Hi Folks. Thanks for joining me as we move ahead in our study of Hebrews. We’re moving on to verses 2 and 3 of chapter one today but before we do that, I want to tell you about a friend of mine. He is no longer with us. His name was Joel (name changed for confidentiality purposes) and he was Jewish. He suffered from depression and always proclaimed forcefully that his depression was due to a chemical imbalance that required multiple medications to treat it. The treatment was never effective. He would sometimes say to me, “Art, I guess God wants me to be depressed”. Joel made a profession of faith in Jesus about 25 years ago. Now folks, please keep this true anecdote in mind because Hebrews was written to Jewish people some of whom may have been like Joel.
Hebrews 1:1–3 NKJV
1 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; 3who 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,
Last time we went over verse 1 and we talked about how God spoke to the ancient Hebrews through the prophets at many different times and in various ways. The prophets refers to the Old Testament prophets of course including the 16 writing prophets as well as those prophets who did not write specific books in the Old Testament that have been categorized as books of prophecy. Writing prophets would include those such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. The 16 writing prophets are divided into major and minor prophets but I need to mention at this point that what I am referring to as the 16 writing prophets would be in the Jewish tradition only 15 in number. The difference is Daniel. Hebrew tradition does not include Daniel in the Nevi’im, or Prophets. Daniel is included in the last or third section of the TaNaKh which is the Ketuvim or the writings.
Now folks, we can say from Hebrews 1:2 alone that Jesus’ ministry marked the beginning of the last days. Maybe that surprises you. But listen please.
Hebrews 1:2 NIV
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
Folks, God spoke many things to the Jewish people of first century Israel through His Son Jesus and much of what He said has been preserved for us to read today. We will cover some of those things in our study of this book. But let’s talk now for a minute or so about Jesus as God’s Son. Jesus is God’s Son in a very different way than we are sons and daughters of God. We are told that we are sons and daughters in the Gospel of John:
John 1:12–13 NIV
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
This verse talks about what happens to us when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior; we are born again and are transferred from being in Adam to being in Messiah or Christ. That’s what John 1:12-13 is talking about and as incredible as that is - we becoming sons and daughters or children of God - we are not sons in the sense that Jesus is the Son of God. Because Jesus is not a created being and He is the one and only Son of God, He has to be of the same substance and nature as His Father. He has to be divine, He has to be deity. So please recognize that Jesus is the only unique Son of God and He is a Son - the Son - in a different way than we are. I also just want to remind you that God said He has a Son in the Old Testament in Psalm 2 and in Proverbs 30 and we talked about that last time. God’s Son here is the Messiah.
But getting back to Hebrews 1:2:
Hebrews 1:2 NIV
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
In trying to grasp the profound meaning of this verse I think we can get some help by looking at John’s Gospel:
John 1:1–3 NIV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Now please take a look at Genesis 1:1:
Genesis 1:1 NIV
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Folks, God’s Son did this. So, Who is this Son? We’ve already said that He is a Son like no other Son and that He is divine - He has the attributes of deity. But can we get a better understanding of that? I think we can. In John chapter 1 He is called the Word which in Greek is Logos and we are told that in the beginning He was with God and was God and that without Him nothing was made that was made. So, how is He, the Logos or Word and also God? Thanks to Arnold Fruchtenbaum, I’ve come to understand that the idea behind the Greek word Logos is better understood by the Aramaic word Memra, which also means word, and which was used in the Jewish Targums or paraphrases of the Hebrew Scriptures, recognized by many rabbis, to describe a visible appearance of God, somewhat similar to, yet different from, the Shekinah glory of God, like the pillar of fire that stayed with the Israelites in the desert following the Exodus. Sometimes this Memra would appear as the Angel of the LORD or the Angel of Yahweh such as we see in:
Exodus 3:2 NIV
There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.
AND:
Exodus 3:4 NIV
When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”
Can you see from these 2 verses that there is an equivalence between the Angel of Yahweh and the LORD, meaning Yahweh Himself? The Apostle John was a Jewish man and would have been familiar with the Memra which means word. Logos was the closest Greek equivalent to Memra and so John used Logos as he was inspired to do by the Holy Spirit. This gives us an understanding of how Jesus is the Logos and God. He came as God in the flesh, God incarnate, and He was and is the same Divine Being that he was in the Old Testament where He temporarily came as the Angel of Yahweh. These appearances, in the Old Testament, were of the preincarnate Christ. Folks, this is mind blowing, is it not? But it’s true!
So, the Son of God - the Logos, or Memra, or Word - is like no other Son. Understanding this will help us greatly in this study of the letter to the Hebrews. And as the Divine Son of the Father, it becomes understandable that Yahweh, the Father, would appoint His one and only Son the Heir of all things. Likewise it makes sense that YHWH would appoint His Son to make the Universe, that the Universe would be made through Him. Folks, I don’t want to get ahead of myself. We are in deep waters here but what wonderful deep waters they are! The Shema tells us that God is One but He is a complex or plural One. He is one God with a plural nature. We cannot fully understand this. But God allows us to understand it enough to know that it is absolutely true and that is a wonderful gift to us!
But, getting back to the Scripture:
Hebrews 1:2 NIV
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
So, what did the Son speak to us - and that applies to you and me - in these last days? Let me give you just a few things that He said:
John 3:3 NIV
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
And Jesus also said this:
John 3:16 NIV
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
This is perhaps the most well known verse in the Bible. Both the essence and the assurance of salvation is encapsulated in this one verse.
And Jesus said this:
Matthew 22:36–40 NIV
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Folks, this is the essence of The New Covenant. This is the law that we are to follow now and it is a law that we can keep with the help of the Holy Spirit who indwells all believers.
And Jesus also said this:
John 19:30 NIV
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Jesus finished the work of salvation. At a cost that we cannot comprehend, He has done it all.
Folks, let’s move on to verse 3 of chapter 1:
Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
The Jewish religious leaders were angry when Yeshua called Himself the Son of God. Because He was equating himself with deity.
Let’s look at John 5:18 NIV:
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
Yeshua is calling God His own Father or if I can take the liberty, His very own Father. In the Greek His own is idios. By using this word, idios, Yeshua is saying that God was His own private, personal, unique Father. If that were not so He would have used the usual Greek word for own which is autos.
What about Jesus being the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being. How can we understand that better?
Let’s see if we can we get an idea of the glory of God from the Old Testament because those were the Scriptures that the writers of the New Testament had. Let’s look at Psalm 97:1-6 NIV:
The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. [2] Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. [3] Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. [4] His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. [5] The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. [6] The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.
This is God’s glory folks! Now let’s look at something else:
Exodus 24:9–10 (NASB95)
Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
Now this was a glorious sight! They saw the God of Israel. But wait a minute! How could that be? Because if you see God you die, right? Now how do we know that?
Leviticus 16:2 (NIV) The LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.
AND:
Exodus 33:19-23 (NIV) And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. [20] But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” [21] Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. [22] When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. [23] Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
Now let’s read the passage again from Exodus 24:
Exodus 24:9–10 (NASB95)
Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
So, they saw God here. Why didn’t they die? I think the reason that they did not die is because Who they saw was the pre-incarnate Christ, the Messiah, the Word of God, the Memra! And when you see the Messiah, you don’t die because He is both God and man in one person.
Folks, Jesus is the exact representation of the Father. He is God. He is God incarnate, God in the flesh, Perfect God and Perfect man. Not two separate beings inside one person. No, Jesus’ nature and character embody perfect God and perfect man in one person. He was and still is today the God-Man. He had to be in order to be our Savior - the Savior of mankind. We’ll hear more about that as we go on further in this epistle.
Folks, let’s continue with Hebrews 1:3:
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Jesus sustains all things by His powerful word. What does that mean? Word in Hebrews 1:3 is not the Logos. Word here in the Greek is rhema and it means spoken word. So just as God spoke the universe into existence with incomprehensible power in Genesis, Jesus upholds or sustains all things by His spoken word, or we could phrase it like this: Jesus upholds all things by the power of His word. Let’s look at just one example of the power of God’s spoken word in the Hebrew Scriptures, in Genesis:
Genesis 1:14–15 (NIV) And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.
And God said. The word for said in Hebrew is amar. You could translate it as declared. God declared that the sun and the moon and the stars and the planets come into existence out of nothing and that’s exactly what happened. And we know that all things were made through Yeshua. We read that earlier in John 1:3; let’s read it again:
John 1:3 NIV
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
That includes the sun and the moon and the stars and the planets! And in like manner, Yeshua/Jesus sustains or upholds all things by the power of His word.
Moving on in Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
How did Yeshua provide purification for sins?
Before we try to answer that question, let me pose another question: Could God have merely declared all our sins forgiven without the cross? Would that have taken care of everything? WAS THE CROSS REALLY NECESSARY? I’m going to ask you to keep that question in mind for a minute or two. We’ll come back to it.
Now let’s look at something that might seem slightly off the topic, but it isn’t. Let’s talk about justification. Justification is when God as judge makes a judicial decision, and He states it as a judge in a courtroom would do. He declares it. He declares that our sins are forgiven, and our unrighteous nature is exchanged for the perfectly righteous nature of Christ. God pours out our sins on the Messiah – He takes our sins, and His perfect righteousness is imputed or credited to us. An exchange occurs. God declares us justified. That’s exactly what He did for Abraham. He declares you and me righteous when we are saved. He gives us the status of righteousness. The power of God’s word is beyond what we can comprehend. It created the universe, and it accomplishes our justification.
So, back to the question I asked you to keep in mind a minute ago. Could God have simply declared that all our sins are forgiven and have done nothing more? No. Why not? There are several reasons. For one, the wrath of God must be turned away from us. Something called propitiation is necessary. There must be a sacrifice, a blood sacrifice of infinite value, to appease a wrathful God, and Jesus Christ is the only One who can do that. Please know, folks, that if a preacher denies the wrath of God and says that a declaration of forgiveness from God with nothing else behind it is enough, that preacher is teaching his congregation a false gospel. No, folks, an incalculable price was paid for you and me to be justified. The Son of God gave His life on the cross in payment for our justification. Should this be of particular interest to Jewish people? Yes. In fact, I have a question for my Jewish listeners:
What if the temple and the Jewish priesthood and all the accoutrements of the temple service were recreated tomorrow and the blood sacrifices of animals without defect was resumed? Would that accomplish what the cross accomplished? No. Why?
Let’s take a look at Romans chapter 6:
Romans 6:4-7 (NIV) We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. [5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. [6] For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— [7] because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
The things described in these verses – being buried with Christ, being united with Christ, our old self, our old man or old woman, dying in Him on the cross, and then being resurrected, raised to newness of life, in Him – all these things require Yeshua’s substitutionary death on the cross. Because He did not come only to forgive our sins but to make us new men and women. We are born again. No animal sacrifice can ever do that.
In closing, let’s read Hebrews 1:3 once more and make a final comment or two:
Hebrews 1:3 :
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Jesus sits down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. He died for us, He was buried, He was raised from the grave by the power of God, proving that He was the Son of God, and 40 days later He ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven, in victory. He finished it all and sat down. Folks, a person sits down when the task assigned to him has been completed. That’s why Jesus said “It is finished”.
What God has done for us is beyond comprehension. Before I close, let’s not forget that He sent His Son so that each one of us could spend eternity in heaven with Him. If you don’t know Him, if you are not saved, if you are not born again, please call upon Him today and say “Lord, I know that I’m a sinner. I don’t want to pay the price of eternal separation from you - eternal death – because of my sins. Please pay the debt that I owe and cleanse me so I can spend eternity with you. Thank you, Lord Yeshua.”
And now, Folks, I want to go back to my friend Joel, who was depressed. Joel professed faith in Messiah but he never read the Bible and he never regularly attended any congregation. He said that God wanted him to be depressed. Folks, I believe that what God wanted was for Joel to ask Him for help. I don’t know if Joel ever did that. I believe that had Joel sincerely called upon the Lord, He would have helped him abundantly. Joel could have come before the throne of grace. Please listen to this verse:
Hebrews 4:16 NKJV
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
My friends, until the next time, this is Art Wolinsky. God bless you.
