Hebrews

In the first of the General Epistles, the writer of Hebrews delivers one of Scripture's most unapologetic testimonies of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. This book conveys a sense not of the Son speaking of Himself but of the Father speaking concerning the Son. Opening by confirming His deity as the second person of the Holy Trinity, God's Son is testified to as the heir of all things, creator of the worlds, the radiance of God's glory, the exact representation of God's nature, Him who upholds all things by the word of God's power, and the One who has accomplished (the most significant of all things regarding man's relationship with God) "cleansing for sins," and Who then sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. For the Jewish reader who might have been confused, thinking of Jesus as an angel like Michael or Gabriel, the writer of Hebrews declares Jesus is not just something other than an angel as the Son of God; he places Christ clearly above the angels in vv.5-14, concluding the thought by assigning angels to the role of those who render service for the sake of those who will inherit (what Christ accomplished) - salvation. Among this great evidence of Christ, also look at the reconciling element of the Old and New Testaments in our Bible. If Christ is the "exact representation" of the nature of God who spoke long ago in the prophets, then not only are they One and the same, but once again, we witness testimony of God's unchanging nature, from the beginning of creation, through all eternity.

There are three categories of people addressed in the book of Hebrews: 1) Hebrew Christians, 2) Hebrew Non-Christians who were intellectually convinced of the Gospel but not willing to make a commitment to faith in Christ, and 3) Hebrew Non-Christians who were not convinced of the Gospel. Chapter two speaks to the second group because while a Christian can drift away (v.1), they cannot neglect the salvation they've already received (v.3). Having just declared the preeminence of Christ through the opening verses, the writer was already eager for his readers to react to the truth. It is not good enough to have simply laid out the facts. The desire of an effective teacher must be to have those he teaches respond positively to what he says. This is a warning to the intellectually convinced that there must come a point of decision. How many people will know that Christ is "the" Lord, yet realize from an eternity in Hell that they waited too long to commit to Him as "their" Lord? For the unbelieving Hebrew, the references from Psalms 8:4,5,6; 22:22 & Isaiah 8:17-18 would be familiar and convincing attestations to Christ's dominion over the angels, and to God having placed all things in subjection to Him. View this chapter in three sections. vv.1-4 The Tragedy of Neglecting Salvation, vv.5-9 Recovery of Man's Lost Destiny, and vv.9-18 Our Perfect Savior.

Chapter 3 is an exhortation towards greater faithfulness and perseverance. The argument is of Jesus’ superiority to Moses (v.3) and uses the example of the Israelites' failure in the wilderness (v.8). By this, the Jewish Christians are exhorted to fix their thoughts on Jesus and not to harden their hearts (vv.13,15) in unbelief as their ancestors did. By invoking Psalm 95 (vv.7-11), we are reminded of how the Israelites' disobedience and unbelief (v.8) in the wilderness prevented them from entering the promised land (v.11). That unbelief led to forty years of wandering in the wilderness (vv.9,17). We should read this as a contrast to the importance of holding on to the confidence these Jewish Christians had when they first believed (v.14) and as an encouragement to be faithful to the end (v.14). Remember that our faith is not immune to challenges and doubts. Read these words as an encouragement for you today – to persevere in your journey with Christ amidst life's challenges.

Chapter four continues the theme of hearing the voice of God and "not hardening your hearts." Expounding on the declaration of the LORD from Psalm 95, we read of The Believer's Rest, which is only available by faith. As you read the chapter, look through the lens of this outline. First, the Availability of Rest (v.1). Second, the Basis of Rest (vv.2-7) - How do I get there? Personal Faith (v.2), Sovereign Decree (v.6), and Immediate Action (v.7). Third, the Nature of Rest (vv.8-10). And finally, Fourth, the Urgency of Rest (vv.11-13). God desires that we have rest, but it is not available to us without faith. His appeal comes whereby we know that He has endured all things and is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (v.15). The invitation is compellingly simple: "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Heb 4:16.