No matter how big a ship is it will still require the use of an anchor. The size of the ship does not matter when it comes to mother nature and the strength of the ocean's current or the winds that blow in storms. Anchors are used to keep a ship on course and to keep it in the same place when the ocean and wind are trying to move it in the opposite direction. In this chapter the author of Hebrews presents this picture to us that Christ is our sure and steady anchor, how can we have confidence in that? Let’s begin!

The Certainty of God’s Promise

In v13 the writer of Hebrews takes us back a few thousand years to the time of Abraham. Albert Mohler explains that ancient Israel did not make oaths by signing a piece of paper like we do today. Instead, in ancient Israel everything was done by the oath of your word, and they would swear by something greater than themselves. Unfortunately, people never keep their oaths perfectly because they are, and we are sinners but if you gave your word you were expected to keep that word. The people would swear by something greater than them but when God made an oath there is no one or anything greater than him, so how does that work? Well, that is the beautiful thing about God’s promises, God is perfect, and he cannot lie, God cannot go against his own nature. So that means that when God swears by his own name that should bring us extreme comfort, because if God goes against his promises that means he goes against his nature and he can’t do that because he is perfect and holy. So that means the currency behind the promises of God, is God himself and in him there is no lack. God is unchangeable, he remains the same forever and ever, so when God says that he swears by himself that means that there will never be a moment in time or eternity where God can forsake his promises to us. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE; IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO GO AGAINST HIS NATURE. So, he will fulfill his promises, but what exactly has he promised to us?

Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor

V19-20 “We have this as a sure and steady anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become the high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” A few weeks ago, I explained in my notes a brief history of the high priest. They would go into the most holy place once a year and make a sacrifice to atone the wrath of God on behalf of the Israelites. Well, the language that is used here, behind the curtain, is talking about the most holy place. When God gave Moses the instructions on how to divide these sections, he told Moses to make a thick curtain that would divide the holy place from the most holy place. This was ultimately a picture that showed that the most sacred closest place to God’s presence was veiled and covered so that others were not able to see due to their unworthiness. When Jesus died Matthew 27:51 says, “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” Which means that when Jesus died on the cross for us, he made a way for people to access the presence of God at any time, in any moment, in any place because he was the one who sacrificed his life behind the curtain so that it would be torn in two. Which means that we can approach the presence and promises of God without hesitation because Jesus paved that way for us, there is no longer a curtain that is keeping us from being close to the presence of God. That is why Christ is our sure and steady anchor because when the storms and winds of life and the current of life tries to move us in different directions if we have Christ we will be anchored and not moved and because of Christ we know that we can trust that God will keep and preserve us because he has sworn by himself to do so. I pray this gives you hope and joy!