Study Desk

It was by faith that Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. God said he was pleased with the gifts Abel offered and called Abel a good man because of his faith. Abel died, but through his faith he is still speaking.

This man was so old he was almost dead, but from him came as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. Like the sand on the seashore, they could not be counted.

All these great people died in faith. They did not get the things that God promised his people, but they saw them coming far in the future and were glad. They said they were like visitors and strangers on earth.

But they were waiting for a better country—a heavenly country. So God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them.

It was by faith that Abraham, when God tested him, offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice. God made the promises to Abraham, but Abraham was ready to offer his own son as a sacrifice.

It was by faith that the people crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land. But when the Egyptians tried it, they were drowned.

All these people are known for their faith, but none of them received what God had promised.

God planned to give us something better so that they would be made perfect, but only together with us.

Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne.

You are struggling against sin, but your struggles have not yet caused you to be killed.

Our fathers on earth disciplined us for a short time in the way they thought was best. But God disciplines us to help us, so we can become holy as he is.

We do not enjoy being disciplined. It is painful at the time, but later, after we have learned from it, we have peace, because we start living in the right way.

Keep on the right path, so the weak will not stumble but rather be strengthened.

Be careful that no one takes part in sexual sin or is like Esau and never thinks about God. As the oldest son, Esau would have received everything from his father, but he sold all that for a single meal.

You remember that after Esau did this, he wanted to get his father's blessing, but his father refused. Esau could find no way to change what he had done, even though he wanted the blessing so much that he cried.

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands of angels gathered together with joy.

When he spoke before, his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once again I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."

We have a sacrifice, but the priests who serve in the Holy Tent cannot eat from it.

The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place where he offers this blood for sins. But the bodies of the animals are burned outside the camp.

Here on earth we do not have a city that lasts forever, but we are looking for the city that we will have in the future.