Forerunner (4274) (prodromos from protrécho = run ahead or before) describes one who goes on ahead to prepare the way. Prodromos was used in Greek to describe one who was sent before to take observations or act as spy or a light-armed soldier soldier sent out ahead of a main force so as to gather information about the enemy’s position, strength, or movements. The prodromos was a scout who was sent out to explore an area and obtain information (much like our modern word "pioneer"). In Paul's day prodromos was the word used to describe the smaller boats that were sent into the harbor by larger ships that were unable to enter due to stormy conditions. These smaller boats or prodomoi carried the anchor through the breakers inside the harbor and dropped it there, securing the larger ship. A forerunner is defined as one that precedes or is sent as an advance messenger, thus presupposing that others will follow. In this section of Hebrews 6:16-20 the writer dramatically pictures Jesus as not only the believer’s Anchor but as the Runner Boat that has taken our anchor into port and secured it there, in the safety of the "harbor of heaven". Thus every believer can now have complete assurance that his or her "vessel" is going to arrive successfully into the "home port'. Believers in fact now possess such a hope in the presence of God and as stated in Hebrews 4:16 (see note) should come boldly before God's glorious throne of mercy and grace. This is why we may have strong encouragement. Prodromos is found only here in N.T. William Barclay writes that Prodromos, used to describe Jesus, is usually translated “forerunner” and would have had a picturesque meaning for the people of Jesus’ day. The harbor of Alexandria was very difficult to approach. When the great corn ships came into it, a little pilot boat was sent out to guide them in. It went before them, and they followed it as it led them along the channel to safe waters. That pilot boat was called the prodromos. In the Roman army the prodomoi were the reconnaissance troops. They went ahead of the main body of the army to blaze the trail and ensure that it was safe for the rest of the troops to follow. These two things illustrate what Jesus is saying about himself in this passage. He goes first, to make it safe for those who follow. He blazed the way to heaven and to God that we might follow in his steps. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press) (Comment: the prodromos was the smaller boats sent into the harbor by larger ships unable to enter due to the buffeting of the weather. The smaller boats carried the anchor through the breakers inside the harbor and dropped it there, securing the larger ship). Marvin Vincent adds that prodromos... expresses an entirely new idea, lying completely outside of the Levitical system. The Levitical high priest did not enter the sanctuary as a forerunner, but only as the people’s representative. He entered a place into which none might follow him; in the people’s stead, and not as their pioneer. The peculiarity of the new (COVENANT) economy is that Christ as High Priest goes nowhere where His people cannot follow Him. He introduces man into full fellowship with God. The A.V. entirely misses this point by rendering “the forerunner,” as if the idea of a high priest being a forerunner were perfectly familiar. (Word Studies in the NT) Jesus has shown us the way, has gone on ahead, and is the Surety or Guarantor (Hebrews 7:22-note) of our own entrance later. In point of fact, our anchor of hope with its two chains of God's promise and oath has laid hold of Jesus within the veil. It will hold fast. All we need to do is to be true to him as he is to us. Let us hold fast the confession of our faith firm until the end (Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 4:14 see notes Heb 3:6; 4:14). Ryrie notes that forerunner was... A word used of a scout reconnoitering or of a herald announcing the coming of a king; both concepts imply that others are to follow. (The Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Translation: 1995. Moody Publishers) That He is a “forerunner” sets Him apart from the Levitical high priest who entered alone as the people waited outside. The Old Testament high priest could represent and intercede for the people within the Holy of Holies; but he could not take the people in. Jesus, however, has gone before to open up the way for His people to follow Him which makes Him is far different and much better than the Old Testament high priests. Jesus as the perfect God-Man scouted out the way for us...He alone is the Way (John 14:6) back into the wonderful fellowship Adam enjoyed in the Garden before He fell. Adam's way to the Tree of Life was blocked by cherubim with flaming swords (Ge 3:24). The cherubim were also woven into the veil guarding the approach to the presence of God in the Holy of Holies (Ex 26:31) until our Great High Priest scouted out the Way for us (see note on the "new and living way" in Hebrews 10:20). Now in Christ we have an incredible (certain) HOPE...This is a sure & steadfast anchoring hope for our souls and should provide strong encouragement to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Hope Heb 6:12). Glory! Jon Courson presents an interesting picture of a "forerunner"... It’s the big high-school game. Between the goalposts, the cheerleaders have stretched a paper banner that says something clever like, “Win!” And what happens? The forerunner—the first guy out on the field—breaks through the banner, and the rest of the team follows behind him. Jesus is our Forerunner. He’s the first one through the veil. And the whole team—you and I—get to come charging in behind Him. (Courson, J: Jon Courson's Application Commentary: NT. Nelson. 2004 or Logos) Jesus as our Forerunner recalls the earlier picture of Jesus as our "Pioneer" (Hebrews 2:10-note) the Amplified Version translating it as follows... For it was an act worthy [of God] and fitting [to the divine nature] that He, for Whose sake and by Whom all things have their existence, in bringing many sons into glory, should make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect [should bring to maturity the human experience necessary to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest] through suffering (Amplified Bible - Lockman) For us -(5228) (huper) indicates that an activity or event is in some entity’s interest = for, in behalf of, for the sake of someone or something. Huper thus speaks of Christ's substitutionary atonement. We all (Ro 5:12; Ro 3:10 see note Ro 5:12; 3:10) owed a debt we could not pay (Ro 3:23 - note). He paid a debt on our behalf which He did not owe! Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved wretches like us! Huper is thus a preposition conveying "amazing grace" as the following representative uses gloriously explain... For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for (huper) the ungodly. (See note Romans 5:6) (For who? Amazing grace!) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for (huper) us. (See note Romans 5:8) (When? Amazing grace!) He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf (huper) , that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2Corinthians 5:20) (Did what? Amazing grace!) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me, and delivered Himself up for (huper) me. (See note Galatians 2:20 ) (Christ) died for (huper) us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. (1 Thessalonians 5:10) (Christ) gave Himself for (huper) us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. (See note Titus 2:14) For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for (huper - on our behalf) us (see note Hebrews 9:24) HAVING BECOME A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEK: archiereus genomenos eis ton aiona kata ten taxin Melchisedek: (Heb 3:1; 5:6,10; 7:1-21) The writer quotes from Psalm 110... The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, "Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek." (Ps 110:4) (Comment: Like Melchizedek, Christ combines the offices of priest and king. Note that Ps 110:4 is quoted three times -- see notes Heb 6:20; 7:17, 7:21 -- and expounded upon in Hebrews 7 which demonstrates the eternal priesthood of Christ) Become (1096) (ginomai) means cause to be ("gen"-erate), to come into existence, to be formed. Christ the Eternal One had to "come into existence" as High Priest in the sense that this office had to be inaugurated by His suffering human life and His sinless death. The aorist tense speaks of a past completed action, accomplished once and forever at Calvary. High priest (749) (archiereus from archí– denoting rank or degree + hiereús = priest) was the principal member among the chief priests. The irony is that the high priest Caiaphas was residing over the Sanhedrin during trial of Jesus, the trial which would lead to His death and pave the way for His eternal High Priesthood! Forever (165) (aion) is actually the phrase "unto the ages" (eis ton aiona). Wuest comments that... this High Priest is not in the line of Aaron, but in that of Melchisedec. He is an eternal High Priest. His priesthood had no beginning nor will it have an ending. This High Priest is the Rock of Salvation into which the anchor of the believer’s soul is fastened, which anchor is his faith in the atonement his High Priest has offered. The high priest in Israel arrayed in his gorgeous robes, would enter the sanctuary, wearing on his shoulders twelve onyx stones upon which were inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and upon his breastplate, twelve onyx stones with the names of the tribes of Israel upon them. Thus he would carry upon the shoulders of his strength and upon the heart of his love, the saved of Israel into the presence of God. Just so, this heavenly High Priest after the order of Melchisedec, carries upon the shoulders of His omnipotence, and upon the heart of His infinite love, those who place their faith in Him, into the presence of God. Thus does the writer encourage the unsaved reader to put his faith in the New Testament Sacrifice, the Messiah, rather than go back to the First Testament sacrifices which were set aside by God at the Cross. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos) Jesus is from the tribe of Judah, so now the writer addresses the question that would enter his Jewish reader's mind "How could He be the Forerunner into the Holy of Holies if He was not of the tribe and lineage of Levi?" His answer is you are correct that Jesus not of the tribe of Levi but He is of the order of Melchizedek, a great priest and king mentioned in Genesis 14:1. He had begun to write about Melchizedek in Hebrews 5 (Hebrews 5:10 - note) but his readers lacked sufficient maturity to comprehend what he was going to say, and thus he digressed in Hebrews 6. Hebrews 7 picks up his explanation of the priesthood of Melchizedek as it relates to Jesus. The UBS Handbook has an interesting note on forever writing that... Forever is emphasized in the Greek by a change of order in the words quoted from Psalm 110:4. However, the climax of Heb 6:15-20, a single sentence in Greek, is reached in the word Jesus. Few modern translations bring this out as well as KJV “whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus….” The adverb forever may be emphasized as “and he will never cease to be a high priest.” (The United Bible Societies' New Testament Handbook Series or Logos) Order (5010) (taxis from tásso = arrange in order) describes a setting in order, hence an arrangement, a disposition. It was used to describe troops. It spoke of an order or rank in a state or in society. Melchizedek (3198) is literally "king of righteousness" one of the most mysterious figures in the Bible, who reigned as king of Salem (which means peace), or king of Jerusalem and is presented as being a prototype of Jesus Christ, Who is the King of righteousness and peace. Melchizedek combined in himself both kingly and priestly offices. Believer's Study Bible writes that... The priesthood of Melchizedek serves as a type of the priesthood of Christ in at least three aspects: (1) in the person of Melchizedek, as is also the case with Christ, the offices of king and priest are combined (cf. Ge 14:18; Heb 7:1); (2) Melchizedek represents a man ordained by God as a priest in his own right, irrespective of genealogical credentials (cf. Heb 7:3), and the priesthood of Christ is similar in that He is of the tribe of Judah rather than the priestly tribe of Levi; (3) the priesthood of Melchizedek both began and ended in himself, i.e., there is no evidence of any priestly lineage in Melchizedek's family either prior to or subsequent to Melchizedek, and the same, of course, is true regarding the priesthood of Christ. Christ is indeed a High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek" (Heb 6:20). (Criswell, W A. Believer's Study Bible: New King James Version. 1991. Thomas Nelson) KJV Bible Commentary makes the point that... The warning passage ends where it began, speaking of Jesus as a priest according to the priesthood of Melchizedek. It is the author’s hope that his readers would no longer be sluggish in hearing (see note Hebrews 5:11) but would be ready to grapple with this new and difficult doctrine. (Dobson, E G, Charles Feinberg, E Hindson, Woodrow Kroll, H L. Wilmington: KJV Bible Commentary: Nelson) Robertson notes that... There he functions as our great high priest, better than Aaron for he is “after the order of Melchizedek,” the point that now calls for elucidation (Word Pictures in the New Testament) Illustrations and Devotionals... (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) ><> ><> ><> THE GOD OF HOPE - WE ALL need to abound in Hope. Hope is the artist of the soul. Faith fills us with joy and peace, which brim over in Hope. When Faith brings from God's Word the Materials of anticipation and expectation, Hope transfers the fair colours to her palette, and with a few deft dashes of her brush delineates the soul's immortal and unfading hope. Faith thus excites Hope to do her fairest work, until presently the wails of our soul become radiant with frescoes. Our faith rests on God's Word, and hope rests on faith, and such hope cannot be ashamed. It is the anchor of the soul, which enters that which is within the veil, and links us to the shores of eternity (Hebrews 6:18, 19). Faith rests on the promises of God. She does not calculate on feeling, is indifferent to emotion, but with both hands clings to some word of promise, and looking into God's face, says; "Thou canst not be unfaithful." When God has promised aught to thee, it is as certain as if thou hadst it in hand. Faith not only takes the Word of God, and rests her weight on it, but often when hard-pressed goes beyond the Bible back to God Himself, and argues that God is faithful and cannot deny Himself. Because God is God, He must ever act worthily of Himself. It was thus that Moses argued, when he was with Him in the Holy Mount into do thus, would not be worthy of Thyself! (Nu 14:13-20). We may be assailed with a hundred questions of doubt in the day, but must no more notice them than a barking cur. A business man once said that when he is convinced of the rightness of a certain course, he is sometimes assailed by doubts which arise like the cloud-mist of the valley, or the marsh gas from the swamp; but when thus tempted, he turns to the promises of God, often reading three or four chapters of the Old Testament. This brings him in touch with the eternal world, filling him with joy and peace and abounding hope in believing, through the power of the Holy Ghost. They shall not be ashamed that hope in Him! PRAYER - Make me, O Lord, to know the Hope of Thy calling, the riches of the glory of Thine inheritance in the saints, and the exceeding greatness of Thy power towards them that believe. Above all, grant me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Thyself AMEN. (F B Meyer. Our Daily Walk) ><> ><> ><> Such A Hope - Two women. One a former co-worker I had known for 20 years. The other, the wife of a former student from my days as a school teacher. Both dedicated moms of two young children. Both missionaries. Both incredibly in love with Jesus Christ. Then suddenly, within the space of a month—both were dead. The first, Sharon Fasick, died in a car accident, attracting little attention though deeply affecting family and friends. The second, Roni Bowers, died with her daughter Charity when their plane was shot down over the jungles of Peru—a situation that thrust her story into the international spotlight. Their deaths filled many people with inexpressible sorrow. But there was something else—hope. Both women's husbands had the confident expectation that they would see their wives again in heaven. What happened after they died demonstrates that the Christian faith works. Both men, Jeff Fasick and Jim Bowers, have spoken about the peace God has given them. They have testified that this kind of hope has allowed them to continue on in the midst of the unspeakable pain. Paul said that our present sufferings "are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed" (Romans 8:18). Such a hope comes only from Christ. —Dave Branon (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, "It is well, it is well with my soul." —Spafford The hope of heaven is God's solution for sorrow ><> ><> ><> The Son Will Shine Again - A newsboy, thinly clad and drenched by the soaking rain, stood shivering in a doorway one cold day in November. To get a little warmth, he would hold one bare foot against his leg for a moment and then the other. Every few minutes he would cry out, "Morning paper! Morning paper!" A man who was well protected by his coat and umbrella stopped to buy the early edition. Noting the boy's discomfort, he said, "This kind of weather is pretty hard on you, isn't it?" Looking up with a smile, the youngster replied, "I don't mind too much, Mister. The sun will shine again." Chilling winds of adversity and gray skies of a sinful environment easily discourage us. But we can count on better days because we know God is working in our lives. This hope is called an "anchor of the soul," and the Bible says that it abides (1Cor 13:13) and does not disappoint (Ro 5:5). It promises righteousness (Gal 5:5), eternal life (Titus 1:2), and the return of Jesus (Titus 2:13). It is a "living hope," founded on the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (1Pet 1:3). When circumstances get out of control and pressures threaten to overwhelm us, we know that Jesus died for us, is working in us, and will never leave us. We can hold fast to God's promises and patiently endure. The "anchor of hope" will hold us firm. —D. J. De Haan (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) It is always darkest just before dawn. ><> ><> ><> A Fortified House- According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, some people in the US are building houses stronger than ever before. Hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes have caused billions of dollars in property damage in states across the nation. So, at the urging of businesses, government, and hard-pressed insurance companies, some builders are constructing fortress-like homes with windows that can withstand 130 mile-per-hour winds, roof nails so strong they can only be cut off, and framing material that can weather the tremendous forces faced by a supersonic jet. In Bolingbrook, Illinois, a community damaged by a tornado in the 1990s, a company is constructing such a “fortified” house in hopes that the idea will catch on. We who know the Lord Jesus realize that when it comes to building our spiritual foundation, it must be strong and secure. In today’s Scripture, Christ made it clear what that foundation must be when He referred to “these sayings of Mine” (Mt 7:24), which included His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). When we receive by faith Christ’s words and His work on our behalf, our spiritual lives are “founded on the Rock,” Christ Jesus. —David C. Egner (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) I do not stand on shifting sand And fear the storm that rages; But calm and sure, I stand secure Upon the Rock of Ages. —Anon. To survive the storms of life, be anchored to the Rock of Ages ><> ><> ><> THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE - At the southern tip of Africa, a cape jutting out into the ocean once caused sailors great anxiety. Many who attempted to sail around it were lost in the swirling seas. Because adverse weather conditions so often prevailed there, the region was named the Cape of Storms. A Portuguese captain determined to find a safe route through those treacherous waters so his countrymen could reach Cathay and the riches of the East Indies in safety. He succeeded, and the area was renamed the Cape of Good Hope. We all face a great storm called death. But our Lord has already traveled through it safely and has provided a way for us to do the same. By His crucifixion and resurrection, Christ abolished eternal death for every believer and has permanently established our fellowship with Him in heaven. Although this "last enemy," physical death, can touch us temporarily, its brief control over our earthly body will end at the resurrection. The sting of death has been removed! Now all who know Christ as Savior can face life's final voyage with confidence. Even though the sea may be rough, we will experience no terror as we pass through the "cape of good hope" and into heaven's harbor. The Master Helmsman Himself has assured our safe passage. Henry G. Bosch (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) Think of just crossing a river, Stepping out safe on that shore, Sadness and suffering over, Dwelling with Christ evermore! Anon