Jump Start # 251

Hebrews 1:1-2 “God, after He spoke along ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.”

  This is a wonderful passage that teaches us many great lessons. It is fitting that as we come to the end of the year we have a verse about the last days. The background to this verse, as the book of Hebrews opens, the theme is the superiority of Jesus Christ. This will be established throughout Hebrews. Jesus is superior to the angels. Jesus is superior to Moses. His law is superior to the law of Moses. His promises, His sacrifices, His priesthood are all superior to what was offered in the Old Testament. There is a reason for all of this. Sprinkled throughout Hebrews is some insight as to what is going on. Many of the Christians were giving serious thought to leaving Christianity and returning to Judaism. Persecution was having toll upon these Christians. They didn’t have this pressure when they were Jews. This book was written to show them that if they return, as some already had, you are giving up the best. Nothing is better than Jesus. It’s a great book for faith building reasons.

 Our verse today begins this journey. At one time, God used many ways to talk to people. God talked directly to Adam, Noah, Abraham. To Moses, God spoke through a burning bush and then made him climb a mountain for private conversations. Joseph, received divine dreams. Ezekiel had divine visions. In Daniel, God writes upon a wall with a message. Balaam’s donkey even spoke one time. God used many ways to communicate throughout the O.T. But now, it’s through Jesus. Jesus is the divine spokesman. Jesus is God’s voice. This Jesus, whom God made the heir of all and through whom all was created.

 What does this mean for us? In the N.T. it was the gospel of Jesus that was preached. People stood upon the doctrine of Christ. To reject the words of Jesus, was to reject God. Passages like Jude 3 and John 12:48 teach that. God’s message is found in the N.T. Therefore, the dreams we have, are not divine. God doesn’t speak that way today. What are they, then? Too much food late at night? Something from a movie we watched? Worry? But not a divine message. It also means that God does not use modern day prophets. His message is found in Jesus, the N.T. Interesting that John begins his gospel, “In the beginning was the WORD, and the word was with God and the word was God.” He calls Jesus the word. God’s message isn’t conveyed through feelings, it is through Jesus Christ. We have a hard time with this. Folks will say, “I just feel that God wants me to do this…” Is God speaking through your feelings? Can you trust your feelings? I’ve had people tell me that they thought they were in love, but realized they weren’t. What about those feelings? Ever been lost while driving? You think you know where you are, but you don’t? What about those feelings? Feelings can be misleading. Feelings change. God doesn’t deliver something as important as His divine will through our feelings—it is through Jesus.

  Now, this leads to another thought. Notice how these are all layered together. How do you know you are saved? You feel saved? We’re back to feelings again. You say, “I just know I am.” How? John wrote in 1 Jn 5:13, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” How do you know? The words of Christ, the New Testament, shows me. It is not an emotional experience as it is a journey of obedience. You read what the N.T. says about a Christian and you look in the mirror. Your assurance comes from the solid word of God. Our confidence is in what the Bible says, not feelings, dreams or signs. You can know. You see what walking in the light is. You learn what practicing righteousness is. You imitate. You obey. You follow. Confidence soars when you know you are doing what the Bible says.

  Now, I intended to write about the “last days” of our verse. Didn’t get there. Hopefully, this has given you some things to chew on today. Search your Bible…search your heart.

Roger

Jump Start # 121

Hebrews 1:1-2 “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.”

  This is how the book of Hebrews begins. What a declaration! The readers of this book were Jewish Christians, thus Hebrews. They were struggling with their faith. Persecution had played a toll upon them. Some were quitting. As Jews they did not suffer. As Christians, life was hard. Some were thinking about quitting. This book was written as a defense of Christianity. It establishes arguments why throwing out Christianity won’t work. First and foremost, in doing so, they were throwing away their salvation. Hebrews is about Jesus. He is superior to angels, Moses and the prophets. His law is superior to the Law of Moses. His sacrifice is superior to the O.T. sacrifices. His priesthood is a superior priesthood to what was under the O.T. Leaving Christianity is leaving the best.

  Our verse today begins these very thoughts. A long time ago God spoke in different ways. He talked directly to Adam, Noah and Abraham. God spoke to Moses through a burning bush. In Daniel, there was the mysterious hand writing on the wall. Balaam’s donkey once spoke a message that God wanted declared. Different ways, different means. But now, God speaks through Jesus. In saying this God declares several important facts in these verses.

1. We are in the last days (“in these last days has spoken to us in His Son).

2. Jesus is the creator (“through whom also He made the world”)

3. We see the relationship of Jesus to God (“in His son”).

4. Jesus is the message today (“has spoken to us in His son).

  As the book of Hebrews unfolds, it is obvious and apparent that God speaks through Jesus today. The message is the N.T. This is the word that will judge us (Jn 12:48). This is what was preached into all the world.

  If this is true, and I believe it is, then it means God will not speak directly to me, in a voice, vision or feeling. Why? Because in these last days He speaks through His son. The message is the same for everyone. Long ago it wasn’t. There was a message for Abraham—leave the city of Ur. The message was different for Noah—build an ark. But the message today is universal. It is the same for all of us—whether we live in the city or out in the country. It is the same message in America as it is in Europe or Africa. At the transfiguration of Jesus, when Peter wanted to make some memorials to Moses, Elijah and Jesus, God interrupted and said, “Hear my son.” It is the Gospel message that was taken into all the world and preached.

  Be careful of people who claim God told them what to do aside from the N.T. message. People claim God told them things in dreams. People claim that God gave them a message. And when you listen to these accounts you find out that it’s different things being told in different ways. I come back to this passage. Those days are over. God is speaking through Jesus. It is the message of the N.T. It is the same message for everyone. God wants you to be saved by being obedient to the N.T. message. God wants you to be a disciple of His Son. God wants you to spend forever with Him in Heaven. That’s the message. That’s the N.T.

  And there is great comfort in this. I do not have to fear that I missed something God said. I have the message. I have the N.T. Likewise, I do not have to fear that God changed things and I didn’t get the changes. The message is the same. It is the N.T. I simply need to know, read and follow that message. This is what God was wanting the Hebrews to know. It is what God wants you to know as well.

Roger