Category Archives: Hebrews

The writer of the inspired book of Hebrews, in the Bible, demonstrates how Jesus Christ is superior to the angels and all other prophets. Jesus is superior even to Moses who is the greatest of the Jewish prophets and through whom God gave the Law.

Jesus is not only a prophet, but also our High Priest – the One who has given the ultimate sacrifice for sin on our behalf, and who intercedes for us before God’s throne. After warning us not to turn away from Christ through unbelief, the writer tells us why Jesus is qualified to be our High Priest. In chapter 4, verse 14 through chapter 5, verse 10 he writes, “Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our
confession. For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need. For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness. Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself. Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was. So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.” As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation, named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.”

This passage gives at least three reasons why Jesus is qualified to be our High Priest. The first reason is that Jesus can sympathize with us. In other words, He understands the temptations we experience and exactly how we feel. He knows our weaknesses and understands the struggles and the pressures we face.

The reason Jesus can sympathize with us is that He has experienced the same temptations and struggles that we do. The gospel records tell us that He experienced poverty and hunger. He was tempted with great riches and power. At least once, people wanted to make Him their king. He faced prejudice, contempt, ridicule, misunderstanding and betrayal. More than once, people tried to kill Him. He suffered injustice. He was condemned on false charges. He was mocked and beaten. Ultimately, He was executed even though He was totally innocent. In short, there is nothing we could go through that Jesus has not already experienced. The difference is that we succumb to our temptations while Jesus never did. He never sinned.

What effect does this have upon us? Even though Jesus is sinless, we can come to Him with confidence knowing that He understands us. We can expect Him to help us in our struggles and to deal with us mercifully because He knows what we are going through.

Another consequence of Jesus’ remaining sinless is that He can represent us before God. We cannot present our requests to our Holy God because we are sinners and God cannot tolerate sin. We already saw in Hebrews, chapter 1 and verse 3 that Jesus is seated at God’s right hand. Through Jesus we can present our petitions to God even though we are sinners and God will listen because of Jesus’ righteousness.

Another reason Jesus is qualified to be our High Priest is that God has appointed Him to that position. No one has the right to declare himself a priest. On his own no one has the right to bring an offering or sacrifice for someone else’s sin before God. But God, Himself, selected Jesus to be our High Priest. Because God selected Him, as we shall see later on in the book of Hebrews, Jesus was able to present the perfect sacrifice for sin. If we give ourselves to Christ and become His followers, God will accept His sacrifice on our behalf.

What makes Jesus’ appointment different from that of other priests? Under the Law of Moses, many people became priests. However Jesus did not become a priest under that system. Instead, God appointed Him as High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. The book of Hebrews will discuss what this means in great detail in later chapters.

A third reason Jesus is qualified to be our High Priest is that He submitted to God’s will. Jesus did not want to suffer. He did not want to die, even though His death was necessary for our salvation. Just before His crucifixion Jesus prayed, “…My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 NIV) It was because Jesus submitted Himself to God’s will, even though it meant He had to suffer, that God exalted Him to the position of High Priest.

Our text says that Jesus prayed “…to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard…” How can this be? How can we say that God heard Jesus’ prayer to be saved from death when there is no question that Jesus was crucified and buried? The answer is found in the Scripture which says, “But God raised him from the dead,” (Acts 13:30 NIV) Yes, Jesus did die, but God also heard His prayer to be spared from death. God raised Him from the dead, and death has no longer has any hold on Him. Now He lives forever. We too can share in Jesus’ victory over death if we follow Him.

Verse 9 says that Jesus had to be made perfect. What does this mean? Though Jesus was sinless, He was not qualified to become our Savior and High Priest until He had suffered. He first had to overcome temptation and demonstrate His obedience. It was His suffering which perfected Him for the role to which God called Him.

What is it that makes something valuable? Is it not the worth which we ascribe to it? This is particularly true of things which we hear. Two people can hear exactly the same message. One places no value on the message and ignores it. The other values what he heard, acts on it and, as a result, receives a great benefit.

The writer of the inspired book in the Bible called Hebrews, reminds us that God promised the Israelite people rest from their slavery in Egypt. However, that entire generation never received the promised rest in their own homeland of Canaan because they did not believe. He points out that the followers of Christ also have God’s promise of rest. In chapter 4, verses 1 through 5, he writes, “Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn’t profit them, because it wasn’t mixed with faith by those who heard. For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest”; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has said this somewhere about the seventh day, “God rested on the seventh day from all his works”; and in this place again, “They will not enter into my rest.””

According to this passage, God’s work is finished. He has already done whatever is necessary in order to provide rest to His people. If this is so, what prevents people from receiving the rest God has promised? It is their lack of faith. Because they do not believe what God has said, they will not do what what is necessary to obtain the promise God has made. The Israelites whom God rescued from Egyptian slavery were unable to enter Canaan because they would not believe that it was possible for them to take the land in spite of God’s promise. Their unbelief aroused God’s anger. Just like the Israelites, God has delivered the followers of Christ from bondage to sin and has promised them rest in the world to come. Yet, we too will be unable to enter our promised rest if we do not believe.

How can we know that God’s promise of rest is true? We know that it is true because God has spoken of it by means of the prophets. In verses 6 through 10 the writer of Hebrews says, “Seeing therefore it remains that some should enter therein, and they to whom the good news was before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, he again defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his.”

The question is not whether God’s promise of rest stands, rather the question is how we will respond to the opportunity God gives us. He is calling us. He asks us to obey His word. How will we respond?

Though God has done His part to provide rest for us, it takes effort on our part to receive that rest. God had promised the land of Canaan to the Israelites, but they still had to conquer it. It was their refusal to go in and fight the original inhabitants of Canaan which kindled God’s anger toward the first generation whom He had rescued from Egyptian slavery. It was only when the Israelites obeyed God’s instructions to conquer the land under the leadership of Joshua that they obtained rest from their wanderings.

However, the conquest under Joshua points to a greater truth. It is a metaphor for the eternal rest God has promised His people. Just as the Israelites had to obey in order to obtain the promise made to them, we also must listen to what God has told us through the prophets and we must believe and obey it. If we disobey, we will disqualify ourselves from entering rest, just as the Israelites did. In verses 11 through 13 the writer of Hebrews says, “Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

The phrase “the word of God” in this passage primarily refers to that portion of the Bible which we call the Old Testament. Some might question whether words written thousands of years ago are still relevant and applicable to us today. Hebrews points out that God’s word still lives. In other places the Bible assures us that God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9). Therefore, we can have confidence in the promises of God no matter how long ago He made them.

People generally make one of two mistakes concerning the Old Testament. The first mistake is to not realize that Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses. In other words, the rules and regulations which God gave the Jewish people are no longer binding upon mankind. Jesus completed or fulfilled all the requirements of the Law. As we shall see, later on in the book of Hebrews, the covenant God made with the Israelites has been superseded by a new covenant.

The second mistake people make is to ignore the Old Testament altogether and say that it has no place in our lives today. However, there are promises and prophecies in the Old Testament which are still very relevant to us today. For example, we have already seen that God’s promise of rest still stands. In addition, the Old Testament is the record of salvation history. From it we learn how God prepared mankind for the coming of Christ. From it we learn the terrible consequences of sin and our need for a Savior. We learn how man is incapable of keeping God’s laws.

Though the Old Testament was written thousands of years ago, God has not changed. Man’s nature has not changed either. The Old Testament provides us with many valuable examples of how people responded to God. We face the same choice as they did: Will we listen to God’s voice, or will we harden our hearts?

The writer of the inspired book in the Bible we call Hebrews spends a great deal of time telling us about the supremacy of Jesus. In chapter 1 he demonstrates that Jesus is greater than the angels. In chapter 2 he writes that the salvation Jesus makes available to us is greater than the Law of Moses. He also tells us that Jesus is fully qualified to be our Savior. In chapter 3, the writer shows us that Jesus is greater than Moses.

Since all this is true, what will the result be if we choose to disregard the message which God sent through Jesus? To answer this question, the writer of Hebrews refers to an incident from Israelite history. In chapter 3, verses 7 through 11 he quotes from Psalm 95, “Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested me by proving me, and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was displeased with that generation, and said, ‘They always err in their heart, but they didn’t know my ways;’ as I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter into my rest.’””

God promised the Israelites that He would take them out of their slavery in Egypt and give them rest in a homeland of their own in Canaan. Even though the Israelites had witnessed the mighty miracles God performed against the Egyptians; even though they had experienced crossing the Red Sea on dry land when they left Egypt; even though they had entered into a covenant relationship with God at Mt. Sinai, they still refused to believe that God would take care of them and fulfill His promises. Time after time they grumbled about the hardships they encountered in the wilderness. Time after time they sinned against God by disobeying what He told them to do. As a result, God became angry with the people and vowed that they would not enter the land He had promised them. A whole generation of people whom God had delivered from bondage, perished because they would not believe and obey. It was their children who finally entered the land of Canaan.

The writer of Hebrews uses the experience of the Israelites in the wilderness as a metaphor for the lives of the followers of Christ. Just as God promised the Israelites rest in a land of their own, He has also promised the followers of Christ rest. The Apostle Peter writes, “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.” (2 Peter 3:13 NIV)

Just as the Israelites had no land of their own while they were in the wilderness, Scripture describes the followers as “aliens and strangers” while they are in this world (1 Peter 2:11). Unfortunately, the same things which prevented the Israelites from entering Canaan can also keep the followers of Christ from receiving the promise which has been given to them. How can we prevent this? The writer of Hebrews goes on to say in verses 12 through 19, “Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God; but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end: while it is said, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.” For who, when they heard, rebelled? No, didn’t all those who came out of Egypt by Moses? With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient? We see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.”

These verses alert us to one of the dangers of sin: It deceives. It distorts our vision of reality so we no longer know the truth. This leads to unbelief. We will not believe that God cares for us or believe in His promises because sin has deceived us. If we continue in unbelief, we become hardened. When we become hardened we can no longer even hear God’s voice.

What are the results of allowing ourselves to become hardened by sin? Because of His love and compassion for us, God sent Christ to redeem us from our sin. But if we continue in sin; if we refuse to listen to His voice, we will arouse His anger. Then, just as happened to the Israelites when God took them out of Egypt, we will die in our sins. We will not be able to enter the rest God prepared for us.

How can we prevent this disaster happening to us? The writer of Hebrews says that we must encourage one another. Many people regard their beliefs and religion as a private thing. However, isolation from other believers is not good. If we never discuss our faith and our spiritual struggles with others, it easy to become discouraged. It is easy to let our faith die. It is easy to become entangled by temptation and sin. For this reason it is important that we interact with other followers of Christ. They can encourage us when we are struggling. We can draw strength from them when we are weak. We can help each other to overcome our perplexities and doubts by discussing our problems.

This is something we need to do on a daily basis. It is urgent. As the writer says, “…as long as it is called today…” (Hebrews 3:13) If we wait for tomorrow, to listen to God’s voice it will be too late. We only have this moment.

Remember that this book is written to followers of Christ from a Jewish background. Because of persecution they were starting to turn back to the religion they had left. Because of this, the text says that we must “…hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” (Hebrews 3:14 NIV) We who follow Christ are included in Him and look forward to receiving the promises God has made us. But we will only receive those promises if we continue to hold onto our hope and confidence. If we turn away, we will not be able to enter the rest God has promised us.

Trouble is one of the constants of life. Something else which we all face is temptation. We will be prompted either to do what we shouldn’t, or not do what we ought. The difference between those who follow Christ and those who do not, is not whether they will have to face trouble and temptation, but how they face it. We who follow Christ are in covenant relationship with God. Because of that covenant relationship, we have the promise of help to face our problems and temptations. We have already seen in the inspired book of Hebrews that God’s grace is available to us, and that Jesus is able to help those who are being tempted.

However, the offer and promise of help also places an obligation or responsibility upon us. Let’s read about it starting in Hebrews, chapter 3, verses 1 through 6. “Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus; who was faithful to him who appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house. For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone; but he who built all things is God. Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken, but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end.”

When we are going through trouble or temptation, we tend to think that we are alone. God has forgotten about us. But the phrase “holy brothers” reminds us that this is not true. God has not forgotten us. We are holy, that is, we have been chosen or set apart for God’s own use. We are important to Him.

Not only are we holy, we also participate in the heavenly calling. The concept of calling and answering God’s call is important to our understanding of the rest of this passage. However, we will mention just one aspect of it: our focus. It is so easy to let the problems and distractions of the world and our every-day life overwhelm us. But God has invited us to participate in something that is far above the immediate and the physical. In Philippians 3, verses 13 and 14, Paul writes, “…But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

After reminding us that God has set us apart and we have a share in something which is far more significant than this world and its problems, the writer gets to the point: we need to “consider Jesus.” Chapter 2, verse 18 tells us that Jesus “is able to help those who are being tempted.” (NIV) Therefore, verse 1 of chapter 3 tells us, we need to fix our thoughts on Him!

We can only think one thought at a time. If we fill our minds with Jesus, we won’t be able to think about whatever it is that is tempting us. When we concentrate on our heavenly calling, the things of this life won’t be able to take us away from God.

Verse 1 also reminds us that Jesus is an apostle. What does this mean? The word ‘apostle’ means “one who is sent.” So, when the writer calls Jesus an apostle, he is reminding us that Jesus has been sent by God. We already saw in chapter 1, that God has communicated His most complete and clear message to us in and through Jesus. Here, Jesus is God’s apostle – the One whom He has sent – in order to help us overcome temptation.

Jesus is also our High Priest. We saw in chapter 2, verse 17 that one of His responsibilities as High Priest is to atone, or pay, for our sins. We’ll learn more about this in following chapters.

The last part of verse 1 says that we confess Jesus. What does it mean to confess? The word which is used in this passage literally means, “to say the same thing.” In other words, when we confess, we say the same thing that God does. When we confess Jesus, we not only acknowledge Him, but we say the same things about Him as God does. This includes the fact that He is our Apostle and High Priest.

The perversity of human nature is such that even after we’ve been told that God sent Jesus to pay for our sin, and to help us when we are tempted; even though we confess Him as our Apostle and High Priest, there is still a part of us which whispers, “How can we be sure?”

Remember that Hebrews is written to people from a Jewish background. They had accepted Christ, but were now being tempted to return to Judaism because of the persecution which was coming their way. So the writer brings up something that every Jew would acknowledge: Was Moses faithful to God? Yes, of course he was! In fact, in chapter 11, Moses will be held up as a prime example of faith.

Moses demonstrated his faithfulness in two ways. The first way is as a servant. In other words, Moses did the task God assigned him with integrity. The second way Moses demonstrated faithfulness is testifying about the future. For example, prophesying about Jesus he said, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.” (Deuteronomy 18:15 NIV)

Just as Moses was faithful, Jesus was also faithful. He completed the task God gave Him. We saw in chapter 1 that after Jesus redeemed mankind, He sat down at God’s right hand.

Both Moses and Jesus were faithful. However, Jesus is superior to Moses. Moses is a servant in God’s house but, as we have seen in chapter 1 of Hebrews, God declared Jesus, His Son. Jesus is the son over God’s household.

Who is God’s household? All those who follow Christ. If we leave Christ to follow Moses or someone else, we also leave the household. As our text says, it is for this reason we need to hold on to our courage and hope. We must not let trouble, persecution or temptation take us away from Christ. We are in God’s household only because of Him. Jesus is faithful. Are we?

There is a huge difference between knowing about someone and actually knowing him. For example, you might know all the details about the life of some celebrity but until you actually spend some time with him, talk with him and share some experiences with him, you can’t say that you know him.

The same is true when it comes to Jesus. The writer of Hebrews spends the entire first chapter explaining how superior Jesus is. He shares God’s being. He created the universe. He reigns forever. He rules with righteousness. He hates wickedness. He is superior to angels.

Frankly, it can be very hard to relate to all that. Jesus is so exalted that He can seem remote. In chapter 2 we are going to see another side of Jesus – we are going to see a person who shares our experience. And because He shares our experience, He can help us through our struggles. Verses 10 through 18 say, “For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” Again, “I will put my trust in him.” Again, “Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me.” Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the seed of Abraham. Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.”

A lot of people have the notion that God’s rules are arbitrary and unjust. His standard of perfection is so high that nobody could ever live up to it. So God, through Jesus Christ, participated in our human weakness to take away the excuse. More than that, Jesus is the perfect Savior because He faced everything we do and overcame it.

We say that God, by definition, is perfect. Yet Jesus was not perfect as a Savior until He suffered. This does not mean that Jesus ever sinned. Chapter 4, verse 15 states explicitly that He did not sin. But He was not perfect in the sense that He could not identify with us; he could not really relate to our problems until He had faced them Himself. Since He suffered as we do, there is nothing from which He cannot save. Through His death He makes us holy and calls us His brothers. Verses 12 and 13 tell us four ways in which Jesus shows us how we should act as God’s children.

1) Jesus declares God’s name. In other words, He shows us who God is, how God thinks, what His desires and expectations are and what His character is like.

2) Jesus sings God’s praises. Some religions discourage singing or even ban it. The whole premise or proposition of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus is superior. This is one of the ways He is superior – He nurtures the gift of song which God has put in us. And thus, in Him, we become more of what God intended us to be.

3) Another characteristic of Jesus is that He trusts. He relies on God to follow through on what He promised. This is one of the things which distinguishes Christianity from everything else. Other religions are based on doing good deeds. But in Christ we do not rely on our own goodness or our own efforts. Instead we trust God’s goodness and what He has promised.

4) Another thing which Jesus does is that He brings. He doesn’t appear before God by Himself. He also presents the children whom God has given Him. This speaks of evangelism – bringing others into the family. We need to be telling others that they can belong also.

There is another result of Jesus’ humanity. Not only did it make it possible for us to become part of the family, it also enabled Him to do away with mankind’s biggest problem.

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, mankind has been searching for immortality. We are afraid of death. Death is far more than just growing old or being separated from our bodies. Immortality is far more than just having a body that does not wear out. Death really refers to being separated from God. Immortality is being with God – the source of life.

Here’s the importance of Jesus’ becoming a man, dying and rising from the dead. By breaking the bonds of death, Jesus destroyed the devil – the one who holds the power of death. How did He do this? Jesus tasted death for everyone. In other words, He took on Himself the death we ought to die – the separation we ought to experience. Because of this, death has no power over those who are in Christ. We no longer have to fear.

However, our sin, which is the cause of our death, doesn’t just disappear. Restitution has to be made. This is what Jesus’ death did. If we accept His payment, it pays our debt.

Making atonement for sin is the work of a priest. Verse 17 calls Jesus a priest and the book of Hebrews will elaborate on this concept in chapters 7 through 10. For now, the text draws our attention to another aspect of what Christ does for us.

Why did Jesus become a man? In order to become our Savior; in order to offer atonement for our sins; in order to help us, He had to become like we are. He had to clothe Himself with humanity to rescue us from our human frailties.

Verses 16 and 18 say that Jesus is there to help us. One reason He endured being in human form is to experience the same things we do so that he can help us through our struggles. Because He overcame, we have the hope that with His help we also can overcome.

The inspired book of Hebrews makes it clear that Jesus Christ is superior to everyone. He is above the angels. He even shares God’s being. Yet Jesus was also a man. That being the case, what is man’s position in relation to the angels? Chapter 2, verses 5 through 9 says, “For he didn’t subject the world to come, of which we speak, to angels. But one has somewhere testified, saying, “What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don’t see all things subjected to him, yet. But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.”

In order to understand this passage, we need to remember the context. Chapter 1, verse 14 states that angels are “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.” (NIV) The first 4 verses of chapter 2 remind us that the Law was put into place through angels. Every infraction or violation of the Law carried a penalty. Since our salvation is greater than the Law, we will not escape penalty if we ignore it.

Then, in verse 5, our writer tells us what one of the end results of salvation is: The world to come will not be subjected to the angels but will be under the rule of mankind. In the beginning, when God created this world, He intended man to rule over it. Genesis 1, verses 27 and 28 say, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”” (NIV)

However, mankind has never fulfilled God’s purpose. One of the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin was a fundamental change in our relationship to the world around us. Genesis 3:17 says, “To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ Cursed is the ground because of you…”” (NIV)

Fortunately, God also promised that one day the curse will be reversed. John writes, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…” (Revelation 21:1 NIV) Then he adds, “No longer will there be any curse…” (Revelation 22:3 NIV)

According to what we read in Hebrews, this new earth will be under man’s dominion, just as in God’s original intent.

But here we run into a paradox. Verse 6 of Hebrews 2 asks the question why God should care about mankind at all? Verse 7 says that in the order of creation man is lower than the angels.

Since we have messed up our heritage through sin, and mankind is lower in the creation than the angels, then how is it that angels are sent to serve us and how is it that we, and not they, will rule over the world to come? The answer is in the passage we’ve already looked at in Genesis 1:27. God created man in His own image. He not only made us, He put something of Himself in us. Though we have totally distorted that image because of our sin, God still cherishes it and wants to redeem it.

Now if we are created in God’s image, that also explains why He chose us to rule rather than the angels. By definition, God rules. If we are made in His image it follows that we also must rule. Otherwise we cannot fulfill or satisfy the nature that we have.

Not only have we been given dominion over the world to come, verse 7 says that we’ve been crowned with glory and honor. The word glory reinforces the concept that God created us in His own image. God’s character will be visible in us. John writes, “Dear friends, now we are children of God and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2 NIV) If we shall be like God – displaying His character, then it follows that we will also receive the same kind of honor as He does.

But this raises another question. The description we’ve been reading does not seem to match reality. Our text says that God has put everything under our feet and there is nothing that is not subject to us. Yet, verse 8 candidly admits that we don’t see everything subject to mankind. The solution to this dilemma is in verse 9. When we look at Jesus, we see the same pattern of being made lower before being exalted, of defeat before victory. He had an exalted position. Then He was made lower than the angels. He tasted death. Afterward He was crowned with glory and honor. In other words, Jesus is the prototype or forerunner for what will happen to us. Since we have Jesus’ example of how this works, we can be confident that the promises made to us will come to pass also. If we look through physical and material eyes, our current position is very low. Yet, when we look at things from the perspective of God’s will and promises, we have already been crowned.

Jesus was crowned because He suffered death. This is one of the great paradoxes of Christianity. In order to live, we have to die. In order to receive honor, we have to be willing to accept dishonor. Paul points out in Romans, chapter 6 that we receive new life by being baptized into Christ’s death. Because we share in His death, we will also share in His glory.

Baptism is the mechanism by which we share in Christ’s death, but what is it that gives us the opportunity to share in it? Our text says that it is grace: “…so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:9 NIV) What is grace? Grace is God’s power which multiplies our efforts so that we are capable of doing His will. It is grace which turns our weakness into strength, our incapacity into capability.

The writer of the inspired book in the Bible, called Hebrews, demonstrates in the first chapter that Jesus is superior to the angels. Jesus is superior because He is not a created being. Rather, God created the universe through Him. Jesus is superior because God has given Him the name ‘Son’ and given Him all authority. His reign will never end. Jesus is superior to the angels because He is an exact representation of God. In contrast, angels are servants.

What does this mean for us? What bearing does Jesus’ superiority to the angels have on our lives? Let’s read about it in chapter 2, verses 1 through 4. “Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, lest perhaps we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense; how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation – which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard; God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will?.”

Remember that this book was written to people who came from a Jewish background. They were being persecuted for their faith in Christ and were in danger of giving up their faith to revert to the Law of Moses.

In that context it’s interesting to note what it says in verse 1 – we have to be careful not to drift away. Sometimes it’s not the obvious threat which is the most dangerous. Yes, persecution can cause people to question their commitment to Christ. But an even greater danger is inattention. If we don’t actively pursue our relationship it will eventually turn cold. It’s like a marriage. If husbands and wives don’t actively work to improve and grow in their relationship, their feelings for each other and their commitment to each other will gradually die. They will drift apart.

It’s the same way in Christ. If we don’t nurture the relationship we have with Him, we will start to drift away. We must pay attention to it.

The writer spent most of chapter one demonstrating that Jesus is superior to angels. He did it to drive home a specific point. Here’s the logic of his argument:

The Law of Moses was given by or through the agency of angels. The Law was binding. Every infraction or deviation from the Law carried a penalty. Jesus is far greater than the angels. Therefore, we need to pay even more attention to the salvation which we have through Jesus than to the Law of Moses. If we don’t, we will not escape the penalty.

But how can we be sure that what we’ve been told about Christ is true? When Moses received the Law, there were all kinds of signs and miracles which left no doubt that it really was from God. What do we have that tells us that we weren’t being deceived when we were told about salvation in Christ? Verses 3 and 4 give us 4 proofs of the salvation we have.

The first proof we have is Jesus’ own words. For example, He said, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” (John 3:36 NIV)

A second proof of our salvation is the testimony of those who heard Jesus. For example, John writes, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1 NIV)

A third proof is the miracles which Jesus performed in order to confirm His message. He said, “Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” (John 10:37-38 NIV)

A fourth proof we have of salvation in Christ is the Holy Spirit. Paul writes, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV) We can know the truth of what we’ve believed about Christ because we experience the work of the Spirit in our lives. We are not the people we used to be. The fruit of the Spirit – such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is becoming visible in our lives.

We can know intellectually that Jesus is superior to angels. We can accept all the proof that salvation through Christ is true. Yet, even so, living for Christ is not always easy. Remember that the people to whom Hebrews was written were facing persecution. Even when we are not facing persecution we sometimes feel that the forces arranged against us are overwhelming. If it isn’t external pressure, our own habits and attitudes conspire against us to make it hard to live as God wants us to. There are times when we feel that it just isn’t possible.

But remember that if we belong to Christ, we are in a covenant relationship with God. He helps us to keep the covenant in at least two ways.

Chapter 1, verse 14 says that the angels are ministering spirits send to serve those who will inherit salvation. Is the enemy too strong for you? Is the task you’ve been given more than you can bear? Then ask God to send His angels to protect you and help you bear the load.

God also helps us overcome our internal struggles and weaknesses. Are you anxious? Do you lack peace? Do you have trouble controlling your temper? Then ask the Spirit to fill you. Pray for the Spirit’s fruit to displace whatever it is in your life that does not conform to the character of Christ. Yes, living for Christ can be hard. But God gives us the help we need to do it.

There are a lot of people who like to think of Jesus as a good man. Others are prepared to accept Him as an inspired teacher. Some even say that Jesus is a prophet – one who speaks on behalf of God. But people are reluctant to acknowledge that Jesus is anything more than a man.

The New Testament has a lot to say about this topic. Perhaps the most systematic discussion of it is in the inspired book in the Bible we call Hebrews. The resemblance between Jesus and God is so close that Hebrews 1:3 says He, “…is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…” (NIV)

Jesus also has a superior relationship to God than anyone else. Hebrews, chapter one, verses, 5 through 7 say, “For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today have I become your father?” and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?” Again, when he brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” Of the angels he says, “Who makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire.”” (NIV)

Why does Scripture call Jesus, God’s Son? It is an expression of relationship. We already saw in verse 3 that the Son is the “exact representation” of God’s being. Since Jesus is the embodiment of God’s character it is appropriate to call Him, God’s Son.

Scripture also tells us that Jesus was not created, but was with God from all eternity. If so, then why does it say that He is begotten of God? The key to understanding this dilemma is in the word “today.” “…today I have become your Father.” God the Father is outside of nature. He is outside of time. Nature and time are created things. The Son is an expression of deity within the confines of nature and time.

God also calls Jesus the “firstborn.” This is another expression of relationship. In Jewish tradition the son who was born first became the head of the family and inherited twice as much property. God gave the Son a superior name. He has also made the Son “heir of all things.” Since the Son has been put over every one and inherits everything, it is appropriate to call Him the firstborn.

There are two other senses in which Jesus is the firstborn. Colossians 3:10 points out that those who follow Christ are being transformed into the image of God. Jesus is the prototype. He is the firstborn in that He is the first man who is as God intended man to be.

Another sense in which Jesus is the firstborn is in Colossians chapter 1 and verse 18, “…he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead…” (NIV) In the resurrection we will receive new bodies which will no longer be subject to the limitations and frailties of the bodies we now have. Jesus is the first to have received one of those bodies when He rose from the dead, so it is appropriate to call Him the firstborn.

If the angels don’t enjoy the status of Son, then what are they? The text says that they are servants.

There is also another contrast between Jesus and the angels. The text calls angels winds and flames of fire. Wind and fire can be very powerful. But wind and fire are also temporary. In contrast, Jesus’ rule lasts forever. In verses 8 through 14 we read, “But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.” And, “You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does. As a mantle, you will roll them up, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years will not fail.” But which of the angels has he told at any time, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?” Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?”

Verse 8, quoting from Psalm 45, calls the Son, God. The angels do not share in the divine nature. They are created beings while Jesus, the Son, is not.

But there is more. The angels’ power is limited or temporary. The Son rules forever. We saw in a previous program that all authority has been given to Him. Here we see that there is also no limit to its duration.

Why did God appoint Jesus to the throne? Because of Jesus’ character. He loved righteousness. This means that His actions and judgments are never arbitrary but always just.

In addition, He hated wickedness. This is something we need to remember. We cannot claim to follow Christ while we hold on to the things He hates.

Verse 9 says that God anointed Jesus with the oil of gladness. Some religions promise release from the meaninglessness and drudgery of life. Some promise pleasure. But in Christ we have joy.

The writer continues to make the contrast between Jesus and the angels by quoting from Psalm 102. According to that Psalm, Jesus is Lord of the universe. He created it – some day He will destroy it. Though the universe is finite and will perish, Jesus is eternal. He is not only eternal, He remains the same forever. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (NIV) This should give us hope and confidence. The Jesus who loves righteousness, and rules righteously, is not going to change. We can depend on Him.

Verse 13 quotes from Psalm 110 to point out another difference between Jesus and the angels. God has given Jesus a place of honor – He is seated at God’s right hand. As powerful and holy as the angels may be, they haven’t been given that honor. It is their job to serve.

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned and hid from God in the Garden of Eden, God has been pursuing mankind with a message of love and redemption. Through the centuries God has tried to communicate with man in many different ways. The first 4 verses of the inspired book in the Bible which we call Hebrews say, “God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have.”

These verses tell us that no matter how God may have spoken in the past and no matter who He spoke to, complete and full revelation comes only through His Son, Jesus Christ. If we want to hear God’s message in its fullness, we have to listen to Jesus.

Not only is the message given through the Son superior to previous messages, God has spoken to us by His Son, “at the end of these days.” Other translations say that God has spoken in “these last days.” In other words, we are living in the final portion of history. There is no assurance whatever that God will give us another message if we reject the revelation He has already given us through the Son.

What makes the Son superior to other messengers through whom God spoke in the past? Verse 2 says that the Son has been appointed “heir of all things.” Jesus, himself, said, “…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18 NIV)

The point is this: We are never going to find a messenger who has more authority than Jesus. There are lots of religions; there are lots of traditions which claim to have messengers from God, yet not a single one of them has as much authority as Jesus. Are we prepared to accept Christ’s word as final?

Not only is the Son, God’s heir, God created the universe through Him. John writes, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3 NIV) Just think about the incredible power that implies! Think about the incredible majesty and splendor the universe displays. No other messenger can begin to compare.

Jesus not only has the authority to speak for God, there can be no distortion in the message. Verse 3 says, “His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance,”

What does the expression “his glory” mean? God’s glory is the manifestation or display of His character. For example, Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God…” (NIV) And, Romans 1:20 says, “…God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…” (NIV) So, when we read about God’s glory in Psalm 19, it seems to be talking about the character qualities mentioned in Romans. Thus, when we read Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (NIV) it means that we have failed to display the same character traits that God does. For example, our goodness falls short of God’s goodness. We are not as merciful as God. Our truthfulness does not measure up to His truth, and so on.

But the Son does measure up to God’s character. He not only displays God’s glory or character, He possesses it within Himself. While we fall short, the Son is the “…exact representation of his being…” (Hebrews 1:3 NIV) The resemblance is so close that Jesus could tell His disciples, “…Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…” (John 14:9 NIV) If you want to know what God is like, all you have to do is look at Jesus. Since Jesus, the Son, has all of the attributes of God, can we doubt that He is the One who sustains the entire universe with His powerful word?

Jesus not only has a superior character to all other messengers because He shares the attributes of God, He also has a superior position. He is seated at “…the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3)

Later in the book, Hebrews portrays priests as standing to do their work (10:11). But verse three says that after Jesus provided purification for sins, He sat down. This points to the fact that the work of purification is completed. Nothing more needs to be done. Jesus finished the task.

Angels have some of the attributes of God such as holiness, but no angel has been given as high a position of honor as the Son. Only Jesus is seated at God’s right hand.

Some religions claim that their message or book was delivered by means of an angel. Even if that is true, Jesus has the higher position and honor. The message which comes through Him takes precedence over any other.

Not only does Jesus have superior authority, a superior character and a superior position, He also has a superior name. No angel has a name which is as great as His. Philippians 2, verses 9 and 10 say, “…God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,” (NIV)

What is this name which is superior to all others? We know from Philippians 2:11 that the name Jesus was given is “Lord”. This means that He is the supreme ruler. We already saw that He has all authority. We will never find a more authoritative message than the one Jesus brought. You can search the world over. No other system, religion or philosophy can provide you with what God has given us in Jesus Christ, His Son.

A question which the followers of Christ often hear is “Why are you a Christian?” Some people make the argument that the only reason some follow Christ rather than practice another religion is that they happened to be born to a Christian family or they grew up in a society that is heavily influenced by Christian thought and tradition. In contrast, if they had been born in India, they would most probably be Hindu. If they had been born in Thailand they would most likely be Buddhist.

There is just enough truth in this claim to make it plausible. But are people followers of Christ merely because of an accident of birth? Today we’re going to begin a series of programs from the book in the Bible called Hebrews. The message of Hebrews is that what we believe really does make a difference. Those of us who believe in Christ do so, not because of circumstances, but because of choice. Christ is superior to all others. The New Covenant which Christ inaugurated is superior to all other systems. It is worth dying for. To prove the case, the book uses words like ‘superior’ or ‘better’ at least 13 times.

We call the book ‘Hebrews’ because it was written to a group of people who had become followers of Christ from a Jewish background. We don’t know where they lived. However, it’s likely that they were in the city of Rome.

The people to whom this letter was written were in crisis. They had suffered persecution. Chapter 10, verses 32 through 34 tells us that they had been publicly insulted. Their property had been confiscated. Not only had they, themselves, suffered persecution but they had witnessed the persecution of other believers and had stood up for them.

As bad as the persecution was, it had not been life-threatening. Chapter 12, verse 4 says that they had not yet had to shed their blood. But that verse also implies that the possibility of having to give their lives for Christ was very real. It’s possible that the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor, Nero was just beginning. The question these people were starting to ask is, “Is it worth it? Nobody bothered us for being Jews. Is Christ, and the New Covenant in Christ, worth dying for? Wouldn’t it be better to go back to the Jewish religion and escape all this trouble? What was so bad about the Mosaic Law after all?”

We don’t know who wrote the book of Hebrews. There has been controversy and speculation about it from the beginning. The majority of early Christians thought that Paul was probably the author. However, the important thing is the message, not the writer. Whoever he was, he was steeped in the Old Testament Scriptures and was intimately acquainted with the Jewish Temple and Temple ritual.

Another thing we need to understand about the book of Hebrews is the writer’s view of the Old Testament Scriptures. To him they are not merely words, but the actual words of God. In addition, all of the Old Testament, not just the specific prophecies, but every bit of it points to Christ. Hebrews is filled with quotations from the Old Testament to substantiate the argument the writer makes. In fact, several portions of Hebrews are commentaries on passages in the Old Testament.

With that as a background, let’s read from the first 2 verses of chapter 1. “God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son,”

In these verses we learn something very important about God: He communicates. God has a message which He wants to get across to us. And, it is God, not man who took the initiative. At the time of creation, mankind enjoyed a close and intimate relationship with God. But, when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, they became afraid and hid from God. Ever since, God has been calling “Adam! Where are you?”

Through the centuries, God spoke in many different ways to many different people. Sometimes it was through angels, as when the angels came to Abraham. Sometimes it was through dreams like Joseph had. Sometimes it was in the form of visions such as Ezekiel and other prophets saw. At other times it was in an audible voice like Elijah heard. At still other times God tried to speak to His people through object lessons, illustrations, parables and symbols.

Yet all of these methods proved to be insufficient and inadequate to convey God’s message. One reason that they proved inadequate was that they were fragmentary. God could only convey His message a little bit at a time. Sin separates and it makes it very difficult for us to hear God’s words. As Jeremiah wrote, “To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they take no pleasure in it.” (Jeremiah 6:10 NIV)

But even when we want to know and hear God’s message, we are often incapable of receiving and understanding it. As Job said when he thought about what God discloses about Himself through nature, “…these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?” (Job 26:14 NIV)

Another reason that previous revelations were inadequate is that human language is simply not capable of expressing who God really is. Isaiah writes, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” (Isaiah 40:28 NIV)

And so, we need a higher, a superior revelation. One which is adequate to fully convey God’s message and one which we can comprehend. In these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son.