Hebrews 1

Hebrews 1:1

Hebrews opens with the name of its Authornot Apollos, not Luke, not Paulbut God. God did indeed speak in times past in many ways… The psalmist writes that the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalms 19). Paul makes it clear that not only creation around, but also conscience within every man verifies the existence of God (Romans 1). Throughout Scripture, angels have attested to the reality of God. Prophets have spoken clearly and unmistakably of God’s verity. Yet in none of these wayscreation above, conscience within, angels from on high, prophets in our midstwas the message complete. It was not comprehensible. It was difficult to grasp. So God sent His Son, His final Word to humanity. There’s nothing more to be said. There’s nothing left unsaid. It’s all said in Christ. Well, then, you wonder, why didn’t God just send His Son in the first place? Why did He bother with the lengthy process of sending prophets, of speaking through creation? Why didn’t He just send Jesus immediately? I suggest our pride is the answer. “Now, Father, You didn’t have to send Your Son,” we would have said. “We could have figured You out by looking at the stars. Or if You would have just blessed a prophet, we would have gotten Your message from Him. Or surely an angel would have been sufficient.” It’s almost as though the Father has to constantly let us play out all of our options before we realize our stupidity, before we say, “We’re sinners. We’re not capable of figuring things out. Father, we need Jesus.” You see, had we not gone through the entire process in human history, I believe we would be arguing perpetually. “Oh, Father, You didn’t have to become a Man and dwell among us. And You certainly didn’t have to die for us. You could have just given us ten rules, and we could have lived by them.” That’s the tendency of humanityto feel like we can do it. So God has to allow history to unfold in such a way that we see we are losers, failures, blockheads, idiotsuntil finally we say, “We’re stuck. We need Your Son to dwell among us. We need a Savior to die for us. We need Jesus.” Jesus Is the Inheritor The Father has willed everything to the Son, and we are His inheritance (Eph_1:11). This explains the parable Jesus told in Matthew 13 about a man who walked through a field, found a treasure, and bought the field in order to take out the treasure. What is that parable about? It’s not about us selling everything to buy the treasure of the gospel. No, for in an earlier parable in the same chapter, Jesus says the field is the world. Jesus bought the world with His own blood. Why? Because He wanted the world? No, because He wanted the treasure. What is the treasure? We are. We are His inheritance. Amazing! Jesus Is the Creator People get confused. They say, “Genesis 1 says that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, but John 1 says that without the Son nothing was made that was made. So who created the earththe Father or the Son?” I suggest you think of creation this way: The Father as the Architect (Gen_1:1), the Son as the Contractor (Joh_1:1), and the Holy Spirit as the Carpenter (Gen_1:2). The analogy is far from perfect, but the fact is all three Persons of the Godhead were involved in the creative process. Creation occurred from the Father, by the Son, through the Holy Spirit. God Has Spoken A Topical Study of Heb_1:1-2 Ingmar Bergman, the famous Swedish filmmaker of a generation ago, writes in his autobiography the story behind one of his most critically acclaimed and successful pictures. He tells of how one day, discouraged and depressed, he found himself strolling into a large cathedral. Inside, he saw a stained-glass window depicting the Good Shepherd. “Talk to me. Talk to me,” he said to the window. But the cathedral remained silent. Bergman walked out, went back to his room, and began to write the script for a movie called “The Silence"a film that captured the attention of his day due to its portrayal of despairing, depressed people who hear only silence from God. Does God really speakin my situation, in my depression, in my consternation? Like Bergman, most people today say God doesn’t speak. But our text shouts out, “Yes, He does!” How? Four ways. Creation Around Us Johannes Kepler, the father of modern astronomy, the man who coined the word “satellite” and wrote the foundational Planetary Law Of Motion, said this: “Any astronomer who is undevout is mad.” Truly, when you study the heavens, the cosmos, the galaxies, you have no choice but to be impressed with the necessity, the reality of a Creator. This ball we’re sitting on right now is spinning at the rate of 100,000 mph. As it’s spinning, it’s moving around the sun at 67,000 mph, while the sun itself is moving at 64,000 mph. And the whole galaxy in which the sun and planets are moving is speeding through space at 450,000 mph. Multiply that, and you come to 1,350,000 mph. No wonder your hair won’t stay in place! While all this is happening, there are multiplied billions of other stars and multiplied millions of other galaxies also moving in all directions. Who keeps the whole thing from colliding? Kepler was right. There has to be an Orderer. God does, indeed, speak through creation (Psalms 19). Yet the message sometimes seems contradictory, for although the stars overhead are magnificent, down here where we stand, the earth quakes, hurricanes rage, and volcanoes erupt. Yes, nature is beautiful and serenebut it can also be brutal and severe. Why? Because when Adam fell, creation was affected as well (Rom_8:22). Consequently, while it’s true that God speaks through creation around us, the message is seemingly inconsistent. Prophets Among Us God told the prophet Ezekiel to chop off his hair and burn it in a fire and to lie on his side without moving for one thousand days. Malachi came on the scene not with bizarre actions, but with many questions. Amos came with a straightahead, in-your-face approach. Zechariah had apocalyptic visions and dreams. And God used each of these men to achieve His purpose. Yet if creation’s message is inconsistent, the prophet’s message is incomprehensible, for even the prophets themselves did not fully understand what they were saying (1Pe_1:9-12). You see, on one hand, they talked about the Messiah who would come to rule and reign with a rod of iron. On the other hand, they talked about the same Messiah being despised and rejected. They prophesied of suffering and glory but couldn’t put it all together. Thus, their message was often incomprehensible. Conscience Within Us The third way God speaks is through the conscience within every man that tells us innately and intuitively that there must be a God (Romans 1). But people suppress this knowledge. Why? Because, according to 1Pe_4:2, men don’t want to acknowledge there is a God lest they are forced to obey Him. And even to those who do listen to their conscience, what they hear can be confusing, as Satan accuses us continually (Rev_12:10). Thus, our conscience plays tricks on us. We can repress it, it can be seared by our own stubbornness, and Satan can employ it to cause confusion within us. Consequently, we have a problem. God speaks through creation around usbut the message is seemingly inconsistent. He speaks through prophets among usbut what we hear is at times incomprehensible. He speaks through conscience within usbut the signal is somewhat inconclusive. So what did God do? He solved the problem through Incarnation. The message became the Messenger. And the Messenger was the message. God became one of us. I see them coming, marching rather orderly up the steps. The ants are definitely headed this way. “Slow down,” I say. “Back off. Run! I know after third service, the boys will bring the vacuums out, and you’ll be sucked up and cast into outer darkness. You’ll go into that black bag, where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of ant teeth. Turn away! Flee while you can!” But not a single ant heeds my warning. Why? Because I’m so big they don’t even acknowledge my presence. So I go backstage and start flicking the lights on and off. Thus, the heavens declare to them that someone is masterfully working the controls. But the ants just look up and don’t get it. So I grab a couple of them and say, “You have to speak to your brothers. You have to tell them that a vacuum is on the way and that destruction is imminent. But even these prophet ants don’t clearly understand my message. My next plan is to hope that maybe some of them will come to their senses and their consciences will stir them to see that they belong not in the sanctuary, but outside. Some do, and they say, “You know, guys, we really shouldn’t be in here.” “Oh, come on,” the others say. “That’s old-fashioned.” So I see I have only one option left to bring about their salvation: I need to become one of them. As an ant, I need to go into their midst and say, “Listen, guys. I know where I’m coming from. I know what happens in this sanctuary on Sunday afternoon. I’m the boss. You’re going to get sucked up. But if you follow me, I know where the back door is. I’ll lead you to salvation.” That is the IncarnationGod becoming Man, the Word becoming flesh. The Son Sent to Us The fourth way, the final way, the full way God speaks is in His Son sent to us. God has spoken in His Son. There’s nothing more to say. When Peter John and I were in Washington D.C. a number of years ago, we saw some original Rembrandts on display in the National Gallery of Art. Now, if, thinking the paintings needed a little more color, we started to spray them with red, green, and orange paint, we would have been arrested immediately. “What in the world were you doing?” I would no doubt have been asked. “I was adding a little color, a little sparkle to the masterpieces,” I could have answered. “You’re crazy!” I would have been told. “Those are masterpieces, completed works, finished.” So, too, the masterpiece of all that God wanted to say, needed to say, intended to say was said when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God has spoken. Therefore, Mormons who say, “Call our 800 number in Salt Lake City for another gospel,” Jehovah’s Witnesses who say, “We’ll send you our magazine that will show you that in 1914 more was added to the gospel message,” New-Agers who say, “God speaks through crystals and pyramids,” and even Christians who say, “There must be more"all miss the point completely, for God said, “I have spoken perfectly. I have spoken completely. I have spoken fully in the Person of My Son. All you will ever need to know you’ll know by looking at Him, focusing on Him, and learning of Him.” What does this mean? Understanding God’s Word You’ll never be a good Bible teacher until you realize that God speaks in His Son. In Genesis 3, after Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God said, “Adam, where art thou?” How is this to be read? Was God like an angry policeman, searching for Adam in order to bust him because of his sin? Such is what a lot of Bible teachers would have us believe. But seen through the Son, this account must be viewed differently, for in another garden, the Garden of Gethsemane, we see Jesus calling His worst enemy “Friend” (Mat_26:50). Now if Jesus called Judasa far more despicable character than Adam"Friend,” certainly when God called to Adam in the Garden of Eden, it wasn’t as an angry cop, but as a loving Father. Gang, you will never understand the Old Testament, Paul’s epistles, or the Revelation of John if you don’t understand the language in which they were written. And the language is “in the Son.” This is where Bible teachers and students really miss the boat in many cases. They let the apostle Paul or the prophets interpret Jesus. Wrong. Jesus interprets the law. Jesus interprets Paul.

Jesus interprets the Old Testament prophets. If you want the Bible to have a full message and if you want to share it effectively, you’ve got to understand that it’s written in the Son. That’s the key to unlocking the whole Bible. Any interpretation of any passage of Scripture that contradicts the nature of the Son as seen in the gospels is amiss. But those who look at everything in the Word through the lens of Jesus will be amazed at how clear the Word becomes. Understanding God’s Ways Knowing God speaks in His Son affects not only my understanding of His Word but also my understanding of His ways. As I look at Jesus Christ, God’s Final Word, I see He had compassion on the lame man. I see Him defending a blind man. And I see Him healing them both. So to those who wonder why cancer, Alzheimer’s, or even the flu is besetting them, I say that in the fullness of time God sent forth His Son (Gal_4:4). And in the fullness of timeat just the right timeHe will heal all who come to Him. That “right time” might be today. It might be next month. It might be ten years from now. It might not be until they’re in heaven. But all of His children will be healed ultimately. Therefore, to the one dealing with pain, I say, “I don’t know why you’re still struggling with that disease or that infirmity, but in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son. And He’s going to do it again in your situation. You’ll see.” Truly, I understand God’s ways if I look at the Son, for I never hear Jesus say, “Your lack of faith is the reason you’re not healed.” I never hear Jesus say, “Your great sin is the reason for your condition.” I never hear Him say many of the things I hear from too many pulpits and preachers who speak a language other than the language of the Son. Understanding God’s Will God has spoken. Everything you need to know about any financial, vocational, or relational situation has already been addressed. Where? In the Son. The answer to any question is packed into twenty-five pages called the Gospels. Grab Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. Study the life of the Son, and you will find God’s will for every situation. “But I just wish God would speak to me,” we blubber. “I wish I could hear Him audibly.” In Exodus 19, God did speak audibly. Thunder boomed. A mountain shook. Smoke bellowed. And the people said, “You go talk to Him, Moses. Tell us what He’s saying, and we’ll do it. But if we talk to Him, we’ll die!” So two thousand years later, God said, “I’ll speak againnot on Mount Sinai, but on Mount Calvary. The people won’t die. I will.” Gang, when you come to a crossroads of wondering what God’s will is, look at Calvary and be reminded once again that if God loved you enough to die for you, there is no doubt He will do what’s best for you. “Why aren’t I hearing from God?” people ask. “I’m going to prayer meetings. I’m reading lots of good books. I’m reading the Bible.” The answer could be they’re not listening for Him through the Son. Amazed to be standing in the presence of the miracle-worker and the lawgiver on the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter said, “Let’s build booths for Elijah and Mosesand one for Jesus, too.” But God interrupted Peter and said of Jesus, “This is My beloved Son. Hear ye Him.” And when Peter looked around, he “saw no man save Jesus only” (see Mat_17:8)for as vital as the law and the prophets might be, they are inconsequential in comparison to the Word made flesh. Therefore, as you study the Law and the Prophets, the Gospels and the Epistles, look for Jesus in every passage. For truly in these last days, God has spoken. He has spoken in His Son.

Hebrews 1:3

Jesus Is the Radiator A reflector is something that bounces light off itself. For example, the moon is a reflector of the glory of the sun. When you see the moon, you’re not seeing its own light. You’re seeing a reflection of the sun. Not so with Jesus, for He not only reflects the glory of the Father, but He radiates the glory of the Father. That is why there is neither sun nor moon in heaven. Jesus is the Radiator. He’s all the light we need. Jesus Is the Representer The literal translation of the term “express image” refers to the method used to imprint coins in biblical times, whereby a piece of metal would be pounded against a stamp of the head of Caesar, making an “express image.” Although the stamp and the coin were two separate entities, both bore the same image. “Show us the Father and it will suffice us,” said Philip. “Don’t you understand that he who hath seen me hath seen the Father?” answered Jesus (see Joh_14:9). In other words, “I’m the express image.” Jesus Is the Sustainer What holds the atomthe very building block of all mattertogether? Nothing other than Jesus Christ and His Word. What’s going to hold your marriage together, your parenting, your sanitywhat’s going to keep your world from falling apart? Only one thing: the Word of His power. The phrase “by himself” is interesting. It means two things: It means through Himself, that is, with His own body, Jesus purged my sins. But it also means He alone purged my sins. The Hebrew Christians to whom this book is addressed would know that on the Day of Atonement, the high priest alone made sacrifice for the sins of the entire nation. The Levitical high priest expended great energy. Yet that was nothing compared to the energy expended when our High Priest, Jesus Christ, gave His entire life in order to purify me from my sin. Jesus Is Our Ruler What does He do on the right hand of the Majesty on high? Rom_8:34 says He prays for you and me. Thus, His rule over us is based on His intercession on behalf of us. Meditate on any one of these seven traits of the incomparable Christ and your view of Him will be changed… In C. S. Lewis’ book The Chronicles of Narnia, when Lucy finally sees Aslan the Liona picture of the Lion of Judah, Jesus Christshe cries, “Aslan! Aslan! You’ve grown so much bigger.” “No, Lucy, you’ve grown so much biggerand the bigger you grow, the bigger I’ll seem to you,” replied Aslan. Gang, the older we get, the smaller our heroesbe they sports figures, Santa Claus, or Disney charactersbecome. Not so with the Lord. The longer I walk with Him, the more I think on Him, the more I learn of Him, unlike anything else in this world, He just gets bigger in my eyes. Holding Your World Together A Topical Study of Heb_1:3 In the second verse of the first chapter of this glorious letterwritten to Jewish believers who were being drawn back into the rules and regulations of Judaismwe read that Jesus is the “heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds.” That is, Jesus is not only the Inheritor of all things but also the Creator of all things as well. You see, when God created everything, He did so by divine fiat. What is divine fiat? The word “fiat” simply means “spoken command.” Translated literally, for example, “Let there be light” in Hebrew reads, “Light be, light was.” Thus, God spoke the worlds into existence via the Word. Who is the Word? Jesus (Joh_1:1). God spoke the worlds into existence through His Son, by His Son, and for His Son. In our text, I find something that intrigues me further, for not only is Jesus the Creator, He’s the Sustainer. He holds everything together by the word of His power. When you look at creation, you encounter a major problem because, according to Coulomb’s Law of Electricity, the positive-charged protons within the atomfrom which all matter is composedshould repel each other. As a fourth-grader, I proved Coulomb’s Law of Electricity when I bought two little plastic dogsone black, one whitein a souvenir shop in San Francisco. Due to the magnets glued to their feet, I could push them around the table and, faced one way, they would chase each other. But if I turned them the other waythat is, if the positive sides of the magnets faced each other, although I could flex my fourth-grade muscles and summon the energy to hold those two little dogs together, if I let go, they would push away from each other. I have proven Coulomb’s Law personally. You have too. Every person in here knows magnets have the tendency to push away from each other. But on a larger scale, if you put a tablespoon full of positive charges on the North Pole, and a tablespoon of positive charges on the South Pole, the repellent force even at that distance would be so great that it would take thirty thousand tons of pressure on each of those tablespoons to keep them from pushing away from each other. So, too, it takes a tremendously powerful force to keep the protons in the nucleus of the atom from repelling each other. How powerful? Those who survived Hiroshima or Nagasaki know because the principle of the atom bomb is to upset the nucleus of the atom, thereby releasing a force so powerful that it results in an atomic explosion of unbelievable proportion. Everything we see is made up of atoms that, in turn, are made up of protons that want to repel each other. Yet something is holding it all together. Baffled by what it is that keeps the positive-charged protons packed together in the nucleus of the atom, scientists have coined a term to describe this mysterious force. They call it “atomic glue.” In Colossians 1, we’ll see what this atomic glue actually is… And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Col_1:17) There it is. Jesus creates everything, and He is the atomic glue that holds everything together. “Thanks, Jon,” you may be saying, “but I didn’t come for a lecture on the atomic structure, Coulomb’s Law, or your fourth-grade science experiment.” Listen, gang, there is no verse of Scripture more practical for you and me than the one before us presently because Jesus not only holds all things together physically by the power of His WordHe holds all things together personally and practically as well. Let me explain… During a retreat several years ago, a couple of guys cornered me and said, “Jon, if we had to go through what you went through in this past year, we couldn’t have done it. Our worlds would have fallen apart. We would have been blown away.” “I hear you,” I said to them. “But you’re failing to factor in one key component to the equation: He holds all things together by the word of His powernot only the world we walk on physically, but the world we walk through emotionally.” Truly, if I didn’t have the Word, my life would be scattered, blown away, disorganized, formless, and wiped out. And so would yours. Life is full of difficulties and challenges, tragedies and trials for every one of us. But there’s a mysterious force at work that holds us together because all things are held together by the Word of His power. Consequently, our lives will be held together to the degree we are centered and focused on His Word. The Word of God’s power and the power of His Word are perhaps seen nowhere more clearly than in the longest chapter in the Bible: Psalms 119… Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.Psa_119:2 The psalmist declares that blessed, or happy, is the man who keeps the Word. Therefore, if a person is depressed or defeated, it is usually because he is not in the Word. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.Psa_119:7 “Uprightness of heart” literally means “fervency of heart.” Who will praise the Lord fervently? The one who learns His righteous judgments, His Word. “Do we have to sing another praise song?” some ask. People who don’t like to worship are people who are not in the Word. Get into the Word and you can’t help but discover the nature, the character, and the goodness of God, which will, in turn, create in you a heart overflowing with praise. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.Psa_119:9, Psa_119:11 The only way for a young man to cleanse his ways is to be in the Word. If your world is falling apart because of sin, temptations, habits, or addictions, there’s something better than a nicotine patch or an AA meeting. Get into the Word and let the Word get into you, for therein is power. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.Psa_119:15 “I don’t understand what’s happening. What’s God doing? Where is He when I call out to Him?” we snivel and whine. People who are not in the Word will not understand His ways. But if you meditate in His precepts, you see a bigger picture framed by the future of eternity and the past of Calvary. Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.Psa_119:24 You can spend fifty dollars an hour on a psychiatrist for psychiatric counselor you can spend fifteen dollars on a Bible and get the greatest counsel you’ll ever receive. “But the Bible’s so big,” people complain. “There’s too much to read.” Listen, the Bible can be read aloud from cover to cover in seventy-one hours. That’s only twelve-and-a-half minutes a day for one year. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.Psa_119:27 Here’s a verse for those who don’t know what to talk about when you get together with other believers, for those of you who are shy. If you’re in the Word, you’ll always have something to talk about because there’s so much within its pages to ponder, to think through, and to share. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.Psa_119:37 The word translated “vanity” literally means “emptiness.” How can you turn your eyes from emptiness? Read your Bible. If you’re reading your Bible, you won’t be watching junk on the screen because the two just don’t mix. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.Psa_119:42 You can answer those who accuse, question, or argue with you if you trust in the Word. I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.Psa_119:46 I can talk about the Word boldly to a king, to my boss, or to anyone else because it makes so much sense. It’s pragmatic. It’s practical. It’s powerful. It’s unassailable. My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.Psa_119:48 Who are those people who so expressively lift their hands to the Lord? They are those who have seen the goodness and grace of God. They are those who have been in the Word. Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.Psa_119:54 Is there a funeral dirge in your heart today? This verse says the Word of Godwill put a song in your heart as an accompaniment to your earthly pilgrimage. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.Psa_119:71 It’s good for me to be afflicted, writes the psalmist, because it is then that I get back into the Word. When times are easy, we usually don’t take the time to search God’s mind or to hear His heart. It’s in affliction, difficulty, or problems that we tend to open the Scriptures much more. They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.Psa_119:74 What’s the key to popularity? It doesn’t lie in any man-made program or theory. The Scriptures declare those who hope in the Word make people glad because they have something substantial to say. Whatever the conversation, their perspective is based on a biblical foundation. Thus, their insights are rich and solid. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.Psa_119:89 Fads come and go. Politicians are here today and gone in November. But the Word remains unchangeable, immutable. This Book is not going out of print, gang. It will never be out of style. It will never need revision. It’s settled. You can build your life upon it with confidence. It will bless you. It will keep your life together. The Word is settled forever and ever. Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.Psa_119:92 Without the Word, we would perish in the afflictions of life. Nothing would make sense. Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.Psa_119:104 The best way to identify a cultist is not to study the cult, but to be in the Word because then when a cultist knocks on your door or tries to sell you his magazine, you’ll know what he’s saying doesn’t ring true. Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.Psa_119:114 Lord, You’re my safety and my security because of the Scripture You’ve given to me. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.Psa_119:130 The word “simple” literally means “stupid.” We qualify, gang! The Word gives understanding to the simple or stupid, unlearned or uneducated. Thus, you are wiser and smarter than any professor on any university campus who doesn’t believe in the Word and doesn’t walk according to the light of the Word. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.Psa_119:136 Do you want compassion for those who are lost? The psalmist found himself weeping for those who were without the Word. Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.Psa_119:165 Why shall no one offend those who are in the Word? Because students of the Word see things from an entirely different perspective. They realize it’s not people, but spiritual forces that are the problem (Eph_6:12). They know that even if people throw rocks at them, the Lord has allowed it in order to produce humility within them. Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.Psa_119:69 Prayer makes sense when it’s enveloped in the Word. Prayer and the Word go hand in hand. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.Psa_119:171 I am so very thankful the Lord has given us this Word. Without it, our lives would be frazzled. Without it, we would be blown apart emotionally. Without it, we would be lost. Precious people, Jesus is the Sustainer not only of the physical world, but of your soul. Keep reading your Bible. Keep studying the Scriptures. Your life will be held together to the extent that you are in the Wordfor truly all things are upheld by the Word of His power. Heaven Ain’t that Far Away A Topical Study of Heb_1:3 The central message of the Book of Hebrews is “Consider Jesus.” In the first half of Heb_1:2, consider why He came. That is, He is God’s final word. Then, in the second half of verse Heb_1:2 and on into verse Heb_1:3, we see who He is through seven characteristics of the incomparable Christ. In the text before us, the author continues to consider Jesus… Where He Is …when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high…Heb_1:3 (b) If you were in the sandals of the Hebrew Christians to whom this book was written, this statement would be shocking, even scandalous. Why? Because the priests in the tabernacle and the temple never sat down. If you went into either place, you would see the brass altar, the laver, the table of showbread, the altar of incense, the golden candlestick, the ark of the covenantbut not a single chair because the work of a priest was never done. You see, the sacrifices made by the priests could never take away sin. That’s why they had to be offered again and again. Yet this Man, Jesus, the High Priest, sits down. Why? Because when He cried, “It is finished,” on the Cross, it meant the work was done. Thus, when He went to heaven, He sat downnot out of exhaustion, nor out of frustration, but out of complete and total relaxation, knowing the price had been paid for all of our sinspast, present and future. What He’s Doing Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.Heb_7:25 What’s our Great High Priest doing? He’s talking to the Father about your situation. Think with me about the intercessory ministry of Jesus… Only hours away from His crucifixion, looking at Peter, Jesus said, “Simon, Satan has desired to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you. And when you get through this trial, strengthen the brothers” (see Luk_22:31-32). In other words, “Satan desires to rip you apart, to wipe you out, to do you in. But I have prayed for you and when you get throughand you will get throughhelp others.” In Php_1:6, the promise is given to us that He who has begun a good work in us will continue to perform it until the end. It’s a done deal. Jesus is not pacing. He’s sitting in heaven, talking over your situation with the Father with complete confidence that He will see you through ultimately, completely and totally. That’s His ministry… There I am at what used to be Candlestick Park. The Niners are playing the Cowboys. It’s a close game. The battle has been brutal. The score has seesawed back and forth. With time running out in the fourth quarter, the Niners are trailing by six.

There’s sixty yards to go to score. Steve Young calls the play, sets the team down, takes the snap, drops back. Deep, deep goes Jerry Rice, and running alongside him step for step is Neon Deion Sanders. Rice runs a perfect post pattern. He breaks awaybut Sanders catches up. The ball is in the air.

It’s a beautiful pass. Both men go up for it; both have their hands on it. They come down, and it looks like Jerry Rice has itbut what’s this? We can’t believe what we’re seeing as a little red flag comes out of the hip pocket of the referee. We stand to our feet in anxiety. Who’s it against?

The referee makes the call against Sanders! The Niners win! Later on that evening, my wife, Tammy, and I watch highlights of the game on CNN. I see Steve Young’s pass. I see Sanders and Rice both go for it. I see Rice come down. I see the flag dropyet I am totally at rest. Why? Because I know the outcome. So does our Lord. He knows how it’s all going to come out. He promises to see us through. He will complete that which He’s begun. That’s why He can say, “When you make it through, strengthen others.” Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Fatherbut He’s not always seated… When Stephen began preaching about the reality of Jesus Christ, the crowd became so incensed that people began throwing rocks at him. And as the stones begin to strike him, Stephen said, “I see heaven opening and the Son of God standing” (Act_7:56). I would have thought it would have been just the opposite. I would have thought Jesus would stand as we go through life. Then, when we finally get to heaven, He would say, “Whew. You made it. I can sit down now.” But, as is true in all areas of spiritual life, Jesus does just the opposite of what I would do. He’s sitting down when we’re going through life because He’s sure we’re going to make it. But when we get to heaven, He stands up to welcome us, saying, “Enter into My joy!” Here’s the challenge for me: I tend to think, Well, somewhere way up there beyond the blue, the Lord is sitting at the right hand of the Father, thinking about me, interceding for me. But I suggest to you that nothing could be further from the truth. Think with me… Scientists have been telling us for a number of years that atoms are composed primarily of space. In fact, if I were to squeeze out all the space between the nucleus of the atoms and the electrons within your own body, you would be reduced to the size of a speck of dust. That’s why scientists say it is theoretically very possible that there could be an entirely different material world in this place right now that we can’t see or hear. In other words, a tree could be growing through the roof of the sanctuary right now if the space of its atoms coincided with the solid part of the atoms of everything we see. Theoretically, then, due to the fact that if a single atom here in Jacksonville was enlarged to the size of a basketball, its electron, proportionately, would be in Philadelphiathere would be ample space for people, trains, planes, even armies to pass through our midst unnoticed. What does this have to do with the ministry of Jesus, with Him praying for me, with Him being seated at God’s right hand? Everything. You see, Jesus said something radical when He said that the kingdom of God is among you (Luk_17:21). The word translated “among” is entos in Greeka word referring to location. Thus, Jesus said the kingdom of God is not out there beyond the blue. It’s among you right here, right now. “But, Jon,” you protest, “haven’t you always taught that when the Rapture comes, Jesus will come in the clouds?” Yes, but I suggest we’re looking at clouds in the wrong way. Heb_12:1 says we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. Who are these witnesses? Hebrews 11 identifies them as Abraham, Moses, Samson, Gideon, Jephthahthe heroes of faith. So perhaps when Jesus comes, it won’t be in a nimbus or a cumulus cloud. It will be, as Jude says, with ten thousand saints, in a cloud of witnesses. Where are these witnesses right now? They’re not “out there.” They’re right here. Ask Gehazi… “Master, we’re in trouble,” he cried. “The Syrians are surrounding our city. His master, a man of miracles named Elisha, prayed the Lord would open Gehazi’s eyes. When He did, Gehazi said, “Whoa! There are angels everywhereand they’re surrounding the Syrians” (see 2 Kings 6). You see, angels were there all along. It’s just that Gehazi was allowed to see a different dimension. “Things like that only happen in the Old Testament,” you say. Turn, then, to 1 Corinthians 11, where Paul says, “When you come together in worship meetings where gifts are flowing, where the body is interacting, be careful about certain issues because angels are present in the midst of the congregation.” Why don’t we see them? Because they’re in a different dimension. The cloud of witnesses, heroes of faith, loved ones who have gone ahead of us are not way out there. They’re surrounding us. Could it be, then, that when we die or go to be with the Lord in the event called the Rapture, we don’t go somewhere way out there? Could it be that we simply step into the next dimension? Ask Peter, James, and John. Jesus gave them a sneak preview of the coming dimension when, on the Mount of Transfiguration, they suddenly saw Elijah and Moses in their midst. Like Gehazi before them, they were allowed to see into a different dimension and thereby made aware of the fact that Elijah and Moses were present, although unseen previously. If this is true, if heaven’s just stepping into a different dimension and it’s right herewhat does this mean to me? It means when I pray to my faithful friend, my High Priest, Jesus Christ, I’m not saying, “Hello-lo-lo. Can You hear me way up there-ere-ere?” No, the Lord is not somewhere way beyond the blue. He is with us always (Mat_28:20). The kingdom of heaven is among us. The great cloud of witnesses are presently around us. Ministering spirits are in the midst of us. Jesus Himself is in the midst of the congregation. And all of a sudden I realize that heaven isn’t that far awaynot only because we’ll be there soon chronologically, but also because the kingdom surrounds us presently. I don’t see it because, like Paul, I see through a glass darkly (1Co_13:12). And, like Gehazi, I can’t see what’s going on. But I understand there is a dimension of the kingdom round about me, and I know with certainty that the Lord is seated at the right hand of the Father, at rest, praying for me. And He’s praying for you, too.

Hebrews 1:4

According to Deu_33:2, it would seem as though when Moses received the law on Mount Sinai, it was given to him by God through angelsperhaps thousands of angels. Certainly that’s what the Jewish people have always believed. Thus, due to their high esteem of the law, the Jews esteemed angels highly as well. Yet here the Book of Hebrews makes it clear that Jesus is superior to the angels. There are those who will knock on your door and say that Jesus Christ is not ultimately superior to the angels, but that He is one of the angels… Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus is the brother of the archangel Michael. But it’s absolute heresynot because we’re splitting doctrinal hairs, but because if, like angels, Jesus Christ was created by the Father, it greatly cheapens the sacrifice God made on the Cross of Calvary. If Jesus is not God of very God, then God merely sent an angel to die on the Cross and take the rap for humanity. That’s not what happened. Paul would say great is the mystery of godliness that God was manifested in the flesh (1Ti_3:16). God Himself bore our sin. God Himself died on the Cross. Mormons also deny Jesus is superior to the angels. Although they don’t talk about it very readily, if you press them on the point, they’ll admit they believe Jesus is the brother of Lucifer. You see, according to Mormon theology, God called Jesus and Lucifer together and said, “We need to redeem humanity.” And the two created beingsJesus and Luciferboth gave their suggested plan. The Father went with Jesus’ suggestion. Lucifer got ticked, and from that time has been determined to undermine his brother’s work. Gang, turn the cultist to Hebrews 1 and say, “Jesus is not in the same category as any angelMichael, Lucifer, or the devil. He’s superior.” A lot of people have the idea that there’s a cosmic contest between God and the devilthat they’re equals and they’re battling it out. Oh, they know eventually God’s going to winbut it’s going to be tough. Not so! It’s not God and Satan battling it out. God is in an entirely different realm. Now, if Satan and Michael, or Satan and Gabriel foughtthen you would have an interesting contest. Satan, however, is no match for God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, for they are far superior to any angel.

Hebrews 1:5

The cultist, the heretic uses this verse as “proof” that because Jesus is “begotten” He’s not eternal. In Jer_31:9, however, we find a reference to Ephraim being the firstborn of Joseph. Was Ephraim Joseph’s firstborn? No, Manasseh was. Why, then is Ephraim called the firstborn? Because firstborn or first begotten in Scripture does not simply speak of precedence. It can also speak of priority. In this case, even though Ephraim wasn’t born first in precedence, he had priority in blessing.

Hebrews 1:7

Truly, angels are like the wind, like a flame of fireas seen clearly in the story of Manoah and his wife. After an angel appeared to them, they offered a sacrifice, and the angel went up in a flame of fire like the wind and disappeared (Judges 13).

Hebrews 1:8

In this versequoting Psa_45:6-7God calls Jesus “God.” Now, if God refers to Jesus as God, Jesus is God. End of discussion. I like this! Speaking to the Son, God says, “You’re on the throne and You rule righteously.” How is God going to rule? How is He going to judge the man in Africa who never heard the gospel back in 1426? How is He going to decide what to do? Beats me. All I know is this: Around the throne of the Lamb in heaven, the cry goes up, “Righteous and true are Your judgments, Lord” (see Rev_16:7). In other words, “Good for You! Perfect! You haven’t compromised integrity. But You show compassion and love perfectly.”

Hebrews 1:9

“Because You’ve loved righteousness and hated iniquity,” said the Father to the Son, “You are anointed with the oil of gladness above all others.” Did you know that gladness is directly proportional to holiness? Happiness and holiness go hand in hand. That is why crowds flocked to Jesus. Wasn’t He the Man of Sorrows (Isa_53:3)? Certainly. But there was also a gladness and joy about Him unlike that of any other human being in history. Jesus was immensely attractive to the crowds because holiness and happiness are directly proportional. Some folks don’t see this until they’re fifty or sixty years old. And some never see it at all. They think holiness is drudgery. They think if they’re righteous they won’t be happy, that they’ll just have to endure the pain of Christianity. Nothing is further from the truth. To the extent you choose to be holy is the extent to which you will be happy. Conversely, to the extent you compromise holiness is the extent to which you diminish happiness. It’s just that simple.

Hebrews 1:10

Still quoting the Old Testament as proof that Jesus is in a different category than the angels, the author makes reference to Psalms 102, wherein, concerning the Son, it is said, “In the beginning, You laid the foundation of the earth and, even when it’s gone, folded up like an old garment, You’ll remain.” Did you know that the One who sustains all things is someday going to let them all go? Like the Nehru jackets of the seventies, the heavens and earth will one day disappearbut Jesus will remain.

Hebrews 1:13

Again, quoting Psalms 110, only to Jesus did God say, “Sit on My right hand.”

Hebrews 1:14

Angels are everywhere these days. There have been best-selling books about angels. There are entire stores devoted to angels. And yet angels are nothing more than servants. Whose servants? Ours, for we are the heirs of salvation… In Psa_91:11 we read of their protective work. In Luke 15, we see them rejoicing over saved sinners. In Luke 16, we see them carrying people to their eternal state. In Acts 5 and 12, we see them delivering Peter and other apostles from prison. Angels do, indeed, have a ministry, but the ministry is to us. They’re not to be exalted or worshiped by us. That is why in Colossians 2, there is a warning concerning the worship of angels. Our focus is to be on Jesusand on Him singularly.