Hebrews 6:8

Hebrews 6:8

Blessing our curse?

Let’s consider further the parable of the sower and the seed. Who created the ground in which plants grow? God did. Who created plants that are good for food? God did. Who sends rains and sunshine and all the conditions that make healthy plants grow? God does. Who turns a dead seed into a living plant? God does. Our role in this process, as humans, is minor and without the intervention of the Creator nothing would grow and be fruitful. However, if God does His part and the land that is sown produces only thorns and thistles, something has gone terribly wrong! It is a sign of wholesale neglect. The crop is useless, and all the effort put is has been wasted. As Jesus Himself said, “I am the vine and you are the branches, if you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in Me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”  John 15:5-6

It seems that the author of Hebrews is making the same point, he considers those who have received all the blessings of God but who somehow live fruitless lives, or, even worse, produce thorns and thistles! There is no evidence of a healthy crop let alone a harvest. What we are being told here is that the Lord does not give such people a gentle reprimand and suggests that they start again! No! They are in danger of being cursed, the blessings will be withdrawn, the land is scarred for life. This verse goes one step further, it suggests that the unproductive land will be burned, presumably referring to the judgement that is to come for those who rebel and treat the Lord with disdain. This is serious, it gives us a great deal of food for thought. Is our spiritual land productive, or is it unfruitful? Do we eagerly grasp God’s blessings, or do we treat them with contempt? There appears to be a serious warning here that if we have tasted all of the blessings of God for a long period of time and then just walk away from Him despising it all and declaring our unbelief, there is no way back! Why should there be?

 

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