[00:00:00] Welcome back, you guys. This is week 44 of Creative Come Follow Me for the New Testament, and this is our first of two weeks in the epistle to the Hebrews. I should tell you right out of the gate that there's a lot of question about who is the author of the epistle to the Hebrews. Nobody really knows for certain it's not included in the epistle anywhere.

A lot of people attribute it to Paul simply because it has some similar threads, but the writing style is a little different. It's just a little. There's enough question that people put it at the end of the book. You know, all things are in order. All these epistles are ordered by length. And then Hebrews, which is longer, is kind of stuck here at the end.

For me, I think that's basically because it's so good that you can't set it down no matter who the author is. Clearly there is inspiration behind his or her writings. And I just think you can't set it down. It's so good. You guys, it's dense and rich and it the [00:01:00] message is. powerful, especially for our time.

To me, the overarching message was an invitation to come back home, come back to the covenant. It's written to the Hebrews, which most people would tell you, at least the scholars that I read, are the Jewish converts who are slowly drifting back towards what is comfortable and socially acceptable and familiar.

Um, so they're drifting back to the Law of Moses and forgetting or setting down the power of salvation through Jesus Christ. And so the author is really trying to reignite those fires in their hearts and help them see Christ clearly. Not just that he is the Savior, but what his character was, what it still is, what his attributes are, the nature of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

You're going to see A lot of that packed into these six chapters. I also think there's just this invitation to find the right guide. There was this quote that I read this week as I was prepping for my institute class. It's from Gordon B. Hinckley. He said this, [00:02:00] Men everywhere seem to be groping as in darkness, casting aside the traditions that were the strength of our society, yet unable to find a new star to guide them.

I feel like there's a little bit of that in the epistle to the Hebrews. It's this, you can see people groping for. Help and strength and what whoever the author to the epistles intended was to direct their focus back to the word The word of Jesus Christ his life his mission his purpose when they can see that clearly They have a star to guide them by so he's inviting them to come back I liked it so much because that's what we felt in conference Talk after talk mentioned this idea of no matter who left, whether it was your parents generation or further back that left the church or that left the covenant path, or if you yourself through sin have slipped away from what you knew to be true, come back home and find the goodness that is here in the Savior's gospel.

It's powerful, it's important, I think even in our day, so it's worth our time. So [00:03:00] grab your scriptures, grab your notes, it's time to get started.

I think in times of stress, I tend to revert back to what is comfortable, even if it goes against what I know is good for me. It's the reason I can't be in intense, stressful situations and then go shop at the grocery store, because my list turns out to be a mess of treats and junk food that I really don't need, but that I think in that moment will make me feel happier and more settled.

somehow in control of my life. I just think that's sort of what's happening here with the Hebrews. They're, they're reverting back to what is familiar and what is known, what's been taught for thousands of years rather than just since the time of the Savior. What I think is beautiful about how the author handles it is he's saying all those things you're looking for, for comfort.

are good things. They just have a source, their branches. Let me show you the vine. So that's what he does, especially in this first [00:04:00] chapter is he tries to help them remember the power of the vine. So in verse one, for example, he says, God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners, speak in times past unto the fathers by prophets.

Halfen these days spoken unto us by his son, whom he has a pointed heir of all things by whom. He also made the worlds who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power. It, it's a very clear statement of what that vine looks like.

How can you tell this? the vine. It just doesn't get bigger than that, right? To be in the express image of God the Father, to do His work, to create worlds at His request, that is the vine. That is as big as it gets. So He's trying to direct their eyes there. And then He talks about His mission to purge our sins.

And He sat down at the right hand of His majesty on high, being made so much better than the angels. as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. I just think this is his way of saying [00:05:00] what you find comfort in, you're turning back towards the angels as a way to find comfort and even in this hopes of maybe salvation and your intentions are good.

It's just not divine. You're, you're focused on the branch. Let me direct your eye forward. So he tries to help them see more clearly. He talks about the savior being the first begotten in the six, that all the angels of God worship him. So if you, if you revere the angels, great, but they worship God. So, so don't stop there.

They can see more clearly. Same thing happens in 8. But unto the sun he saith, thy throne, O God, is forever and ever a scepter of righteousness and a scepter of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity. Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

He is the anointed one. You know, we've studied that in the past in the New Testament, this understanding that the anointed one means The Messiah, where you see that in Old Testament writings, he's trying to help them cast their minds forward. You know, take [00:06:00] what you saw and what you loved about those scrolls and the prophecies that are written in them and look forward to this.

Coming of the Savior. Look at what is right in front of you. And then I like how he says it in 10 and 11. And thou, O Lord, in the beginning hath laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thine hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt remainest, and they shall all wax old as doth a garment.

It's this everlasting nature of God that I think he wants to point to. The reason they can tell that this is the source and not those branches is it is everlasting. It is always, other things fall away, other things break down, but that vine, that Strong, sturdy, center, does not fade and does not change. So that's what he tries to help them understand.

So if you look in 12, And as a vestiture thou shalt fold them up, and they shall be changed, but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. But to them which of the angels said he at any time sit on my right hand until I make [00:07:00] thine enemies thy footstool, are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation?

To me this is just the author saying all those angels that you're revering they all Do his bidding they all work for the same goal that he set forth this immortality and eternal life of men I think that's what's beautiful about 14 is that you see what the purpose of these ministering angels is and it's to minister to those who can be heirs of salvation I think he's just trying to help us teach the reason I think this is valuable for me is I feel like this is where It can get hard when you're trying to teach someone who has drifted away from the covenant path or has reverted back to old ways.

I think what the author is teaching us is help people see the good in what they are holding on to and then help them see that all good comes from Jesus Christ. All of it can be traced back to that true vine. If we can help people see that more clearly, then they come to the truth faster, I think.[00:08:00]

Now that he's got our minds riveted on that true vine, and really how robust and strong it really is, he's gonna say, therefore what? Like, what do you need to do? That's what you're gonna see in one. Therefore, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

This, to me, is that same visual you get in the Book of Mormon with the Tree of Life. That you can't just casually hang on to that iron rod or step away here and there. If you do, there's all these treacherous reasons why you may not make it back, you know, he's, he's urging them to like lay hold of that rod.

You can almost picture like the hand over hand approach towards the tree of life as you're just diligently trying to stay on this path. That's what I think this author hopes for them because he doesn't want these promises to slip through their fingers. The salvation that has been Offered to them in this true gospel that they've been brought to it can [00:09:00] slip through if they choose not to grab hold It's what you see with their ancestors, right?

In fact, we're gonna read that throughout this week's chapters this reference back to the ancient Israelites and the opportunity they had for an Increase and a fullness of the gospel and they let it slip through their fingers For lots of different reasons, and we'll talk about some of them, but I think that's what he's warning them.

He's like, don't forget what your people have learned already. There's a lot we can do better this time around. Hold fast to what the promise is. So in three, he says, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? How can we claim to deserve mercy if we had it right in front of us and bypassed it?

It's just, do you remember that talk from President Nelson a couple years ago, where he was talking about how he had a friend who said, after my wife and I die, can you make sure to do the ceilings for us? And he's like, I'm just glad I'm not his judge, because I don't know how that will go for him. But I do believe this life is the time to prepare to meet God.

And if you have any belief, you should act, like you just can't [00:10:00] set aside this probationary time. And that's what he warns about as well. He also talks about the blessing of this probationary time, that you're not just here to sort of figure things out. You're here to learn through all the ways God has given you to know him, like signs and wonders and prophets.

That's what he says in four, God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with diverse miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will. He doesn't push us out into this lone and dreary wilderness and say good luck to you. Like he, he guides us out because this is where we have to learn and then he gives us all these opportunities to learn.

All these reminders of who he is and how good his presence feels. You get that through prophets, you get it through signs, miracles. The gift of the Holy Ghost that's in each of us. Like, that's a powerful promise. You are not alone here. He hasn't left you to wander. Go back to what you know. And then he starts to quote Psalms.

So remember, these are hymns to the Hebrews. These are words that would be so [00:11:00] familiar that they would sound like the chorus of one of our hymns to us. And he's trying to cast their mind back. Psalm 6, but one in a certain place testified saying, what is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visitest him.

Thou madest him a little lower than the angels. Thou crownest him with glory and honor, and did set him over the works of thy hands. And thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put in, put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not under him. But now we see, not yet all things are put under him.

This is the promise that those things that are put under him are things like death and hell, you know, like it's a the Fear and the tumult of the world that comes from sin and that comes from being afraid of death Those are his enemies and he They're under his footstool, like he's, he's saying, like, look how powerful this vine is.

Come back! He's, this is the love of God that's prompting this. In fact, I love that in six, that's the feel you get that he's reminding you how much God loves you. I think it's what you [00:12:00] heard in conference from people like Elder Danes and Elder Phillips, who were awestruck at the love of God and who wanted to help us remember.

How good his motivations are and what he offered because he loves us so much. And that's when you see, speak, that's when they spoke of Jesus, and you see in this chapter as well. Like in 9. I love the way it's phrased at 9. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. The captain of salvation is a powerful phrase, right? He is that, he is that father of our salvation, that source that we can turn to, and it's just this I, I just feel like it's an invitation to have confidence in Christ to, to come back and ride that current [00:13:00] that comes behind him.

You know, we were just supposed to get back in that forward motion that comes in his wake. And I just love the promise. And you see the motivation behind it, that his goal, kind of like what we see in the Pearl of Great Price in Moses, is to bring many sons unto glory. The reason I like that phrasing is it's not just to save, it's to exalt.

He hopes to bring many sons and daughters back to glory, you know, to a perfected version of themselves so they can be like he is. In fact, that's what it says in 11. For both he that sanctifyeth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. He rejoices when we Become joint heirs.

That brings him joy. That's what you learn in Moses. And I feel like you feel it here in Hebrews as well. So then you hear the author rejoicing in 13. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, behold, I and the children of which God hath given me. He is Rejoicing, he is [00:14:00] singing at this promise and hopes that we will too.

And then in 14, For then as the children are partakers of the flesh and blood, he also likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil. His enemy is Death and hell and sin it's that's what he's conquering He is offering us an opportunity to grab at something brighter and you can't bypass it And so then he talks about angels and their nature if you look in 18 I feel like he ends on this understanding of who the Savior is and what his mission is For in that he himself hath both suffered being tempted and he is able to succor them that are tempted a lot of the message You're gonna read this week is about the condescension of God about his choice to Learn grace for grace and to increase in his ability to succor us, to rush and offer aid because he himself knows our story.

I really liked, I can't remember, it's in the notes, there's this really [00:15:00] beautiful talk, I think it's from Elder Bateman. And he spoke about, you know how when we read in the Pearl of Great Price about Moses. Beholding all the spirits being able to see all the inhabitants and you wonder how that's even physically possible given time constraints And then you realize there are no time constraints when it comes to divine interaction So I feel like he his point in that was saying if that can happen with Moses where he can see each Individual person who has ever lived and will ever live doesn't it make sense that the Savior in that moment?

Those moments between his experience in Gethsemane and his experience on the cross, that whole time frame, that condescension of suffering, that he would individually know each of us, that time would be different somehow, and that he would know one at a time. what we needed, what we endured, what we strived for, what we would suffer, and he knows it intimately and individually.

And I just think that's such a beautiful piece of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that he chooses [00:16:00] to endure those things. He didn't have to learn that way, he chose it so that he could come to know more. I just think it's a beautiful part of the doctrine.

One of the other stars that's tempting to guide by is their Their love of the prophet Moses and and that he began this law that you know in partnership with Jehovah that that's That's a place they can go back to in comfort so I feel like in chapter 3 the author tries to help them see the superiority of Jesus Christ when it comes to prophets like Moses and his way of describing it is I think pretty powerful Basically, he describes the household of God and he says Moses was a servant of God.

He he was called by God Thank you did the work of God. He is a servant there. Jesus Christ is his son and heir. There's a big distinction between those who are servants and helpers in this work and, and the son. And [00:17:00] so the author's trying to help them see it clearly. He calls Jesus an apostle, one, you know, one sent forth.

He is sent forth by a mighty power, right? He is the one who stood and said, Here I am send me right that he is sent forth by God the Father to do this work It's also called a high priest. So we're those in this this audience would be very Reverent to a to a title like high priest there are very few of them and you have to come up from a very specific line and from Aaron and like it's Pretty specific and that's somebody they revere So he's trying to help them see like over all those things and again I don't think that over it works as clearly for me as Those things are branches, and when you follow them back, they all come from this same true vine.

That's where his focus is. So in five, And Moses was very, verily was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken of after, but Christ as a son over his own house. Whose house are we if we hold fast to the [00:18:00] confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end?

This is his promise. He's saying, Moses and all of us, if we hold fast to that iron rod, if we make and keep covenants, if we endure to the end, we can access all those blessings of being an heir as he is. That is not something Moses can do for you. It is not something any other prophet from the Old Testament can offer you.

They are branches, he is the vine. And so he invites them to soften. This is when he's going to pull up the example of their ancestors. Wandering in the wilderness. So in 8, Harden not your hearts, as in the in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said They do always err in their heart, and they have not known my ways. There's a couple different ways you can read this, and mine might be wrong, but I really like reading that verse. When they say he grieved with that generation, I don't think it's just that [00:19:00] he's grieving over them.

I think he grieves with them. Their road was harder, that they missed 40 years of opportunity in the Promised Land. They missed, they missed the miracles that could have happened had they grabbed hold. And in that day of provocation, you know, most people attribute this to the day when the Golden Calf occurred, you know, where They were afraid and they weren't sure what happened with Moses and they turned to what was familiar and what was comfortable and controllable and, and left opportunities for higher things.

That's what he wants them to avoid. Because now the covenant is here. Jesus Christ has come and the atonement has been fulfilled. The law of Moses is fulfilled. This is all done. And so he's saying, now you can grab hold. You have a basically, you're standing on the brink of the promised land. Come, come into his rest.

I just loved what you learn about rest in these verses. So this comes from a couple different sources and you can see this play out in the [00:20:00] notes maybe a little better than I can articulate here. But this idea of rest to me was interesting. The reason it intrigued me is I was reading from President Kimball.

I think it's in the notes He had this beautiful talk about how Joshua and Caleb when you know when we talked a couple weeks ago about the spies when they were about to go into the promised land and they sent spies in For 40 days to evaluate how things are and ten of the spies come back and say we'll never make it There's giants and there's walls and then Joshua and Caleb come back with the grapes and the fruits and they say like no you guys We can do this What I thought was really powerful about President Kimball's Telling of that biblical story, as he said, 40 years later, you know, Joshua and Caleb are the only ones who get to live and go into the promised land.

Moses ascends elsewhere and Joshua and Caleb get to enter into the promised land. Everyone else dies off in that generation and the giants and the walls are still there. I'd never thought of that before, that when they come back 40 years later, those same obstacles are there, but they're [00:21:00] not afraid. They are ready.

I think that's what rest is. It's not so much that. Your situation is all that different. I used to think rest means like you don't have to fight anymore. You don't have to worry anymore You don't have to there's nothing scary anymore There's rest and the more I study the more I think it's the confidence that you have that makes you feel rest confidence that comes from Christ from from using his grace to embolden you and to give you grounding like I just think Basically what happens with Joshua and Caleb is 40 years later when they go and they see the walls and the same giants and they, you know, I'm sure we're nervous, but what they say is give me this mountain.

That's what president Kimball said in that address. He basically said, that's how I feel. I feel like despite the fact that I'm older now, I am ready for whatever challenges come. The reason I like this version of rest, and I think it's, you hear a lot of it from President Nelson when he spoke about rest.

It's this empowerment through Christ, confidence in Christ. It is not that [00:22:00] I am so much stronger, it's that I understand his strength better. I trust that his strength is stronger. will help me when I need it because I am worthy of that. I have lived according to what he's taught me so far and I can feel confidence.

The other reason I would bring this up is I was teaching recently a workshop in Pocasello to these awesome women about how to study their scriptures better. And we talked about how does it, how do you deal with it when, when the words of Christ don't taste good? You know, like if you, it says in the scriptures that we should feast upon the words of Christ.

But sometimes when you open the scriptures, They don't taste good. They swim on the page, you don't exactly understand it, you struggle. And what I love about Alma's seed, you know, he talks about that seed of faith that we're building, that testimony that's growing. He says, the seed begins to be delicious to me, like that plant that's growing begins to be delicious.

Almost like my palate changes. And that's how I see Joshua and Caleb and those others. Like, it's not that the. [00:23:00] That the, um, obstacles got smaller, and that things, the Lord took care of all those things. It's that their palate has changed, and they understand God's on their side, and He will not let them down.

He will always come to their rescue if they are worthy and they need it. And that's rest. That's stance of assurance. There's a mortal rest. You can read it in the notes. There's a couple different descriptions of this, but there's a mortal rest that is this faith filled assurance. And then there is an eternal rest that comes from having a fullness of his glory.

That's what the doctrine of covenants teaches. And I think both come with this stance of, I have confidence in Christ. I know his capabilities and I know. That he's made promises and those promises are sure. And that's what I think he's trying to teach us. So if you look at 14, he says, well, in 13, he says, but exhort one another daily.

If you understand this rest and this idea of how. How it can feel and why it's worth it. Exhort each other. Invite each other. Teach each other. Help each other find that rest. Today, lest any of you be hardened through your [00:24:00] deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast until the end.

To me, this is, you know, when Alma describes that seed swelling inside you, that sprouting and that, like, swelling motions. If you hold and let yourself taste that as you continue on this course. it begins to be delicious unto you, and you begin to want to cultivate, you begin to want to take care of that tree, and you, you, in the process, become someone who loves that fruit.

You know, I just think, that's rest. When you become, when you become someone who loves what God loves. And who loves the obedience that God tries to invite us towards. And when you believe his commandments and honor them, not out of duty, but because you get it. I think that's rest. I'm, I'm going a little farther than I intended, but I hope it inspires you to read those verses and to see what you can find.

I think, especially when you read them in tandem with President Nelson's messages about rest, there's a lot of power in those verses. [00:25:00] Don't be left behind. You know, that's what it talks about in 17 is all those who chose not to enter into rest or that promised land died in the wilderness. Don't choose that route.

Choose to come in despite the walls and the giants. Trust that he's on your side and you'll have all the help you need.

Chapter 4 you see that same pattern. He's given us some truth, some additional light and knowledge, and now he's going to say, hey, you're accountable for this. Be cautious what you do with this light. In one, let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them, but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with the faith in them that heard for we, which have believed to enter into rest. That's his invitation. He's like, Abide by the truth that you know so far. To me, it's just this surge forward.

[00:26:00] He's saying, I know you don't know everything yet, and I know you've backtracked a little. Work your way forward. Grab a few more hands on that rod and work your way forward. If you do that, You'll find the rest you're seeking. I love his call to action in seven. He basically says today, if you'll hear his voice and harden not your hearts, that's when promise comes in nine.

He says there remain at there for arrest to the people of God. I think to me, this is him saying, even though things didn't go great for your ancestors, and even though God rerouted them, you know, he, as he always does, he will reroute us to help us achieve the promises that he intended for us. You can take a shorter road.

You can choose not to be afraid. You can choose to see those same walls and giants and say, Give me this mountain. That's the kind of stance you can have if you choose it. It just takes work and that's what you find in 11. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall. after the same example of unbelief.

For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than [00:27:00] any two edged sword. This is, he's saying, like, you're not on your own in this. You are armed, not just with an understanding and a belief in Jesus Christ and access to the covenant, but also you have the word with you. It is designed to Quicken what I I'd always read the word quick in this case when it's talking about a sword and assume that that's means you can slice fast, you know, you can work fast through things.

What I liked is if you look in the footnotes on this particular instance. Quickening is a living thing, that the living word of God is what empowers you. I just like that addition this time. It helps me understand how I can cut through the wiles of the adversary in my day, because his is a living gospel and he is a living Christ and his word lives, meaning is applicable today just as much as it was in Paul's day or in Joshua's day for that matter.

It is that same sort of truth that quickens. It brings things. to life. And I just love that one. In 14, seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the [00:28:00] heavens, Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast our profession, our testimony. This is his, another reason we can have confidence. I think it's the same way most of us have somebody in our mind.

You know, all of us are a little nervous about crossing into that next place and crossing the veil and I think most of us have a comfort in knowing that there's somebody on the other side that we are familiar with. You know, like I remember when Jason and I were talking about this when he was sick. He talked a lot about his grandma, Bernice.

And how, no matter what happened, he knew she would be there waiting for him. And I... That visual comforted him and it absolutely comforted me because we both just love her. And in addition to all the others, you know, it's grandma Barbara and others that are there. There was something sweet about that. And I feel like what.

The author of this epistle is trying to say is every one of you, no matter who you have on the other side of the veil, all of us have Christ. He has gone through this process. He has crossed through that veil, and He is on the other side. In fact, He is represented by the veil. You're going to see that in a couple, in [00:29:00] next week's study in Hebrews, but I think There's peace in that.

That's how you can have confidence, come what may, right? Because he is, he is there, as well as all those people that you love. So since you can get that stance of confidence, then you get into these power packed verses of 15 and 16, where he says, For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted, like as we are.

yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. We don't have to wait until the end of our lives to have that experience of knowing the Savior and being wrapped in His embrace. We don't have to wait until the end.

You can have it all the time. That's, I think, repentance. It's supposed to be this daily Chance to come back to him feel his love and his mercy and his grace and go on to push through another day. You know, in fact, I love that that's, those two phrases [00:30:00] are separated in 16, that you may obtain mercy and find grace.

Maybe this is just me just kind of parsing words here, but I like obtaining mercy seems almost automatic and immediate. When you come in contact with a savior, you obtain mercy. It's just who he is finding grace. is a process. It's that line upon line. I get a little stronger as I live according to the light and knowledge I have so far.

Then he blesses me with more. And as I do good, and you know, I abide by his teachings and I try to have his characteristics show through me. Then I get more light and more knowledge. And that's that's that finding grace process for me. It's a little slower and a little steadier trajectory upwards. I think it's beautiful that you have both of those.

I

think one of the other stars that they might try to guide by is what they see in the temple, the [00:31:00] tabernacle, in that history, especially the high priests were there. What's powerful about the teaching in chapter five is he basically says that authority came from the vine, that authority that you see. is clearly not theirs.

And the way he describes this is really cool. Basically what he talks about is what we learned in the Old Testament about how there's this day of atonement and how even the high priest himself has to make sacrifices because he himself isn't perfect and has made mistakes of some degree and needs to cleanse himself first and then can offer this sacrifice for the larger group of people.

So he uses that as an example to say, can you see how he needs Help like he needs sacrifice. He needs cleansing. He is not the vine. He's a branch He's good and there's goodness here. Let's find the vine. So that's what he directs them towards in five So also Christ glorified not himself to be made in high priest But he that said unto him thou art my son today I have begotten thee and he saith also in another place thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek these are one of [00:32:00] those few instances where we get a glimpse of the Melchizedek priesthood written into in the Bible.

It's rare. So you have to kind of layer on top of this all that we have learned both from, you know, the Doctrine and Covenants, from modern revelation, from the Pearl of Great Price. But you get an understanding. I think those who he's writing to probably had a much deeper knowledge of Melchizedek. Now he's that King of Salem that they call him the Prince of Peace.

He's someone that Abraham honored and paid tributes to. He is clearly a mighty, Man of God that the priesthood is, you know called after his name in a fashion I just think that's what he's trying to help us understand like even Melchizedek Jesus Christ is the he is the high priest of that priesthood there.

There is none greater He's divine and I think it's what you learn in the temple. It's what you learn from when you study Doctrine and Covenants. There's There is a clear goal here in the author. I think his hope is to help these people advance. Don't get stuck in the [00:33:00] version of the erotic priesthood you have with the temple and the high priests and the blood sacrifices.

That's been fulfilled. Now there is something richer available to you and you need to grab hold of it. Don't let it slip through your fingers like it did with your ancestors. Hold tight to this covenant. And so he warns about it and he teaches. I really like how it's phrased in 7. Who in the days, this is referring to the Savior, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.

Though he were a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. I think this is teaching us about the source of strength that The Savior himself relied on, he relied on earnest prayer and on strict obedience to his father's wishes. Those two things in tandem brought him the strength he needed to endure even these hardest times.

Because you could see where they would wonder, you know, they don't have as much separation from the Savior [00:34:00] in time as we do, so it would be easier for them to see him as strictly mortal. given his experience and fact that he in fact was crucified, that would make them wonder, right? And so he's trying to help them understand.

Let me teach you more about how he endured, what he endured. He relied on God, the father, he relied on his obedience and the perfection that comes through suffering. This is a poignant and powerful teaching. There's so many beautiful conference talks that teach this, that. Part of our experience here in mortality will be suffering so that we can know the good from the evil I think it's it began with our first parents, right?

They chose They, as part of this plan, chose to experience a much harder life, so that they could know joy, and they could know truth. And it's, they come hand in hand. You know, you have to kind of embrace that fully. And I think the Savior took on that same knowledge process, different, it's a different process, but that same idea of, [00:35:00] in order to come to know, He needed to endure.

Uh, it's a God like trait to be able to endure and, to find the joy that comes because of it, the perfection and the wholeness that comes because of it. So you'll see a lot of those understandings taught in these verses. In nine, and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all that obey him.

He throws open the gates and says, All are welcome here, you know, we're in the Old Testament. It seemed like such a small group or in his covenant chosen family When the Savior came that veil was tore open and all can come and enter. That's a huge promise I think it's really interesting is They don't taste it.

You know, like I was talking to you before about Scripture study and sometimes it doesn't taste good And so it's hard to want to feast because you don't get it yet and there's a process You know Alma walks you through that process. I think that's what the author is talking about here So if you look in 11 It says of whom we have many things to say and [00:36:00] hard to be uttered seeing that you are dull of hearing to me He's almost like Alma saying I wish I could explain to you how good this fruit tastes It won't taste like that to you yet.

You need to go through this process of watering the tree, cultivating the tree, hoping for the sprout to come up. There is that struggle and that process of faith is what will make this fruit taste so good. So I can't push it on you. I need you to go through the steps. And this is where he tells them he needs them to go back, go back to the beginning.

I just thought this was a cool. Teaching strategy because that's it. He doesn't say you're dull of healing hearing because of your iniquities necessarily What he says is you've lost sight of the foundation go back to the milk So that's what he says in 12 he's saying basically you've let the pure doctrine of Christ what you know about faith and Baptism and repentance and the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end those things have slipped through and So we need to go back there It's basically what I taught those women in [00:37:00] Pocatello as well.

I was saying, if you're struggling and the scriptures don't taste good, don't think it's the scripture's fault. Find scriptures that are fast growing seeds. So we talked about different strategies. Like for me, if I'm struggling to understand the scriptures, like when I first got into Romans, I found myself going back to familiar scriptures.

I read the Book of Mormon every morning at breakfast because those are fast growing seeds for me. They always taste good. They're almost always, I can understand them. They swell fast and I get it. The same thing happens for me when I. read the miracles of Jesus. I study those miracles or even just read them.

And I feel those swelling motions in my breast. And I'm like, okay, I know this, this is good fruit and it's worth the wrestle to study. And I feel like that's what he's saying. He's like, you need to go back to what is fast growing, go back to the milk, study the basic foundations. And once you have that solidly planted and your hand is on that rod.

Then I want to give you the meat. What I like about this version versus what we read, I think it was in 1 Corinthians, the other milk before meat, is I feel like this one implies you're not supposed to stay here. He doesn't [00:38:00] want them to stay in milk and he's certainly not punishing them by giving them milk.

He's saying, I need you to go back there, get your footing, and then advance. Come back. You know, the same way if I signed up for an advanced, you know, I don't know, physics class or something, the professor might say, Hey, Maria, there's a couple classes you should take before so that you actually enjoy my class and can learn.

I think that's the same principle here. He's saying like you go back, go back to beginning algebra, and then let's work your way forward so that when you get to my class, you enjoy my class and you You get it. That's what he hopes for. So that's what he encourages them to do. 14. But strong meat belongeth to them which are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

That's an imitation. I think that there's a kind of rest that comes there when you, when you are comfortable there. It reminds me of, so I, this last year and a half, I got to speak at Time Out for Women and you guys, my first Time Out for Women was in Idaho Falls. I was Now that I'm not usually afraid to speak in front of people, but I couldn't give it the time I knew it deserved in order to memorize [00:39:00] it.

I wanted to, and I tried to, but on top of all the come follow me and other things, I just couldn't. You guys, I, I compared it to skydiving. I was more scared to step onto that time out for women's stage than I was to jump out of an airplane with Emily. That's how scared I was because I just didn't want to, I knew what the spirit had prompted me to say and I knew I'd written it.

I just wasn't sure I'd remembered to say it. And then I compared that to my very last time out for women in Pennsylvania, where I was still nervous and still excited, but not afraid, because I'd seen, it's not so much, not that I got so much better at memorizing that talk, I got a little bit better, but what I really noticed is over the course of all those times speaking, I saw the hand of God every time, you know, that the whatever words I said, he could make enough.

I saw people react to those spiritual promptings that I received and they would. It was enough every time, so I wasn't afraid and that's what I feel like he's inviting us to do. Get to the point where you can take strong meat, these beautiful, rich [00:40:00] doctrines so that you can have rest and you can be at peace.

That's why you have to go back to the beginning and work your way forward.

You're going to see some of that milk of the gospel in those first few verses. It's, you know, he teaches a little bit about faith and repentance and baptism and laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. I mean, you, you can feel that doctrine of Christ resonating through the, this epistle. It reminded me of Elder Schmutz in this last talk where he spoke about the doctrine of Christ, that that's where all of us need to focus.

I think if I remember right, it's in the notes, but he talks about how President Nelson urged every missionary to have those doctrines, like inscribed on their heart or something like that. And then said, This can't just be for missionaries. All of us need to go back to that milk. We all need to fortify ourselves with what is so solidly true.

And if we abide by that, then we will grow and come more unto Christ. The reason I like that is it's not like you're setting down the milk in order to get the meat. The [00:41:00] milk is what prepares you for it and helps you all along the way. That's what I think the doctrine of Christ is all about. It's designed to give you a sturdy foundation and something that you can continually rest on as you grow and get richer and fuller.

That's the promise. And then he warns about what happens if you turn against it. So just like we've seen in the pattern in the past in this epistle, he gives added light and knowledge and then says, careful how you treat this, be cautious how you treat this gift. In fact, that's kind of how he phrases it in three.

And this will we do if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing that they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame.

Sons of Perdition is not something I think we have to worry a whole lot about. I do think it's good to understand it and to teach a little bit about it to your kids. It's not common, and I don't think we have to worry too much, but I do think understanding this principle of crucifying Christ [00:42:00] afresh is...

It's a powerful one. There's a talk from Elder Holland from years ago when he was talking about the law of chastity and planned repentance. Like, sometimes it's tempting because we trust in the mercy of God so much. It's tempting to stretch beyond that and say, well, I think I'll just sit a little bit longer and then he'll forgive me.

I think I'll just do this a few more times because it makes me so happy. And then, you know, whether it's law of chastity or any other vice that we deal with, I think that's his warning. Planned repentance is. Deliberately adding to that pain or taking advantage of that gift, and that is dangerous territory.

So I think there's a warning in there for everybody. What I love is what comes next. So he basically refers to the earth, and he says rain comes down on the earth, and then the earth kind of decides what's going to grow. In some places, herbs grow, and in some places, thistles and thorns. When I read this, I feel like it's what we heard in conference, where President Oaks and President Nelson and others basically said, Choose.

You know, you get to choose. [00:43:00] What kind of body do you want? What kind of kingdom of glory do you hope to obtain? Who do you want to be with? What kind of company do you want to be around? You get to choose. That's how I feel about this. He's saying like, I'm sending rain down so that things will grow. You get to choose what kind of things grow.

Do you want them to be herbs that will enrich and strengthen and bless you or do you want it to be thistles? You get to choose. Um, and I thought there was... Power in that especially understanding what he says at nine because he essentially says to them I trust that you'll make the right decision, which is exactly what president Nelson said I trust that the more you come to know Christ the more you will make the right decision and you'll choose to grow herbs You know, you'll choose to use this probationary time to come close and to come to know him.

In 9 he says, But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which you have showed toward his name, and that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister. This is, I think, his confidence in [00:44:00] the Hebrew saints.

He's saying, you've, you've done so much good. You are good. Please focus back on the source of that goodness. Go back to the vine. All this other. That you're looking towards all these other guides that you're hoping for. Follow those back and say, Oh yeah, Moses leads me to understand Christ. Oh yeah, ministering angels, that helps me understand Christ.

The law, the teachings, they were all supposed to help my mind focus in on that true bind. And so that encourages them not to be philosophical, but to be moving forward. Press forward kind of feel and then in 15. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. This is when he's speaking back to the prophets of old and saying people like Abraham chose this path.

If he can do it and he's your ancestor, you can do it too. That same promise is available. And then I love where he goes next. He basically says, God confirms his promises with oaths or covenants. And then 18 by two immutable things in which was impossible for God to lie that we might have a strong [00:45:00] consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

This to me is the writer basically saying like, you can choose to take comfort in this the same way when you think about Enos's story. Remember when that's basically what gives him confidence that his repentance could be sincere because he says, I knew God couldn't lie, and so therefore, I knew I was cleansed.

Like, it's almost staggering to him to trust that because God is faithful, he can trust his promises. That's what we're supposed to hold. That's the hope, right? That's the hope in Christ, is that because he has promised he will be merciful. He has promised he loves us. He has promised he sees us differently than we see ourselves.

That's what we hold. That's the anchor. In fact, that's how it's described if you go in 19. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth in within the veil. Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus Christ made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

He is who we have hope in. We can have [00:46:00] ultimate confidence in the anchor of that hope. That He will keep every promise. That when we keep our covenants, when we try to be obedient, when we diligently and boldly come to the throne of grace, whenever we need it, He will succor us. Because that's who he is.

It's his nature. It's what he experienced in this earth life, so he could do it so well. And he does it perfectly.

Welcome back guys. This is the creative side of week 44. This is when I try to give you some fun and memorable ways to teach what we just learned from the epistle to the Hebrews in Everyday life, and I've got some good things up my sleeve this week. So my goal here is just to help you understand them at a high level.

Those of you who are watching on YouTube or maybe listening on the free podcast, this should at least just spark some ideas in your mind. And some of these you can replicate without, without anything in the course. But for those of you who are in the full course, You'll be able to see them in [00:47:00] more depth and also get access to the notes and the printables so that you can pull them off just a little bit easier.

But hopefully all of you get some ideas. Okay. First and foremost, we're going to talk about Paul's or whoever the author of epistles, this epistle is his invitation to act on what you know, what held the ancient Israelites back is their fear of acting fear of stepping forward or grabbing hold of the covenant or going into the promised land, that fear.

Stopped them from progressing and we're going to talk about the power of choosing to act especially to act in faith and how that Strengthens us and there's a really cool way to do it So you guys know that I love my fire object lessons and this one is no exception We're going to create smoking fingers.

You guys I'll teach you how to do it It's a way to show your kids that you need action in order for something Really cool to happen. Supplies wise, you really don't need much. You just need some kind of ceramic mug or plate, anything that could easily go in a freezer and get cold. I'll walk you through what you're gonna do with that.

And then you need just regular matches. I, [00:48:00] we just use these little, you can buy them at a 10 pack at Walmart, just these little strike on the box matches. Um, it's not so much the match you need as it is the box. So get a few of those on hand and you'll be good to go for that one. Okay, second one. A big piece of what The author was teaching us this week is that you can actually look at the Old Testament and see the types and the shadows where the Hebrews and who he was teaching revered people like Moses and the angels and the law.

He basically said to them, all those things are good. Let me show you how they are branches that come towards a true vine and directed their eye forward to Christ. And because they knew those old prophets and they knew those scriptures, it helped them see clearly. It helped them. It became a witness to their hearts, or it could, if they chose, let it became a witness that Christ is who he says he is.

And I wanted to teach my kids that. So there's actually a really cool strategy to pull this off. I don't do worksheets. That's not normally what we do here, but this one, it's the act of doing the worksheet that teaches [00:49:00] the lesson. So in the printables this week, you're going to find what looks like an ordinary word search.

But it's not ordinary. It's, you're going to search for types and shadows and then in the process of finding them, you find a hidden message and the hidden message teaches you about Jesus Christ. So we're actually going to kind of walk through the object lesson as we do the word search. And I think it's got some power behind it.

So that's a simple, easy one that anybody can do. Okay. Third one. It's food week on the chart. And like I told you guys before, I've, since I'm making these videos for my own kids in posterity, I keep injecting my favorite recipes into, into our object lessons. And this week is no exception. If there's one meal that virtually all my kids will eat, it is this hearty fall chicken noodle soup that I make.

We're going to use that delicious recipe that I swear can cure disease into something that can help you teach. the principles that we learned in Hebrews, because this line upon line teaching that he talks about this understanding of milk before meat. And when you struggle, you go back to the milk, get your foundation secure.

You can [00:50:00] actually teach all of that while you eat this delicious bowl of soup. So I'm going to give you the recipe, walk through how to make it, and also tell you how to teach your family while you eat it about this really beautiful principle of the book of Hebrews. So you'll just get the recipe ingredients for that one, and you'll be all set.

That is it for week 44, you guys. I hope you have a really good week of fires and warm soup and all kinds of goodness. Okay. If you have questions about the insights or the object lessons, feel free to either put them on the discussion boards. If you're in the full course or in the YouTube comments, uh, you can also come join me on Instagram.

That's 10 AM mountain time. I'll pop on there for 30, 40 minutes or so and talk about the insights. And then also spend some time talking about the object lessons and walk you through them a little bit more than I do on YouTube and also give you a chance to ask questions. So that would be helpful to you.

Come join me on Instagram. If you can't get to live, you can always see it in my feed for the following week, but it should be available to you. Otherwise, I think this is actually a pretty easy week when it comes to object lessons, a little harder when it comes to the actual [00:51:00] study, because it's written a little tricky.

So remember, this is a good week to open up the notes, even if you haven't in the past. I try to, especially lately, I've tried to add as many from this last conference as I possibly can to help you find ways to tie your Come, Follow Me study to what we just learned from the prophet, from the apostles, from the other leaders of the church.

I try to dovetail those in as often as I can so that you can get more richness from it and help your kids see how the doctrines all flow together. I hope the notes will help you pull that off, but otherwise, enjoy your week, you guys, and I'll see you on Monday.