in order to be unselfish, a believer must obey the Word of God.

Learning the Word of God helps a believer recognize what is selfish and what is unselfish. In that regard, learning the Word of God helps a believer recognize hidden areas of arrogance in the thinking of that believer. A hidden area of arrogance can also be referred to as a hidden area of selfishness. A hidden area of arrogance is human viewpoint that a person fails to notice in that personʼs thinking. The term human viewpoint refers to any viewpoint that deviates from the Word of God. In contrast, the term divine viewpoint refers to the viewpoint of the Trinity. All three Members of the Trinity have the same viewpoint. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can learn divine viewpoint by learning the Word of God. Therefore, the term divine viewpoint refers to the viewpoint that comes from a proper understanding of the Word of God. With human-viewpoint thinking, a person has unrealistic expectations regarding life. Such a person is divorced from reality.

Regarding hidden areas of arrogance in a believerʼs thinking, at the moment of salvation, a believer still has garbage in his or her subconscious. The garbage in the subconscious is the human viewpoint that has been metaphorically programmed into the thinking of a person. After salvation, a believer can also accumulate garbage in the subconscious of that believer. Because people express what they think, the saying “garbage in, garbage out” is applicable to an unbeliever, and it is also applicable to a believer to the extent that that believer has human viewpoint remaining in that believerʼs thinking. That saying can also be abbreviated as GIGO [pronounced GIGH-goh or GEE-goh or GIH-goh].

During time periods that involve information generated by computers, the expression “garbage in, garbage out” is applicable to information generated by those computers. In that regard, the abbreviation AI, which is used to represent the term artificial intelligence, ironically refers to artificial idiocy when those computers output garbage. The garbage output by computers referred to as AI can be referred to as AI slop. The content of AI slop involves misrepresentations, including, for example, images that do not represent reality, video content that does not represent reality, audio content that does not represent reality, and wording that involves falsehoods. The misrepresentations that are in AI slop can cause a personʼs thinking to be molded by human viewpoint that is in that AI slop.

People can deliberately input false information into computer systems that some people categorize as AI, thereby manipulating those computer systems. Such inputting of false information can be referred to as poisoning. For example, one type of computer system that some people categorize as AI is known as a large language model (LLM), which is a computer program into which a large quantity of data is inputted and which can be interacted with by means of giving commands that involve human language and which outputs information in a form that mimics human language. Because the data that goes into LLMs can come from content that is available on webpages, people can input false information into LLMs by putting false information on webpages that are used as data sources for those LLMs. The putting of false information on webpages for the purpose of inputting false information into LLMs is known as LLM grooming. The people who do LLM grooming can thereby try to mold peopleʼs thinking so as to influence them to think in terms of human viewpoint.

In order for a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ to discover hidden areas of arrogance in that believerʼs thinking, that believer needs to learn the Word of God. In order to learn the Word of God, a believer must be in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit while the believer is studying the Word of God. In that regard, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.

If one is motivated by selfishness, one is sinning. Regarding sinning, sins can be categorized in various ways. There are three broad categories of sins: mental-attitude sins, verbal sins, and overt sins. Verbal sins can also be referred to as sins of the tongue. They can also be referred to as communicative sins because that category also encompasses non-verbal communication that involves sinning. Communicative sins can also involve physical means of communication such as facial expressions, other forms of body language, tone of voice, and demeanor.

An unbeliever is unable to refrain from sinning in some way, shape, or form. Even if an unbeliever is behaving in a seemingly moral manner, that unbeliever is motivated by selfishness; therefore, an unbeliever is sinning even when appearing to be moral. In contrast, because a believer is able to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, the believer is able to refrain from sinning. Of course, the believer needs to be in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit in order to refrain from sinning.

When a believer is in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, whatever that believer does is known as divine good. In that regard, when the believer is in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, the results of whatever that believer does are known as divine-good production. In contrast to divine good is human good. The term human good refers to the seemingly good works done by believers who are out of fellowship with the Trinity and the seemingly good works done by unbelievers. Human good is a cheap, phoney substitute for divine good.

Human good comes from Satan. In that regard, Satanʼs use of human good as a cheap, phoney substitute for divine good is part of Satanʼs attempts to counterfeit that which is divine. Because Satanʼs attempts to be like the Trinity involve counterfeiting that which is divine, the various forms of human good can be referred to as pseudo-good. In that regard, the more of the Word of God that a believer learns, the more that that believer is able to distinguish between what is truly good and the various forms of pseudo-good.

Regarding distinguishing between what is truly good and the various forms of pseudo-good, a right thing must be done in a right way. Only a right thing done in a right way is acceptable to God the Father. Below is a list of right and wrong things.

A right thing done in a wrong way is wrong.

A wrong thing done in a right way is wrong.

A wrong thing done in a wrong way is wrong.

A right thing done in a right way is right.

The content of Hebrews 12:28 is repeated below for reference.

Hebrews 12:28

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have gratitude by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe,

Hebrews 12:29

for our God is a consuming fire.

Note: The content of Hebrews 12:29 references Deuteronomy 4:24 and Deuteronomy 9:3. Below is content related to Deuteronomy 4:19–24.

Note: Moses is speaking to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 4:19–24. Also, the Jordan River is what is referenced by the word Jordan in Deuteronomy 4:19–24.

Deuteronomy 4:19

“Beware, lest you lift up your eyes to the heavens and have seen the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of the heavens, and have been drawn away and have worshiped them and have served them, those which Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One your 'Elohiym [el-oh-HEEM] / Godhead has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heavens.

Note: In this verse, the word heavens refers to the sky.

Deuteronomy 4:20

“Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One has taken you and brings you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today.

Note: The use of a present tense in the phrase brings you out references what has occurred in the past. Such a use of a present tense has a rhetorical effect. In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the past can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine past events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.

Deuteronomy 4:21

“Now Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One has been angry with me on your account, and swears regarding my not crossing the Jordan and regarding my not entering the good land which Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One your 'Elohiym/Godhead is giving you as an inheritance.

Note: The word angry in this verse is an anthropopathism [an-thruh-poh-PATH-iz-uhm]. An anthropopathism is a term that describes the Members of the Trinity using human characteristics in order to help understand the essence of the Trinity. The Members of the Trinity donʼt literally become angry; the usage of the word angry helps human beings understand the wrath of God the Father.

Deuteronomy 4:22

“Certainly, I am dying in this land; I am not crossing the Jordan, but you are crossing and have taken possession of this good land.

Note: The uses of a present tense in the phrase I am dying in this land, in the phrase I am not crossing the Jordan, and in the phrase you are crossing are references to what will occur in the future. Such uses of a present tense have a rhetorical effect. In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the future can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine future events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.

In this verse, the use of the perfect tense in the phrase have taken possession of this good land is a reference to the future. Such a use of the perfect tense has a rhetorical effect. In that regard, why would verbs in the perfect tense be used to refer to what will happen in the future? Doing so in reference to something being indicated can communicate that what will occur in the future is 100% certain to happen and that because it is 100% certain to happen, it is as though it has happened already.

Deuteronomy 4:23

“Watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One your 'Elohiym/Godhead which He has made with you, and have made for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything which Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One your 'Elohiym/Godhead has forbidden you.

Deuteronomy 4:24

“Certainly, Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One your 'Elohiym/Godhead is a consuming fire, a jealous 'El [AYL] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power].

Note: The word jealous in this verse is an anthropopathism [an-thruh-poh-PATH-iz-uhm]. An anthropopathism is a term that describes the Members of the Trinity using human characteristics in order to help understand the essence of the Trinity. The Members of the Trinity donʼt literally become jealous; the usage of the word jealous helps human beings understand the wrath of God the Father.

Below is content related to Deuteronomy 9:1–3.

Note: Moses is speaking to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 9:1–3. Also, the Jordan River is what is referenced by the word Jordan in Deuteronomy 9:1.

Deuteronomy 9:1

“Hear, listen to, and obey, O Israel! You are crossing over the Jordan today to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, great cities and fortified to heaven / the sky,

Note: In the context of this verse, the phrase fortified to heaven / the sky refers to the fortifications of the cities being tall fortifications.

Deuteronomy 9:2

a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you have known and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’

Note: The word Anakim is the plural form of the word Anak.

Deuteronomy 9:3

“Know therefore today that it is Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One your 'Elohiym [el-oh-HEEM] / Godhead Who is crossing over before you as a consuming fire. He destroys them, and He subdues them before you, so that you have driven them out and have destroyed them quickly, just as Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One has spoken to you.”

Note: The uses of a present tense in the phrases He destroys them and He subdues them in this verse are references to what will occur in the future. Such uses of a present tense have a rhetorical effect. In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the future can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine future events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.

The uses of the perfect tense in the phrase you have driven them out and in the phrase have destroyed them quickly in this verse are references to the future. Such uses of the perfect tense have a rhetorical effect. In that regard, why would verbs in the perfect tense be used to refer to what will happen in the future? Doing so in reference to something being indicated can communicate that what will occur in the future is 100% certain to happen and that because it is 100% certain to happen, it is as though it has happened already.

The content of Hebrews 12:29 is repeated below for reference.

Hebrews 12:29

for our God is a consuming fire.

Sincerely,

John