Remember

Anyone having memory problems? There are pills you can take, therapeutic exercises you can involve yourself in, and memory recall drills you can do. And then there are the people who simply are forgetful and it’s just who they are. I’m sure you know those who are too busy to keep up with it all. In any case, I’m sure all humans have some form of memory issues. It’s sad to see the decline of our cellular tissue. Sin has done a number of humanity hasn’t it?! 

In Hebrews 12 the writer is emphasizing the essential need for us all to focus on Jesus and His example set before us. Without this instant reminder we can drift and quit in our minds. Verse 5 goes right for to the heart with— “And ye have forgotten the exhortation…” He wasn’t asking IF they had, he was telling them they HAVE forgotten. 

What exactly have they forgotten and why? 

There may be something to the word “exhortation” too. Some things are forgotten because it is not reminded. Some because you didn’t want to hear it in the first place. And others, because you’re just too raped up in other affairs. The word “exhortation” is  (paráklēsis) and means an urging by someone close beside. They used this terminology in the first century as a legal advocate giving evidence in court. It is always used in a personal nature, like the ‘close beside’ portion of the definition. This root is the same for the “other comforter” (Holy Spirit) in John 14.16. So he is referring to an urging that they knew to be intimately close. 

It’s a quote from the Old Testament. A Proverb. They had forgotten an intimate urging from Proverbs 3.11-14 to be exact— “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” The last two verses quoted here (13-14) is mentioned in verse 10 to the end of Hebrews 12. They explain the value of this exhortation. Solomon is telling, by wisdom of God, that we the reader can find extreme value in the correction of the LORD— “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.”

I think you will find it interesting that this is the most frequently quoted Old Testament passage in the New Testament, by an overwhelming amount of time. Proverbs 3 is embedded in their mind, was in the mind of those at the time, and should still be today. This leans some understanding as to why the inspired writer declares that the only logical reason they were acting the way they were, was because they have forgotten it.  God makes clear here that this is critical information that cannot be neglected. This is also spiritual problem we have today: the Scripture is to be recognized for what it is—God’s Word, and therefore to be adhered to. Even the Proverbs, the exhortations and the secondary emphasis’ are all considered essential and from God. He told them that they had forgotten two verses of one Proverb and that was the reason for the issue in their lives. When thinking on the Bible—it is all critical. 

This exhortation was: And here’s the instruction: “…My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him” (Hebrews 12.5b). He says do not “despise” or blow off what this says. Literally it means not to take it lightly. This is not a light thing, therefore it is a heavy thing. The context is from verse 2 which states— “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame” He is the example. This is no light thing. In fact, the chastisement was to the point of death on the cross. But because He did not despise it, He is— “…set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”(Hebrews 12.5c). Jesus despised the shame of the cross—He didn’t regard it lightly. We can certainly be tempted toward shame in our trials, but we have Jesus’ example to help us endure. The receive the reward as He did.

God will work on you. He will bring change in your life to produce more of His character in you. He is completing you, fashioning you as He wills. And it’s good for you (Romans 8.28). He is developing Himself in you, and yes, correcting what is wrong along the way. While He does this, He has a plan to bring blessing in your life, a beautiful end. This is also mentioned in verse 10 of Hebrews 12— “For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure [earthly fathers]; but he [God] for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.” Will you despise this, or will you accept this action of God in your life? Or as was stated by the writer of Hebrews 12, will you forget this exhortation when it the changes come? Trials will come, so will pain and heart ache— will you be indifferent, or even push back against it? Because no matter if it our own doing, or Satan attacking— God is on the move using everything at His disposal (which is everything) to bring about glory for Himself and glory in us.

Please remember this exhortation. If not, then you are more than capable of becoming weak and even thinking of quitting— “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” (Hebrews 12.3). Have you grown weary? Have you contemplating backing off or quitting? Then remember the exhortation and look to the example of Jesus. We have a race to run, and many are watching— “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” Hebrews 12.1-2a)