Daily reading
Today’s reading is: Heb. 1:1-4:13
Video
Hebrews Chapter One
- Hebrews begins with a prologue comparable to Genesis and John for depth of meaning (Heb. 1:1-3a).
- Long ago, God had a message to the fathers. This message came through the prophets in many portions and in many ways.
- Just recently, God had a message to us. This message came through His Son. This Son is described as:
- The Heir of All Things.
- The Creator of the Ages.
- The visible representation of the Father’s invisible glory.
- The sustainer of all things according to the will of God the Father.
- Following His work on Earth, God the Son obtained the greatest title of all creation in all the ages (Heb. 1:3b,4).
- The superiority of Jesus Christ to angels is an undeniable witness at the right hand of God the Father (Heb. 1:5-14).
- Hebrews quotes the Old Testament (Septuagint translation) throughout the Book, especially here with reference to the Son’s glory over the angels (Ps. 2:7; 2nd Sam. 7:14; Ps. 97:7; 104:4; 45:6-7; 102:25-27; 110:1).
Hebrews Chapter Two
- The angels’ destiny as our servants (Heb. 1:13) and our role in teaching them the manifold wisdom of God (Eph. 3:10) should motivate us for an incredible degree of diligent service (Heb. 2:1-4). The word spoken by angels refers back to Satan’s original rebellion and the separation of elect and fallen angels (Ps. 82:1-8; 89:5-10; Rev. 12:4; Dan. 8:10-11).
- The plan of God the Father exalts the race of man over the realm of angelic creation, and therefore the Christ came to identify with fallen man (Heb. 2:5-18; Ps. 8:4-6; 22:22; Isa. 8:17-18).
- It was fitting for the Son to be made complete in his human experience by enduring the sufferings of His brethren (Heb. 2:10).
- It was necessary for the Son to identify with man, in order to become a merciful and faithful high priest, satisfying God the Father on behalf of man (Heb. 2:17-18).
Hebrews Chapter Three
- Believers in the Dispensation of the Church are required to actively direct their minds entirely upon the Apostle and High Priest of their confession—Jesus (Heb. 3:1).
- κατανοέω katanoeō #2657: to consider attentively, fix one’s eyes or mind upon.
- ὁμολογία homologia #3671: profession, confession (Heb. 3:1; 4:14; 10:23).
- Christ is superior to Moses, even as a son is superior to a servant (Heb. 3:2-6). Our house identity is our priestly function as a temple in Christ. Such function is absolutely conditional upon our holding fast, as this conditional reality is unrelated to our absolute and unlosable salvation (Heb. 3:6).
- Even as the followers of Moses had a promised reward for faithfulness, so do the followers of Christ (Heb. 3:7-11; Ps. 95:9-11).
- The Church faces the same test that Israel faced in the wilderness—the unbelief of the believer as the manifestation of a hardened heart (Heb. 3:12-19).
Hebrews Chapter Four
- Believers no longer fear falling short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Our concern is falling short of the Sabbath rest He supplies on a daily basis (Heb. 4:1-11; Ps. 95:11,7).
- Believers fall short of the daily Sabbath rest by failing to unite the Word of God with faith (Heb. 4:2).
- The Word of God is the living and active agent that pierces the believer’s soul & spirit, convicting us daily in our walk and rest (Heb. 4:12-13).
(Chapter Four continues tomorrow)