When things get hard, you want to go back to what is easy - the path of least resistance. The author of Hebrews keeps saying, "Don't go back to where you used to be - that place was full of shadows - it is here that we have clarity. Jesus is the Light!"
Jesus - the final Word from God.
The author is communicating that Jesus fulfilled all the longings of the Jewish people - indeed, of all people. Look at the first 3 verses of chapter 1:
(Verse 1) "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
(verse 2) but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
(verse 3) He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power."
Break it down carefully, so you don't miss anything. Recognize that the author has pre-supposed you understand a few things.
First: When God speaks, it matters...most. Above everything else.
Second: We as humans are made in God's image (Gen 1:26). This means we have a need to hear what God says, because we have a need to be in relationship with Him.
Third: We have heard about Jesus Christ, his life, miraculous deeds, claim to be the Son of God, and his subsequent crucifixion and reported resurrection. We believe that God was/is able to raise a man from the dead, and was/is able to come to earth in human form.
Now, notice the differences and similarities between verse 1 and verse 2:
God speaks to us TODAY through Jesus, the Word. And like the guy who wrote Hebrews does, we need to constantly speak to each other with the words of Scripture, to encourage each other to stay out of the shadows and keep walking in the Light.
It's not easy for us, and it wasn't easy for the folks who received the letter to the Hebrews. They were Jewish-heritage Christians facing severe persecution for their faith - persecution from the Romans, from other Jews, from Greeks...from everyone! So when things get tough for us, we need to do what the author of Hebrews did and remind each other that JESUS IS BETTER than anything the world has to offer - security, acceptance, riches, you name it. Jesus is better than it all.
First: When God speaks, it matters...most. Above everything else.
Second: We as humans are made in God's image (Gen 1:26). This means we have a need to hear what God says, because we have a need to be in relationship with Him.
Third: We have heard about Jesus Christ, his life, miraculous deeds, claim to be the Son of God, and his subsequent crucifixion and reported resurrection. We believe that God was/is able to raise a man from the dead, and was/is able to come to earth in human form.
Now, notice the differences and similarities between verse 1 and verse 2:
SHADOW
verb: "spoke"
subject: "God"
object: "fathers - patriarchs"
by means of: "prophets, Scriptures, OT"
time frame: "long ago"
CLARITY
verb: "spoke"
subject: "God"
object: "us"
by means of: "His Son"
time frame: "recently/now"
God speaks to us TODAY through Jesus, the Word. And like the guy who wrote Hebrews does, we need to constantly speak to each other with the words of Scripture, to encourage each other to stay out of the shadows and keep walking in the Light.
It's not easy for us, and it wasn't easy for the folks who received the letter to the Hebrews. They were Jewish-heritage Christians facing severe persecution for their faith - persecution from the Romans, from other Jews, from Greeks...from everyone! So when things get tough for us, we need to do what the author of Hebrews did and remind each other that JESUS IS BETTER than anything the world has to offer - security, acceptance, riches, you name it. Jesus is better than it all.
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