God Has Spoken

Hebrews as an Early, Christ-Centered Epistle

Scriptures to the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1 let us once again ask the Lord's blessing upon our time. Indeed our Heavenly Father we do ask now you would by your spirit grant us understanding and insight into your word.

May we have an obedient spirit. May we be desirous as obedient children to hear from you. Would you be pleased by your spirit to enlighten and guide us at this time. We pray in Christ's name Amen. It was my intention even in arriving here today to seek to cover all of Hebrews chapter 1 in the two sermons today.

But as I reviewed the text as I considered Some of the necessity of providing some background I decided I'm just not going to hurry myself. So if we don't get through the first chapter today, that's perfectly fine.

I'm just not going to rush there is in this book such tremendous wisdom and indeed, I was in my reading was excited to consider some of the Words of one of the commentators he pointed out that the words of Hebrews were well known By Clement of Rome now Clement of Rome is considered It's the name of an epistle.

Clement was one of the multiple elders in the city of Rome somewhere toward the end of the first century and Some even say that Clemens is even earlier than that and this Epistle is quite familiar With the book we look at today the book of Hebrews.

No, why is that relevant? Well, obviously it shows us that the book of Hebrews is an early writing. We seem in looking at it to even come to the conclusion that the temple sacrifices were still ongoing at this time.

Which would mean that it's written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. And so we have here an epistle written within the lifetime of the eyewitnesses of the ministry of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but you will notice There is no name Attached to the epistle to the Hebrews.

It does not say I Paul an apostle the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no name and as many of you are probably aware there has been much speculation down through history some of it almost humorous as To who the writer to the epistle the epistle the Hebrews is.

The early church seemed to believe that it was Paul the earliest Collection we have of Paul's writings from around the year AD 200 Contains Hebrews along with the rest of Paul's writings and so many in the early church Believed that Paul was the one who wrote Hebrews.

Well, why why might anyone even question that? Well If you look at the language of the text and you can I think probably discern this in English translations. It is clearly discernible in the original language.

Whoever wrote Hebrews did not write like Paul. In fact if you were to put the difficulty level of The language on a chart. I'll say one to ten Hebrews and Luke and Acts would be at the very top of that chart.

It is the most difficult most classical type of Greek in the New Testament and Paul wouldn't be there and I Ephesians is you know a little more more formal. There's more of a range to his writings, but it's not his style a Some of theorized.

Well, the reason for that is it was originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic by Paul and Then Luke translated it into Greek. That's why it sounds like Luke's style and and form. Suppose it's a possibility all sorts of other possibilities have been suggested.

Apollos has been suggested because he was mighty in the scriptures and things like that. Whoever it was they were clearly familiar with Paul. There are all sorts of parallels and similarities between what this epistle says and That which we read elsewhere in Paul, but once again, it is not the author that makes scripture scripture.

I mentioned Wednesday evening in the study that as Paul himself said Scripture is they are new stops. It is God breathe that it comes forth in the mouth of God. It is the Spirit of God that makes something scripture not who wrote it and even though Peter says that men spoke from God They were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Yes men spoke. Someday we're going to find out maybe the Lord will have a big meeting the first day in heaven and He's going to gather us all together and say all right. Everybody who thought it was Paul over here and every thought was Apollos over here and everybody didn't have a clue in the middle and we'll see who's right and Then a curtain will be drawn back and out.

We'll walk. Well, I don't know either so we'll find out maybe someday in heaven and we'll find out who the writer to the Hebrews was. But that doesn't matter because it's not the person that makes it scripture it is the Spirit of God and the consistency of that Revelation with what has come before and that I think is one of the reasons why this book seems to be such a closed book.

The Old Testament Background and the Problem of Hebrews for Modern Christians

To many some of you have been here for many years. Remember that many years ago I preached a series where I went through Hebrews 6 7 8 9 and 10 and in doing that I Once again was drawn to this tremendous book and you'll recall I made the comment that I think one of the reasons that for many modern-day Christians, this seems like such a difficult book It seems so difficult for us to follow is because of its tremendous dependence upon the Old Testament.

I Have a Greek text in front of me and this particular Greek text uses bold font To show you when the Old Testament is being cited and if you have an English translation that in some way Indicates that the Old Testament is being quoted.

Maybe it puts it in italics or sets it off in some way thumb through the book of Hebrews and you will see that every single chapter has quote after quote after quote From the Old Testament and the writer does not stop each time to give you a context the writer assumes because it's being written to the Hebrews and Hence, this would have been their upbringing.

This would have been what they were taught from the time They were young it would have been even more than in our own nation back in the 17 and 1800s. How people were taught to read from the Bible? In the school system you would know the Bible and so the literature back then people could make just passing References to Bible stories and everybody understood it because it was the common possession of everyone Biblical literature biblical understanding that's not the case anymore.

Not even in the Christian Church. But certainly among the Jews. Even more so it was the case to know the Tanakh the Torah the Nevi 'im and Ketuvim the the law the writings and the prophets. And so the writer Writing to the Hebrews doesn't have to stop every time and say now remember in a certain book of Scripture Remember what the context was and this is what happened.

No. The writer can just simply quote even little snippets, especially from the Psalter. Assuming that his audience will automatically understand what it is. He's saying because they are familiar So intimately familiar with the biblical text.

So he doesn't have to give references. He doesn't have to give backgrounds and that's why so many Christians today Just look at the book and they have no idea Why this would be relevant to their lives today.

They have no concept Whatsoever and as such we miss out on a book that I think contains some of the clearest teaching on the deity of Christ. The clearest teaching on the purpose and function of the cross the clearest teaching on atonement the clearest teaching on intercession all to be found in these words and So I really do believe that one of the reasons that we have such a Shaky sentimental Emotional view of the cross today is because Hebrews is a closed book to most evangelicals.

Most evangelicals simply look at that book and this move on I'd rather read John but indeed as I have been just Seeking to be prepared to open up this first chapter. I have been challenged as I'm about to read it to you.

You will notice that I'll be reading it fairly slowly. Most of you know that I seek to try to read only from the original language text. I do not have an English text in front of me right now. So I'll be translating as I'm going along and it's not easy it's a little bit more difficult than what I'm used to trying to work through and That is reflected in the English text as well.

But as I have been seeking to do this every phrase Especially in this opening section has stopped me in my tracks and it has caused me to go my What a treasure this work is. I Really would hope that even this brief amount of time that we have together would encourage you To spend some time in this work.

It is So beautiful and it is so deep and as I read it I Run across difficulties. I think one another reason that we're sort of afraid of it is Because well isn't Hebrews that one with Hebrews 6 in it, you know, and and isn't Hebrews 10, you know Trampling underfoot the blood of the Son of God and no forgiveness of sins and wow, you know I've heard a lot of controversy about stuff in Hebrews.

And so I'm going back to John again and It is in working through those difficulties. If we avoid those difficulties Not only does it cripple us in giving an answer for our faith but it's in working through them that we begin to see the depth of the harmony and consistency of the Word of God as most of you know, I work as an apologist I deal with a lot of people who question the scriptures and and question the Word of God and a lot of times Christians will come up to me and And Maybe they have gotten into some apologetic conversations.

They shouldn't have gotten into maybe they have been doing some reading in liberal theologians and their their faith is is teetering and They will ask How is it that you know these things? You know about this problem or that problem and yet you remain firm in your faith and the inspiration of The text of Scripture, how is that and it's difficult to give an answer because the answer has come from experience the answer has come from 25 years now of Being hit with these things going back to the Word of God.

Seeing how these things are to be answered and seeing this consistency over time in the text of Scripture and seeing how often there is a temptation for me to sort of Puff myself up as the creature and and sit in judgment of God, but if I would just remain in Some sense humble before the Word of God.

I could see I could find the way of seeing the consistency. It didn't always happen one time. Sometimes it would take some time. There had to be some patience a lot of people get very impatient. I want to answer right now.

But it was in working through it and Struggling through these things and doing this over and over again. Not just in response to one group, but to so many different attacks that over that time period I can testify to you I can't communicate this view.

But I can testify to you that I have seen such a beautiful Consistency think about this this book that lies in your lap 40 different authors 1 ,500 years spread all across the known world at that time.

Authors with different interests and different backgrounds different political situations different languages. The world changed a lot in 1 ,500 years think of all the empires that rose and fell the political situation changed technology changed warfare changed.

40 authors 1 ,500 years. See in our day what most people do is they say oh well because of all that that's why you can't trust the Bible. But it's in that that I see the Bible's greatest beauty to see men who speak with different tongues and with different words and different styles and yet there is superintending over all of that the purpose of God.

Bring about this Harmony, is it a harmony just lies on the surface? No. But it's a harmony that you find when with an obedient heart and Humility before God you are willing to listen to what the Word of God says, that's when you find This beautiful harmony of the Word of God like I said, I can't.

I Wish there's some way I could open your heart up and just pour that Experience of mine and I can't it's something you have to experience. Every Christian I believe is called to be a student of this word throughout their life there are so many things that we give so much of our time to that it will be worth nothing in eternity in comparison To knowing the Word of God and it's interesting that as we look at this First chapter that's sort of where where we start is with the reality of God's revelation.

Now keep in mind. I know that not everyone has heard sermons preached five or six or ten years ago ever long it was now and. And They're still on the website, I believe brother broils has kept them up there.

The series on Hebrews is there Least Hebrew six through ten, but remember the key to understanding this book. The key to understanding this book is remembering to whom it is written the context in which it is written the Apostle or whoever it is who's writing is Writing to Hebrew believers who are in danger of going back to Judaism.

We know historically That great pressure was placed upon those early believers to go back to Judaism to go back to the temple. To go back and offer sacrifice upon the altar. Down through history you have seen how Seriously, the Jewish community has responded to this idea of this false Messiah Jesus.

Even the Gospels tell us that those who were confessing Jesus were put out of the synagogue at that time. We don't want you here and We know that in many situations a person who was Jewish Who was of the faith of Israel who confessed Jesus Christ to be the Messiah would be considered dead to that community.

Not only were they excluded from the worship. But they would be considered dead to their family. No communication cut off and so those who were embracing Jesus as the Messiah great pressure was put upon them.

If you would but come back and if you would but go to the temple and Offer the sacrifice. Why would that be so important? Well, obviously it would be a statement that do you continue to believe in the ways of Moses?

But most importantly to offer that sacrifice would be to say that Jesus wasn't a sacrifice for sins. Jesus wasn't the one who gave himself. So the God's people might have salvation. This is that great act of apostasy referred to later in the book and.

Christ Superior to Angels, Priests, Moses, and the Old Covenant

So what is the writer's purpose? Well, he is seeking to encourage. He is seeking to reason with those who are Experiencing this pressure to leave the Christian faith to go back to the old ways and in essence his argument is this there's nothing to go back to and so he ransacks the Old Testament.

The scriptures of the people of God. He goes through all these scriptures and he says, all right. Let's look at Jesus and let's look at what you have to offer. Let's look at Jesus in comparison to angels.

The Jews spoke much about angels Michael and Gabriel and others. Especially during the intertestamental period a whole bunch of literature had grown up about these angels and about their roles in the world.

I'll talk about angels. First chapter. Jesus is superior to all the angels. Well, we have the priesthood. Jesus is superior to the priesthood. We have the high priest. We have the sacrifices. We have the tabernacle given by God.

Now seen in the temple. We have Moses and we have Abraham and we have Melchizedek. Jesus is superior to everyone. In fact, he is the completion of Everything the Judaism would present to us those were but shadows.

Fulfilled in Christ. It's an argument. It's an argument the form of a letter not a classical letter. You notice there's no this is written to whom from whom it's such that nothing like that. It just starts off.

Boom. Various times sundry manners in the past God spoke to us by the prophets. Starts at a common starting place the existence of God's revelation and then begins immediately to demonstrate what? The supremacy of Christ.

That is his purpose all the way through the letter all the way to the point where you get The hall of fame of faith and. Then those exhortations to Godly living that so often come after the deep theology same thing in the book of Romans.

That's another reason why some people see a connection is parallels between Romans and Hebrews in their form. But this is an argument. It's meant to be a convincing argument and when that is ignored. The results have always been rather ugly and.

So I want to look as a part of our looking at the deity of Christ. We've been looking at the deity of Christ. We've looked at most of the main passages. But I've mentioned to you a number of times Hebrews chapter 1 is a wealth of references to the deity of Christ.

But I don't want to skip over the rest of what's there. Because I see so much of his being so very important to us today. So I want to go slowly. I want to dig deep into this text and I say to those of you who are members of this church.

I know that you're accustomed to doing this kind of thing. I know it's countercultural. I know it's why we are the size we are. That we consider this to be so important, but you have a treasure in your hands.

You're going to take this treasure out through that door or that door, whichever way you're going today. You're going to take this treasure and I want you to see it as a greater treasure than you ever have before.

I want you to be as excited about this book as I am. Well, some of you're going well, maybe not as excited as you get about things, but I want you to be excited About what is in this text because I think it speaks to us today.

There are a tremendous amount a number of of Forces coming against us today seeking to cause us to abandon our confession of faith. To make us either leave the Christian faith completely or to be Satisfied with an apathetic faith a faith that does not impact the way we think a faith that does not impact the way we live.

And so I think as we see how God encouraged Believers then we ourselves can be encouraged. So let's let's dig into the text Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1 right off the bat in various ways and in various by various means at various times of old God spoke to the fathers in or by the prophets.

But in these last days he has spoken to us by his son Whom he appointed heir of all things. Through whom also he made the ages or the world the created order who being the radiance the reflection the effulgence of his glory and The character the exact representation the stamp of His very being his person.

Bearing along all things by the word of his power when he had made purification of our sins. He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high Having become so much greater than the angels because he inherited so much better a name than they.

For to which of the angels did he ever say you are my son today I have begotten you psalm 2 7. And Again, I will be to you as a father and you will be to me as a son 2nd Samuel 7 14. And When he again brings the firstborn into the into the inhabited world He says let all the angels of God worship him psalm 97 7.

And Indeed to which of the angels has he ever said the one making his angels spirits and His ministers flames of fire psalm 104 4. But to the Sun he says your throne O God is forever and ever. And the scepter of uprightness Is the scepter of your kingdom.

You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness and for this reason God has anointed you your God has anointed you with the oil of rejoicing or gladness above your compatriots your companions Isaiah 61 1 and 3.

And Still to the Sun this is said You at the beginning O Lord laid the foundation of the earth and The heavens are the work of your hands. They shall perish but you abide or remain. They shall all as a garment grow old and as an outer cloak You shall roll them up and as a garment they shall be changed but you remain the same and Your years will never fail or will never be exhausted.

Direct quotation of Psalm 102 25 to 27. To which of the angels Did he ever say? Sit here At my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. The great messianic psalm psalm 110 1 Jesus even used of himself.

Are they not all ministering spirit sent to serve or minister? To those who will inherit salvation. Here is the first chapter of the book of Hebrews. Now just in passing I hope you saw the tremendous dependence upon the Old Testament the use of it and The first argument Jesus is superior to the angels.

God Has Spoken in the Son, Not in Fragmentary Revelation

That's the overarching argument, but how he argues that and how he gets there Hopefully will be very very encouraging to us. Going back to verse 1. God has spoken. God has spoken in Verse 1 tells us that he spoke To the fathers Abraham Isaac Jacob.

By the prophets here is a clear open assertion of the Inspiration validity of the Old Testament text. You might say yeah, everybody believes that don't they know? No. One of the greatest battles in the early church Was with Gnosticism.

Remember a few weeks ago. We went through Colossians. I mentioned Gnosticism to you. Gnosticism is the great ancient religious movement that never really did have a whole lot of people in it and Yet, it has been dug up out of the sands of Egypt over the past hundred years in the Nag Hammadi library and various other manuscripts that have been found and Now today it has become yet again the great rival of Christianity.

Not that People are necessarily embracing it. There are a few oddballs out there, but. But it is the general means by which Unbelievers use. It's the means they used to Disprove Christianity. See these people were Christians too.

And if Christians could believe all the stuff the Gnostics believed and now you believe what you believe. There was just this mishmash, it just so happens your group eventually won out basically. Well actually it was the Catholics.

But you came along later blah blah blah. No transcendent truth. No real meaning here. That's what Gnosticism is functioning as today and the Gnostics didn't like the Old Testament. In general they rejected the Old Testament.

Why? Because it spoke of a creator God and for them the one who created material material world was an evil God and so many of them would identify Yahweh of the Old Testament as a lesser deity than the high deity that they themselves worshipped and so It isn't without reason that you have here an affirmation God Spoke by the prophets when pastor Fry preaches through Micah.

Let's face it sometimes you sit there, and you go. I'm not really certain that I'm overly concerned About what happened in those days. But you see the conviction of the Christian is God Spoke by those prophets.

God was concerned that his people know his truth. He spoke and he has preserved for us his word. Should that not be enough even of itself. To cause us to be students thereof and to hear with reverence.

God spoke of old to the fathers by the prophets but notice the very first two words in the Greek language anyways are sometimes translated as in sundry manners and ways and diverse fashion, and it could mean that well you know.

The prophets minister at different times sometimes they overlap sometimes they didn't. Sometimes one was in Israel. Sometimes one's in Judah, and so maybe it was that Fragmentary means by which God spoke a little here a little there.

But I think as we see the contrast That is laid out here in Comparison to the Sun by whom God has spoken in these last days. That there is an incompleteness in How God spoke by the prophets? Yes, he spoke by the prophets, but that wasn't his final word and remember this is an argument and Might one of the arguments.

Have been that hey we we have enough with the Old Testament. You know you don't need these prophets and apostles. God stops speaking with Malachi. Now Ironically we know that during the intertestamental period between 400 BC in the time of the birth of Christ the Jews themselves recognized That the bath coal the the the voice of God Had ceased in Israel, and there were many who were looking for the beginning of God speaking to his people once again.

But by this point in time with Jesus coming along there could have been those who are saying we don't need anything more and the writer tells us Yes, God spoke by the prophets, but it was fragmentary.

Would that be a parallel to? The later terminology he will use when he refers to what's found in the Old Covenant as a shadow a shadow of the things to come not the fullness thereof. Incomplete in the sense that since there are prophecies of the coming of the Messiah until you have the Messiah.

There's no fulfillment various ways God spoke we need to hear that God spoke of old but now verse 2 in these last days in these last days He has spoken to us in His son by his son we live in the last days people go 2 ,000 years that's a long last days.

Yes, it is. But we need to understand that that's biblical terminology. That's biblical terminology. Notice the difference of old he spoke, but now in these last days something has happened. And we need to realize for the biblical writers.

The very center of history is the cross of Christ the very center of history. Everything leads up to it everything after it needs to be seen in its light. It's the center of history. Something major has happened.

I've said many times. I was speaking with someone this weekend about the doctrine of the Trinity and I pointed out to them the doctrine of the Trinity is revealed between the Old and New Testaments in the incarnation of the Son and The outpouring of the Holy Spirit there you have the true revelation of the doctrine of the Trinity.

So when you read the New Testament these people speak so easily of father son spirit. There are all these Trinitarian passages because they've experienced this. It's the milieu the context in which they live.

Something major happened. Between the Old and New Testaments the New Testament becomes the record of that which had taken place before. There in the ministry of Christ and the incarnation in the cross you have the inauguration of the last days.

The last days. There's been revelation again. Justice said God spoke of old now in these last days. He has spoken to us. The writer does not allow his audience to hide. Just as Jesus didn't allow his audience to hide.

From the fact that God's revelation is so clear and so compelling that he holds men and women responsible. For what is contained therein? Remember Jesus when He spoke to the Sadducees. Who are trying to trip him up on the issue of the resurrection.

The Sadducees didn't believe in a resurrection. And so they told a story about the the woman who had the seven brothers. They all married each one each one died. I Said who's. Whose wife will she be in the resurrection?

You could tell that they had used that argument many many times. It was their best argument. That's how they had silenced the Pharisees for all those years. Now they use it on Jesus. Jesus's response.

You're wrong. I Just love the Lord's political incorrectness. He doesn't say oh, I think there's another way of understanding this. He says you're. You're wrong. You don't know the scriptures nor the power of God and.

Then he says have you not read? What God spoke to you saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob is not the God of the Dead but of the living. Now his argument was God's not the God of the days of the living.

Abraham Isaac and Jacob were alive in the presence of God. There is life after death. There is resurrection. That was his argument. But do you hear his words? Have you not read what God spoke to you saying that he quotes from a book that's 1400 years old.

He held men accountable for what the scriptures said as if God had spoken those words directly to them. Here the writer reflects the very same understanding. God has spoken to us in the Sun. He has spoken to us.

You can't remain neutral about Jesus. Our society Wants to be neutral about things we we don't want to offend anybody. That's the new great societal demand. Don't offend anybody because feelings are so important.

Our society Thinks that we can just be neutral about all sorts and we don't need to make decisions about God or about Christ or about thing we we just need to all get along. Scripturing leaves no place for neutrality.

That's why in the Gospel of John when it says you've either believed named the only begotten Son of God have life in his name. Or if you haven't believed the wrath of God abides on you. And our society goes why is so narrow?

Well, you've either put the key into the ignition and turn the car on or you've not turned the car. That's so narrow. You see in those areas. We were okay with Truth and error right wrong. You see when it comes to religion.

We just we just need to be so much more accepting and inclusive. God has spoken. He has spoken by his son. There is an exclusivity here. Exclusivity there we go. Don't need that extra Syllable in there he has not spoken in every religion.

He has not spoken by everybody who called himself a prophet. He has spoken Exclusively in the Sun, but he has spoken to us. You cannot dodge that revelation son. Who is this son? And here's where the text begins to call us.

Into the depths of God's revelation. This is where I hope you realize. This isn't where all well, you know theologians can think about this. I Don't you realize the economy is in the tank and why should we be thinking about things like this?

You know what? And the economy is in the tank and we don't possess all things we used to possess. This will still be true. The world can never take this from you and it is a privilege it is an honor when you think of All of the people who have lived upon this earth.

That you would be given the opportunity of handling this kind of divine truth and understanding it that is an honor. That's a gift of grace. There's a there's a implicit idea amongst a lot of evangelicals that you know, it also just be nice and simple.

You know, we should we should be able to boil it all down to a third grade level for everybody well if the Holy Spirit of God inspired These words and has preserved them for us. And by the way, just in passing I Was just happening to note.

There's I don't think there's a single book in the New Testament. That is more Texturally pure has the fewest variance in it than a book of a book of Hebrews. God's preserved this text for us and if God inspires it and preserves it the Spirit in his wisdom Places this into our hands.

I think we should be the first ones. To be ready to listen and to ready to roll up our sleeves do a little work. To dive into what he has to say because what we're going to get beginning here when this son is introduced.

Then we have a description. He is described as the one who has been appointed the heir of all things we are told that He is the creator through him all things have been made. He is the Very radiance of his glory we need to spend some time thinking about what that means.

Especially verse 3 the radiance of his glory and the express image of his person those Might be words that we can say in just a few seconds, but we really Really need to spend some time thinking about what they mean.

They're subject to a lot of misuse. We need to be careful in our handling these things, but we have this description of him heir of all things creator Brightness and radiance of his glory exact representation of his person then it says that he he Bears all things by the word of his power and the word there is not just to hold something up.

But it's to move something along it's referring to Jesus's role as the governor of all things that Happen in this world in this creation. So we have some incredible descriptions of our Savior. It should seem to me that we would want to be the first people who would want to know everything we can about Jesus.

What what's the command of Peter? Grow in the grace and what knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, here's a treasure trove. Here's a treasure trove and then we want to talk about the gospel the foundations of the gospel.

Having made purification of our sins sits down at the right hand of the glory on high. There is foundational fundamental stuff here and that's why I don't want to rush through it and so this morning God has spoken and Now he's spoken unto us.

By the Son who is the Son? Why is our revelation the revelation given through Jesus Christ? What about all those other world religions? Aren't you rather arrogant to think that your revelations better?

Well, if Jesus Christ is the heir of all things if he's the creator of all things if he is the Radiance of his glory and the exact representation of his person and if he is the one by whom God has spoken in these last days.

There's no competition. There's no competition. But that's why we need to know these things. And so this morning God has spoken but to know more about the one by whom he's spoken. Here you have to come back tonight because it's evening.

I want to I want to challenge you to be here. If you're a visitor we thank you for being here. We hope the ministry the Word of God has been useful to you. If you're a member of this church We meet again this evening and I would challenge you to be here.