THE FINAL REVELATION

Warren Wiersbe shared the following account:

During this series we have looked how Christ is the image of the invisible God, the perfect sacrifice for sins, the perfect example of humility, and the path to salvation. This morning we will look at how Christ is the final revelation of God. As we do so we will look at the former revelation, the recent, definitive revelation, and the present revelation.

Before we get into our outline I want to point out that the revealed Word of God is supposed to be heard. Warren Wiersbe shared the following account:

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter One: Is Anybody Listening? (Hebrews 1:1–3)

A man from Leeds, England visited his doctor to have his hearing checked. The doctor removed the man’s hearing aid, and the patient’s hearing immediately improved! He had been wearing the device in the wrong ear for over 20 years!

As humorous as that story is, it illustrates a very sad truth within churches across the world — there is a difference between listening and hearing. Hearing the message is essential for the believer. As Christ said over and over again to the seven churches of Revelation, “He who has ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the seven churches.”

For the past seven weeks or so, we have been engaged in a series titled PROVISIONS OF THE INCARNATION, and I, for one, have thoroughly enjoyed this series.

During this series we have looked at how Christ is the image of the invisible God, the perfect sacrifice for sins, the perfect example of humility, and the path to salvation. This morning we will look at how Christ is the final revelation of God. As we do so we will look at the former revelation, the recent, definitive revelation, and the present revelation.

Before we get into our outline I want to point out that the revealed Word of God is supposed to be heard.

The unknown writer of Hebrews is intent on people listening to the message of God. But so often people hear without hearing.

Hebrews 3:7–8 NASB95PARA

Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness,

A little information regarding the audience who originally received this epistle will be helpful.

“These people were “second generation believers,” having been won to Christ by those who had known Jesus Christ during His ministry on earth (). They were true believers () and not mere professors. They had been persecuted because of their faith (; ; ), and yet they had faithfully ministered to the needs of others who had suffered (). But they were being seduced by teachers of false doctrine (), and they were in danger of forgetting the true Word that their first leaders, now dead, had taught them ().” (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 276–277). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

These folks were Jewish believers, most likely of the dispersion and not located in Judea.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 276–277). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

We don’t know exactly when this letter was written, except that it must have been written before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, because the temple ceased to exist at that times, and so did the temple sacrifices which are referred to so much in the letter.

Let’s read our text together.

THE FORMER REVELATION

To the Fathers

In the Prophets

At Various Times

With Various Methods

Ephesians 3:10 CSB

This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.

THE RECENT, DEFINITIVE REVELATION

“In the last of these days ...”

“In the last of these days ...”

God Spoke In His Son

As Charles Spurgeon began to speak on this passage he warned about the inability of anyone to fully communicate all that was being said of Jesus in these verses. He said:

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XLV Depths and Heights (No. 2,635)

Deity is not to be explained, but to be adored; and the Sonship of Christ is to be accepted as a truth of revelation, to be apprehended by faith, though it cannot be comprehended by the understanding.

Heir of All Things

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XLV Depths and Heights (No. 2,635)

I do not think that Paul here separates the two natures, so as to speak with absolute reference to either one or the other; but he speaks of the person of Christ, and in that person there is God, and in that same person there is most surely and most truly man. But we must take this description of Jesus Christ as appointed “Heir of all things” in his person as man, and as God and man combined; for, as God alone, Christ is necessarily “Heir of all things” without any appointment; but in his complex person as God and man conjoined, the Father has appointed him to be “Heir of all things.”

Creator of All Things

Radiance of God’s Glory

Exact Representation

Sustainer of All Things

Purifier of Sins

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation I. Introduction (1:1–4)

The author has an unusual number of ways of referring to what Christ ha’s done for man: The Savior made a propitiation for sins (2:17). He put sins away so that God remembers them no more (8:12; 10:17). He bore sin (9:28), he offered a sacrifice (thysia) for sins (10:12), he made an offering (prosphora) for sin (10:18), and brought about remission of sin (10:18). He annulled sin by his sacrifice (9:26). He brought about redemption from transgressions (9:15).

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation I. Introduction (1:1–4)

The genitive “of sins” probably means that Christ took the sins away rather than that the person was cleansed “from sins.”

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XLV Depths and Heights (No. 2,635)

Is it not a wonderful thing that Christ purged our sins even before we had committed them? There they stood, before the sight of God, as already existent in all their hideousness; but Christ came, and purged them.

Finisher of our Faith

Hebrews 12:1–2 NKJV

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Much has been made about Jesus taking a seat. Spurgeon commented on the following:

This implies rest

This is the seat of honor

This is the place of safety

This signifies the eternal certainty of His reward

Inheritor of a Name

Inheritor of a Name

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation I. Introduction (1:1–4)

In antiquity “the name” meant much more than it does today. We use a name as little more than a distinguishing mark or label to differentiate one person from other people. But in the world of the NT the name concisely sums up all that a person is. One’s whole character was somehow implied in the name.

THE RESPONSE TO THE REVELATION

BELIEF

DISOBEDIENCE

John 3:36 NASB95PARA

He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

John 3:36 NASB95PARA

He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”