Notes on Hebrews - Part 3
Chapters 1 and 2.
By brother T. Swaim,
_______
Reader
If the big
picture themes of Hebrews have already moved us to greater worship and service towards
God, the detailed views of Christ in each chapter will continue to accelerate
this in our lives as we start to look more closely at how the Spirit is
advancing His themes to bring us to "full assurance of faith" and a
complete convincing that our sins are purged and gone.
When I was younger, a Sunday school teacher in her 60s taught us a chorus that
went:
"Gone, gone, gone, gone, yes my
sins are gone.
Now my soul is free and in my heart's a song.
Buried in the deepest sea;
yes that's good enough for me;
now my soul has been set free
praise God;
my sins;
are G*O*N*E gone."
Most human beings do not realize that is the great secret to life; true
assurance of forgiveness of sins. Hebrews is progressing
the reader to this full revelation with each page. To get us there, the unnamed
author will start and end with Christ.
He first presents Christ in His high station. He is higher than the Angels. In
the very next chapter, he will state the opposite and point out that there was
a brief moment where He was lower than the Angels. But he starts us in the high
heavens.
Both truths must be addressed to gain the human ear. For the author wants us to listen to Christ and most men have two big reasons why
they say they won't. Most of mankind remembers the Savior as a man abandoned by
God at the cross. They see Him as a failure who came
to a low and tragic end. The writer hits this issue first and goes deep into a
text that all of the professed believers accepts as from God (The Old
Testament) and paints a true high view of Christ. The rest of mankind won't
listen to Christ for the opposite reason. God is too high. God is way beyond
me. He could never relate to me or understand what I go through. He has nothing
to say for me. The author will hit this next.
CHAPTER ONE - JESUS is Higher than the Angels.
But first he shows us how high Christ is. Christ is Gods final word. No other
truth is coming. The prophets were impressive. But Christ is beyond impressive.
And we must hear Him. He is God's Heir. God plans to give Him everything. He
made the worlds. He is the brightness of God and God's exact representation.
And His voice holds our very cells and atoms together by His powerful word. He,
by Himself alone took care of all the world’s sin. And
God is presently subjecting all His enemies to Christ's throne. No disloyalty
to Christ will be tolerated. He is, in God's eyes the highest; God very God;
divine; the Word who was and always will be God.
And so, we should not fall for the lie that He failed and was abandoned because
of His earthly life. He is, in reality higher than the Angels we all know. Just
look at the high names God gives Him. He is God's Son. He is the center of all
worship. He is forever and unshakable. And all must be loyal to Him.
I come to the end of chapter one and I begin to search my soul for any
disloyalty to Christ. And I ask my God for ears to hear and a life to
obey.
CHAPTER TWO - JESUS was made a little while Lower than
the Angels.
The author now explains the great secret of Christ. For a moment He did look
low. For a few years, He made himself and was made a little lower than the
Angels so He could put away our sins and bring us to glory. The highest One
tasted death for me. The darling of Heaven was made sin for me. In doing so, He
defeated the Devil for me. In doing so, He is touched with all I go through. He
completely understands my weakness and my failings. God is not beyond me.
"For both He that sanctifieth and they who are
sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not
ashamed to call them brethren," (2:11.) He became Man very Man (cf. 4:15).
And He is not ashamed of this. He is not ashamed of me.
I come out of chapter two and want to listen. I long to hear
His voice. I'm brought to worship and wish to live a life of great
loyalty to Him.
Tom
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