Shoulder To Shoulder #1268-- 12/5/21 ---- 'The Perfect Time, Place, and Purpose -- Thoughts on Christmas" (Part One -- "More Than Just A Baby")
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
Shoulder To Shoulder #1268-- 12/6/21
Title: 'The Perfect Time, Place, and Purpose -- Thoughts on Christmas" (Part One -- "More Than Just A Baby")
My Dear Friend and Fellow Kingdom Seeker:
Greetings from Yuma, AZ, on an incredibly mild and sunny day. I try not to rub it in, but today the high temperature is expected to be a wonderful 81 degrees. Tonight's low is lower than normal and is anticipated to drop to 48 with ensuing days to reach only into the mid 70's. As I write from our "new" house, I am clothed in jeans and a short-sleeved shirt, enjoying a hot cup of coffee. Many of our friends in Fortuna de Oro are running around in shorts and playing leisurely games of golf.
If you happen to be suffering in those cold and cloudy places, you have my deepest sympathy. After 80 years of living in such places, it is pure relief to this aching 83-year-old body to know I will experience such frigid temperatures only on occasion when we go back to celebrate winter holidays with family. Otherwise, I think we'll "stay put".
Yesterday was another wonderful day at Chapel de Oro with the highest attendance yet for this 2021-22 season. More of our regulars were back and once again we had first-timers. I preached from Hebrews 1:1-12 on "The Supremacy of The Eternal Sacrifice", continuing with my fifth sermon for the season's series on "Finding Today's Strength and Tomorrow's Hope". Sadly, many preachers shy away from the Book of Hebrews, either merely handpicking a few choice scriptures or avoiding it altogether. Doing so is a great disservice to God's people. Most will focus all this month on the Christmas story, but that great news cannot be fully described without addressing the truths of Hebrews.
So, in taking a "holiday break" in my current series, "The Folly of Forgetting God", I want to share some thoughts on the Christmas season for the next few weeks. And, we'll do that, right after you consider . . .
THIS 'N' THAT:
+ Some Little-Known History of Plymouth: -- I don't follow Glen Beck very much, even though I take him to be an incredible genuine man with no political agenda in mind. But, I did run across this piece this morning that I found most interesting because it shows the scriptural reasons why the Pilgrims rejected the effort by some to adopt a "communal Socialism" system of governing. It reveals some very interesting history that you'll probably not find in contemporary history and school textbooks -- such as the fact that the Pilgrims BOUGHT land from the Native Americans. They didn't "Take" it. And they chose individual responsibility over free handouts because it was the biblical thing to do. Go to https://www.glennbeck.com/blog/lets-thank-the-pilgrims-for-defeating-socialism-this-thanksgiving. You'll be glad you did.
+ Special Prayer Request From Our Congressman: Jo Ann and I are happy to have Dr. Paul Gossar as our Representative in the U.S. House. Sunday he sent out an e-mail that included the following statement:
.."When the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade nearly 50 years ago, leftist scientists and doctors claimed that babies were considered viable at 28 weeks. We know that is absolutely false. In fact, premature babies can survive at 22 weeks, or even earlier. This is at least a month and half earlier than Roe’s arbitrary “viability” date. At five weeks, unborn babies have a heartbeat. At 10 weeks, babies can kick and jump and have fingers and toes. At 15 weeks, an unborn baby has fully formed lips and noses and can feel pain, make facial expressions, and can hiccup.
.."There is nothing in the Constitution guaranteeing an abortion. As a doctor, father and Christian, I believe that life begins at conception and that a precious unborn child is a human life. Please join me in praying that the Supreme Court protects unborn babies and finally overturns the evil Roe v. Wade decision that has led to the murder of 62 million innocent babies since abortion was legalized in 1973."
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:
> “We consider Christmas as the encounter, the great encounter, the historical encounter, the decisive encounter, between God and mankind. He who has faith knows this truly; let him rejoice.” -- Pope Paul VI
> “All the Christmas presents in the world are worth nothing without the presence of Christ." -- David Jeremiah
> It is a truth that, for twenty centuries, there have been untold numbers of men and women who, in untold numbers of ways, have been so grasped by the child who was born, so caught up in the message he taught and the life he lived, that they have found themselves profoundly changed by their relationship with him.” -- Frederick Buechner
> “The Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this truth of the Incarnation.” -- J.I. Packer
> “Jesus was God and man in one person, that God and man might be happy together again.” -- George Whitefield
> "The very purpose of Christ's coming into the world was that he might offer up his life as a sacrifice for the sins of men. He came to die. This is the heart of Christmas." -- Billy Graham
EVERY EVENT HAS MEANING:
The more I study the birth of Christ, the more I see how symbolic and prophetic every single event is. Gazing at His birth is like viewing a multi-faceted diamond as you turn it slowly in your fingertips. Each facet has a meaning of its own while, at the same time, has depth to the facets surrounding it. I'm not sure I can describe my observation any other way or any better described. At first glance, we see the event and we know it is directly connected to God's eternal plan of redemption for fallen humanity.
This great mystery took on deeper meaning and greater scope as a result of my sermon yesterday, "The Supremacy of the Eternal Sacrifice". Everything from location to genealogy to timing shines with blazing brilliance, revealing God's eternal plan to redeem mankind back to Himself. Frankly, I hardly know where to begin. Maybe I can set the stage from some of the thoughts I shared yesterday. One would not normally connect the birth of Christ with what the writer of Hebrews penned by divine inspiration scarcely thirty five years following His birth, but in many ways it perhaps is the true beginning point of the greatest rescue effort in human history. Consider just a few of the verses from Hebrews 1: ----
1. "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2. 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.
3. "And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4. having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they."
5. "For to which of the angels did He ever say, 'YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU'? And again, 'I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME'? 6. And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, 'AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM'."
The writer then contrasts Jesus to angels. He's already contrasted Him to the prophets, and in chapter two he will contrast Him to all of nature. Regarding contrasting Him to angels, he penned these words:
7. "And of the angels He says, 'WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.' 8. But of the Son He says, 'YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM'."
At that point, the writer again quotes Old Testament Scripture in writing, . . .
9. "'YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.' 10. And, 'YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; 11. THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT, AND LIKE A MANTLE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; 12. LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END."
The final part of that chapter concludes with a hypothetical declaration -- but in fact it is NOT hypothetical, because we know it to be factual. He wrote, . . .
13. "But to which of the angels has He ever said, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET"? 14. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? "
While there is not a single instance in which the Incarnation of Christ is mentioned directly, I find there are at least four things connected to His birth in the first two verses alone: ----
> 1. God spoke of Him through many prophets on many occasions and in many ways. Dozens of those prophecies related directly to His birth.
> 2. Jesus Himself spoke of Himself -- His eternality, His lineage, His purpose for being born in the first place, His plan, His future, Our future, etc.
> 3. God appointed Jesus as the One to Whom all things belong, and which He has inherited.
> 4. He, as the Eternal One, is the One who created everything.
None of this would have been possible, and certainly none of it would have made any sense whatsoever, had Jesus not been born.
Then, if you go on to verses three and four, you see something of His glory -- no wonder the angels sang, "Glory to God in the Highest!" (Luke 2:14) -- and no wonder John described it, ". . . and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Father, full of grace and truth!" (John 1:14) -- that was manifested even at His birth. The writer then continues on to explain the purpose for His birth in the first place -- "When He had made purification of sins, . . .", and then continued in describing His resurrected and ascended position at God's right hand by stating, "He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,", and then concludes by contrasting Him with the angels in the heavenlies, ". . . having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they."
Beginning in verse five . . . and I won't take time and space to detail all of this amazing idea . . . the writer contrasts Christ as the Son of God to mere angels, the creation of God.
The bottom line is, to me, pretty simple: ---- Hebrews 1:1-12 serves as an ornate picture frame into which the Incarnation is placed with all of its characters surrounding the central focus of the painting, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and Redeemer of the world. Or, perhaps it could be better described as Hebrews 1:1-12 being the background to the central features of the painting.
However you wish to think of it, I hope you agree that every event surrounding the birth of Christ is intrinsically important and worthy of examination. And, that's what I hope to do over the next few weeks.
PRESUPPOSITIONS:
Two of the smartest things any Christian can do is to, first, learn to think like an unbeliever, a skeptic’ and, secondly, understand the reality of presuppositions – of assumptions. A presupposition is something that is acknowledged or believed because the evidence shows it is true. Of the five life-changing and world-shattering events of Jesus' coming -- His birth, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension to God's right hand, and His exaltation -- this passage only mentions three. The other two are not mentioned because they are presuppositions; they are assumptions.
In other words, Christ's birth and His ascension were so well known -- thanks to the Gospel writers, the writings of Paul and Peter, and the witness of tens of thousands of first generation Christians -- that the writer of Hebrews could clearly and rightfully "presuppose" or "assume" the events were so well known that it wasn't necessary to detail them again. The birth and the resurrection of Christ were things that the second generation believers already knew.
The fact that he points out the crucifixion, ascension, and exaltation is because this is the very thing the writer is going to address as he articulates the reality of the old covenant's failure and elimination in contrast to the new covenant's eternality and comprehensive thoroughness through Jesus as both our Lamb and our Great High Priest. So, it is essential that those topics be clearly defined and explained.
Now, nobody knows for certain, but based on certain evidence, we can pretty confidently conclude that Hebrews was likely written soon after Paul was executed around 65 A.D. We can also be certain that it was written before 95 A.D because early Church father Clement of Rome mentioned it in 1 Clement, which was written around that time. There is also internal evidence pointed out by the writer himself that Timothy was alive following his imprisonment (Heb 13:23) at its writing. This is something Paul never mentioned in any of his writings, leaving us to conclude that Timothy wasn't imprisoned until after Paul had been martyred.
Finally, the writer of Hebrews makes no reference to and provides no evidence that the Jewish sacrificial system in temple worship had ended. This catastrophe actually took place when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed in 70 AD by the Roman army led by its general, Titus. It has never resumed up to this very day, and according to Jewish belief, it cannot resume until the temple has been rebuilt.
Since such a catastrophe that destroyed the heart of Jewish worship is not even once mentioned in Hebrews, we can rightfully assume then that the book was likely written before 70 AD. So, it was probably written somewhere between 65 AD & 70 AD – only 30 or so years after the death and resurrection of Christ, the central subject.
With that thought in place, then I'd like to touch on what I believe the first chapter of Hebrews shows us about the "babe born in Bethlehem's manger".
I. THE CERTAINTY OF HIS PROPHESIES: (1:1)
“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, . . ."
From as early as Genesis 3:14-15, mankind has had the promised prediction that someday, somewhere, somehow, there would be a liberator who would rescue mankind, redeem him, and set him free. For the most part, God remained silent -- abiding by "the fullness of time" principle -- until He embedded the promise again in the promises He made to "the fathers" (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). Then He raised up the prophets throughout the centuries who, each by divine inspiration, inscribed certain clues and predictions regarding the coming of the Messiah and Redeemer of the world. It turns out that Jesus is going to be more than just a baby.
Those prophecies in some ways were progressive, and like building a brick wall brick by brick, they revealed the complete prediction as to the birth of Christ. Interestingly, while not dealing directly with Jesus' birth, every book in the Old Testament portrays Jesus in some form of "typology". The same can be said of all the New Testament as well, but with greater clarity and specificity. I'm tempted to list them here, but will save that for a later time.
All of the Bible's prophecies concerning the birth of Christ are obviously found in the Old Testament. And, every single one of them came true, just as predicted. Here are some:
1. Jesus would be born of Jewish descent and from the seed of Abraham. First, Gen 12:3 -- ". . . And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." And also, Gen 17:1-2 -- "Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly."
2. All nations of the world will be blessed through Abraham's lineage. Gen 22:15-18 -- "Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, 'By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice'."
3. Jesus would be born from the lineage of Isaac. Gen 26:2-5 -- "The LORD appeared to [Isaac] and said, 'Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws'."
4. Jesus would come from the line of Jacob, Abraham’s grandson. First, Gen 28:13-16. -- "And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, 'I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you'." Then also, Num 24:17: -- “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.”
5. Jesus would also be born in and come from the Tribe of Judah. First, Gen 49:9-10. -- "Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples." And second, see Micah 5:2.
6. Jesus would be born within the line of Jesse. Isa 11:1. -- “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit. The spirit of the Lord will rest on him.”
7. Jesus would come from the House of David. First, Jer 23:5-6. -- “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land … This is the name by which he will be called: the Lord our righteous savior.” Also II Sam 7:12-13 -- (Samuel speaking to King David) “When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish His kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.” (This refers both to Solomon, but also to Jesus Christ.)
8. Jesus would be preceded by a "forerunner" to announce His coming. Isa 40:2-5. -- "Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been removed, That she has received of the LORD'S hand Double for all her sins. 3. A voice is calling, 'Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. 4. Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; 5. Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." Also Mal 3:1 -- "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts."
9. Jesus would be born in the town of Bethlehem. Micah, 5:2. -- “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
10. Jesus would be born of a virgin (the Hebrew word for "virgin" means an unmarried, chaste, young woman/girl). Isaiah 7:14. -- “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and you will call him Immanuel.” The name Immanuel means “God with us” and indicates the divinity of Jesus.
11. Jesus would be called "the Son of God". Lk 1:35 -- "And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God."
12. Jesus would be worshiped by shepherds from the desert. Psalm 71:9-10. -- “May the desert tribes bow before Him and His enemies lick the dust. . . ."
13. Foreign kings would present gifts to Him. Psalm 72:9,10: -- ". . . May the Kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to Him. May the Kings of Sheba and Seba present Him gifts. May all Kings bow down to Him and all nations serve Him.”
14. A king would slaughter children in an attempt to kill Him. Jer 31:15: -- “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
15. His family would flee to Egypt, where they would stay until the king died. Hosea 11:1. -- “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My Son.”
16. Jesus would be called "Immanuel" because of His Divinity. Isaiah 7:14. -- "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." The angel told Joseph (Mt 1:23) -- "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, 'God with us'.”
17. Jesus would be a persuasive person of insight, wisdom, compassion, authority, and power. Isa 9:6-7. -- "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."
II. THE CLARITY OF HIS PURPOSE: (1:2)
“. . . 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.”
There have probably been many sermons preached and devotionals written about the various ways God speaks -- through creation, through experiences, through difficulties, through other people, etc. We already saw above how God had spoken through scripture, and through His prophets. But now he does something entirely differently. He's going to appear in visible human form.
God had never appeared in visible form to mankind except in rare occasions, and almost never in human form. He appeared to Adam and Eve in the Garden on a regular basis, but we don't know in what form. An angel, but not God, appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush from which God spoke. God appeared to Abraham as one of the three visitors (Gen 19). He -- or one of His angels -- appeared to Joshua as the "captain of the army of the Lord" (Josh 5). Such appearances are called "Theophanies".
There are three kinds of theophanies -- 1) When God appears in non-human form, 2) When God appears as an angel, and 3) When God appears in human form. But, this event was no theophany. Theophanies are always temporary and short-lived, and they are always for specific individuals on specific occasions. This was entirely different. This was the long-term embodiment of God's divine presence that lasted over thirty-three years. And, it wasn't for just Mary or for Joseph.
This was a big deal. It was for the entire human race, and for all time -- "from the Garden to the grave".
Up to now, God had spoken through creation, through scriptures, through patriarch, through judges, and through prophets, to large masses of people -- but never in a human form that would eat, drink, walk, laugh, cry, sleep, and work just like everyone else. Neither had those personal theophanies been for large groups of people or cultures, but only for individuals.
This would be God's ultimate act of revealing Himself to the world that had rejected Him time and time again. When Adam and Eve rejected God in the Garden of Eden and chose to be independent from the God Who created them, provided for them, protected them, and loved them with an unending love, they began a snowball effect that continues to this very day.
If you think of the Incarnation merely as God coming in the form of a baby, you have missed the entire point. God didn't sent His Son to be a baby; He sent Him to be the "Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world" (Jn 1:29, 36). He sent Him to be our Great High Priest (Heb 4:14). He sent Him to be "the Light" to the nations (Isa 42:6; Rom 2:19). He sent Him to be the embodiment of God speaking (Jn 1:1-14).
When Christ was born, He was more than just a baby; He was the embodiment of God's Words in human form. Words, whether spoken or written, are the manifestation of the nature, thoughts, plans, intentions, and actions of the person speaking. Jesus was "The Word" (Jn 1:1), He was God (Jn 1:2), and God that took on bodily form and "became flesh" (Jn 1:14). So, in the birth of Christ -- God coming to mankind in human form that could be seen and heard, . . .
1. Jesus was God’s Voice. — “…spoken in His Son…” The word for "spoken" is pronounced "lal-eh'-o", and simply means, "to utter words, to speak, to tell". As God in the form of words, Jesus was known for thirty-three years for two things -- His miracles, and His teachings. And even the miracles were done not only to meet people's needs, but to teach people truths. The apostle John, who described Him as "The Word" (Jn 1:1) also said, . . . .
"What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life — 2. and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us — 3. what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, . . ." (I Jn 1:1-3a)
Of the five books that John wrote, Jesus is always portrayed as both the expression and embodiment of God speaking. The Gospel of John has Jesus using the term, "the truth" more than any other Gospel -- 14 times, in fact -- and more than twice as many times as the nearest other books in the entire Bible. In addition, the Gospel of John contains more of Jesus' own statements as to exactly Who He is and Why He came than any other book in the Bible.
In fact, of the thirty-three times it is found in the entire Bible, Jesus uses the phrase, "I Speak" more than any other, and all but one of them appear in the Gospel of John. The one exception is in Matthew 13:13 where Jesus explains why He "speaks" in parables. The term "He spoke" in relationship to Jesus also appears in John almost as many times as in the other three Gospels combined.
So, as the embodiment of God's Word, in that He is God, and in that He can speak nothing but the truth, it was an earth shaking, sin destroying day when Jesus came into this world as God's voice.
2. Jesus was God’s Choice. — “…appointed heir of ALL things…”. Who would have ever imagined that a tiny baby born in a feed trough outside a tiny Judean town would be appointed to anything, much less an heir of ALL things -- and then be appointed by none other than God Himself.
If you think carefully about it, Jesus was heir of all things by two legal factors ---- 1) by natural lineage, and 2) by divine appointment. It was natural for a child to receive some kind of inheritance from the father, but it was another story to also be legally and officially appointed. This designation was God's "last will and testament" -- NOT because God was going to die, but because He had no other heir lined up in the plan in case His "firstborn" (Col 1:15) somehow failed.
Luke goes out of his way to identify Jesus as Mary's "firstborn" (Lk 2:7), but He was God's "firstborn" before Mary's. There has never been a "Plan B" with God. It's either Jesus, or nothing. This is why Peter was able to so confidently declare, "There is no other name under heaven given among men by which men must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
This term, "firstborn" in itself is also a reference to a requirement that fulfills the ancient Jewish temple sacrifice, and this reference thus identifies Jesus as the "Firstborn" not only because He was Mary's "firstborn" son (Lk 2:7), God's "one and only" (firstborn and only born) begotten Son (Jn 3:16), the "firstborn" of all creation (Col 1:15), the "firstborn" from the dead (Col 1:18), and the "firstborn of many brethren" (Rom 8:29), but He was the "firstborn" male lamb required to satisfy God's passing over the children of Israel when leaving Egypt (Exod `13:2; 13. It was thus embedded in the Levitical law that demanded a "firstborn" male lamb without any flaw of any kind -- in other words, a perfect lamb (Exod 13:2; 13; etc.).
We must also look at the "firstborn" as the rightful heir to the father's abundance. Throughout the Bible, the father willfully, lovingly, and legally gave the "firstborn son" the best of his possessions. It is illustrated in many biblical examples (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, the prodigal son, etc.). We see the conflict it causes in cases such as Ishmael being first born, but not from Sarah, and with Esau missing out because he sold his birthright, and so forth. There are some deep truths to be mined out in those stories.
The Greek word for "heir" is "klay-ron-om'-os" and literally means, "partitioning off, apportioning, receiving by apportionment, possessing through receiving." However, there are two profound truths in this passage
> 1. Jesus is "heir" because of his Sonship to the father.
> 2. Because Jesus is God's "one an only begotten" Son, He is heir of "all things".
In other words, Jesus is rightful heir of "all things" both as the Son, and as the ONLY Son. So, when you read the following, you realize that Jesus seated at the right hand of the Father is declared both familially and legally. Paul declared, . . .
". . . what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
"And He put ALL Things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over ALL Things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Eph 1:18-23).
Jesus, Himself, declared that God, the Father, had given "all things" to Him (Lk 10:22). While I dare not take time and space to develop this thought, perhaps this is why He had the authority to repeatedly tell us that we could pray about "all things" (as did Paul in Phil 4:6), He would provide us "all things" (as did Paul in Phil 4:19), and with God, "all things" are possible (Mt 19:26; 21:22; Mk 9:23; etc.)
You see, my friend, because Jesus is "heir of all things", there is absolutely NOTHING in your life that is outside of God's parameters to address, resolve, or provide. As the "elder brother", He takes what God has put under His feet in authority and ownership, and distributes it according to His will and your need. Because of His generosity and provision, then you, in turn, ". . . can do ALL Things through Christ", who is your Strength (Phil 4:13). No need, no circumstance, no challenge, no burden, no problem -- no "anything" about which you are to not worry (Phil 4:6) -- is outside of God's care -- because He sent His Best when Jesus was born.
Next, . . .
3. Jesus was the world’s Creator –- “…made the world.” This is another all-encompassing word used to describe Jesus. The Greek word is pronounced "poy-eh'-o" and is a far more encompassing word that we can grasp at first glance. We understand that the first time the word "created" appears in the Bible (Gen 1:1), it means in the Hebrew language to "make something out of nothing". The same thought is included in this setting, but with an added dimension. In this passage we find that Jesus, as God, both created the heavens and the earth out of nothing, but also formed, fashioned, shaped, established, placed, contained, maintains, keeps, and controls it.
There is not one single thing inside this world that is outside of His attention and His action. Paul made this clear in Colossians 1:15-17: --
15. "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."
As if seeing Jesus as God's voice, and God's choice were not enough, now we are faced with the reality that He is also the creator of the Universe.
> John 1:1-4 -- "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
> Colossians 1:15-17 --"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist."
> Genesis 1:26-27 -- "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
> I Corinthians 8:6 -- "yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him."
> John 1:10 -- "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him."
This being the case, then we can better understand why Jesus said -- and had the right to say -- that He gave Himself for the world (Jn 3:16), that He was the "Light of the world" (Jn 8:12), and that He had overcome the world (Jn 14:33).
To summarize thus far, we see that in the birth of Christ it was the birth of more than just a baby. Rather, we have the Certainty of His Prophecies and the Clarity of His Purpose. These two truths, then, assure us of . . .
III. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HIS PRESENCE: (1:3a)
“And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.”
For me, these brief phrases are packed with the potency of divine inspiration. As I began digging into the deeper meanings of each word, I found myself overwhelmed by the imagery they created in my mind. It also helped me understand a bit more clearly some of the phenomenon that took place the night the shepherds visited that Baby in the manger. It seems to me that, according to the writer of Hebrews, . . .
1. Christ Manifests God’s Flashing brilliance – “. . . the radiance of His glory . . .” What spectacular words there are in this simple five-word phrase!!! -- Namely, Radiance!!! And Glory!!!
Let's look briefly at each of them:
1) "Radiance" -- When you and I think of the word, we tend to think of a new bride or a new mother -- "She looks so radiant!" But that understanding is entirely inadequate for here. The Greek word pronounced, "ap-ow'-gas-mah" here, is more like a July 4th celebration than it is an Arizona summer sunrise. It literally means the "flashing out-raying, the shining forth, the spotlighting, reflecting the brightness, the precision beaming" of God's presence. It is no mild and reserved expression, but rather one that describes the power, authority, and splendor or a reigning king. Christ is the “flashing out-raying” of God’s regal presence. It is He who throws the spotlight on God in a His splendor.
2) "Glory" -- The word "glory" in the Greek text is "doxa", from which we derive the word, "Doxology", meaning "praising the glory of God." I've often searched in vain for a good definitive description of "Glory", but as best I can tell, God's glory refers specifically to the outward manifest projection of all the nature, attributes, characteristics, and actions of God. It is the inestimable splendor and magnificence of all there is of God. Neither you nor I have the capacity to truly define it, let alone adequately display it.
3) But, there's a secret in this passage, and that is the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the “radiance and reflective brilliance” of God’s glory. Not only does Jesus focus the spotlight on God, but He Himself reflects God in all that He is. Jesus Himself is a “shining forth of God’s luminous presence.” And,He reveals God in such brilliance so as to exalt Him & exude inestimable praise to Him. Time and time again Jesus told His disciples that He had come to glorify and praise God. In fact, at least three times in His praying, Jesus implored God -- “Father, glorify Your Name!” (Jn 12:25; Jn 17:4,10)
So, along with whatever else Christ did, He clearly manifested God's brilliance and glory. He was constantly about the business of making much of His Father. Consider the number of times Jesus used that term, "My Father" -- 49 times in three of the four gospels, and eight more times using the phrase "OUR Father". It was such an important concept -- this thing of seeing God as He saw Him . . . as father . . . that when it came to teaching His own disciples to pray, He began the model prayer with, "Our Father". He then expressed honor and reverence to Him with, "Hallowed be Thy Name." -- "Your Name is pure, holy, and to be treated with and spoken in reverence."
Since we don't know the thought processes Jesus had as God when He entered the world as an infant, we don't know when Jesus began to articulate God's brilliance and holiness. The earliest we can pin it down is the occasion in Jerusalem's temple at age twelve. Prior to that we have only Luke's testimony of what happened to Him after they returned from Egypt to Nazareth when He was only three or four years old -- "The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him." (Luke 2:40).
However, even in His Incarnation we can be certain that when Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the townsfolk, and then eight days later in the temple Simeon and Anna, they all had to see the manifest presence of God on that infant's face and broke out in worshipful awe and joyous praise as they gazed upon Him.
Why might that be the case? Because . . .
2. Christ Bears the Imprinted Image of God’s Character – The writer of Hebrews describes Jesus as being the, “. . . exact representation of His nature . . .” Christ is God’s precise embodiment & replication. Again there are key words found in those next five -- "Exact!!!" "Representation!!!" And "Nature!!!"
"Exact" and "representation" basically come from the same Greek word, "khar-ak-tar'". I'm certain you recognize the word. We spell it "character". It is defined in a rather odd way. It turns out it is the term used by an engraver -- it literally means "a precise and accurate engraving" or a "perfect replication". Not a copy, . . . or even a duplication. But, rather, it is a replication.
Another way the words can be translated is to be "stamped". Whenever you take a stamp, put ink on it, and press it to paper, you get an exact "stamp" of the original. There is no deviation. So, the writer of Hebrews is making a monumental assertion -- He is saying that Jesus Christ is God's "exact engraved" likeness. Put another way, when God sent Jesus into the world as a newborn infant, He "stamped" or "engraved" Himself upon and into Christ. Had He not done that, Jesus would have NEVER been the Son of God, let alone God Himself in bodily form.
But, because God did what He did, Jesus is Who He claims to be. Christ is God's exact "perfectioned" portrait, stamp, or engraving. So, it is no wonder that Jesus told Phillip and the others that day in the upper room following His crucifixion and resurrection, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.” (Jn 14:9). It is because of that divine imprint that . . .
3. Christ Carries, Conveys, and Raises Up God’s Power – “. . . upholds all things by the word of His power.” Four things stick out to me in those eight words. First, Christ supports, carries, upholds, & lifts high God’s power. He is a container or display case in which God's limitless power resides. In a way, you might say that Christ displayed God's power like an Olympic torch for all to see – as He “ran His race” here. He did so for just over thirty-three years, and never stumbled, missed a step, or slowed down along the way.
His gait was steady and consistent -- and He never tired of doing it. Later in Hebrews the write spoke of it -- ". . . fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
The word "upholds" has a second side to it. It not only refers to a consistent lifelong pace that supports, carries, and raises God's power for all to see, but it also has what you might call a divine "adhesive". Stuart Briscoe many years ago called it God's "celestial glue". It is found in Colossians 1:15-17: . . .
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
It's clear; Jesus was more than just a baby -- far more -- much more.
Now, none of this would have been possible for anyone else other than God. Thus, it must be recognized in light of . . .
IV. THE CONTEXT OF HIS POWER: (3b-4)
“When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much better than the angels, . . .”
At the beginning of today's letter I referred to "presuppositions" or "assumptions". In considering the context in which Christ's power was exercised -- primarily in five major events -- two of those five the writer presupposed or assumed they needed no treatment because everyone already knew them. They are . . .
1. In His Incarnation – “The Word became flesh..” (Jn 1:14). Presupposition #1 ---- Fulfilling at least seventeen Old Testament prophecies, Christ was born of a virgin in Bethlehem into the House of David of the line of Jesse, from the Tribe of Judah, and descended from Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. That was all common knowledge to the Hebrew Christians to whom the letter was written. And, just as it had fulfilled prophecies with which they were all familiar, even Jewish scholars and Roman officials had documented the event.
2. In His Crucifixion -- “. . . made purification of sins . . .” The Hebrew Christians needed some clarification at this point because they had come out of a religious tradition where the high priest had to first purify himself with blood and water before entering the most holy place, and then had to purify the instruments therein. All of this had to be done before they had any measure of assurance that their sins would be forgiven and their souls purified. Since the focus of Hebrews is on Jesus, Who is both our Lamb and our Great High Priest, we, as did the early Hebrews, need to be sure God's power was sufficient to forgive us, take our sins away, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. In this way God's power was enough to do just that through His Son.
3. In His Resurrection – “…declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom 1:4). This was Presupposition #2. These believers had heard that Jesus had risen from the dead, but none of them had been there to see Jesus afterward, or had even seen the evidence. Some had perhaps even heard Paul's explanation above -- or had read it. But all they had as second generation Christians was the promises of the Old Testament prophecies and the testimonies of those who had been there and had seen it all.
4. In His Coronation – “. . . He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high . . .” When Jesus declared His final words on the cross, -- "It is finished!" -- it says that He "yielded up His Spirit." He died. But, He died according to the will of the Father, and of His own initiative. The Roman soldiers did not take his life from Him; He gave it up when the time was right and the task was finished. Three days and nights later, He rose from the dead, and again at just the right time, He ascended back into heaven and took His rightful seat at the right hand of His Father where He reigns today just as He did when the writer of Hebrews penned it as stated just above.
Again, His power had been demonstrated in His Incarnation, in His crucifixion, in His resurrection, and now in His coronation. Seated at God's right hand, He is our mediator who pleads our case before the Father (we need no other mediator), intercedes for us, maintains all the world, the flesh, and the devil in subjection under His feet, and empowers us and spurs us on through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, leading us to the final expression of His power, namely . . .
5. In His Exaltation – “ . . having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.” This phrase has been a point of confusion on the one hand and contention on the other as people have tried to understand exactly what it actually means.
In quick summary, perhaps the secret is found in the following verses when the writer raises a number of hypothetical questions. For the remainder of the chapter, the writer contrasts the position and role of angels to that of a son. And not only a son, but a "firstborn" Son.
Among other things, these verses make it clear that there is a difference, the angels were not comparable to the Son, and Jesus the Son was no mere angel. Rather, angels served Him and attended to him countless times from predicting His coming, to His birth, to His temptation in the wilderness, to His suffering on the cross, to guarding His tomb, to announcing that He was alive, to welcoming Him back home.
There is no evidence that an angel was ever called a "son" of God. God never said He would be an angel's father or that an angel would ever be a son to Him. Jesus was never "promoted" from "angelhood" to "Sonship". He, as part and parcel of the triune Godhead has always been and will always be exactly Who the Bible declares Him to be -- God in the flesh.
Jesus was not created, but was the Creator. Angels never created anything, but were created. Jesus never worshiped angels, nor did He ever command that we do. On the other hand, angels were commanded to worship Him, and they constantly even today bow down before His throne in worship and adoration. They sang at the top of their lungs at His birth, and they sing around His throne today. One of these days you and I will join them in the celebration.
Finally, God told His Son, even as He called Him God, that His throne is an eternal throne, and the scepter He wields is the scepter of His own personal kingdom, and not some kingdom of angels who have no throne at all, let alone an eternal one. Yes, indeed, Jesus Christ was more than just a baby. He was God; He IS God; He is our Sacrifice; He is our Savior; He is our Redeemer; He is our Coming King!
CONCL:
You see, my friend, if we are going to celebrate the birth of Christ the way it needs to be, we have to see Him from the perspective of Hebrews chapter one. If we do not, we will never fully understand the magnitude of His birth, we will never appreciate the scope of His sacrifice, and we will never anticipate the hope of His return. If just one expression of His power is not fulfilled, NONE will be fulfilled, and NONE can be fulfilled. If we see Him only as a cuddly baby or a vaporous angelic being that flits about, we will never bow before Him in humble homage and surrendered obedience.
He will be nothing more than a story to which we reminisce, but never our Redeemer to Whom we cling. However, if we see Him incarnate, as the writer of Hebrews portrays Him, we'll never be the same. We'll never be satisfied to simply say, "My! Isn't He sweet!" Rather, we'll join Phillip, John, Peter, Paul, and millions of others saying, "Oh, woe is me! You are my Lord and my God!"
This is the Christ Who is Supreme over all in every way. This is the Christ Who rules over all. This is the Christ Who came, died, rose again, & sits at God’s right hand as our Mediator & Great High Priest. This is the Christ Who gives us strength for today, and hope for tomorrow. This is the Christ Whom we worship and honor today.
"Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
Life Unlimited Ministries
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Copyright December, 2021
"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill
"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon
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