July 2, 2021 — A Study on the Book of Hebrews

“For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you”? (Psalm 2:7) Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”? (2 Samuel 7:14)  And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” (Psalm 97:7) Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.” (Psalm 104:4 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you  with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” And, “In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands;they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like  clothing; like a cloak you will roll them up,  and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never end.” 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”?(Psalm 110:1) Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:5-14

The passages cited in this section have an original context – as noted above. So they should be understood on their own merits, not solely on the basis of how the author of Hebrews uses them. As such, the author views the OT as God’s true words which bear witness to Christ. And, the author views Jesus as inaugurating the fulfillment of the promises associated with that covenant — with the final fulfillment yet in the future. And his central idea is this: The Son’s superiority to the angels is established through his nature and relationship to G-d the Father and their subservient role as G-d’s servants.

In the first four verses, we heard that G-d has spoken to us through the prophets of old, and now through the Son, Jesus Christ. But Jesus is not just another angelic messenger like the many who had been sent to serve G-d’s purposes. Jesus fulfills the promises made through the Davidic Covenant – and Jesus’ relationship to the Father makes him unique to the promised salvation of all people.

As I said yesterday, not only are we in the last days, not only are the words of the prophets brought to completion by the coming of the son, but it comes as the fulfillment of G-d’s promises to all. This is where the writer of Hebrews begins – Jesus completes the promises of G-d. They are the words that we can be assured are trustworthy and true.

Pastor Dave