Hebrews 1: A Better Message
HEBREWS 1:1-14
Application: The student will evaluate the superiority of the person and message of Jesus.
AS WE CLOSED OUR RECENT STUDY OF DEUTERONOMY WE WERE GIVEN A FORESHADOW OF OUR CURRENT STUDY IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS.
DEUTERONOMY 18:18: GOD SPEAKING ABOUT MOSES
“I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”
JUST OVER 1450 YEARS LATER THIS PROPHECY CAME TRUE WHEN JESUS CHRIST CAME TO EARTH INCARNATED IN THE LIKENESS OF OUR FLESH.
JOHN 1:45:
“Philip findeth Nathanel, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the Law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth…”
JOHN BEGINS HIS GOSPEL WRITING OF THIS ARRIVAL OF THE ONE PROMISED DESCRIBING HIM AS THE WORD AND ASSURING US THAT HE WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD AND HE WAS GOD AND THAT ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM AND HE WAS LIFE ITSELF AND THE LIGHT OF MEN.
IN 1:17 JOHN PREPARES US FOR OUR BEGINNING IN HEBREWS AS HE SHOWS US HOW DIFFERENT JESUS WAS THAN MOSES.
“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
WHILE THE PROMISE WAS FULFULLED IN JESUS, AND HE WAS INDEED TO BE CONSIDERED A PROPHET AND MOSES WAS ALSO CONSIDERED A PROPHET, THE SIMILARITY ENDS THERE AS JESUS IS FAR DIFFERENT IN SCOPE AND POWER.
JESUS IS A BETTER WAY.
CHAPTER THREE WILL SPEND VERSES SHOWING THE PROOF OF THIS UNDERSTANDING OF HOW FAR MORE WORTHY JESUS IS THAN MOSES.
AS WE BEGIN CHAPTER ONE WE MUST ALSO TAKE TIME TO UNDERSTAND A PHRASE USED TO BEGIN OUR STUDY DESCRIBING HOW GOD NO LONGER SPEAKS THROUGH PROPHETS BUT ONLY THROUGH HIS SON AND HE DOES SO “IN THESE LAST DAYS”.
THAT PHRASE “IN THESE LAST DAYS” IN BIBLICAL MEANING INCLUDES THE ARRIVAL OF THE MESSIAH, HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY, HIS DEATH & RESURRECTION, THE RAPTURE, THE TRIBULATION, AND THE MILLENIAL KINGDOM TO COME, AS WELL AS THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW JERUSALEM.
IT ALSO MEANS THAT THERE IS NO LONGER ANY REASON TO EXPECT NEWER REVELATION FROM GOD TO MAN THAN THE ONE GIVEN HERE.
IT WAS NOT AN ADDITION TO THE LAW THAT CHRIST BROUGHT TO MAN BUT IT WAS GOD’S FINAL CONCLUSION AND HE ANNOUNCES IT IN THESE FEW VERSES.
THIS MATTER WAS AND REMAINS A GREAT HINDERANCE TO THE JEWS.
THEY HAVE STILL NOT ACCEPTED THAT GOD DEFERRED A FULLER REVELATION OF HIS WILL UNTIL A TIME AFTER HIS LAW. REMEMBER THAT JESUS HIMSELF REVEALED THAT HE DID NOT COME TO DESTROY THE LAW BUT TO FULFILL IT.
NOW IN HEBREWS THE SPIRIT OF GOD INVITES ALL TO COME AS FAR AS CHRIST BUT THERE WILL BE NO REASON TO GO FURTHER AS HERE RESTS THE LIMIT OF OUR WISDOM UNTIL GOD WILL BOTH REMOVE THE CHURCH AND FINALLY DEAL WITH HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.
THE MAJESTIC DESCRIPTION GIVEN NEXT PROVES THAT POINT.
HERE WE ARE SHOWN THAT IN HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, GOD HAS SPOKEN HIS FINAL MESSAGE OF SALVATION. ALL THAT IS NEEDED FOR SALVATION HAS HERE BEEN REVEALED IN HIS SON.
TO ASSURE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE WE ARE GIVEN NINE FACTORS TO DEMONSTRATE HOW SUPERIOR IS THE SON AS THE DIVINE MESSENGER OF GOD’S WILL.
HE IS HEIR OF ALL THINGS.
THE SON IS THE AGENT BY WHOM GOD CREATED THE UNIVERSE AND THE AGES OF TIME IT PASSES THROUGH.
CHRIST IS THE DIVINE FLASHING FORTH OF THE FATHER’S GLORY IN A WAY LIKE BRILLIANT SUNRAYS SHOWN TO US.
HE IS THE EXACT IMPRESSION OF GOD’S CHARACTER IN THE LIKENESS OF HUMAN FLESH. EVERY FEATURE OF GOD’S CHARACTER IS DISPLAYED IN THE SON.
BY HIS POWERFUL WORD HE UPHOLDS THE UNIVERSE AND THIS IS HOW HE CARRIES IT FORWARD TO ITS FINAL DESTINY.
HE IS FAR MORE THAN A REVEALER OF KNOWLEDGE.
HE HAS ALREADY BY HIMSELF CLEANSED AND REMOVED THE SINS OF THE BELIEVER. FAR MORE THAN COVERING SIN AS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, HE TOOK IT AWAY.
HE IS THE PROMISED REDEEMER.
HE SITS IN THE PLACE OF POWER AND RULES AS ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN.
HE ALSO ACTS AS THE FOREVER INTERCESSOR FOR MANKIND.
HE IS SUPERIOR BECAUSE OF HIS NAME WHICH IS “SON”. THIS NAME IS SUPERIOR TO THE NAME “ANGEL”.
THE REST OF CHAPTER ONE THEN ELABORATES ON THIS MESSAGE OF HOW THE SON IS SUPERIOR TO ALL ANGELS.
THE JEWS ALWAYS BELIEVED IN THE ASSISTANCE OF ANGELS IN THE GIVING OF THE LAW BY GOD.
DEUTERONOMY 33:2:
“The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints; from his right hand went a fiery law for them.”
TO PROFESSING JEWISH CHRISTIANS WHO MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO WORSHIP ANGELS AND REVERT TO JUDAISM, THE SON’S SUPERIORITY TO ANGELS WAS AN IMPORTANT MATTER.
ANGELS WERE SO PROMINENT IN ANCIENT ISRAEL’S HISTORY, ITS PEOPLE WERE TEMPTED TO WORSHIP THEM, BUT TO DO SO WOULD BE TO WORSHIP THE CREATURE INSTEAD OF THE CREATOR.
PAUL TEACHES IN THIS MATTER IN ROMANS 1:25 WHEN HE SAYS CERTAIN PEOPLE MADE THE TRUTH OF GOD A LIE BY WORSHIPPING AND SERVING THE CREATURE MORE THAN THE CREATOR.
PAUL AGAIN TEACHES THE SAME MESSAGE IN COLL 2:18 THAT DEVOTION IS NOT TO BE SHOWN TO ANGELS.
WE ALSO RECALL JOHN HIMSELF YIELDED TO THE TEMPTATION TO WORSHIP ANGELS (REV 22) AND WAS
ADMONISHED BY THE ANGEL NOT TO DO SO.
PSALM 2:7 CLEARLY SHOWS GOD PROVIDING THE TITLE “SON”
TO JESUS, A TITLE NEVER GIVEN TO ANY ANGEL.
WE KNOW FROM JOB 38:7 THAT ANGELS WERE PRESENT WHEN GOD LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD AND THERE WERE NOTED AS “SONS OF GOD” AS THEY WERE IN GENESIS 6:2, MEANING THEY BECAME HIS FAMILY JUST AS BELIEVERS DO WHEN WE ARE SAVED.
BUT NEVER WAS ANY ANGEL PROCLAIMED TO BE HIS BEGOTTEN SON AND THE FATHER MADE THIS FACT KNOWN AND CLEAR AT HIS BAPTISM AND AT HIS TRANSFIGURATION, SPEAKING FROM HEAVEN HIS WILL THAT ALL MANKIND SHOULD HEAR AND KNOW JESUS WAS HIS BELOVED SON.
VERSE 6 FURTHER CONFIRMS THIS TEACHING AS IN THIS VERSE THE SON IS CALLED THE “FIRSTBEGOTTEN”.
PAUL EXPLAINS IN COLL 1:18 THAT THIS MEANS JESUS WAS THE “FIRSTBORN OF THE DEAD”.
JOHN WROTE THE SAME THOUGHT IN REVELATION 1:5.
BOTH ARE SPEAKING OF THE RESURRECTION.
ONE VERSE BEFORE GOD REFERS TO THE SON AS “BEGOTTEN”, IN A QUOTE FROM PSALM 2:7.
THE STATEMENT REFERS THERE NOT TO A PHYSICAL BIRTH BUT RATHER IT POINTS TO A POSITION OF RANK.
GOD LATER RECONFIRMS THIS TEACHING IN PSALM 89:27:
“Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.”
HERE THE TERM HE IS “SUPREME IN RANK” RATHER THAN FIRST IN TIME.
PSALMS MAKES THE POINT THAT GOD WILL MAKE THE MESSIAH HIGHER THAN ALL OTHER EARTHLY KINGS WHILE HEBREWS BRINGS A SIMILAR MESSAGE AS TO HIS BEING SUPERIOR TO ANGELS.
VERSE 1:7 BRINGS ANOTHER QUOTE FROM PSALMS (104:4)
AND BRINGS THE DEFINITION OF ANGELS AS THE MESSENGERS AND MINISTERS OF GOD. THEY ARE BEINGS CREATED TO PERFORM HIS SERVICE AND DO HIS BIDDING.
THE PSALMIST LIKENS THEM TO WIND AND FLAMES STRESSING THE SERVICE OF ANGELS TO THE LORD.
IN VERSES 8 & 9 THE SON’S POSITION OVER THE ANGELS IS REFLECTED FROM PSALM 45:6-7.
THIS PSALM SPEAKS OF THE GOD-MAN, THE SON JESUS.
HE WAS TO COME FROM THE HOUSE OF DAVID A DYNASTY WHICH GOD CREATED AS A COVENANT IN 2ND SAMUEL 7:13-14.
THIS COVENANT WOULD ONLY BE FULFILLED IN JESUS THE MESSIAH.
IN PSALM 45 THE MESSIAH IS DESIGNATED AS GOD.
HE IS PROMISED AN ETERNAL THRONE.
HIS RULE IS DESCRIBED AS JUST.
HE IS PORTRAYED AS ONE WHO IS PERSONALLY COMMITTED TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, ANOINTED ROYALLY AND CROWNED WITH JOY.
LATER IN HEBREWS 12:2 DESCRIBES THE WAY IN WHICH JOY COMES TO THE MESSIAH, WHICH IS THROUGH HIS SUFFERING.
PETER TEACHES US IN 1ST PETER 1:8 THAT BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN ENDOWED WITH GLORIOUS JOY BUT THE JOY BROUGHT BY SHARING IN THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST IS EVEN GREATER.
PETER SAYS: “Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
VERSES 10 & 11 PROVIDE US WITH A FAR DEEPER UNDERSTANDING.
CONSISTENT WITH THE WRITER’S CONTINUAL USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WE SEE THAT HE UNDERSTOOD JESUS IS GOD AND USES PASSAGES WHICH SPEAK OF JEHOVAH IN SPEAKING ABOUT JESUS.
WHO ELSE BUT THE SON IS BOTH CREATOR AND LORD?
IN CONTRAST TO THE CREATION OF THE ANGELS, HE IS THE ETERNAL AND UNCHANGING SON.
HE EXISTED BEFORE THE UNIVERSE BECAUSE HE CREATED IT.
IT IS NOT EVERLASTING WHILE HE IS.
THE UNIVERSE IS AFFECTED BY AGING AND IS SAID TO BE LIKE A FRAGILE GARMENT SUSCEPTIBLE TO DECAY AND CHANGE WHILE JESUS IS ETERNAL AND WILL NOT CHANGE.
SINCE HE IS GOD THERE IS NO REASON TO PUZZLE OR WONDER WHY CREATED BEINGS LIKE ANGELS WILL BOW DOWN & WORSHIP HIM, CONFESSING HIM AS GOD.
IN THE REVELATION JOHN WAS WARNED TWICE BY ANGELS NOT TO SHOW WORSHIP TOWARD ANY ANGEL BUT TO ONLY WORSHIP GOD, WHICH IS CHRIST.
IN VERSE 13 THE WRITER FINALLY EMPLOYS WHAT SEEMS TO BE HIS FAVORITE OT PASSAGE, PSALM 110:1.
THE QUESTION IS ASKED:
TO WHAT ANGEL DID JEHOVAH EVER OFFER THE PLACE OF FAVOR AND BLESSING IN ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY OVER HIS CONQUERED ENEMIES?
TO WHAT ANGEL WAS THE OFFICE OF KING IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MESSIAH EVER GIVEN?
CLEARLY THIS PASSAGE WAS IN MIND BACK IN VERSE 3 WHEN THE SON WAS DESCRIBED AS HAVING “SAT DOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE MAJESTY ON HIGH”.
VERSE 14 PROVIDES OUR FINAL TOUCH TO THE ARGUMENT OUR WRITER HAS MADE.
ANGELS ARE NOT EQUAL TO NOR SUPERIOR TO JESUS CHRIST.
THEY ARE SENT OUT CONTINUALLY TO SERVE HUMAN BEINGS WHO ARE DESTINED TO INHERIT SALVATION GIVEN BY GOD.
ALL OUR VERSES 4 THROUGH 14 SHOW THE SUPERIOR POSITION OF JESUS TO ANGELS BECAUSE OF SEVEN SPECIFIC REASONS:
GOD HAS DESIGNATED HIM INDIVIDUALLY AS HIS SON IN ALL POWER BY HIS RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.
ANGELS ARE COMMANDED TO WORSHIP THE SON.
HE IS GOD INCARNATED ONLY TEMPORARILY IN THE LIKENESS OF HUMAN FLESH.
HE IS ETERNAL AND UNCHANGING.
HE IS PERSONALLY RIGHTEOUS AND IS TO BE ABSOLUTE RULER IN THE FINAL KINGDOM.
HE IS THE CREATOR.
HE IS SEATED SECURELY AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER, AWAITING THE TIME OF HIS SECOND COMING WHICH WILL BE IN POWER NOT AS A HUMBLE SERVANT.
OUR LAST VERSE (14) HAS OUR LAST QUESTION WHICH IS ARE NOT ANGELS MINISTERING SPIRITS WHO ARE SENT FORTH TO MINISTER FOR THEM WHO WILL BE HEIRS OF SALVATION?
THE ANSWER IS CLEARLY YES!
WE CLOSE THIS STUDY STOP WITH A FEW THOUGHTS GIVEN US ON THIS POSITION OF ANGELS AS TO WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DO, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY A FEW CLEAR EXAMPLES THAT ALREADY CONFIRM VERSE 14 FOR US IN PRIOR SCRIPTURE.