The LORD is near (2), Read Heb. 2:17-18; 4:14-16

We noted in yesterday’s post that through His Son, Jesus Christ, the LORD has come to be one of us.  He is our near of kin.  This was and is essential for redemption.  Hebrews speaks of the perfection of Jesus’ nearness to us when we read: in all things He had to be made like His brethren (2:17).  Meditate on this.

·        Heb. 2:18: Jesus suffered, being tempted.  In this verse being tempted is something Jesus shares with us, and this temptation is proof that He suffered. 

o   To suffer is to experience a sensation or impression, usually painful.  So Jesus experience true pain.  He was close enough to us so that He did not shield Himself from pain through protections afforded by His deity.  In His deity He is wholly different than us.  But as Phil. 2:5-8 says, He did not hold onto His deity but became truly man. 

o   Being tempted indicates to us that His suffering is not simply bound up in the scourging and mockery and nails.  It is bound up in His holy character.  Jesus experienced trials or temptations, and what was displayed in every instance was a faithful, righteous response.  He always passed the test.

o   We are also tempted or tried and what this passage says is that we can come to Jesus and know, first, that He too was tested to the point of experiencing the pain we experience, and second, that He always passed the test.  His likeness to us is not mere theology; it is experiential.

·        Heb. 4:15: This adds some depth to the fact that Jesus was tempted as we are.  Jesus was tempted in all points as we are without sin. 

o   We regularly have experiences that test us, painful experiences.  Whether sickness, poverty, disappointment, failure, ridicule or any problematic situation, the question is will we follow Christ through the trial or will we opt for a shortcut or what we think will be an easy way out.  If we do the former, the test may continue for a long time; it may even accompany us to our death.  But if we take the latter then immediately the test is over.  It may lead to more pain, more tests, but that particular test is finished.

o   A simple illustration would be a financial hardship.  If we patiently seek God’s help, seeking to address the situation through prayer and hard work, it may take a long time but we are passing the test.  But if we decide to steal or gamble or fail to pay our debts then we have failed the test.

o   The point about Jesus then is this: since He was without sin in every test, He experienced the full gale of the storms assault.  The tempter threw everything he could at our Lord.  And in that He was without sin!

There is more to be said on this tomorrow.  But for now we understand amazing truths.  First, He is able to give us aid.  He has experienced our pain.  And second, we can come boldly to His throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (4:16).  Let us do this.  It would be foolish not to seek His help.