HEBREWS 12:14-17 WHO SHALL SEE GOD? 

Just a few reminder words about VERSE 11-13…. “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peacable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Chastisement in itself is painful. When faced with it, our emotions run wild. Some temptation for rebellion could possibly surface, against man, or God, or both. But when the chastisement is rightly received and understood that it is directed by the love of the Father, it has a settling effect upon the soul. Our key discovery in His chastisement is to be that the Father has lovingly refocused our hopes, our pursuits, our desires that we might be eternally “partakers of His holiness.” We realize that we are not already in the promised place; we are yet in the wilderness. And that all the World’s desires are (vain at best) dangerous stumbling blocks to our attaining unto His promises for the faithful overcomers. My soul then awakened from self-consciousness unto God–consciousness then becomes less troubled about those things which would otherwise be greatly disturbing. My heart is now rightly pointed in the way of the Lord, peacefulness begins to flood my being, and fruitfulness in righteousness quickly follows. 

VERSE 14a “Follow peace with all men, and holiness (Scripture defines 2 distinct holinesses:  

1) Old Testament; where external sanctification was in its view, in the keeping of Mikvehs (cleansing immersions in water) and commands of Kosher eating and drinking. Where also there were different degrees of holiness; as the Priests were held to another holiness. Obedience to the Mosaic Law for holiness has been set aside, as now holiness under the Law is hopeless. (Galatians 3, Romans 6:14)  

2) The standard being for us as Christians is New Testament holiness; a holiness focused on the internal, that of putting-off of evil and putting on Christlikeness; and that by renewed conscience, the Word, and in the power/grace of the Holy Spirit. It is thorough holiness (a holiness worked out by the process of sanctification) that the Father asks from sons, that which fits them completely to dwell in His Presence forever. VERSE 14b… (holiness) without which no man shall see the Lord.” 

Who is the “Lord” here referred to in Hebrews 12:14? It cannot be Jesus Christ, as it is written, “every knee will bow before me.” (Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10) And “every eye shall see Him.” [Revelation 1:7] The Lord here (in verse 14b) is meant to be the Father…“Therewith bless we God, even the Father…” [James 3:9] (See also Psalm 2:2… “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed”. And Jude 24-25…“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” And Daniel 7:9-13… “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days (Yahweh) did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man (Jesus) came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days (Yahweh), and they brought him near before him.”) Clearly Christ was referring to the Father when He said: “Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.” [Matthew 5:8]  

To see the Father means to finally see Him with our eyes (eyes that have been glorified)… “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” [Revelation 22:3–4] In the Old Testament, there were those who saw the “Lord”. Clearly it was the Son of God that they beheld. (Genesis 32:30… “And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” And Exodus 24:9-11… “Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.” This was the Son of God Eternal; before He had divested Himself of His majesty. He was eternally with the Father And here before the New testament we have this reference to Christ revealing Himself to the nobles of Israel.) 

Holiness and being pure of heart may share the same–like definition. ‘A pure heart is one to which all that is not of God is strange and jarring’ (Tauler– a theologian from the 1300’s). Holiness is a state of heart and soul that is jarred at things contrary to God. Worldliness is becoming calloused to God’s nature. Worldliness desensitizes you to the need for you to work out holiness in yourself. When we are sensitive to the things that are evil, we are set apart. A state of Holiness is the state of the soul essential to see God face to face. And to see God answers to the reward of glory in the Kingdom. (See Romans 5:2, Ephesians 1:18, Colossians 1:27. They speak to the “hope of the glory of God”, and of the “hope of his calling” and to “the hope of glory” respectively, which we can attain to IF we yield to the Spirit and the Word. You do not hope for something you already have. Paul himself hoped to attain unto the worthiness of the heavenly calling of partaking in His holiness and ruling with Christ as a first-born son, which can be seen in Philippians 3.) 

Scripture declares that no man has seen the Father. “I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things…Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” [1st Timothy 6:13-16] This should be no wonder as for a man to see Him face to face (that is in close proximity) he would surely die, as he is not equipped in this his fallen estate of body or this “earthly house” to see the Father of spirits. It should be seen that man lost his glorious covering in that estate that once allowed him into that light. That estate (of being clothed with glory) that Son of God laid down and has picked up again in glorious resurrection up into the presence of the Father as forerunner. And so it is, now we are “… desiring to be clothed upon with our house (that glorious covering) which is from heaven. If so be that being clothed (with glory) we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle (our current state, and after our death state, of nakedness) do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be (merely) unclothed (from this body as we will still be naked) but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life (so it is Written that only in the first resurrection or rapture will mortality be swallowed up by the “cloth” of immortality in glorious life/light).” (1st Corinthians 15:35-44) Only those raised out of Hades in the first resurrection will receive those glorious spiritual bodies (which answers to partaking in His Holiness seen in Hebrews 12, verse 10) and then arrayed in such royal splendor, will be able to then enter the blazing light as the Father’s sons and see Him face to face!  

This marvelous revelation answers completely to the great mystery of Paul’s ministry (Colossians 1:19-29). “For it pleased the Father that in him (the eternal Son of God Jesus the First Born from the dead) should all fullness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 

If ye continue in the faith (as Christ Followers) grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel (of justification followed by sanctification in holiness), which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: 

Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God }; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints…”   

That is to say, made manifest to those who have hearts to grasp this great mystery which is now manifest; that is His manifold Wisdom. “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord…” [Ephesians 3:9-11] This purpose being to bring many sons to glory! (Hebrews 2:10) 

With 1st Corinthians 2:7-8… “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 

What is manifest and what modern–day Christianity must now comprehend; and what they; fallen angels did not comprehend in the Wisdom of God (but do now and all too well to some Christians’ demise) was that in the salvation of man, He is bringing forth a “new creature’ as royal first–born sons of God through Christ Jesus to replace the rogue principalities and powers who are now ruling in this World from the heavenly places. (Ezekiel 28:2, Ephesians 6:12, Isaiah 14, & Revelation 12:7–8 are references to his future casting down from the heavens related with this World, not his ancient casting out of the Heaven. (Ezekiel 28:16) 

Ephesians 3:8-11 continues to shed the light on the Truth. “To whom God would make known (to His children) what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 

Whom we preach, warning every man (glory is contingent upon acquired holiness), and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: (present unto the Father) Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.  

“HAVING therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” [1st Corinthians 7:1] 

The honor is everywhere declared by warning; and the honor is conditional. 

VERSE 15a “Looking diligently lest any man fail of (or fall from) the grace of God…”  What was first in view here by the Author is the great danger of these Hebrew Christians falling from the grace of God in Jesus the Christ, back under the strict justice of the Law of Moses. (Galatians 2:11-21 with 5:2,4) As then, and so now, the consequences are severe to fall from grace in Christ to justice under Moses. (Hebrews chapters 6&10 give solemn description) That grace being of God’s provision by which Paul grew courageous and ministered mightily. “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain: but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” [1st Corinthians 15:10] 

A wise mind fearfully seeks to gain more wisdom in the knowledge of God, growing in grace and in the knowledge and character of Christ. But a carnal mind rests contented, having an ear for all flattering to itself. (See Proverbs 15:14) 

Our glory-infilling is contingent upon our acquired holiness. If a Christian stops diligently seeking God’s holiness, then the only means by which he might attain is lost to him. He falls from the realm in which grace is appropriated. That is from the throne of grace from which grace is dispensed. (Hebrews 4:16) The provision of Grace fallen short of; is grace in vain…and answers to that unfaithful servant of Christ whose one talent was taken and given unto him who had ten. (Matthew 25:24) Sadly, it is that a Christian may be fallen from grace but yet secure in his own deceived thoughts. 

VERSE 15b “…lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” What is developing to the reader is that which is in the mind of the Author; in that Israel came out of Egypt in grace according to the provision in the promises given Abraham in Genesis 15, but it was at Mt. Sinai that they “fell” from that grace to justice under the Law of Moses. Their falling from the grace provision was by the building undercurrent of discontent, day by day, like ominous clouds building before a storm, until finally came the springing up of the roots of bitterness. Someone spoke out in unbelief of Moses’ return, and found like sympathy in others, which led unto idolatry, by which many of them were defiled, and shortly thereafter were cut off from the inheritance of the promised land.  

This ancient infectious disease of the root of bitterness in unbelief had sprung up in the Apostle’s day, and has sprung up among Christians today, where Jesus is being denied the Messiahship of the Hebrew prophecies, and Who is being denied divinity, in that they say He was but just another man, albeit a good one, a seer a prophet, but neither co-eternal as the Son of God or co-substantial with the Father, nor is He coming again to reign. The sad effect of this disease is to choke out that certain particular holiness necessary unto the first-born likeness of Jesus the Christ in order to see the Father. The clear warning to Christians is that defilement means being shut out of the promised kingdom and City along with the necessary severe cleansing judgment. (Leviticus 14, Numbers 5; Hebrews 3:11; Revelation 21:27)   

The mind and hand to dig out the defiling roots is not as able to see then, when the light of grace is denied.  

The necessity of diligence can be illustrated in the Word of grace to Adam; in that the rain shall fall, but it shall fall upon the forever cursed ground, from which he must find his sustenance. “…thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee…” was offset by the word to in diligence hoe and sweat for all the days of his life… “…and thou shalt eat the herb of the field.” (Genesis 3:17-19) And though Adam was forgiven and redeemed by the blood, the “soil” remained forever cursed. This is to represent that the carnal nature within each of us will always be there; but its defiling fruit may always be rooted out by the arm of diligence in wisdom strengthened by the sanctifying grace afforded in Christ’s Atonement. 

No diligence was required for obtaining justifying grace, as it rests on the one–time application of His Blood. But sustenance unto sanctifying grace in holiness requires diligence in hoe and sweat; that of “weeding” out and “sowing” in type. See Hebrews 6:7–8…“For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.” See also Galatians 6:7… “Be not deceived, God is not mocked, (as Isaac was) for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” 

And there are numerous kinds of roots in the carnal nature ready to sprout without the Christian’s diligence, set to cause us to fall from the power of grace in the pursuit and maintenance of holiness (the capacitating and establishment in this life of our personal righteousness unto the first-born inheritance which answers to character, not numerical order). For this warning, Esau is given to us as an example: VERSE 16 “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright (See Genesis 25:31-34 in regards to the first-born son’s birthright of the right to rule, right of priesthood, and double portion inheritance).” As certainly as Esau was the first born of his father and thereby had the first-born birthright; so all regenerated are considered first-born by the Father of spirits and are registered in Heaven. (Luke 10:20) And by right of rebirth of the spirit; in Christ Jesus, being then pronounced a fellow heir with Christ, THE First Born of the Father. (Romans 8:16; Exodus 13:2; Luke 2:21-23) The first-born birthrights is an underlining theme of the Book of Hebrews, which undoubtedly answers to the heavenly calling (Hebrews 3:1) which is the realized inheritance of glory in the coming heavenly kingdom of Christ. But although we have the birthright of first-born inheritance, Scripture reveals the necessity of diligence and maintenance of holiness in the retaining of the great honor. There being then the further note in Hebrews 12:1 (of these yet gathering) of the great cloud of witnesses’ register as worthy first-born sons VERSE 23.  

Esau represents the perfect example to those Hebrew Christians and to us American and modern-day Christians of in the threat and danger of forfeiting our “birthrights” due to having undervalued the inheritance (while alive and sorrowfully discovered at the moment of death) in the yielding to the carnal nature’s disqualifying dictates for temporal satisfaction. Note particularly the great tragedy of realization of the loss… VERSE 17 of Hebrews… “For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” The sin of Esau was a harbinger of Israel’s impertinence at Kadesh Barnea and stands as a clear warning for us (Hebrews 3:7-12, 4:1) and again in rejection of the heavenly calling. (Matthew 21:43; Acts 13:46 with Romans 11:22)  

Let us who have not always rightly and completely valued the inheritance take it to heart. The consequences for not valuing the double-portion inheritance are irreversible, as seen with Esau. As Christians, having had our names registered as first-born sons, let us not sell our birthrights and forfeit the rewards God holds out for us. May we, by our sweat and toiling, dig out the thorns that choke out any fruit so that when our ground is examined, we may not fall short of being able to partake of His holiness, in glorious covering, and seeing Him face to face. May we pray earnestly as did David… “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence…” See Psalm 51:1-17