Truth for the Time Past Part 1

Preliminary:

Invite to Hebrews 1.

It was January 24th, 1984 and a young man stepped to the podium of at the annual shareholder meeting of the company he worked for. While his stage presence was masterful and his presentation a masterpiece - it was what he presented that night that forever established Steve Jobs as a visionary leader and masterful presenter.

During the presentation of the now extremely obsolete, but then cutting edge piece of technology, Jobs made a statement that intrigued me:

There have only been two milestone products in our industry: the Apple II in 1977 and the IBM PC in 1981. Today, ...we are introducing the third industry milestone product: Macintosh.

Each one of these major technological milestones had brought about a more powerful and transforming change in the world of computers.

His vision of the Macintosh was to be a desk appliance. He defines a desk appliance as

something that is really useful and

really easy to use - you shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time learning how to use it,

and it has to be really cheap. His claim is that,

“The telephone was really the first and only really desktop appliance,” Job’s dream was to make Macintosh the second desk appliance.

That day in 1984 (I was just almost 3 years old) when Steve Jobs introduced the Apple Macintosh computer to the world, it was not just the launch of a new product; it was the beginning of a revolution in personal computing. It was not just about a piece of hardware, it was the unveiling of a new era of computing.

Now we look back on the Macintosh

only computer nerds, nostalgic enthusiasts, or museums have them

They are just not able to do near what our little hand held phones can do

As wonderful and amazing as the Macintosh was for its day - it was perfect, top of the line - nothing like it - we now have something better - not because of defects in the Macintosh - we just didn’t have the technology or all of the data and information we have today.

We have seen this progression of technology until now we are talking about the next great revolution - the next great step in as humanist refer to it, evolution - the combination of computer technology with humanity - I have many bio-ethical, and ethical questions I can raise on that - but that is what people like Musk and other are working toward. - But it has been a step by step progression and revelation.

The Book of Hebrews gives us a very similar progressive revelation of God revealing Himself and His truth to humanity over time.

Hebrews 1:1.

The book of Hebrews has its chapters and verses that make it seem complex and challenging, but it is filled with beauty and poetry, and Old Testament passages and parallels that are astounding. Hebrews offers a wealth of deep insights and encouragement for our faith and our walk with God.

It doesn’t begin with a formal greeting like most New Testament letters but is still considered a letter or Epistle.

Most scholars classify it as a General Epistle although some refer to it as a “Sermonic Epistle” as it blends the literary styles of a letter and a sermon.

It was written sometime between the 40’s and 60’s AD definitely before the destruction of the temple as the author goes into great detail about the settings, orders, and ordinances of the tabernacle/temple.

It’s intended audience were those Christians who were tempted to abandon their faith in Jesus and go back to Judaism.

Many of the early leaders attributed this grand book to the authorship of the apostle Paul. and in fact it was included in collections of Paul’s letters - although questioned by some in the early church - the assumption of Paul’s authorship was held until the Reformation.

Modern scholars have abandoned the idea that Paul authored Hebrews - but they have not been able to offer replacement that has been universally accepted.

Adam Clark is so convinced of the authorship of Paul that he titles his classic commentary on Hebrews with the title; “INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE HEBREWS” and this commentary was first published 1810-1825 almost 300 years after the Reformation.

I will leave it to you as to whom you feel wrote Hebrews. - Whoever the author is, “The writer’s sophisticated use of Greek and familiarity with Old Testament scripture indicates a highly educated author.”

While the authorship has been questioned - no serious Bible scholar has ever questions the inspiration, authenticity, or authoritativeness of the book of Hebrews.

One of the main argument of Hebrews is that the old Levitical system has been fulfilled and surpassed by Jesus Christ.

The author begins this argument by starting off - right out of the gate - with one of the most significant and deep theological concepts of the entire book - and it is contained in these first three verses.

Lets read it: Hebrews 1:1-3

Hebrews 1:1–3 KJV 1900

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

One of the first things we see in these three verses is a great truth - “God has spoken”

Theologians call this “REVELATION” God has revealed himself.

Our God - the Christian God is a self-revealing God

This is necessary - because we cannot find him on our own.

I love what Richard S. Taylor says of this and our text: He titles this...

Our Speaking God (1: l-2a). The first four verses are one sentence and constitute the prologue of the Epistle.

Here is affirmed the self-disclosure of God in a visible, historical Son, and the function of this Son in creation, revelation, providence, and redemption. ”

In the welter of confusion and the babble of many voices, sanity and certainty are possible only in the rediscovery that God has spoken.

God is imminent in the affairs of men as well as transcendent.

Jesus Christ is the Author and Source of the Christian faith; in confronting His person and earthly work we are confronting God. - R. S. Taylor, Beacon Bible Commentary, Volume 10: Hebrews Through Revelation Beacon Hill Press. Kindle Edition.

This scripture also points out for us two distinct ways and epochs or time frames in which God spoke. God’s plan of salvation has been revealed in two stages.

Times Past - Completed in the past

and Today - the present revelation. Revealed in Jesus God’s Son. This present stage is final.

This evening I want to talk to you about Truth for the Times Past

Truth for Times Past

Text: Hebrews 1:1 - "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets."

Introduction

The Past -

One has written so beautifully and eloquently:

The past, a tapestry of time, woven with threads of joy and sorrow, triumph and defeat, love and loss. It is a testament to our journey, a reflection of our growth, and a monument to our resilience.

The past is a treasure trove of wisdom, where lessons learned are the stepping stones to our future. It is a canvas painted with the colors of our experiences, each stroke a memory, each hue a moment lived.

The past is a symphony of stories, each note a heartbeat, each melody a life. It is a book written with the ink of time, each page a day, each chapter a year.

The past is a garden of dreams, where seeds of hope were sown, watered with tears and laughter, nurtured with love and courage, blooming into the flowers of today. The past is a mirror, reflecting the faces of those who walked with us, their smiles etched in our hearts, their voices echoing in our minds.

...In the end, the past is not just a chapter in our life, it is a part of us, a part that we carry with us, a part that defines us. So, let us honor it, cherish it, and learn from it. For the past is not just a memory, it is a legacy. A legacy that we inherit, a legacy that we pass on, a legacy that lives on, long after we are gone.

We tend to romanticize the past and if we are not careful we will think it was so much better back then than it is now.

Perhaps that is true of some things - but wow we are so blessed and have it so much nicer and better than they have in the past.

But you have your past, I have mine

My past only extends from 1981 until now

Many of your pasts goes back much farther

But the writer here in speaking of “times past” is speaking of a shared past

Whether we consider ourselves patriotic or not - we all have a shared past as Americans

We are taught in school that we came from England and the Revolutionary War finalized, verified, and ratified the Declaration of Independence.

We all have that shared knowledge and history even though none of us - no matter how much further your history extends into the past than mine - you were not at nor involved in the Revolutionary War.

The author is writing to Christians who had a shared history, and knowledge of the Old Testament happenings and he sums it up with in my words

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors in diverse ways unto the fathers and by the prophets”

Showing us that God didn’t always speak the same way or use the same method to pass on information or knowledge to us.

The Greek word for “sundry” polymerōs [pulley-mae--rōs] speaks about the fragmentary character of the revelations.

Marcus Dods writes:

They were given piece-meal, bit by bit, part by part, as the people needed and were able to receive them. The revelation of God was essentially progressive; all was not disclosed at once, because all could not at once be understood (EGT, 4:247).

Its as though God has prepared for us a several course meal - not because He isn’t smart enough how to get it right the first time - but because we could not understand it all at once.

This is what Bible scholars and Theologians refer to as the progressive nature of God’s revelation.

Briefly introduce the theme of Hebrews 1:1-3.Explain the significance of God speaking through the prophets in the past.Set the stage for discussing how God’s message has been revealed progressively.

So the first thing I would like for us to notice is

I. The Dispensation of Revealed Truth in Times Past

The Measure of Time Past

the measure of time past evidently extended from the creation of the world to the crucifixion of Christ

The Old Testament time began with the creation of Adam and ended when Christ - our Second Adam appeared.

Hebrews 9:26 “...now once in the end of the world hath he [Christ] appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

The Messengers in Time Past

The Bible shows that God spoke by His holy prophets since the world began

Luke 1:70 “70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, Which have been since the world began:”

This period of inspired prophecy began with Adam and closed with Zacharias who was the father of John the Baptist.

Jesus actually seems to take this period to John the Baptist in Luke 16:16 “16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”

And as we said earlier this was given little by little, revelation by revelation.

T.M. Anderson put it this way,

“Each inspired prophet contributed an important part to the whole plan of redemption. God did not give the full and complete revelation of His Divine nature and will in one revelation. He was pleased to give many separate revelations, each of which set forth in clear light some essential and fundamental part of saving truth. He disclosed the difference of the character and content of the various revelations "in divers manners," or in many ways by the ministry of the holy prophets.

The role of prophets such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses (Heb. 11).The process of God speaking “at sundry times and in divers manners.”

The Message in Time Past

This message was not what we call general or natural revelation or some call common grace

Psalm 19:1–2 “1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge.”

Acts 14:17 “17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”

Romans 1:20 “20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”

This was supernatural revelation, special and specific revelation.

By a progressive revelation I am referring to cumulative -

Think in terms of a stream or streams of water converging on one source:

I grew up around the Mighty Mississippi River.

The third longest river in the North America flowing 2,340 miles from beginning to end.

It takes 90 days for a single drop of water to travel the Mississippi River’s entire length

When I would read Mark Twain’s adventures of Tom Sawyer or Huck Fin I knew about the places he would talk about, Hannibal, Louisiana, Cairo up and down the Mississippi river

But it is more than just a source for classic fiction work. It has history, and function and utility. Millions of people depend on the river for their water source, as well as the barges that travel up and down its waters full of all types of goods and supplies.

Back when Lock and Damn 25 was accessible to the public, I remember going and they had a stand you could climb up and watch the boats, barges, and tug boats as they traveled up and down the river. It was so fascinating to watch the huge barge be pulled into the lock and those huge concrete doors shut them in, then depending on which direction they were going the water level in the lock would rise or fall then you would begin to see those huge heavy doors begin to slowly creak open and the barge would be pulled out into the next leg of its journey. It was so fascinating to watch and wonder what other adventures they would meet.

At it’s source the mighty Mississippi is only about 20-30 feet wide

God’s word though starting out as here a little and there a little - became as a mighty massive river torrent with all the truth and answers humanity needs for life and eternity.

I don’t want to take too much time but here is a brief and by no means exhaustive listing of instances when God spoke in the Old Testament:

Here is a listing of instances when God spoke to the fathers by the holy prophets, organized by each book of the Old Testament:

Prophecies Concerning the Messiah: Throughout the Old Testament, various prophets spoke of the coming of the Messiah, culminating in the revelation of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

Genesis 3:15: The promise of the seed of the woman.

Isaiah 7:14: The prophecy of the virgin birth.

Isaiah 9:6: The prophecy of a child born, a son given.

Micah 5:2: The prophecy of the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem.

Daniel 9:24-27: The prophecy of the Messiah’s coming and sacrificial death.

Malachi 3:1: The prophecy of the messenger and the coming of the Lord to His temple.

These “Times Past Prophecies” Focused on the coming Redeemer.Prophets conveyed God's promises, precepts, and patterns. Which we will look at next week.

The sleek new Macintosh of 1984 was available for only $2495

$2,495 in 1984 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $7,529.38 today, an increase of $5,034.38 over 40 years.

https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1984?amount=2495

The cost of revelation was enormous - but we now have the measure of time past, the messengers in time past, and the message - what a wonderful message - in times past.

But we have gone far enough tonight - I look forward to discovering more of this passage with you next week.

With a sleek design, a graphical user interface, and a promise of making technology accessible to everyone, the Macintosh changed the way we interact with computers. Jobs' presentation was not just about a piece of hardware; it was about unveiling a new era of computing."

"In a similar way, God has progressively revealed His truth to humanity over time. Just as the Macintosh represented a significant step forward in technology, the messages delivered by the prophets in times past represented significant revelations of God's plan for humanity.