Hebrews 1:10-14
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Power to sling the stars in the sky, set the planets in motion with such precession that we can set our clocks to the rising and setting of the sun.
He is Superior in His Existence
He is Superior in His Existence
(The Creator is Eternal)
Quote from Ps. 102:25-27
Psalm 102:25–27 (KJV 1900)
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: And the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end.
His Existence as Creator
His Existence as Creator
Christ, not the angels, is recognized as the Creator.
Being the Creator meant that Christ created the angels, too.
This definitely makes Christ superior to angels.
Christ had both the ability to make the universe and the authority to rule the universe.
Think of the Power He has.
Power to sling the stars in the sky, set the planets in motion with such percesison that we can set our clocks to the rising and setting of the sun.
We know when the seasons begin and end
We know in advance by years when the moon and the sun will pass each other.
What Power indeed.
His Existence is Eternal
His Existence is Eternal
Everything He created one day he will destroy but He will always remain.
Although the suns and stars of space will perish, He will remain unchanged.
With Paul using the words they shall perish, they all shall wax old, shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed, let us know that everything we see is dying and one day will all come to an end.
Verse 11 is referencing back to verse 10
They shall perish, but thou remainest makes mention of
His Immutability
His Immutability
“They shall perish, but thou remainest”
John in a prophetic vision saw “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away” Rev.21:1.
But Christ remaineth.
He is the same yesterday today and forever.
His Mastery
His Mastery
Verse 12 shows us Christ’s ultimate mastery over His creation.
“Thou shall fold them up”
He that made all has absolute power to preserve, alter, and destroy everything, as He sees fit.
He is the Potter and we are nothing more than the clay to be molded as He wills.
I think this would draw their attention back to Ps. 83:18
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, Art the most high over all the earth.
and reminds them of Ps. 33:6
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
The practical value that we find in this for our hearts is plain;
such a Lord may be safely trusted;
such a Lord should be revered and worshipped.
We not only find His immutability and Mastery in verse 11 and 12, we also find His
His Consistency
His Consistency
“Thou art the same”
This declares that there is no variableness with him.
He declares of His self, Malachi 3:6
For I am the Lord, I change not; Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Do we really grasp this?
2000 years since the Cross, men have been born, have lived, and then died.
Statesmen, emperors, kings have appeared on the scene and then passed away.
But there is one glorious Man who spans the centuries, who in His own humanity bridges those 2000 years.
He has not died, nor even grown old; He is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever!”
He is Superior in His Reward
He is Superior in His Reward
(Christ is Victorious)
Christ rules supreme is proven by this passage
Psalm 110:1 , is quoted here in verse 13 (1)
quoted more often in the New Testament than any other (fourteen times).
Jesus even quoted it himself and applied it to himself at his trial (Mark 12:36
For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
We see first that
His Reward is Absolute Authority
His Reward is Absolute Authority
Reference back to verse 3
He gains this reward because He finished the Work
It cost Him His Life
God the Father sat Him at His right hand
Again, signifies authority
We see Second that
His Reward is Absolute Victory
His Reward is Absolute Victory
His ultimate reward of Victory comes because of His Authority
It was customary for a defeated king to fall prostrate before the conquering king and kiss his feet.
The victorious king would then place his feet on the neck of the captive.
One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Christ is Lord.
No angel will be left standing before the throne good or bad.
Paul wanted to be sure his readers understood that fact.
He is Superior in His Duty
He is Superior in His Duty
(Christ is Sovereign, Angels are servants)
Hebrews 1:13–14 (KJV 1900)
But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Verse 13 Not only shows us His Reward, it shows us His Duty.
The Almighty’s Responsibility is that of Sovereign
He has conquered death
He has conquered the grave
He has conquered sin
and one day He will Rule from the seat of David.
But the angels Serve.
The angels’ Responsibility is that of Servants (“ministers”).
This is seen in verse 14
Reading this verse, we should have a sense of wonderment
The very angels that God created, were not only created to worship Him, but they were also created to be our attendants.
Remember who these spirits are:
They are exalted in rank in the scale of being a created being.
They are sinless,
They have such a wondrous knowledge and powers
And yet we learn that they should minister unto us.
Not only are they servants of Christ (Hebrews 1:7), but they are also said here to be servants for the redeemed.
This should put within us a Sense of Sonship
This should put within us a Sense of Sonship
Think about it,
unfallen angels waiting upon the fallen descendants of Adam!
The courtiers of Heaven ministering to worms of the earth!
The mighty angels, who “excel in strength,” taking notice of and serving those so far beneath them!
Could you imagine princes of a royal family seeking out dwellers in the slums and ministering to them, not once or occasionally, but constantly?
The force of the original Greek is that they are perpetually being sent out to help God’s people—one after another.
We should Marvel at this
It should awaken within us fervent praise to God.
What evidence this is of His grace, what proof this is of His love, that He sends forth His angels to “minister” unto us!
What a wondrous provision of His mercy, which none of us begin to appreciate as we should.
It is blessed consequences of our union with Christ.
In Matthew 4:11 we read, “angels came and ministered unto Him.”
because Divine grace has made us one with Him, they do so to us too.
What a proof is this of our oneness with Him!
Angels of God are sent forth to minister unto redeemed sinners!
We should Bow in worship and praise.
It should deepen within us a Sense of Security.
It should deepen within us a Sense of Security.
I understand that many abuse this verse, but rightly appropriated,
how it is should quiet our fears,
counteract our sense of feebleness,
calm our hearts in time of danger!
This verse is a restatement of Ps. 34:7
The angel of the Lord encampeth Round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
We are to believe all the promises in His Word, so then why be afraid?
Im sure that we all could think of many instances were it was only by divine intervention that we were not hurt or killed.
The angels of God are sent forth to minister unto redeemed sinners.
Let the realization of this deepen within us a sense of the protecting care of our Lord for entrusting us to His mighty angels.
1. R. Kent Hughes, Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul, Preaching the Word, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1993), 1:40.
2. Arthur Walkington Pink, An Exposition of Hebrews, (Swengel, PA: Bible Truth Depot, 1954), 67.