Hebrews 2025/2026

Heb 13:9 Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were thus occupied were not benefited. It would appear that Paul is dealing with a problem with the Hebrews that is not otherwise specified. "Do not be carried away with various and strange doctrines." This is a warning against following false doctrines and false gods. This was astutely warned against in the Torah. Deut. 31:16-18 And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. 17“Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they shall be consumed, and many evils and troubles shall come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?’ 18“But I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they will do, for they will turn to other gods. Our heart is to be strengthened by grace. Paul warns that our heart is not strengthened with the animal sacrifice. (I believe that is what he is referring to here...) This chapter contains a number of concluding exhortations that promote law-abiding holiness. The emphasis is very practical and reminds us that our faithfulness in Yeshua must always show forth in our actions. This chapter begins with "Let brotherly love continue." This is the long-standing and powerful command given in Leviticus to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev. 19:18, 19:34). River Valley Torah Assembly

Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. We are to pursue peace and holiness. Without those things, we will not see the Master. In this chapter Paul talks about Yeshua being the "author and finisher of our faithfulness." The faithfulness that we have is not anything that we mustered up, nor is it us that maintains it. Yeshua Himself is the author and finisher of it all! Paul also talks about disciplining us. Believe it or not, that is another gift from the Father for which we should be grateful! River Valley Torah Assembly

Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Before Enoch was taken, he had this testimony, "that he pleased Elohim." How did he do that? The Book of Enoch tells us that Enoch received the Law of Elohim from angels and that he preached righteousness. Why did he receive the law and why did he preach righteousness? It is because he was faithful to Elohim and loved Him. It is impossible to please Him without seeking Him. We are to trust the He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. What happens when we seek Him? We have several examples of this in Scripture. Kings of Judah, Asa and Hezekiah, sought Elohim and followed His Torah in obedience. 2 Chron. 14:2-4 And Asa did good and right in the sight of the LORD his God, 3for he removed the foreign altars and high places, tore down the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherim, 4and commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers and to observe the law and the commandment. 2 Chron. 31:20-21 And thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and he did what was good, right, and true before the LORD his God. 21And every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered. The Psalms tell us that without conviction, there are none who seek Him and none who do good. Psalm 14:1-3 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. 2The LORD has looked own from heaven upon the sons of men, To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. 3They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. Isaiah says that if we seek Him daily, we will delight in His ways. Isaiah 58:1-2 “Cry loudly, do not hold back; Raise your voice like a trumpet, And declare to My people their transgression, And to the house of Jacob their sins. 2“Yet they seek Me day by day, and delight to know My ways, As a nation that has done righteousness, And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions, They delight in the nearness of God. Scripture abound in those examples.... This chapter has been called "the faith chapter" by many Christian teachers. The NASB begins with: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." "Faith" comes from the Greek word "pistis." Pistis can mean either "faith" or "faithfulness" according to most any concordance. There are evidences that show that the word should always be translated as "faithfulness." This verse and this entire chapter are excellent examples. Faithfulness is the assurance hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. In the NKJV, "faithfulness is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." It is saying that our faithfulness is a gift from Elohim that is the substance of things hoped for. Our faithfulness is the evidence of things not seen. Faithfulness consists of objective action, whereas "faith" is merely an emotion. Join us and see if what we say isn't true according to Scripture (but maybe not your dogma...) River Valley Torah Assembly

Heb 10:29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? Now Paul is speaking of the rejection of this perfect High Priest. Just as there was no redemption for deliberate sin under the Levitical priesthood, imagine how much WORSE it will be for those who reject the priesthood that DOES provide forgiveness!! How much worse will it be for those who have trampled the Son of Yah underfoot, counted His blood as an "unclean" thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace. This being done willfully, the punishment will be indescribable. Heb 10:30 For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." Heb 10:31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. It would indeed be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living Yah intent on justice. In verse 30, Paul is quoting Deuteronomy 32:35-36. Heb 10:32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, Heb 10:33 partly, by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. Heb 10:34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners, and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one. When the Hebrew believers were illuminated (saved) they endured a great many struggles because of the persecution from their own people. They had compassion on Paul and they paid for that compassion. They were plundered of their possessions. River Valley Torah Assembly

Heb 9:16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. Heb 9:17 For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. Monte Judah (and some Scriptural detractors) have stated that it seems that Paul has confused a "covenant" with a "last will and testament" since a "covenant" made does not require the death of the one who made it. Well, Monte and others are wrong. This is the reason why Messiah Yeshua is the Mediator of the New Covenant and why He had to die in order for us to receive it: The original covenant was with Abraham, but it was not really for him. It was for his descendants. As a matter of fact, Yah told Abraham of his death even before He made the covenant with him. Gen. 15:15 “And as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. The Covenant was for Abraham's heirs to have the land Yah gave Abraham forever because Abraham was obedient to the Father's Torah. Gen. 26:3-5 Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. 4“And I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.” The covenant at Mt. Sinai was a repetition of that covenant in that the people were to obey His Torah, then they would be His people (Abraham's descendants, heirs according to the promise) and He would be their Elohim. The covenant was not realized until the death of the one who was the owner. This is firmly established in Torah. With the breaking of that covenant at Sinai, the covenant was taken back by Elohim. For us to inherit redemption, the death of the One who owns it must occur. That is why Yeshua had to die in order to make a "new covenant" with the sons of Abraham. Gal. 3:27-29 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. Heb 9:18 Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. Heb 9:19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, Heb 9:20 saying, "THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH Yah COMMANDED YOU." Even the first covenant was dedicated with blood. Ex. 24:5-8 And he sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. 6And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” 8So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” Without the shedding of blood, there is no testament or covenant made.

Heb 8:10 "FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM UPON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. This is the New Covenant. Elohim will put His Torah into our hearts and into our minds. This will not be entirely fulfilled until the return of Yeshua. Jer 32:40 “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. Ezek 11:17-20 “Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “I shall gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered, and I shall give you the land of Israel.”’ 18“When they come there, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it. 19“And I shall give them one heart, and shall put a new spirit within them. And I shall take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances, and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. 21“But as for those whose hearts go after their detestable things and abominations, I shall bring their conduct down on their heads,” declares the Lord GOD. Ezek 36:25-28 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27“And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28“And you will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. Heb 8:11 "AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,' FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. All who are saved will know Elohim and His Torah because it will fully be written on their minds and in their hearts. That is the salvation given to His people. His people will not need to be taught "Know Yahweh." They will already know Him because to "Know" Him is to keep His commandments (1 John 2:3-7). Heb 8:12 "FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE." We receive a righteousness through the blood of our High Priest that we cannot attain on our own accord. Because of this, Elohim will remember our lawless deeds no more (Jer 33:7-8, 50:20, Micah 7:19-20 Acts 13:38-39). Heb 8:13 When He said, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. The old agreement that if we would obey all the laws, commandments, statutes, and ordinances of Elohim, then He would be our Elohim and we would be His people is obsolete. We cannot fulfill our part of the bargain. It is old and ready to vanish away. The reason so much of the Brit Hadasha is misunderstood is because the definitions of the Old and New Covenants are not known and not taught today. We are not battling with trying to keep the Torah as they were trying to do in the days of old. We have erroneously been taught that Elohim changed His mind on His definitions of right and wrong and that we can ignore it. That is false and deadly teaching. The replacement for that Old Covenant (agreement) is a New Covenant of salvation through our High Priest and Master, Yeshua Messiah. River Valley Torah Assembly

Heb 7:17 For it is witnessed of Him, "THOU ART A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK." He did not come because of a written commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. Elohim called Messiah "a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" in a Psalm written by David. Psalm 110:1-6 The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.” 2The LORD will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Thine enemies.” 3Thy people will volunteer freely in the day of Thy power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Thy youth are to Thee as the dew. 4The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, “Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” 5The Lord is at Thy right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. 6He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country. This was prophesied 1000 years before the birth of Yeshua. River Valley Torah Assembly

Heb 6:12 that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Heb 6:13 For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, Heb 6:14 saying, "I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU, AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU." They are not to be sluggish or lazy in their obedience to Elohim. He reminds them that through perseverance, they will inherit the promise made to Abraham. The last chapter told us that we are to enter into the rest of salvation and be obedient to Yahweh and His Sabbaths (Heb. 4:9-11). The writer of Hebrews had to emphasize assembling on the Sabbath because many were not doing it (Heb. 10:24-25). The previous chapter concludes by telling us that we have a great High Priest in heaven (Heb. 4:15-16). The beginning of this chapter tells us the requirements for high priest among men. He must be a man, for one thing. The writer of Hebrews (probably Paul) is telling the Messianics to grow up beyond the simple basics. We saw in chapter 4 where they were told to observe the Sabbath, even though this should have been second nature to them. In chapter 5 Paul tells the Hebrews to obey the Torah of Yahweh and to quit relying on the grace of Elohim to overcome their lack of obedience (Heb. 5:11-14). That is the setting for chapter 6. Paul says, let us leave the "elementary principles of Messiah" and go on to maturity. Join us and see how Paul tells us to do precisely that! River Valley Torah Assembly

Heb 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. The author now is quoting from Psalm 95:8-11. He is using the quote as an illustration of His rest that Israel missed out on due to their hardened hearts. That Psalm specifically states that they had hardened hearts and did not know Elohim's "way." Their sin was disobedience due to lack of faithfulness. The Hebrew word used for "rest" in Psalm 95 is the word: menuwchah, men-oo-khaw'; or menuchah, men-oo-khaw'; fem. of H4495; repose or (adv.) peacefully; fig. consolation (spec. matrimony); hence (concr.) an abode:--comfortable, ease, quiet, rest (-ing place), still. Obedience to Elohim being tied to this same "rest" is abundantly clear in Deut. 12:8-9 In that chapter Elohim tells Israel that when they do enter the land (rest) then they will perform sacrifices, pay tithes, not eat blood, etc.. In other words, then they DO enter His "rest," they will obey Him. The last phrase of the verse is very interesting also. The tie to the account of creation and Elohim resting from His works on the seventh day is unmistakable. Gen. 2:2-3 Heb 4:4 For He has thus said somewhere concerning the seventh day, "AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS"; Heb 4:5 and again in this passage, "THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST." The contrast is made between the fact that Elohim rested on the seventh day and the fact that those in disobedience from lack of faithfulness will not enter into His rest (fellowship). Heb 4:6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, Heb 4:7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." Just as the Sabbath was designated as Elohim's day of rest for all mankind at creation, there is a day designated as a day of rest for all people. That is the day a person has fellowship with their Creator and Redeemer through obedience to Him. David said the day to hear His voice and circumcise your hearts in obedience to His Word is today. Psalm 95:7-11 It is to be every day that we can have that rest through obedience to His Word. But the vast majority of people in the world today ignore His Word and His ways (Torah). Heb 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. If Joshua had given them the rest that Elohim had spoken of, then David would not have spoken of another day. Joshua led the people into their Land of rest, but they were still disobedient to His Word. That rest is obedience to His Torah. Joshua told the people they were to be obedient to the Torah of Elohim given through Moses and then they would enter that rest. Joshua 1:13-17 Heb 4:9 There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. The Greek word for "Sabbath rest" is sabbatismos which is only used here in Scripture. According to other ancient sources in Christian and secular literature, the word sabbatismos means "Sabbath keeping." The literal meaning of the verse is this, "For the people of Elohim, there is still a Sabbath-keeping." In context with the previous verses, this passage is telling us that we are to enter into His rest of obedience. And if we are His people, we are to keep His Sabbath just as He rested on the seventh day of creation. Heb 4:10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.