THE DIVINE PERSONAL GLORIES OF ISRAEL'S DEPARTED MESSIAH
(Suggested Reading: Heb. 1; 2:1-4)
The subject now opening before us is God speaking to the Hebrews in these last days by His Son, in contrast to the way He formerly spoke by the law and the prophets.
God had certainly spoken to their fathers on Mt. Sinai when He gave them the law. Then He continued speaking to them through angels, as we know from many stories in the Old Testament, the Acts and John 4. Stephen reminded the Sanhedrin of this when he told them that they had received the law by the ministry of angels Acts 7:53. So when Paul writes about "the word spoken by angels" 2:2 he means the law. They did not keep the law. In spite of this God brought them into the Promised Land on the principle of grace. But in view of their failure and misconduct in the land, He spoke to them again by the prophets 1:1 to bring them back to Himself. Paul reverses the natural order of the law and the prophets to demonstrate at the beginning of his treatise that God knew they would fail long before they actually did. When the testimony of the prophets did not bring them back to God, He decided to reach them by grace by speaking through His Son. God was determined that they should listen to Him as Stephen said "a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me Him shall ye hear" Acts 7:37. This prophet was the Lord Jesus, God in the likeness of man's flesh. But what has all this got to do with God speaking now in His Son rather than through the law and the prophets?
To answer this question consider what happened on two different mountains in Scripture. God gave the law to Moses on a mountain but the people couldn't keep it. Then on another mountain the same God, now manifest in the flesh, was with Moses and Elias the representatives of the law and the prophets. Peter, James and John were also present as witnesses of what took place then for Peter tells us they "were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, this is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount." 2 Peter 1:16-18. Luke gives us more of the Father's voice "This is My beloved Son hear Him" Luke 9:35. God the Father made it clear that man was no longer to give priority to the voice of the law and the prophets (represented by Moses and Elias) in the presence of God the Son. From now on the message was clear hear Him God is speaking to us through His Son. When Jesus was on the earth God spoke to them in the Person of His Son. Now that He is in glory He is still speaking. Hear Him. The chain of divine authority in God's communications to the nation is established. God is speaking "in Son." In view of who He is who now speaks from the heavens His voice dare not be ignored.
God the Son Appointed "Heir of All Things”
Some of Paul's readers had heard God's Son speaking to them in their synagogues and in the temple others had reports from them of His words. How it must have astonished all of them to learn that God has appointed that Man "heir of all things" that is of all created worlds and whatever may be in them.
Then Paul tells us two distinctive glories of God the Son. First it was by His Son God made the worlds and secondly it is the word of His power which upholds everything He made. Men give this second aspect of things names such as the law of gravity and speculate about the origin of a universe held together just as it was once brought into being by God the Son. Enough for the believer that the universe obeys the voice of God the Son, but man doesn't. That is why, wedged in between the two verses telling us about the Son making and sustaining the worlds, we have this one referring to God's Son "who being the brightness of His glory and the exact expression of His substance" which is best understood when we connect it with what follows "when He had by Himself purged our sins." In other words the created universe obeys the voice of the Son of God but man does not. So the Son undertook another work purging our sins. For that reason He is "the brightness of God's glory" (glory is the manifestation of a natures *1. and God hates sin yet loves the sinner) and "the exact expression of His substance" the revealer, the very expression of God Himself.
Since the Son did all these things for God making and upholding the worlds and purging our sins at the cross it was only fitting that God should reward Him. What is His reward? First He sits down on the right hand of the majesty on high that is, on the throne of God the Father. This is supreme power but it is still a waiting position waiting until the time when He shall sit on His own throne see Rev. 3:21. Secondly, seated on that throne of power God has appointed Him "heir of all things." This too is future a day known to God has been appointed for its realization. But to faith the matter is settled God will see to it that all men honor the Son even as they honor the Father.
The last of the four verses which introduce the first chapter and deal with the authority of God the Son, the One who now speaks, makes mention of the angels. It tells us that "He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." This "more excellent name" is based on the work of the cross because it was by inheritance it was obtained. Even the Lord's enemies understood that an inheritance is transferred only by death. "This is the heir" they cried "come let us kill him and the inheritance will be ours" Matt. 21:38. But Paul tells us that He has not only obtained a more excellent name than the angels by inheritance but also that God has appointed Him the heir and not only that but "heir of all things.”
What Scripture Tells Us About God's Son and the Holy Angels
We will now examine God's thoughts in His word about the relative positions of the angels and God's Son. Paul supports what he writes with copious quotations from the Old Testament Scriptures with which his readers are familiar. This subject opens up with "but to which of the angels said He at any time" v.5 and ends with the same question v.13. The conclusion of the matter is in the following verse "are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation. *"2
God's thoughts concerning His Son interest us more than those about the angels, interesting as these are. They are presented in moral rather than in chronological order. However we have re-arranged them in chronological order as an aid to understanding them. In v. 10 then we have God the Son making the worlds as given us in 1:2. Moses puts it this way "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Paul reverses the order the earth first, then the heavens for the earth was where God the Son first spoke. Then in v. 8 we have the throne of God the Son and a scepter of righteousness the scepter of His kingdom. This is when God's Son, appointed heir of all things, rules the world for 1000 years. Not until then will the world experience righteous government. From Eph. 1:10, 11 we know that He shares this rule with the church and v. 9 is an oblique reference to that. But here we are called rather His "fellows" or "companions" i.e. those who will be with Him in glory. But a caution is introduced so that no creature should distract from the distinctive glory of God the Son. Just as He has a more excellent name than angels so God has anointed Him with the oil of gladness above His fellows. Then vs. 11-12 tell us how God the Son who is presently upholding His creation v.3 folds it up and changes it. Other Scriptures supply the details of His new heavens and new earth. It is sufficient to note that the end of Christ's 1000 year kingdom is the porch to the eternal state. For this reason Paul states twice that the Son is greater than the creation for while it perishes He abides "Thou remainest" v.11 and "Thou art the same and Thy years shall not fail" v.12. These beautiful verses comforted Mrs. G. Helyar when her husband died. She penned these lines to give expression to her feelings:
“O Lord and Savior we recline
On that eternal love of Thine
Thou art our rest and Thou alone
Remainest when all else is gone.
Yes 'Thou remainest' sea and land.
E'en heaven shall pass, but Thou shalt stand
Undimmed Thy radiancy appears
Changeless through all the changing years.”
God Speaking in His Son Closing Considerations
Paul has given the Jews abundant proof that Jesus, who is God the Son, is a heavenly rather than an earthly Messiah, for whom the Jews looked. He demonstrated His glorious position above the angels who had an administrative role under the law, and above us His fellows. He pointed out His throne of righteousness on which He shall reign forever and ever, and His power as the God of the old and new creations. Not only that but Paul had heard God the Son speaking to Him on the road to Damascus a heavenly Man calling out a heavenly man to Himself.
Many of Paul's readers had heard the words of God the Son when He walked the earth among men. An immense privilege! But now that He has ascended to glory He is still speaking yes, God is speaking in the Person of His Son. Exhortations are now in order. We find these in the first four verses of Chapter 2 which really close off Chapter 1 and belong to it. Because of the personal dignity of who is speaking God's Son and Apostle Paul warns the Hebrews who profess Christianity not to let divine truth slip away. God meted out just punishment to those who did under the angelic ministry of the law. How shall we escape if we neglect "so great salvation" that is, despise grace after breaking the law. Then Paul brings in those who preached this gospel of grace, and how God supported their testimony leaving them no excuse. This salvation was first spoken by the Lord then confirmed to others who heard His voice 2:3. When God gave the law to Moses He made it clear that He Himself was speaking by supporting His message with acts of power see Ex. 19:16-19. Similarly those who preached the gospel at the beginning of Christianity had their message confirmed by God Himself with supernatural powers. These are called here "various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit." This is a direct reference to the signs and miracles in the Acts of the Apostles. Since Christ had ascended to glory when these mighty works were done, their purpose was to authenticate the message to show men that God was still speaking to them in the person of God the Son from the glory now, though the works were on earth.