one step: Hebrews 7.1

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

The author of Hebrews seeks to establish that Jesus is of a priestly order higher than that of the Levites.* To do this, the author must 1) demonstrate that the priestly order of Melchizedek is higher than that of Abraham, and 2) that this order is eternal.*

Establishing the superiority of Melchizedek to Abraham is simple as we see that Melchizedek blessed Abraham, and Abraham paid tribute to him.* This is drawn from the story of Genesis 14:17-20. This is important because if Melchizedek is superior to Abraham (which no one even held the high status of Abraham in Jewish tradition other than Moses and David), then it follows that Melchizedek was superior to the great-grandson of Abraham: Levi (of who the Levites and the priesthood came).* Thus, the order of Melchizedek is superior than the order of the Levitical priests.*

Establishing the eternity of the order of Melchizedek is also a simple task as the author of Hebrews leverages a common exegetical approach to Scripture.* The author of Hebrews uses a well-attested Jewish interpretive principle that states that what is not mentioned in the Torah does not exist at all.* Because Scripture does not mention a beginning or end to Melchizedek or his priestly reign, the beginning and end of Melchizedek does not exist.* This is explicitly stated in Psalm 110:4.*

Why is this important? It’s important because the author of Hebrews is seeking to establish the superiority to Christ and His role to all others in history. It’s also important, however, because we too must grapple with the role that we allow Christ in our lives.

When Abraham met Melchizedek, he was coming off of the heels of a great victory. With only 318 followers, Abraham defeated a great alliance of Palestinian superpowers.* He saved the people of Sodom, including his nephew Lot (the motivation of his actions).* Before returning to Sodom, Abraham runs into Melchizedek in Salem. After war, Abraham encounters the one who servers as king of righteousness (from the meaning of his name) and the king of peace (from the name of his city).*

We do not know from Scripture the exact nature of the blessing that Abraham received from Melchizedek, but we do know that the response of Abraham was to give the first tenth of what he owned (symbolic in Scripture of stating that all that He had belonged to Melchizedek).* After this blessing from and submission to the king of righteousness and peace, Abraham is approached by the King of Sodom.* The King of Sodom offers Abraham riches and a position of honor in the corrupt and immoral culture of Sodom.* There is but one string attached: Abraham would have to compromise his morals.*

Because of his encounter with and response to Melchizedek, Abraham is able to resist.*

In your place of work, there will be times that you find success. Offers of wealth and honor will be extended to you. Socially, chances for acceptance and popularity will present themselves. The world will find you and offer those things that your soul has longed for. There is one string attached, however: your morals.

It is in these times that we must lean on our allegiance to Christ. We must remember the blessings that He has given us. We must look at our lives and remember that all we have is His (as established by giving the first ten percent). Only our submission to Him will allow us to resist corruption.

There are priests and kings of this world, there are priests and kings of religion, but there is only one Priest and King worthy of our allegiance for He is superior to all: Jesus Christ.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to remember to whom your allegiance should lie: Jesus. Perhaps today God wants you to hold fast to Him despite the temptations to compromise. Maybe today God wants you to consider the response of the ten percent to the blessing that He has given you and who He is. Perhaps today God would have you remember who He wants to be in your life: righteousness and peace.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews (Heb 7:1–3). IVP Academic.
Grindheim, S. (2023). The Letter to the Hebrews (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 337–347). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
France, R. T. (2006). Hebrews. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, pp. 90-93). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. (1998). Hebrews (pp. 252–254). Zondervan Publishing House.

one step: Hebrews 6.5

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain…

What hope do we have? In what do we place our hope?

Many times we place our hope for stability and safety in things like insurance, bank accounts, jobs, or dreams for a better life.* If compared to reality, these hopes fall apart quickly. Jobs can disappear, bank accounts can empty, dreams can be broken, and insurance can fail to restore. With this fickle reliability in mind, realists might even argue that it is foolish to hope.*

English poet Lord Byron wrote, “But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of.”*

Playwright Jean Kerr suggests that, “Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have isn’t permanent.”*

The hope to which they refer is a natural hope. It’s a hope that can be lost and broken quite easily. This is the hope that the world offers.* Many of us have found ourselves without hope because the reality of our situations have erased it.

Despite our hope-killing experiences, we all long for safety and security.* We strive to find an anchor for our lives. We wish to escape the fear and anxiety that insecurity provides.

Growing up, the anxiety and fear of rejection were constant companions. In fact, they still try to hitch-hike in my soul from time to time (still failing sometimes to avoid picking them up). I needed an anchor to save me from my anxiety and fear, but I looked in the wrong places. I attempted to anchor my soul to the safety of isolation, the security of being judgmental, and the shelter of acceptance. It was a failing combination, and I lost hope for a season.

True hope, the hope that Christ offers as an anchor for us, is, as George Guthrie shares,

grounded in revelation, encouraged by the Spirit’s work in us, and cognizant of future realities. True hope, moreover, produces purity (1 John 3:3), patience (Rom. 8:25), fulfillment (5:4–5), joy (12:12), and stability (Col. 1:23).

This hope does not falter or fail. The metaphor of a secure anchor promises that we cannot be moved out of the secured presence of God, no matter the storms of this life.* Tethered to Christ, we are secured in Him.

Ponder that for a moment and breathe it in. Christ holds you to the place of intimacy with God. It is not your works. It is not your effort. It is not your ability to achieve. Christ anchors you to the secret, holy place of meeting with God. You are secure.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to anchor your hope in Him and His work. Perhaps today God wants you to remember that you have access to Him via Jesus despite your failings and imperfection. Maybe today God wants to free you from insecurity and fear by knowing that He is holding tight to you.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews (Heb 6:16–20). IVP Academic.
Grindheim, S. (2023). The Letter to the Hebrews (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 332–337). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
France, R. T. (2006). Hebrews. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, pp. 88–89). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. (1998). Hebrews (pp. 247–249). Zondervan Publishing House.

one step: water break

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

“Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
    sitting on a donkey's colt!”

His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.

John 12:12-16

The One Step Daily Devotional is intended to provide just one step each day for your journey with God. Every journey requires water breaks. Here is a water break for you.

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What’s with the palm branches? Much is to be gleaned from these few verses depicting the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem that fateful Passover weekend. They paint a picture of the hopes and dreams of the people of Israel and how those hopes and dreams were not to be fulfilled.

First, there is the question of the palm branches. To first-century Jews, these branches were symbols of religion and politics.* Palm branches had become a national symbol for Israel, and waving them would be much like waving an American flag while the newest President of the United States rolled into town. Waving palm branches in Jerusalem to welcome Jesus made a statement of their reception of Him as a religious and political leader.* Specifically, they were recognizing Him as a the Messiah.*

Second, there is their use of the word Hosanna. While this word had come to be used as a more common exclamation of praise, it’s origins (which would have been known to the people) pointed toward a meaning of “save us” or “save now.”* This too points to their expectation that Jesus would be their Savior.

Third, they proceed to quote Psalm 118, a prophetic psalm that points toward the Messiah.* It was used even in other contexts as a royal welcome to the one that was coming to save.*

Fourth, the people add, “even the King of Israel!” This takes away any suspicion as to their intentions.

Fifth, the people quote Zephaniah 9:9, which speaks of the King coming to save.*

Some scholars suggest that Jesus rides the donkey to counter the expectations of the people that Jesus would save them by force, while other scholars suggest that His use of the donkey actually reinforces their hopes for His role as Messiah because of the context of Zephaniah 9:9.* Either way, Jesus eventually shows that their expectations were off.* Truly, even the disciples missed what Jesus was aiming to do until after Jesus died and raised again, leaving the Holy Spirit to lead them into all truth.* In the moment of Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem, His life, ministry, and position on the donkey said, “I come in peace.” Still, somehow they missed it. Somehow they held onto their hope for a Rome-conquering savior.

Jesus did not come to set up an earthly kingdom; He came to set up a Kingdom that they had never known.* Jesus did not come to destroy the rule and reign of the Romans; He came to dismantle the rule and reign of sin in the heart of the world. Jesus did not come as a conquering hero on a horse; He came as a Messiah of peace.*

How many times do we welcome Jesus correctly (as our Savior), but completely miss His true intentions? How many times do we praise Him as a conquerer in our lives, but mislabel the enemy? How often does Jesus attempt to show us His intentions, but we ignore it or miss it?

What if Jesus wants to do more in our life than just the thing that we want right now?

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to pay attention to what He is saying and doing. Perhaps God wants you to see the bigger story of salvation that He is trying to tell in your life. Maybe He would have you lay down some expectations that you have of what He might do. Maybe God wants you to know that some things you will understand later, but for now, you must trust.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a water break… we all get thirsty.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (pp. 431–435). Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.
Mounce, R. H. (2007). John. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, pp. 531–533). Zondervan.
Whitacre, R. A. (1999). John (Vol. 4, pp. 303–307). IVP Academic.
Burge, G. M. (2000). John (pp. 340–342). Zondervan Publishing House.
Klink, E. W., III. (2016). John (C. E. Arnold, Ed.; pp. 534–541). Zondervan.

one step: Hebrews 6.4

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.”

Who’s words do you trust? There have been times that my wife has told me that I’m good at something, and then a short time later, someone else tells me that I’m good at it as well. When that other person complemented me, it’s like I heard it for the first time! It hit my heart, and I excitedly told my wife what they said. Upon sharing my new-found revelation, my wife responded with something like, “I just told you that!” In that moment, I remembered that I should allow her words to hold more weight in my soul. There was something inside of me that didn’t allow me to receive her words.

What would it take for me to listen to her words? Would it help if she did research, took a poll or a survey of the people around me, and then presented the findings? Would it help if she swore to me by some authority in the subject she was complimenting me by? Truthfully, just the fact that my wife, who loves me and is trustworthy, spoke it should be enough for me to receive it.

The author of Hebrews, encouraging the church to hold on to the promises of God even in persecution, reminds the church of all that Abraham had to endure.* The author reminds his audience of the promises of God and the patience of Abraham in the lengthy waiting for the promise of God.* How did Abraham wait so patiently (25 years)?*

Abraham could wait patiently because he actually trusted what God said. Unlike my lack of trust (like in what my wife said to me), Abraham trusted God when God swore by Himself.* Why would God swear by Himself? It’s simple: there is no greater authority.* Grindheim shares that “the purpose of an oath is to call upon a superior witness to vouch for what is said.”* Since God is the highest, there is no where else to turn to but Himself.

The question we must ask points straight to our heart: is that enough? God loves you and is trustworthy. Are His words enough for you to receive them?

Verse 18 tells us:

…we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us

There are difficulties in this life that we will not make it through unless we have hope. Where does that hope come from? Stedman tells us that true faith awakens hope.*

Have we put our trust in what God has said? Do we lack hope? We may lack faith in what God has promised us.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to trust what He says. Perhaps today He wants to talk to you about the why behind an area that you lack trust in Him. Maybe today God wants to convince you of HIs love for you. Perhaps today God wants to renew your hope.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews (Heb 6:13–15). IVP Academic.
Grindheim, S. (2023). The Letter to the Hebrews (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 328–329). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
France, R. T. (2006). Hebrews. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 87–88). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. (1998). Hebrews (p. 241). Zondervan Publishing House.

one step: Hebrews 6.3

 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

We have a lemon tree in our backyard. I have to admit that after we first moved into our home, while the fruit were ripening, they were green, and I thought that they were limes. Can you imagine how nice a key lime pie would taste made out of under-developed Meyer lemons? Yes, you are right… not good at all!

As mentioned in one step: Hebrews 6.2, the language of Hebrews 6 leaves room for a lot of interpretation. Here in verses 9-12, however, the author clearly encourages the church and the fruit that he sees in their lives.*

The fruit that we see in Hebrews 6 is work, love, and service to the people of God.* As Sigurd Grindheim shares, “The believers’ work is an expression of their love for God. In turn, this work and this love are manifested as service to God’s people.” Work, love, and service synergize into a beautiful symphony played in the life of a believer.

The fact that God sees the fruit of our lives does not imply that God intends our relationship with Him to be one of performance and fear of failure. As Ray Stedman states,

The only reliable sign of regeneration is a faith that does not fail and continues to the end of life. It may at times falter and grow dim as it faces various trials and pressures, but it cannot be wholly abandoned, for Jesus has promised, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (Jn 10:28).

The fruit of a believer’s life does not earn God’s favor.* That is the work of Christ. Said another way, a failure to produce enough fruit does not lose God’s favor. The author of Hebrews simply provides the encouraging truth that God is aware of the fruit that we produce.* He sees you, your love, your work, and your service. We are not perfect, thus our fruit is sometimes, like a green Meyer lemon, in-process and under-developed. Our eternal security is not tied to our own efforts, but to the effort of Christ on the cross and out of the tomb.

The people around you may not see your good works, the fruit of your efforts to remain faithful to God and serve His people, but God does. At times, people misinterpret our hearts and what we are trying to do. We can feel misunderstood or overlooked. We can feel like the fruit that is developing in our lives through great work and sacrifice are misinterpreted as limes. Take a deep breath. God is just; He sees you and your lemons.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to be patient with yourself as God is patient. Perhaps today God wants you to see the fruit in your life the way that He sees it. Maybe today God wants you to know that you are not invisible. Perhaps today God wants you to know that He sees the work, love, and service that you offer up to Him and His people. Maybe today God wants you to receive His acceptance. Perhaps today is the day to stop fearing the loss of your salvation and receive that your future is securely held in the hands of Christ.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews (Heb 6:9–12). IVP Academic.
Grindheim, S. (2023). The Letter to the Hebrews (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 322–324). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
France, R. T. (2006). Hebrews. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 85). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. (1998). Hebrews (p. 231–232). Zondervan Publishing House.