INDESCRIBABLE!
How do you describe the Indescribable Christ? (Play Chris Tomlin's Indescribable) Hebrews was written to struggling Jewish Christians. It must have been easier to be a Jew practicing Judaism than to be a Jew practicing Christianity. A LITTLE SUFFERING can cause us to go back under the old way, rather than cling to the new and suffer for it. The author seems to be addressing some who had never really been saved, who were being "exposed" by their SUFFERING. But even some of the legitimate believers were about to go back under Judaism. CONSIDER JESUS is a great exhortation (Heb 3:1+)... we ALL stand in constant need to refocus on Jesus Christ. How quickly in the midst of suffering we lose sight of Jesus, and instead focus on our difficult circumstances and are tempted to "throw in the towel". REFOCUS ON JESUS... THAT'S THE CURE.
Daniel in the lion's den - Note that Daniel's focus was NOT on the lions but on the Lord. Focus on Him. Consider Jesus. And so we see that Hebrews immediately emphasizes the DEITY OF JESUS in Hebrews 1:1-3+.
1. PROPHET OF ALL PROPHETS: The difference between when the prophets speak & Jesus speaks is illustrated by Isa 61:1-3 where the prophet speaks about the "favorable year of the LORD" (refers to Lev 25, year of Jubilee). Jesus as "the Prophet of all prophets" speaks the same words in Luke 4:16-20, closed the book, sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were FIXED UPON HIM because they knew that what He had just read prophesied of the Messiah. In v21 Jesus spoke: "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
2. PRIEST OF ALL PRIESTS: When He had made purification of sins, He sat down. In the Old Covenant only the high priest could enter into the inner Holy of Holies and only once/year with the blood of bulls and goats for the sins of the people and his own sins (Lev 16:1-34+, cf Day of Atonement = Yom Kippur). He had a rope tied around his ankle to pull him out if he died because no one else could have gone in w/o being struck dead. Jesus went into the HEAVENLY TABERNACLE, into the presence of His Father, with His own blood and he sat down because the work is FINISHED (Jn 19:30+). Jesus went in by His shed blood and with a glorified body into heaven, still bearing the marks of the eternal sacrifice He made for us (Rev 5:12+ > "slain" = perfect tense).
3. KING OF ALL KINGS: Rev 19:16+ (cf Pr 21:1). He reigns on a heavenly throne.
IN MANY PORTIONS, IN MANY WAYS = no one prophet ever got the full revelation of Jesus. To Noah Jesus was revealed in part, through Abraham the nation He would come from (Ge 12:1-3+), through Jacob the tribe, through David & Isaiah the family, through Micah the very town of His birth (Micah 5:2+), through Daniel the exact time of His arrival (Da 9:27+), through Malachi the coming of His forerunner & the 2nd advent, through Jonah His burial & resurrection, through Isaiah & Hosea His resurrection. Note: each only had a part, but in Jesus is the fulfillment.
4. HEIR OF ALL THINGS: Appointed is aorist tense and thus signifies that Jesus was appointed at a particular point in time. HEIR (Kleronomos) means "Lot": as an estate was separated LOTS would be cast and the "winner" would receive the estate or the biggest portion of the estate. However, if there was only one Son, then there was only one Heir and He received it all. Jesus is the One & only Heir of all things.
Romans 8:15+ – For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"
It is hard to believe that a person who says he is saved and yet does not have a heart that cries out for his Father, is truly saved. A true believer cannot be habitually lawless but he can get "caught up" in a sin. When that happens to he is of all men most miserable because he knows that he is missing something that he desperately needs in his life. You cannot sin habitually and enjoy it as a believer (cf Ps 32:3-4+). The Spirit within us is pulling us back, crying "Abba, Father."
Romans 8:17+ – describes believers as "FELLOW (JOINT) HEIRS" (sugkleronomos) which is different than being a CO-HEIR, who divides the inheritance. The JOINT HEIR shares in ALL of the inheritance. Because of Jesus' covenant with us, we are joint heirs of all things. He has made us His brethren, out of the agape love in His heart, motivated by grace. He Who owed us nothing, wants to give us everything. No wonder it's the goodness of God which brings a man to repentance (Ro 2:4+).
Remember the context: Hebrew Christians some of whom have lost their property and are suffering because of persecution. The solution? Look at Jesus, not your circumstances. He is the rightful Heir of ALL THINGS and you are a JOINT HEIR with Him, so what does it matter to lose ANYTHING in this life WHEN you know you have EVERYTHING in the next life?
Ephesians 1:13-14+ – Describes those who had believed were given the Holy Spirit of promise as a PLEDGE (arrabon) of our inheritance. Most of us are not even doing too well with the "earnest" of our inheritance, so no wonder we don't realize there's a fullness of our inheritance. Begin to live in that kind of expectancy.
5. CREATOR OF ALL THINGS: Through Whom also He made the world: The world was made by God and didn't evolve. Made means created, formed and constructed. "World" here is not 'kosmos' but 'aion' (plural = "ages") that means in essence everything that has ever happened, is happening and will happen. So He made EVERYTHING.
John 1:3+ – EVERYTHING came into being by Him.
1 Corinthians 8:6+ – one Lord, Jesus Christ, by Whom are ALL things.
Colossians 1:16+ – ALL things created by Him and for Him.
If this is true, don't you think He can handle your difficult circumstances? It's like the author of Hebrews is saying to his audience of Jewish Believers: Are you listening? Don't go back under the Old Covenant. Consider Jesus. He is the Son of God. Cling to Him. He is the only One Who is the Author and Finisher of your faith (Heb 12:2+). He is lifting up Jesus to get their eyes off their circumstance and get their eyes on the One Who controls that circumstance!
What are you going through right now? Take off the mask. Consider Jesus. Men will let you down but He is the Author and Finisher of our faith and He won't let you down. What does He need to say to you tonight? If you've HEARD, now you need to HEED, lest you start DRIFTING AWAY (Heb 2:1+).
EVERY DAY you need to rehearse that He alone is the Prophet of all prophets,
the Priest of all priests, the King of all kings, the Heir of all things, the Maker of everything.
Then what shall separate us from His love? Nothing. We are His. I know I face tomorrow because I know that He lives. Praise God that by His life I can live! Don't hang your head. Stand up and shout. Live in the earnest today. The full payment is coming soon!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His Wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.
Review: (1) Jesus is the Heir of all things & we are joint heirs (Ro 8) & therefore share in all that is given to Him! (2). He is Creator.
The author begins by presenting Christ because the Jewish audience was in danger of drifting back under the Old Covenant. Aren't we just like them? How many of us will come to Him when we're at the "end of our rope", but then quickly slip back to that which are the "old" ways when the pressure is off?!
1. RADIANCE OF HIS GLORY (Hebrews 1:3+):
Definite article "The" precedes "glory" (doxa), which refers to a specific glory, the glory of the Father. Radiance = apaugasma from 2 words = to shine, give light or radiate + "apo" a preposition which means "away from, out from" so the picture of RADIANCE is "to shine away from" (Ex: beam of light shooting forth from a lantern). Jesus is like the beam of God which shines out from Him and shines into the darkness of men's hearts (Jn 1:5+ "the LIGHT shines in the darkness, & the darkness did not comprehend IT.").
2. EXACT REPRESENTATION
Greek = charakter ~ English "character". Charakter ~ image on a coin, image made by something pressed on it. Charakter and reproduction of something. So Jesus is "God stamped into human flesh".
3. OF HIS NATURE
Hupostasis = hupo = under + stasis = to stand. That which is the real essence of something is that which stands up under it. Radiance ~ Oneness. Nature ~ the personality, the person, the character. (cp Jn 14:9+).
4. UPHOLDS ALL THINGS:
"Upholds" (present tense - continually) does not refer to a "macho" holding up of something but means to bring something to its end, which involves maintaining, holding all things together...that's Jesus! (Col 1:17+) The news makes it look like the world's "falling apart" but the truth is it's "coming together".
5. BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER:
Not Logos ~ the objective word but rhema ~ spoken word. Jesus holds it together just by His speaking. He spoke the things seen into existence (rhema in Heb 11:3+).
6. MADE PURIFICATION OF SINS:
Purification (katharismos). He has done this, not delegating it to anyone. He is the Propitiator ~ One presenting the offering (Heb 2:17+). Jesus ~ the Propitiation (1Jn 2:2+). Jesus is not only the High Priest Who presents the offering and is HIMSELF the offering (Heb 10:10+)!
7. HE SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE MAJESTY ON HIGH:
Sitting (kathizo) ~ (a). dignity = high honor (b). settled position = no taking His place; (c). rest from a finished work = no chair in tabernacle bc priest's work never finished. The highest seat in the universe belongs to One Who had no place to lay his head.
CONTRAST BETWEEN OLD & NEW:
(1) Israel had prophets but Jesus = Word made flesh.
(2) Israel & all her prophets were God's people but Jesus = God's eternal Son.
(3) Abraham was heir of world (Ro 4:13) but Christ is the eternal Heir of everything.
(4) Moses made tabernacle but Christ made everything!
(5) Law = shadow of good things to come but Christ = brightness of God's glory.
(6) Israel had manifestations of Christ but now He is eternally revealed as the image of God's Person.
(7) Moses bore burden of Israel but Christ upholds all things.
(8) Blood of bulls & goats could not take sins away but blood of Christ did.
(9) Israel's high priest never sat down but Christ has sat down.
Jesus is the unchangeable Son of God (Heb 13:8+). You only get "dying grace on dying days" but He is the God of all grace. Are you thinking about checking out? Has Christianity turned you off? Maybe you've been turned off by Christians or the church. Get your eyes off all of that and put your eyes back on Who Jesus is and it won't be long before you are right back where you belong. in the light of His Radiant presence.
Look into the eyes of Jesus, the radiance of God's glory! (Wayne gives his own testimony of salvation after a number of years as a pastor.) Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily! All of God "gift wrapped" and sent to men in the midst of our darkness. Thanks be to God (2Co 9:15+)!
NO MAN EVER LOOKED IN THE EYES OF JESUS
AND REMAINED THE SAME!