Hebrews 6:16-18 - The unchangeable character of His purpose

6:16,17

The promise to Abraham was ridiculous, humanly speaking. There were two key aspects to it. One was that he would be the father of many nations, and the second was the promise of the land. Both were humanly unlikely or impossible. He was ninety nine years old, and Sarah was old as well, and they had no children. They had no claim on the land promised to them. God knew how impossible the promises seemed, and so He wanted to impress upon Abraham and Sarah the “unchangeable character of His purpose”. We need to appreciate the certainty of God’s promises.

6:18

Having reminded them of Abraham, the writer now turns to his present hearers. The promises of the gospel are even more impossible in human terms than the promises to Abraham, and God knows this. How can a sinful people be blessed by a holy God? Yet this is what the gospel promises. Note that it says “fled for refuge”. His readers had “fled” from Judaism and sought refuge in Christ. We have “fled” from the world and sought refuge in Christ, we have put our trust in Him. And we must “hold fast to the hope set before us”.