Hebrews 12:5-7 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Levels of correction:
The writer of Hebrews speaks of three levels of correction by God to His children when there is a need. His premise is if we truly are God’s children then we will receive one of these three or all three if necessary to bring us into subjection of His will.
1. Rebuke – The word for rebuke literally means convict, convince, admonish. This is a mild way of teaching but more intense than simple instruction. It would be similar to a “one-on-one” explaining after someone has done something wrong.
2. Chasten – This is the second level of necessary instructive work by God. The word chasten literally means disciplinary correction, instruction, tutorage, training, nurture. This is a little stronger than a rebuke but still not severe. It would be like placing a person on a disciplinary set of guidelines and accountability.
3. Scourge – This is the third level of action taken to resolve issues in a person. The word scourge means flog, scourge. When a person is scourged there is harshness afflicted such as a whip, rod or other instrument designed to inflict pain but not death or injury. This seems to be a last effort before judgment is declared.
Purpose of correction:
The correction is performed out of love for us so that we might be partaker of God’s holiness – a pure life. Right living in this present world – a life that is without guilt and shame – peaceable. The chapter also speaks of the situation with Esau. God’s corrects us in hopes that the very first will yield the desired results so that we do not encounter the same type of loss suffered by Esau. Although he recognized he had done wrong there was no return. There comes a point in our rejection of spiritual things that there is no return. There is no going/coming back to what it was originally. We may be able to be saved but there can never be a return to the former.
Corrections or consequences:
There are consequences to our action/disobedience and stubbornness. God uses all three corrective actions to being us into compliance with Him and His will. God will even use unsaved people to rebuke us or even chasten us when we refuse to obey Him. Jonah is an example of God using the unsaved and also natural causes to attempt to correct His wayward prophet. In the account of Jonah God used the strong storm to arrest the attention of all, the captain to scold Jonah for sleeping and not praying and then the crew to question Jonah for his actions. Since these did not bring Jonah into obedience, God scourged him by being thrown into the sea and swallowed by the sea monster. While in to belly of the sea monster, Jonah called upon God ad renewed his vow Jonah 3:7-10. Corrections by Go are consequences of our disobedience they are not the consequence that follows us beyond the correction.
David suffered rebuke when he sinned with Bathsheba and this rebuke through Nathan brought David to repentance. However, David’s position and actions brought trouble upon Israel and reproach on God’s name and because of this God severely disciplined (scourged) him with the death of his son. The consequences of David’s sin were seen in his sons – the rape of Tamar, Absalom’s rebellion and eventual death.
