Are you growing in biblical understanding, or have you become satisfied with what you already know?

In Hebrews 5, believers receive a stern rebuke. They should have been ready to teach others, yet they still needed spiritual milk instead of solid food. Is the church today any different?

About This Teaching

In this study of Hebrews 5:8–6:20, Tom examines the danger of becoming spiritually complacent and the importance of continually seeking deeper truth from God’s Word.

The writer of Hebrews urges believers to move beyond the elementary teachings and grow toward spiritual maturity. But that growth requires a willingness to question long-held beliefs, study Scripture for ourselves, and ask our heavenly Father for understanding.

The study also explores the serious warning against falling away after experiencing the gifts of the Holy Spirit, God’s unbreakable promise to Abraham, and the assurance that His promises to us are equally trustworthy.

Finally, we are introduced to Yeshua as our High Priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek, opening the way for a deeper examination of the heavenly sanctuary and the restoration of the original priesthood.

Prophetic Insights

• The Laodicean Condition: Spiritual complacency is particularly dangerous for the church living at the end of the age. Believers who think they already possess all necessary truth may stop searching for greater understanding.
• Preparing for Persecution: Just as the early believers faced persecution, those living in the last days must develop a faith firmly grounded in Scripture.
• The Heavenly Sanctuary: Hebrews 6:19–20 identifies Yeshua as our forerunner who has already entered behind the veil, raising important questions about the timing and nature of His heavenly ministry.
• Restoration of the Priesthood: The priesthood of Melchizedek existed before the Levitical priesthood. Yeshua’s eternal priesthood is part of God’s work of restoring all things.

Key Bible Texts

• Hebrews 5:11–14 — The rebuke against those who remain dependent on milk instead of progressing to solid food.
• Hebrews 6:1–3 — Moving beyond the elementary principles toward spiritual maturity.
• Hebrews 6:4–8 — The warning against turning away after experiencing the gifts of God’s Spirit.
• Hebrews 6:9–12 — Encouragement to remain diligent, faithful, and patient.
• Hebrews 6:13–18 — God’s promise and oath to Abraham, and the assurance extended to the heirs of that promise.
• Hebrews 6:19–20 — Our hope as an anchor of the soul, with Yeshua serving as High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
• Hebrews 7:11–12 — The change in the priesthood and its relationship to the law.

Key Takeaways

• Spiritual maturity requires continually growing in our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word.
• Accepting what a pastor or denomination teaches is no substitute for studying Scripture ourselves.
• We must actively ask our heavenly Father for truth, even when it challenges our present beliefs.
• Turning away from the truth after experiencing the fullness of God’s gifts carries serious consequences.
• God’s promises are certain because He cannot lie.
• Yeshua’s eternal priesthood provides a foundation for understanding the heavenly sanctuary and God’s plan of restoration.

Timeline Connection

Hebrews 6:19–20 describes Yeshua as having already entered behind the veil as our High Priest. This raises important questions concerning the traditional teaching that He did not enter the Most Holy Place until 1844.

The following chapters of Hebrews provide further insight into Yeshua’s heavenly ministry, its relationship to the earthly sanctuary, and the prophetic significance of the priesthood.

Related Teachings

Continue studying the book of Hebrews to discover how the earthly sanctuary pointed forward to Yeshua’s ministry as our High Priest, and how these truths relate to our understanding of end-time prophecy.

The warning in Hebrews is just as relevant today as it was when it was written. Are we diligently seeking truth, or are we settling for milk when God wants us to be ready for solid food?