1:1-3
God is the first word in Hebrews. This beginning reminds me of the beginning of Genesis. Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." No argument about the existence of God. No logical explanation. All we have is a simple declaration of the truth and reality of historical fact. In the beginning. God. Created.
Also, we can compare this to the gospel of John's opening verses. John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." No logical explanation or argument here either. Just a simple proclamation of the truth and the reality that God is. God is! And he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
I think we should pattern our gospel preaching after the example we see in the Bible. I think we should simply share God's word with the world.
I've come to the conclusion that faith is not a matter of the mind or intellect, but a matter of the heart. The mind is a convert of what a man believes in his heart.
God spoke to his people in the past through prophets. Does this mean he no longer has prophets who speak his word? Based on my study of the Bible and my experience I believe God still speaks. Anything we hear, however, must be tested by the written word of God. God does not contradict what is in his written word. Everything we hear must be in total harmony and agreement with the written word of God.
We still have prophets. The apostle pointed this out in Ephesians 4:11, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers"
The church needs every gift it can get from God. We need men of God who hear the voice of God and who proclaim the word of God without compromise. We need men of God who will turn God's people away from their sin and backsliding. God always had men of God in the house of God who were prophets to the people of God. This never changed.
However, the point the apostle made in this letter was that the Lord Jesus Christ is superior and exalted far above any other prophet who ever lived.
John the Baptist said he himself must decrease, but Christ must increase. John the Baptist was only a man.
However, Jesus is the son of man and the son of God. Jesus is God's Son. He is God the Son. There is a huge difference between men who spoke God's word and the Word of God who spoke to us and lived among us as a man. Big difference.
We should understand this is the main point the apostle was driving at in the book of Hebrews.
He tried to tell the Jews who believed in Jesus that Jesus is exalted above all prophets, all angels, above everything which ever was before. Jesus is exalted above all things.
This is why he immediately went into this outpouring of words where he said that Jesus is "the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person, and upholding all things, by whom also he made the worlds". The apostle drove home how exalted Christ is above all things.
Jesus is the express image of God. He is God. He is not an angel. He is not another prophet. He is not merely a teacher, or a preacher, or a faith healer.
Jesus is God incarnate in the flesh. He is one of the three persons in the triune God. God is three in one. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus is exalted to the right hand of the Father in heaven. He lives forever to make intercession for us.
God spoke through prophets. He still uses men to preach his word to build, encourage, and comfort the church. However, Jesus is more than a prophet. He is our Lord and Savior.
Remember when Jesus was on the mount of transfiguration with Moses and Elijah. Peter suggested he make three tents for these three great men of God.
But what did God say to Peter and the disciples? Mark 9:7, "And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him."
This is the message of Hebrews. Jesus Christ is God's son. Listen to what Jesus says to us. He speaks to us. God is speaking right now. Jesus said his sheep hear his voice and follow him. Are you one of the Lord's sheep? Then you should listen to him and follow him.
Peter never forgot that day. 2 Peter 1:18, "And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount." Peter never forgot that he heard the voice of God.
1:4-7
God the Father spoke to God the Son! What does this mean?
It means in one verse we have two persons who make up the three persons of God. God is three people in one God. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We can clearly see God spoke to his Son. And his Son was exalted over angels.
God's Son is NOT an angel, as cults deceive people to think. Jesus Christ is not an angel. He is God's Son. He is the only begotten Son of God.
Not only is he the Son of God but he is God the Son. God is three in one. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, three in one.
To miss this truth in the Bible is a deliberate and a purposeful delusion and deception.
Why lead people away from this basic truth in the Bible?
My opinion is because the enemy tries to disqualify what Christ did at Calvary by convincing people that he was just a man. But if he was just a man then he would not have been sinless. And if he was not sinless then he could not provide a substitute for sin.
He had to be a man in order to represent man. But he also had to be God in order to be completely sinless. He was the Lamb of God who took away our sins.
If we deny the three in one nature of God we end up denying the atonement of Christ. If anyone denies the atoning work of Christ he is not saved because this is the foundation upon which our sins are forgiven.
There is no other way. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Jesus Christ. No one can receive forgiveness of sins except through faith and by receiving the work of Christ on Calvary.
Jesus is not an angel. He is exalted above angels. God never said to an angel, "You are my Son".
This verse proves beyond any doubt that Jesus Christ was never an angel and he is not an angel today. Angels are created creatures who serve God. Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son. We should listen only to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Why is the apostle making a point about this?
The purpose of Hebrews was to prove beyond any doubt that Christ is exalted over angels and over everything in the religious system under Moses and Israel.
Everything in Israel and God's law pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Lord Jesus everything in the Old Testament is fulfilled. The Old Testament contained types, figures, and shadows that pointed to and symbolized the reality which is in Jesus Christ the Lord.
Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He rose again on the third day.
He is returning to this earth at some point in historical future.
He will establish his kingdom over the nations.
After 1,000 years everything will be completed and finished in the New Jerusalem.
8/16