A More Excellent Name
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
A. W. Tozer famously penned the words:
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy
What comes into your mind when you think about God?
Some view god as a “higher power”, “spiritual awakening,” or “higher consciousness”.
Some think of the God of the Bible by His names: Jesus (Yahweh saves), Yahweh (the covenant God), Elohim (the Creator God), Adonai (Master or Lord), Jehovah-Jireh (the God who provides), etc.
Some think of God by the attributes of His nature: omniscience (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), His aseity (self-sufficiency), mercy, forgiveness, holiness, etc.
Some think of God as Father, evoking feelings of safety, security, and love, or evoking feelings of distance, cruelty, harshness, and judgment, often dependent on how we view our earthly Father.
What comes into our minds when we think about God has profound implications on our theology (our understanding of God); our personal lives—our roles as husbands and fathers, or as wives and mothers; our relationship with our children; our view of the Church and its purpose—the greater body of Christ; etc.
Today, I am excited to begin a new series called “Radical,” working through the book of Hebrews.
Radical:
Arising from the root or source—fundamental.
Very different from the usual or traditional—extreme.
Awesome or excellent.
I. Who is this God? (vv. 1-3)
I. Who is this God? (vv. 1-3)
The God Who Speaks
The God Who Speaks
This idea of God as one who reveals Himself, one who speaks, is a truth that we take for granted today. It is a definitive statement and recurring theme throughout Hebrews.
He spoke to the fathers
Broadly meaning ancestors
In the prophets
The prophets were the vessels and messengers by which God spoke His message to His people.
In many portions
The author of Hebrews clearly views the OT Scriptures as the Word of God and, therefore, as truth for all people.
However, the messages of the prophets were only pieces of a larger whole—like puzzle pieces being laid down to form the greater whole.
In many ways
God speaks directly, in visions, in dreams, or through certain actions.
God speaks verbally and audibly, and in ways that was not immediately recognizable as divine speech (1 Samuel 3—Samuel & Eli).
God speaks through a mediator (Moses on Mount Sinai).
God speaks through a talking donkey (Numbers 22:21-35).
God speaks through a burning bush (Exodus 3:1-15)
God speaks through a hand on the wall (Daniel 5:5-28)
God speaks through Hosea’s marrying of a prostitute.
God speaks through Isaiah’s three years of walking naked.
In these last days
The eschaton, the end of days that has been inaugurated with the coming of the Messiah.
His Son
The comparison is from one of many portions (true, but fragmented) and many ways (diverse) to a singular way—the Word, the culmination of the big picture spoken through a singular figure, the Son.
Highlihgt, underline, circle “His Son”
The Supreme Being
The Supreme Being
The appointed heir of all things
God the Father appointed His Son as the heir.
Heir—the one who will inherit, one who receives something of value from the Father, in this case “all things”
The one through whom the world was made
The Son is heir of everything that was made through Him.
The trinity is present in Creation:
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.
1 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.
It was made according to the Father.
It was made through the Son.
It was made by the power of the Spirit.
Colossians 1:16 tells us this world is both that which is visible (physical) and invisible (spiritual).
The radiance of His glory
Some translations us the word “reflection” here, and while this is technically true, the truth is deeper.
The moon reflects the sun, but it does not have light in itself.
The Son does not merely reflect His Father, He radiates His glory.
The exact representation of His nature
This bears the idea of a stamp or signet ring that was pressed into something to form the same image.
The author of Hebrews is reinforcing beyond all doubt that the Son is God.
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father;
through him all things were made;
Upholding all things
Upholding is bearing and carrying, but not as a burden. It is borne by His powerful word.
Upholding is also guiding toward the finish according to the Father’s will.
To what end?
When He makes purification for sins
The author of Hebrews is laying the foundation for understanding the Son not only as sacrifice, but also as High Priest—He is the one who makes purification for sins.
This is the end that world is being brought to.
The rightful authority
When He had accomplished this—purification of sins, He sat down.
The implication is that it is final, completed, finished.
Established as better than the angels
The implication is not that the Son is less than the angels, at least not in terms of eternal nature and position.
However, the author of Hebrews will establish that Jesus became—willingly—lower than the angels (the incarnation) to fulfill the end to which God was directing the world (purification for sins).
This is what Paul talks about in Philippians
6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Upon completion of this responsibility, He was exalted to the place of authority and heir, having become much better than the angels.
II. This God is Revealed in His Son (vv. 4-14)
II. This God is Revealed in His Son (vv. 4-14)
A More Excellent Name
A More Excellent Name
What is the more excellent name that was given?
It’s not Jesus
It’s not Lord
It’s not Messiah
It is “Son”
Verse 5 comes from two OT passages:
7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
12 “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”
Psalm 2 is a Messianic psalm, but 2 Samuel 7:14 is temporally applied to Solomon and witnessing perfect fulfillment in the Son of David.
Solomon built a physical temple for the Lord—the Son of David built a spiritual temple—the Church—composed up of individual, living stones being built into a spiritual temple.
He is firstborn
This does not mean Jesus was created. Paul explains why the Son is revealed as “firstborn” in Colossians:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
Everything was made through Him and for Him, therefore His is firstborn.
Because He is Creator, the angels worship Him.
When angels are introduced in Scripture, it is often accompanied by the words, “Do not be afraid.” Clearly they display incredible might and power, but it still pales in comparison to the Son.
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 But he said to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God.”
His angels are ministers
The idea of “wind” and “fire” is that of change
11 So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Whereas the angels, as ministers (servants) of God, are changed and used by God, the Word of God does not change.
The Son’s reign (Psalm 45:7)
The Son is God—”your throne, O God”
His throne is forever
His reign is righteous
He has loved righteousness and hated lawlessness
What is the opposite of “love”? The opposite of love is not “hate”. Hate is the militant form of love, the natural dichotomy outcome of intense love for something. The opposite of love is “apathy” or “indifference”
Therefore—because the Son loved righteousness and hated lawlessness, He is anointed above His companions.
His companions
This could include the angels, but more likely it is referring to human beings, specifically those who have become children of God.
9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Just like the contrast of the many prophets to the singular Son, there is stark contrast between companions (children of God) and the singular Son.
He is the Alpha, Beginning
The Son created the world, and laid its foundation—firm, secure. He is Alpha, the Beginning.
The world (everything visible and invisible) will perish—the Son will remain.
The world can be changed—the Son remains the same.
The world is temporary—the Son is eternal.
He is the Omega, End
The world, upheld by the mighty power of the Son, will be brought to the end that is willed by the Father, with the Son sitting at His right hand, His enemies a footstool beneath His feet.
Son and Savior
Son and Savior
Ministering to those who will inherit salvation
What comes into your mind when you think of God? What comes into your mind when you think of Jesus?
He is Son
He is the heir of everything the Father will give to Him.
He is the firstborn—the Creator of everything visible and invisible.
He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature
He is the One who keeps the world together and directs it toward the final goal in accordance with God’s will.
He is the One who made purification for sins.
He is the supreme authority
He is the finisher of and our of salvation.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
We are not saved by our works, but we are saved by the works of the Son—the One who perfectly submitted to the works of His Father.
14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
When you think of Jesus, the Holy Spirit desires that you see the most important reality: that Jesus is Son.
