5 For God never said to any angel what He said to Jesus: “You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father.”
God also said, “I will be His Father, and He will be My Son.”
6 And when He brought His supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship Him.”
7 Regarding the angels, He says, “He sends His angels like the winds, His servants like flames of fire.”
8 But to the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice. 9 You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, O God, Your God has anointed You, pouring out the oil of joy on You more than on anyone else.”
10 He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, You laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain forever. They will wear out like old clothing. 12 You will fold them up like a cloak and discard them like old clothing. But You are always the same; You will live forever.”
13 And God never said to any of the angels, “Sit in the place of honor at My right hand until I humble Your enemies, making them a footstool under Your feet.”
14 Therefore, angels are only servants — spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.~ Hebrews 1:5-14 NLT ~
Many people today really seem to be infatuated with angels. AHarris Pollgiven on November 2 & 11, 2009, online to 2,303 adults, found that 72% of all adults, regardless of their religious faith or lack of it, believed in angels. People are always posting stories about angels, or pretty pictures of angels. Before we go into this study, let’s discover what exactly, an angel is…
The word angel comes from the Greek word,anggelos, which means,“a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God.“I find it very interesting that many people believe in angels, even though they don’t believe in God, especially in light of what the word angel means. Seriously, how can you have a messenger without the Sender of the message, who is superior to the messenger… and how do you have a created being without the Creator?
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see — such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him. ~ Colossians 1:15-16 NLT ~
“You alone are the Lord.
You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before You. ~ Nehemiah 9:6 NASB ~
Lots of people have a lot of different ideas about angels, some are crazy mixed up ideas, and others are biblical and true. There are many who believe that angels are eternal beings who have always existed, but that’s not what the Scriptures tell us. The bible tells us that the Angels were created by God. The were created by God through Christ and for Him. Therefore, angels have not always existed…
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you know so much. 5 Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? 6 What supports its foundations, and Who laid its cornerstone 7 as the morning sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? ~ Job 38:4-7 NLT ~
Although we don’t know the exact time when the angels were created, we do know that they were created before God created the earth… The closest we can come to actually knowing when the angels were created, is when we look at Genesis 1, where it says,“In the beginning God created the heavens…”, because when God created the earth, “the morning stars (another term for angels) sang together, and the angels shouted for joy.”Let’s look at some of the things people believe, and see if it lines up with what God’s word says about them…
A common belief that many people, both Christians and non-Christians, have is that everyone has a guardian angel. Is this true?
Nowhere in the bible, does it specifically mention guardianangels. However, although the bible does not say that everyone has a guardian angel, many people believe that everyone has one because of what Jesus said to His disciples when they asked Him who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
“Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of My heavenly Father.” ~ Matthew 18:10 NLT ~
While Jesus said nothing about guardian angels, His statement implies that there are angels assigned to each child. Jesus did not go into detail about this, therefore it would be nothing but conjecture to claim what duties these angels are assigned to do. Also, it would only be pure speculation to try to guess how many angels are assigned to each child.
So, fromMatthew 18:10, we know that children have angels assigned to them, but what about adults? Do the angels that are assigned to us as children remain with us until we die? Are they just assigned to us until we grow up?
For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. ~ Psalm 91:11 NASB ~
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. ~ Psalm 34:7 NASB ~
“You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.”~ Acts 12:15 NLT ~
The scriptures above imply that there are angels who watch over the people of God.Psalm 91:11 states that the Lord gives the angels the responsibility of guarding His people in all their ways, whilePsalm 34:7says that God’s angel encamps (settles) around those who fear Him.
Since non-Christians don’t fear the Lord, and this scripture establishes the fact that God’s angel settles around those who fear Him, it is safe to conclude that non-Christians (with the possible exception of the Jews who fear the Lord) do not have an angel who watches over them.
Still, there are many who believe in angels, but not in God, their Creator, and they believe that they have guardian angels assigned to protect them and watch over them. However, when you think about it, it simply isn’t logical to even think that God would assign His angels to guard or protect His enemies…
He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters. ~ Matthew 12:30 NASB ~
Acts 12:15tells the story of when Peter had been arrested right after James had been martyred, and an angel of the Lord came and freed him from the prison. After being freed, Peter went to where the other apostles were staying, and knocked on the door. A servant answered Peter’s knock, and in her excitement, slammed the door in his face and ran to tell the others that Peter was at the door. The others shook their heads and told her she was crazy, and that it must be Peter’s angel. This seems to imply that there was an angel assigned to Peter, which begs the question, do all Christians have an angel(s) assigned to us?
Judging from the scriptures above, it seems very likely, however, there is no specific scripture that plainly tells us this is so. Therefore, I won’t presume to make that claim. Let’s see what else people believe about angels and whether it is biblically true or not…
Many people, both Christians and non-Christians alike, believe that when they die, they will become angels. What do you believe?
Firstly, although both man and the angels were created by God, it was man alone, who was said to have been created in the image of God. To man alone, God gave dominion over the earth, not to the angels. Furthermore, it was mankind only, who God commanded to procreate…
26 Then God said, “Let Us make human beings in Our image, to be like Us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along on the ground. 27 So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.
29 Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.30 And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.
31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day. ~ Genesis 1:26-31 NLT ~
Scripture records that not only did God create man in His own image, but He did something else for mankind alone, that He didn’t do for any of the animals that He created. It is this unique quality that sets us apart from every other animal. For though animals have a soul, they do not possess a spirit…
Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person. ~ Genesis 2:7 NLT ~
It was into man alone that God breathed the breath (spirit) of life. Just as we give mouth to mouth resuscitation to a person who has stopped breathing and is in danger of death, so our Creator breathed life into us. The Hebrew word used for breath in this verse is nĕshamah, which means:
breath, spirit
breath (of God)
breath (of man)
every breathing thing
spirit (of man)
So, does this mean that the angels are not created in God’s image? We’ll examine this, and other angelic facts, further in our next post, and we will also answer the question, “Do people become angels when they die?…”
All bible references are taken fromBible Gateway. Do you want to look up a scripture, but can’t remember where to find it? Try finding it onBible Gateway, a wonderful website that includes many different bible versions, study aids and helps. Bible Gateway is a great resource for all believers to grow in wisdom and knowledge of the Lord.
1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.2 And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son He created the universe.3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave Him is greater than their names.~ Hebrews 1:1-4 — NLT ~
Many people in this world call upon the angels to help them. Many call upon gods created in the minds of men. Many others call upon idols created by the hands of man. And yet, there is one God and Creator of the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them. There is only one God and Creator of mankind and only one way to reach Him…
Jesus told him,“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” ~ John 14:6 — NLT ~
Why would someone call on anyone else for help? In my darkest hour, in those times when I am desperate for help, I want to be sure that I cry out to the One who can help me…
You see, the angels have to answer to God, so why would I go to them first, when He is the One who must give them permission to help me? For you see, it is Christ who created the angels, and not only did He create them, but they were created for His purpose…
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through Him, God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see — such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him.~ Colossians 1:15-16 — NLT ~
20 Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out His plans, listening for each of His commands. 21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve Him and do His will! ~ Psalm 103:20-21 — NLT ~
You see, beloved readers, the scriptures make it very clear that the angels were created to serve God and to carry out His plans. Therefore, if I choose to worship the angels, and seek their help, rather than His, my cries for help will be fruitless. For His holy angels cannot act on my behalf, apart from His will, and the fallen angels, who serve Satan, desire to steal, kill and destroy all of mankind. Therefore, to call on any other name, other than Jesus, whose name is far greater than the angels would be foolish.
This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave Him is greater than their names.~ Hebrews 1:4 — NLT ~
There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.~ Acts 4:12 — NLT ~
9 Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ~ Philippians 2:9-11 — NLT ~
You see my friends, when we need help and when we need salvation, to call on the angels would be foolhardy, because the only way to get any help at all is to cry out to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. For there is salvation in no one else. Indeed, the only way to God the Father is through Christ, and at His name, every knee will one day bow. That means that every angel, and even every demon will one day bow to Him. Even Satan, His enemy will bow down to Him one day…
So, in those times when we are weak, call upon Jesus, who is high above all else. In those times of dismay, cry out to Him for salvation. In those times of great joy and triumph, bow down to the Almighty God, and give Him praise and glory in Jesus’ name, for He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and He is far greater than the angels, and His name is far above their names!
The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.~ Hebrews 1:3 — NLT ~
In our last study on Hebrews 1:3, we discussed how Jesus sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. I truly love how this study is going. There is so much for us to glean and absorb from God’s word to us and to the Hebrews, and I’m truly excited about the timing of everything.
Doesn’t it seem appropriate that we are going to spend time studying the following part of Hebrews 1:3, at this time, when Christians everywhere are celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God?
… When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.
Think about it… All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… There is no one righteous, no, not one… The wages of sin is death…
The situation was grim. Mankind was lost and dying. Though it wasn’t created for man, the fact is that all of mankind was destined for hell. Though sin had separated all of mankind from God, in His mercy and His grace, God had a solution for mankind’s eternal problem…
… For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life…Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends… You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you…
There is no greater love than this. God loved us so much, that He willingly sacrificed His Son for our sins, and it is at this time of year, that we celebrate His great act of love on our behalf. And Jesus could have refused to die for us, but He didn’t. Instead, He chose to suffer on your behalf and mine…
1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed His powerful arm? 2 My Servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in a dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about His appearance, nothing to attract us to Him. 3 He was despised and rejected — a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.
4 Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins! 5 But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all.
7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth. 8 Unjustly condemned, He was led away. No one cared that He died without descendants, that His life was cut short in midstream. But He was struck down for the rebellion of my people. 9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But He was buried like a criminal; He was put in a rich man’s grave.
10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush Him and cause Him grief. Yet when His life is made an offering for sin, He will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in His hands. 11 When He sees all that is accomplished by His anguish, He will be satisfied. And because of His experience, My Righteous Servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for He will bear all their sins. 12 I will give Him the honors of a victorious soldier, because He exposed Himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels. ~ Isaiah 53 — NLT ~
… When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. ~ Hebrews 1:3 — NLT ~
After Jesus suffered and died to pay for your sins and mine, He descended into hell…
18 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit.
19 So He went and preached to the spirits in prison — 20 those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. ~ 1 Peter 3:18-20 — NLT ~
The scriptures also tell us that everyone must die, and after that, face judgment, just as Jesus did, but here is the good news. Though Jesus died for your sins and mine, He arose from the dead!
27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,28 so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for Him. ~ Hebrews 9:27-28 — NLT ~
Beloved readers, we are so blessed. For when Jesus rose up from the dead, He didn’t stop working on our behalf. Indeed, this is why believers throughout the world celebrate Christ’s resurrection every year at this time…
1“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me.2 There is more than enough room in My Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.4 And you know the way to where I am going.” ~ John 14:1-4 — NLT ~
Therefore He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. ~ Hebrews 7:25 — NLT ~
Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and He is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. ~ Romans 8:34 — NLT ~
Isn’t it comforting to know that Jesus is sitting beside God right now, on His right side, in the place of honor, interceding for you and me? There is no better or more able to defend us than Christ, the holy Son of God!
As we prepare to celebrate the life, death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, this weekend, let’s reflect on this…
The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.~ Hebrews 1:3 — NLT ~
Beloved readers, as we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, let us not forget to give thanks to Him for sacrificing His one and only Son so that you and I could live…
Heavenly Father, thank You so much for the gift of Your Son Jesus. Thank You Lord, for sacrificing Him for my sake, and thank You for raising Him up from the dead, so that He could prepare a place for me to live,
And Lord Jesus, thank You for stepping in when I sin and fail God, and for pleading and interceding with Him on my behalf, because if You are for me, who could be against me.
Thank You, Lord for the great love that You lavish on me, and forgive me for sinning against You. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.~ Hebrews 1:3 — NLT ~
Greetings beloved readers! I don’t know about you, but God is ministering to me through this study of His word. In our last study, we discovered that Jesus is the very image of God, possessing His character as well. We discovered that Jesus has the same exact mindset as God, our heavenly Father does, and that we are to have the same mindset as Christ. In closing, I citedRomans 8:17, and asked, “As a child of Almighty God, and a joint heir with Christ, are we really willing to do what Paul said inRomans 8:17? And if we’re not, are we willing, to begin praying for God to give us this same mindset that Jesus, and all of His disciples (except for Judas Iscariot) had?”
Did you ask yourself if you are willing to share in Jesus’ suffering? For indeed, we must be willing to share in His suffering if we are to share in His glory. Sadly, much of the church (here in America at any rate), wants to share in the glory and skip the suffering, as if that is an option, when in reality, it isn’t. Jesus even warned us, before His arrest and crucifixion, that we would suffer, so if anyone tries to tell you that as a child of God, you won’t go through trials like everyone else, remember these words of Jesus…
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. ~ John 16:33 — NLT ~
Now, we’re ready to move on to the next part of our study in Hebrews… and YES, we’re still studying Hebrews 1:3. There is so much for us to feast on in this one verse, as we study God’s word line by line and precept upon precept…
The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.~ Hebrews 1:3 — NLT ~
Today, in this post, we’re going to study how Jesus sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When I said we are going to study Hebrews line by line and precept upon precept, I meant exactly that. Therefore, in order for us to accomplish this, let’s look at this verse in the New American Standard Bible (NASB).
When looking for the original Greek words (for the New Testament) or Hebrew words (for the Old Testament) that were translated into the many different versions of the Bible that we are blessed with today, you usually do so by referring to either the King James Version (KJV) or the NASB. I personally prefer the NASB over the KJV, simply because people no longer speak King James English, whereas, we (Americans especially) do speak the language of the NASB. Therefore, let’s look at this verse in the NASB…
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…~ Hebrews 1:3 — NASB ~
Let’s begin by looking at the Greek word and definition for upholds:
Upholds = pherō
I. to carry
A. to carry some burden
i. to bear with one’s self
B. to move by bearing; move or, to be conveyed or borne, with the suggestion of force or speed
i. of persons borne in a ship over the sea ii. of a gust of wind, to rush iii. of the mind, to be moved inwardly, prompted
C. to bear up i.e. uphold (keep from falling)
i. of Christ, the preserver of the universe
II. to bear, i.e. endure, to endure the rigor of a thing, to bear patiently one’s conduct, or spare one (abstain from punishing or destroying)
III. to bring, bring to, bring forward
A. to move to, apply B. to bring in by announcing, to announce C. to bear i.e. bring forth, produce; to bring forward in a speech D. to lead, conduct
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… ~ Hebrews 1:3 — NASB ~
Next, we will look at the Greek word and definition for all things:
All Things = pas
I. individually
A. each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… ~ Hebrews 1:3 — NASB ~
As we continue to search the original meaning of this passage, by looking for the Greek words and definitions, from which this scripture was translated, we will look at the Greek word and definition for by the word:
By the Word = rhēma
I. that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken,word
A. any sound produced by the voice and having definite meaning
B. speech, discourse
i. what one has said
C. a series of words joined together into a sentence (a declaration of one’s mind made in words)
i. an utterance
ii. a saying of any sort as a message, a narrative
a. concerning some occurrence
II. subject matter of speech, thing spoken of
A. so far forth as it is a matter of narration
B. so far as it is a matter of command
C. a matter of dispute, case at law
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…~ Hebrews 1:3 — NASB ~
The final word that we are going to research for today’s study is power:
Power = dynamis
I. strength power, ability
A. inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of itsnature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth
B. power for performing miracles
C. moral power and excellence of soul
D. the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth
E. power and resources arising from numbers
F. power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…~ Hebrews 1:3 — NASB ~
Now that we know the Greek words and their definitions, let’s put it together so that we can have a thorough knowledge of what this portion of Hebrews 1:3 means to us…
This portion of Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Jesus upholds(to carry, to carry some burden, to bear with one’s self, to bear up i.e. uphold [keep from falling], of Christ, the preserver of the universe) allthings (each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything) bytheword (that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word, any sound produced by the voice and having definite meaning, an utterance, a saying of any sort as a message, a narrative, so far as it is a matter of command) of His power(strength power, ability, inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth, power for performing miracles, moral power and excellence of soul).
Beloved readers, what this means is that Jesus holds everything together. Think about this scientifically. As far as anyone has been able to determine, our world is the only planet on which there is intelligent life (or life of any kind for that matter!). Not only that, if you were to fly to the moon or some other planet, special space suits must be worn, in order to prevent you from drifting away into space, and also in order to maintain life. However, here on earth, there is something (we call it gravity) that sustains or lives… Here, and here alone out of all the planets that we are aware of, is there the correct amount of oxygen that enables us to live. It is also only here on earth, that there is that gravitational pull, which keeps us from imploding, exploding, dissolving or floating away, and also holds everything together…
One of the things that I love about the Bible (Actually, there are many things I love about it!) is the fact that it was written by people thousands of years ago (Under the inspiration of Holy Spirit), who did not have access to the scientific knowledge that the people of this generation have, and yet, there are many profound scientific facts contained therein… For example, at a time in history, when everyone else believed that the earth was flat, the God-breathed scriptures described the earth as round — thousands of years before man discovered this to be true…
He has inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters at the boundary of light and darkness. ~ Job 26:10 — NASB ~
21 Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand? Are you deaf to the words of God— the words He gave before the world began? Are you so ignorant? 22 God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to Him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes His tent from them. ~ Isaiah 40:21-22 — NLT ~
This scripture makes it clear that it is Jesus who holds the world together. How powerful is that? Think about it the next time you are outside, as you look at the sky, the sun, the moon and the stars. Think about it as you look at the trees and the grass, the flowers and the weeds.
Think about the fact that Jesus holds all of creation together, the next time you look in the mirror. Think about it the next time you look at your beloved. Think about the fact that He holds us together the next time you look at your children…
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see — such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him. 17 He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together. ~ Colossians 1:15-17 — NLT ~
2 God says, “At the time I have planned, I will bring justice against the wicked. 3 When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. ~ Psalm 75:2-3 — NLT ~
As we look at the world around us and the people within it, remember that it was Christ Jesus who was in the beginning with God, creating the heavens and the earth and all that is therein. You see, He is the One who has given us life. He is the One who sustains our lives, and it is He who gives life to those whom we love.
24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn’t live in man-made temples,25 and human hands can’t serve His needs—for He has no needs. He Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need.26 From one man He created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and He determined their boundaries.
27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him—though He is not far from any one of us.28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’29 And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.
30 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now He commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to Him.31 For He has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man He has appointed, and He proved to everyone who this is by raising Him from the dead.” ~ Acts 17:24-31 — NLT ~
Going forth from today’s study, look at the world around you and the people around you. Take notice of the beauty of God’s creation. Even in the midst of a fallen creation, there are still glimpses of the original beauty, if we look at the world and the people therein through the eyes of Christ. Therefore, let this be your prayer until our next study…
Father, thank You for Christ who holds all of creation together. We thank You Lord that in You, we live and move and have our being. Father, please give us the heart to look at and see creation, and every man, woman and child therein through Your eyes. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. ~ Hebrews 1:3 — NLT ~
Praise God! Today, we’re going to continue our examination of Hebrews 1:3. In our previous post we learned about how Jesus, the Son of God, radiates God’s own glory, how He is the Light of the world, and how His Light gives us life. Let’s look at the next part of this scripture…
The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God… ~ Hebrews 1:3a — NLT ~
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature…~ Hebrews 1:3a — NASB ~
In order to understand the meaning of this very important passage, let’s look at the Greek words used for representation and nature…
Representation = charaktēr
I. the instrument used for engraving or carving
II. the mark stamped upon that instrument or wrought
out on it.
a mark or figure burned in (Lev. 13:28) or stamped on, an impression
the exact expression (the image) of any person or thing, marked likeness, precise reproduction in every respect, i.e. – facsimile
Nature = hypostasis
I. a setting or placing under
thing put under, substructure, foundation
II. that which has foundation, is firm
that which has actual existence the substantial quality, nature, of a person or thing
a substance, real being
the steadfastness of mind, firmness, courage, resolution
confidence, firm trust, assurance
This is such a beautiful revelation. Not only does Jesus radiate God’s own glory, He also expresses God’s character. Have you ever longed to know God? I mean to really know Him, not just about Him…
To know God, we must first know His Son, because Jesus is the exactimage of God. He is the precise reproduction of His Father in every respect…
9 Jesus replied,“Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father! So why are you asking Me to show Him to you?10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I speak are not My own, but My Father who lives in Me does His work through Me.11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen Me do.”~John 14:9-11 — NLT ~
37 “Don’t believe Me unless I carry out My Father’s work.38 But if I do His work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe Me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”~ John 10:37-38 — NLT ~
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation…~ Colossians 1:15 — NLT ~
InExodus 33:20, the Lord tells Moses that no one can see His face and live. However, Jesus made it clear that anyone who has seen Him, has seen the Father. I’ve always found it interesting that not everyone who saw Jesus saw God…
You see, many who saw Jesus had hearts that were too hard to recognize Him as the visible image of the invisible God…
10 He came into the very world He created, but the world didn’t recognize Him.11 He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him.~ John 1:10-11 — NLT ~
If Jesus were to come to you, or if you were to meet Him somewhere, would you recognize Him? I pray with all my heart that I would know Him, but the truth is, that He does sometimes visit His people without revealing who He is at the time…
34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.35 For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home.36 I was naked, and you gave Me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink?38 Or a stranger and show You hospitality? Or naked and give You clothing?39 When did we ever see You sick or in prison and visit You?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me!’
41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed Me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give Me a drink.43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite Me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give Me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit Me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help You?’
45 “And He will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help Me.’
46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”~ Matthew 25:34-46 — NLT ~
That’s why it’s so important for us to pray that we have the same mindset that He did… Indeed, in Jesus, we see the steadfastness of mind that is in God the Father.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.~ Philippians 2:5-7 — NKJV ~
I can do nothing on My own. I judge as God tells Me. Therefore, My judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the One who sent Me, not My own will.~ John 5:30 — NLT ~
We see in Christ, the mind of God, and as His followers, we are to have the same mindset that Jesus has. You see, a Christian is a follower of Christ, His disciple, a child of the Most High God. Therefore, if we truly belong to Him, our thoughts will be His thoughts…
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.~ Romans 12:1-2 — NLT ~
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.~ Philippians 4:8 — NLT ~
1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory.~ Colossians 3:1-4 — NLT ~
Do you see, beloved readers? Sometimes, we get so caught up in the struggles and worries that we must endure here on earth, that we lose hope. Have you ever heard the saying, “They’re so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good”? The truth is, that this saying is just another example of how the enemy distorts God’s word. The truth of the matter, and the real cause for concern is that there are too many who are so earthly minded that they’re no heavenly good. This bible study is so good not only for you, beloved readers, but for me. We must all (certainly I must) keep our minds set on heaven, so that we don’t become disheartened by our earthly circumstances…
We see in Christ the firmness, the courage and the resolution that is in God, as well as the confidence, firm trust and assurance…
54 Jesus answered,“If I want glory for Myself, it doesn’t count. But it is My Father who will glorify Me. You say, ‘He is our God,’55 but you don’t even know Him. I know Him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know Him and obey Him.56 Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to My coming. He saw it and was glad.”
57 The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus answered,“I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!”~ John 8:54-58 — NLT ~
27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from Me,29 for My Father has given them to Me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.30 The Father and I are one.”~ John 10:27-30 — NLT ~
As Jesus said “I Am He,”they all drew back and fell to the ground!~ John 18:6 — NLT ~
Do you see the courage Jesus exhibited as He spoke these words? Can you see the power He possessed? So much power enveloped Him, that when the soldiers, who had come to arrest Him, heard Him say that He was the “I AM” they were looking for, the power of His authority knocked them off their feet.
Indeed, Jesus possessed such courage and resolution, such firm assurance that He was doing the will of the Father, and that was all that mattered, that He set His face like flint and rode into Jerusalem for the Passover, knowing that by the time it was over, He would be arrested, tortured, convicted and crucified. A question for each one of us to ponder, as we close this lesson, is this… As a child of Almighty God, and a joint heir with Christ, am I really willing to do what Paul said in Romans 8:17? And if I’m not, am I willing to begin praying for God to give me this same mindset that Jesus, and all of His disciples (except for Judas Iscariot) had?
And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering.~ Romans 8:17 — NLT ~
3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.~ Hebrews 1:3 — NLT ~
In this verse, God reveals a great wealth of information about Himself and His Son. It is in this verse that we learn that the Son radiates God’s own glory… Therefore, let us delve into this scripture line by line, and precept upon precept, so we can see and learn what the Lord wants us to know about Him and His Son Jesus through the book of Hebrews…
So, what exactly does it mean when we read that the Son radiates God’s own glory? Let’s first see what the Greek word for Christ’s radiance is, so we can understand exactly what the author of Hebrews was trying to convey. ..
Radiance = apaugasma
reflected brightness
of Christ in that He perfectly reflects the majesty of God
effulgence
shining forth, of a light coming from a luminous body (Vine)
out-raying (Vincent)
What this means is that Jesus is a brilliant radiance/a shining forth coming from His luminous body…
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought Light to everyone. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.~ John 1:4-5 — NLT ~
Praise God, Jesus’ light shines in the darkness… Think about all of those dark places in your life… the secret, sinful places that you try to hide from the world… those dark places that try to overwhelm and overtake you… those dark things that try to control you and fill you with fear and anger and bitterness… But as you think of all the darkness that tries to ruin your lives, know this… The light of Christ shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it or overcome it!
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said,“I am the Light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the Light that leads to life.”~ John 8:12 — NLT ~
How comforting it is to know that all of the darkness in our lives can be dispelled. If we will just look to the Light of the world, who extinguishes the darkness in our lives, we will enjoy the freedom that the Son of God gives… andwhom the Son sets free, is free indeed!
5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all.6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.7 But if we are living in the Light, as God is in the Light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.~ 1 John 1:5-7 — NLT ~
Beloved readers, are you living in the Light? Or has the darkness overcome you? Do you long to break free from the chains of sin and darkness that bring only death? Do you long to walk in the Light of freedom?
There is no reason for any of us to walk in the darkness of sin and fear and death, because Jesus overcame it all on the cross. Before God’s Son came to live with us in the flesh, the prophet Isaiah prophesied about the Light that He would bring to those who live in darkness…
1 Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great Light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a Light will shine.~ Isaiah 9:1-2 — NLT ~
Beloved readers, fear not, for the darkness and dispair will not go on forever, for those who truly long to be free. If you follow Christ, you do not have to walk in darkness, for where there is light, the darkness cannot remain. Are you a child of Christ? If your answer is yes, then you should not be walking in sin and darkness. Don’t allow yourselves to be fooled by those who try to excuse sin. Instead, walk in obedience to God…
6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey Him.7 Don’t participate in the things these people do.8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have Light from the Lord. So live as people of Light!9 For this Light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the Light shines on them,14 for the Light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead,and Christ will give you Light.”~ Ephesians 5:6-14 — NLT ~
Beloved readers, what have we learned from this lesson about Christ, who is the radiance of God’s glory? We’ve learned that as children of God, His light also shines forth in us…
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”~ Matthew 5:14-16 — NLT ~
We also learned that the darkness must go from where the Light is… For the darkness can never overcome or extinguish the Light. Think about this… No matter how dark and how bleak your situation may seem, it can never overcome Christ, who is the Light of the world. However deep the darkness of your pain and depression is, Jesus, the Light, has the power to extinguish it. Rejoice! For where the Light of Christ shines, the darkness must flee…
This is not only good news for all believers, it is the best news! For whether you have been trapped in the darkness of fear, depression, anxiety, pain, oppression and even insanity, if you will allow the Light of Christ to come into your dark places, the darkness will be extinguished. As you pray about what we have studied and learned today, plan to come back as we continue our study of Hebrews 1:3! God bless you!
1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son He created the universe. 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave Him is greater than their names.~ Hebrews 1:1-4 — NLT ~
Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.Enoch walked in close fellowship with God, until He took him… God spoke to Noah and told him to build an ark… God spoke to Abraham when He appeared before him as an angel of the Lord, promising to bless all of mankind through his Seed… He spoke to Moses through the fire of a burning bush, then later, He spoke to him audibly… God spoke to Joshua, encouraging him to“Be strong and courageous…”He spoke to each of the judges who were willing to listen to Him… He spoke to Samuel in the night, calling him by name,“Samuel! Samuel!”… He spoke to King David and to King Solomon… He spoke to Elijah in a still small voice…
I could go on and on, but you get the picture. God used to speak to His people through the prophets, but when Christ came, things changed. Now, He speaks to us through His Son, Jesus. Think about this, God speaks through the One who created the universe with Him…
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.~ John 1:1-5 — NLT ~
Beloved readers, do you get it? God speaks to us through the Word! He speaks to us through His Word! He, who spoke all of creation into existence… He who spoke our lives into existence, also speaks tous through His Son, the Word of God… He speaks to us through Christ, who “… radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God…”He speaks to us through Jesus, who“… expresses the very character of God…”God now speaks to us through His Son,“…who sustains everything by the mighty power of His command…”
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him. 17 He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together.~ Colossians 1:15-17 — NLT ~
How amazing and how wonderful that the God of the universe, the Holy One of Israel speaks to us through His Son and Heir, Jesus Christ, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords! What an honor this is! It used to be that He only spoke to prophets, but now, beloved readers, He speaks through His Son Jesus to ordinary people like you and me! Imagine, hearing the voice of God Almighty as He speaks to us through His Son!
“Oh,” some may say, “I’ve never heard God speak to me.” But according to His Word, He doesspeakto, through His Son. Could it be that those who don’t hear Him speak simply don’t recognize His voice? Let’s see what God’s Son has to say about this…
2 “But He who enters by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep. 3 To Him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear His voice; and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them; and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”~ John 10:2-5 — NKJV ~
Do you see, beloved readers? If you are a child of God, (a.k.a. – a part of the Good Shepherd’s {Jesus’} flock) then when He speaks, you will recognize His voice. Indeed, He will call you by name, just as God called the prophet Samuel so many years ago, just as a shepherd calls his sheep. For Christ Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and He calls us by our name, and when He speaks to us, if we are truly one of His sheep, the Spirit within us compels us to follow Him and obey Him.
For you see, beloved reader, when Christ“… cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven…”This same Jesus, through whom God speaks to regular people like you and me, now sits at the right hand of Almighty God in heaven, reigning and ruling with His Father. Isn’t it wonderful and amazing to know that this same Jesus, who is far greater than the angels, and whose name is above all other names, would speak to someone such as you or me?
There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. ~ Acts 4:12 — NLT ~
9 Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.~ Philippians 2:9-11 — NLT ~
After reading all of this, what can we conclude from our study of the first four verses of Hebrews 1?
We can know that although God used to speak to us through the prophets, He now speaks to us through His Son, Jesus.
We know that Jesus is heir to everything, according to God’s promise.
We know that God created the universe through His Son, Jesus.
We know that Jesus radiates God’s own glory.
We know that the Son of God reveals the very character of God.
We also know that Christ sustains everything by the mighty power of His command.
We know that after Jesus cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.
We know that God’s Son is far greater than the angels.
And finally, we learned that Jesus’ name, given to Him by God, is far greater than any other name in heaven, on the earth below, under the seas, under the earth, or anywhere else in the universe!
Hallelujah! Isn’t it amazing how much we learned about the Lord and how He speaks to us in just four verses? I can’t wait to continue with the next part!
Please bear with me, because I’m not sure how much writing I’m going to be able to do in the next few weeks, as my daughter-in-law (I will refer to her as my daughter from hereon, because that is what she is to me.) just had brain surgery, and I’m going to help care for six of my grandchildren. For those of you who have faith that our awesome and wonderful God and Father hears our prayers and answers them, I ask you to please pray for my son, daughter and children.
Please pray that my daughter heals quickly, and completely, and that she would know just how precious she is to her husband (my son), my husband and me, and everyone who knows her. Pray also that my grandchildren feel God’s love for them, and that they would see how awesome and mighty He is, as He heals their mommy. Please also pray for peace within their home, because this is such a difficult time for all involved, and we all know how the enemy likes to attack when everyone is at their weakest point…
Thank you to each and every one of you for your prayers and for your patience, as my posts for this Bible study will be worked around my beautiful grandchildren’s schedules, and you can imagine how busy my husband and I will be as we help care for those precious children!
Again, thank you and may God bless each one of you!
1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son He created the universe.~ Hebrews 1:1-2 — NLT ~
I love studying the Word of God, and the book of Hebrews is filled with so much wisdom. During my study of the Law, I was going to start in one of the later chapters of Hebrews, but the problem I ran into was that as I began to study that chapter, I felt the need to back up to the previous chapter, in order to keep what I was studying in the proper context. Then, when I went further back, I felt the Spirit stirring within me, urging me to start from the beginning of Hebrews. Therefore, beginning with this post, I’m going to study the book of Hebrews, and I’d like to invite you, my beloved readers to join me as we embark on a new adventure into the Word of God…
Many people believe that Paul was the author of the book of Hebrews, but the fact is that no one really knows for sure who the author was, because unlike Paul’s other epistles, Hebrews does not begin with Paul’s usual salutations…
1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach His Good News. 2 God promised this Good News long ago through His prophets in the holy Scriptures…~ Romans 1:1-2 — NLT ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.
2 I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be His own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as He did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.~ 1 Corinthians 1:1-2 — NLT ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
I am writing to God’s church in Corinth and to all of His holy people throughout Greece.
1 This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ Himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.
1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son He created the universe.~ Hebrews 1:1-2 — NLT ~
Every single book that is known to have been written by the Apostle Paul for sure, begins with a salutation introducing himself, whereas the book of Hebrews does not. While this doesn’t definitively prove that Paul was not the author of Hebrews, it does seem very unlikely that he did write it. It’s really not important who the human author of the book is. What’s important for everyone to know is that the book of Hebrews, like all other books of the bible, was written under the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.~ 2 Timothy 3:16 — NLT ~
Now that we are armed with the knowledge that no matter who the human author was, we are assured that God inspired the book of Hebrews, let us move on to discover who this book was written for and why it was written…
Judging the book by its content, it appears that Hebrews was written to Jewish believers, as there are many references to the Torah. Also, judging by what is contained within this book, it was written to warn the Jewish believers not to fall away from Christ. Of course, since all Scripture is God-breathed, and therefore living and active, it can also be taken as a warning to all believers (both Jews and Gentiles) to remain faithful to God.
There is one final thing for me to cover in this introduction to our Hebrews Bible Study… When studying the Word of God, I usually like to try and answer the “5 W’s”…
Who — We’ve answered this question by discovering that although we are unsure of who wrote the book of Hebrews, we do know that it was originally written to Jewish believers, since there were many references to the Torah.
We can also deduce that although Hebrews was originally written to Jewish believers, it is equally important toall believers.
What — We know that we are studying the book of Hebrews, which is a part of the Word of God.
When — We know that the book of Hebrews was written before 95 A.D., because Clement of Rome quoted from the book of Hebrews in 95 A.D.
Where — Although it is not known where the book of Hebrews was written, it is thought that it was writtento Jewish believers in Jerusalem, though there is now no concrete evidence to support this supposition.
Why —As I stated earlier, it is thought that the book of Hebrews was written for Jewish believers who were in danger of turning away from their faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Though it may have been the author’s intent to write this letter as a means of warning Jewish believers, it is obvious that God intended this book to minister to many more, as Hebrews has become one of the foundational books used to teach and minister to all believers, both Jews and Gentiles.
As we join together, digging into this book, we’ll discover a wealth of wisdom and instruction, as well as the warnings therein. Therefore, please be sure to join me the next time, as we begin studying the book of Hebrews, starting with the first four verses. Until then, I pray that the Lord will bless you and keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you and give you peace. May God be gracious as He lets the light of His countenance give you peace, in Jesus’ name.
Burning Fire Shut Up In My Bones 