God's Final Word - His Son

The Book of Hebrews

Hebrews is an interesting book in the Bible. It is sort of an enigma. A rather puzzling piece that is not written to a specific person, it is not written to a specific church. Hebrews is just kind of there on its own. It doesn’t start like a letter but it ends like one. It begins like a well written systematic study of the second person of the Trinity, proceeds like a sermon and then ends like a letter.

We don’t know who wrote it or even exactly to whom it was written. Some believe that the Apostle Paul wrote it, although further study seems like that is probably not the case. Many believe that Barnabas may have written it. Others say possibly Apollos, Luke, Clement of Rome, Phillip and some even consider Priscilla as the author. Likely we will not know until we reach the throne of God. Whoever it was, it was and is a well written masterpiece on the supremacy of Christ.

It is actually quite a great book to study as we are in the Resurrection celebration time of the year.

God Speaks

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through 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 at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”? 6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” 7 And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.” 8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” 10 And: “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; 12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.” 13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

God Speaks

The amount of information that we receive from just the first four verses of Hebrews is worth the price of admission as they say. This letter was written for people and probably by a person that may not have seen first hand the risen Christ.

We see here, that God Speaks.

God speaks to His people

God is a communicative God. He is not aloof and distant but He is close and personal. He has warned, He has led, He has prophesied, and He has sent. He has done all that we could ask and hope for actually. He has done more than most of us would were we the almighty ourselves.

God has spoken at various times.

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through 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 at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Throughout the time of man on earth, God has communicated with people. He spoke directly to many in the beginning as we would see with Adam and Eve. Even Cain and Abel. More than likely there was talk with Enoch who “walked with God and then he was no more because God took him.”

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You"?

God spoke at various times because He revealed parts and pieces of the puzzle of our salvation and His master plan throughout history. to Abraham, the nation; to Jacob, the tribe; to David and Isaiah, the family; to Micah, the town of nativity; to Daniel, the exact time; to Malachi, the coming of His forerunner, and His second advent; through Jonah, His burial and resurrection; through Isaiah and Hosea, His resurrection. Each one only received their part of the puzzle, the mystery as Paul would call it. It would all culminate with the arrival of the Messiah, the Promised Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes. God spoke at various times, covering thousands of years but all with the same purpose, the redemption of man.

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say:

God has spoken in various ways.

"You are My Son,Today I have begotten You"?

God has used a variety of ways with which to communicate with His people throughout times past. He has spoken directly, through a burning bush, written on tablets of stone, dreams and visions, via angels and messengers, and He has even spoken through a donkey.

And again: "I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son"?

God has spoken through His prophets

"I will be to Him a Father,And He shall be to Me a Son"?

God has chosen specific people in the times past to bring His message to the people. His chosen prophets delivered their piece at their time to the people that God directed them to speak to. The specifics of His message cannot be denied and although it has come through many, the message has been the same and has worked together with the others to bring about what God intended for people to know.

6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him."

God speaks finally through His Son.

"Let all the angels of God worship Him."

“In these last days...” When it boils right down, there are two time periods; this age and the age to come. The time of this earth and the time of the new earth. The time of the fallen world and the time of the redeemed world. The author makes us know that we are at the end of this age. Sure, this has been going on for 2000 years now but that time factor should not keep us from understanding that the end is near. Consider for a moment. The time from Adam to Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God on Mt. Sinai was about 2500 years. The time of the Law there at Mt Sinai until Jesus was about 1500 years. The time from Jesus until now is right at 2000 years. All together, that is about 6000 years.

7 And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire."

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. NKJV. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

"Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire."

In it speaks of Satan being bound for a thousand years and there is peace on the earth during that time and the saints will reign here with Jesus during that time of “rest.” God deals in numbers and seven is one of His favorites. God worked for six days and rested on the seventh. With God a thousand years is as a day. We have seen six thousand man years since Adam or six days in God time and there is a seventh day of rest, time of peace coming to this earth. We are ripe for the seventh day, the Day of Rest here that could come at anytime. Now certainly, this is all conjecture but I’ve seen how God operates and I wouldn’t put it past Him. He said that we would see the season in the end and know it.

8 But to the Son He says:

Who is this Jesus?

"Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions."

In the next verses, we receive a crash course on Jesus. The condensed version of who He is.

10 And:

Jesus has been appointed heir of all things by God.

"You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; 12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail."

As Son of God, although God Himself in the flesh, Jesus became the heir to all that rightfully belongs to God, which is pretty much everything. If you want a course on the authority of man over the earth, how that was given, how we lost it and how Jesus coming was the correct way for God to redeem earth for man, you need to do the Believer’s Authority Bible Study that the women will be doing soon.

13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"?

Jesus did all that He was asked to do by the Father. He lowered Himself to become as much a man as you or I. He grew as any child would learning as any of us has. He performed His task flawlessly and without sin and was in the end punished for what was rightfully our guilt. That obedience gained Him the heirship to all that the Father has. We will see the deity of Jesus confirmed by the Father through His Old Testament words when we get further along here in chapter one.

"Sit at My right hand,Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"?

The beauty of what Jesus did, of who He is, is beyond compare. Only God would come up with a plan like this. God Himself would take on the likeness of man to pay the bill for sin Himself to Himself. Man creates religions that make himself the hero. I can do more good than bad, therefore I will be “worthy” of heaven. It will be all about me. Christianity says, you’ve messed up as bad as anyone could possibly mess up and there is no hope for you except God Himself. He alone can make a way where there is no way.

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? NKJV

All things were made through Jesus.

NKJV

This seems to come backwards. That all things were made through Him would be chronologically first and heir second. But in view of importance to us, His heirship is preeminent. What was created through Him is one thing but what is redeemed because of Him makes all the difference in the world.

, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. NKJV

Boy, how I wish I could explain all this to you. If I could, that would mean that I actually understand it! It’ll all be clear when we see Him face to face. Let’s say this; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all make up the one true God. All three persons of the trinity played a part in the creation of all things. God created the heavens and the earth and the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters and then God spoke things into being and they were!

, For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. NKJV

The word that is used there saying “made the worlds,” literally means ages and includes all space, time, universe, material and spiritual existences. Pretty much everything was made by God and through God except for God. To think that the One who did all of this was willing to lower Himself for our sake is mind-boggling.

Let’s look at more about Jesus.

Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory.

This is such a great phrase here. Jesus is not a reflection of the Father’s glory but is a part of it. One commentary said that it is not as the moon shines from reflection of the sun but instead as ray from the sun itself shines out of the sun. We have to struggle to begin to understand the “glory of God.” Not sure how we cover this. The word has so much meaning to it. The majesty, the supremacy, the pure perfection, honored, praised, worthy, radiance and pure goodness. We read in the Old testament that the “Glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle and the Temple.” When He was there, the people knew it.

Jesus is a part of that and was when He was incarnate and certainly is now also.

Jesus is the express image of God.

This is the only place in the New Testament where this term shows up. The “express image.” The Greek word is charakter where we get the word character. Except the meaning of the word is an exact copy, like an engraving, a perfect representation of His person, His essence, His being of who the Father is.

, Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. NKJV

Jesus upholds ALL things by the word of His power

Jesus upholds or maintains or sustains ALL things. Everything was created through Him and everything is held together by Him. This word translated here is a new one maybe for many of you. It is the Greek word Rhema, translated as word. This is not to be confused with the Greek word Logos which is also translated word. Logos is what we see in . This is the same Greek word that is used when Jesus is in the desert and being tempted by Satan. His rebuttal is, “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word (Rhema) that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

By the Power of Jesus’ spoken words all is maintained, all is upheld. By His word, people were healed, sins were forgiven, the blind could see, the captives were set free and even the wind and the waves were subsided. By the power of His words, all things are held together.

Jesus purged our sins.

Jesus, by Himself, purged our sins. That word means “washed off.” He alone did this by His sacrifice. He willingly went to the cross. He willingly laid down His life for ours. It was His blood that covered the sins. For many years temporary sacrifices had been made of bulls and lambs but none of them could hold. None of those could permanently wash away the sin of the world. Atonement was made for our sins before but this was atonement for ALL sin. The very sinful nature itself.

, As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. NKJV

Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for sin and we will see as we continue in Hebrews over the next few weeks that is what makes Him greater than any of the High Priests before Him. He could and would make a final sacrifice for ALL sin. He dealt with sin once and for all.

Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

We are not dealing with some wanna be savior. He IS the one and ONLY Savior. The tomb is empty. He is risen from the dead. He sits in heaven with the Father and He intercedes on our behalf. The “right hand” side of the the one on the throne is the most prominent position there is next to the King in ALL the kingdom. It is the place for the heir apparent and it is the place of Jesus. And there He waits for His command from the Father to come back for His bride, the church.

Jesus has become more than the angels.

It is not in character, but in rank. He has been exalted now above them whereas before He was made a little lower than them. You’ll have to wait until next week to hear all of that. Because of His obedience to the Father, He is the Son of God and has obtained the inheritance that comes along with that. That promotes Him above the angels, in ALL ranks, who are merely servants to God and to us. Jump down quickly to verse 14, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”

The angels are here for us. To minister to us, to help us. They are servants to the Most High and to the heirs of the Most High. That would be us. While they may be greater than we at this moment, when we come into glory, we will be greater than they. Please, please, please quit lowering our family members to the position of an angel when they die! We will judge the angels. When believers die, if they were to become angels, that would actually be a step downward.

Conclusion

Jesus is God’s final answer.

He is superior to anything and everything. He is superior to anyone and everyone.

He is the heir of ALL things.

He is the One through whom ALL things were created.

He is the radiance of the Father’s glory.

He is the exact image of God in the flesh.

All things are held together by Him.

He alone washed away our sin.

He alone sits at the right hand of God the Father.

And He is waiting for word, Rhema from the Father, sending Him back for His church and bride.