Ignite Day 5 Purposed Orchestration: Digging Deeper

1) Why would the author mention how God has communicated “long ago” and “in these last days”?
Since before the beginning of time, God has not only existed eternally, but has also prepared one grand story of redemption to rescue mankind from their choosing of sin and self effectively separating them from the loving Creator. When God, in His infinite love and wisdom, allowed humanity to have free will, He knew we would always choose ourselves to be “god” over Him, and so we did as exemplified in Eve and Adam and every human born since that moment. (Genesis 3) The author of Hebrews is writing to a primarily Jewish audience who were quite familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures. They all knew the prophets, the lineage, all the stories, and could trace God’s story through history. The author’s goal is to show them, through the Old Testament writings which they intimately knew, revered, and loved, how Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah. Jesus is the very one spoken of in Genesis 3:15 who would come and free mankind from their bondage to the enemy, Satan. Just a few verses later in Hebrews 2:14 the author shares, “through death he (Jesus) might destroy the one holding the power of death, that is, the devil.” “Long ago” referred to all the prophets who had come before the then-current-day of post-resurrection of Jesus. The author’s intention is to bring out the carefully, intricately woven threads of Jewish history to point to how now, “in these last days”, the fulfillment of redemption has come in the flesh God-man of Jesus Christ.

2) What does this passage tell us about Jesus’ essence and His beginning?
Jesus as God, co-equal with God the Father and God the Spirit is clear throughout Scripture from Old Testament to New. The Old Testament title God called Himself to Moses, even before he led Israel out of slavery in Egypt was “I Am.” (Exodus 3:14) This ancient title became a clarifying marker throughout Israel’s history (1 small example: Judges 6:24), into the New Testament as Jesus identified Himself as being the “I Am” (John 8:58), and into the future coming of Jesus “who is and who was and who is to come” (Revelation 1:4). Fun Fact: most translations of the Bible will capitalize the name “LORD” in the Old Testament when it refers to this title of “I Am”. The understanding that many other Scriptures support the full deity of Christ is important to note as we begin studying this passage. No Scripture is meant to be read or interpreted in a vacuum; Scripture interprets Scripture because the Author is the same from beginning to end, this is His story! Bible theologian Matthew Henry states about this passage, “God hath appointed him to be heir of all things (verse 2) meaning, as God, He (Jesus) was equal to the Father but, as God-man and Mediator, He was appointed by the Father to be the heir of all things, the sovereign Lord of all, the absolute disposer, director, and governor of all persons and of all things.” This passage further colors the Scriptural truth that Jesus is God, while having His own distinct personhood. Because Jesus is God, He neither has a beginning or an end, His throne, rule, and reign are eternal. (Hebrews 1:8) Jesus is in the flesh, precisely who God (as a whole triune single Being) is in spirit as He (Jesus) fully expresses God’s character. (Hebrews 1:3)

3) What does this passage tell us about Jesus’ mission?
From the v e r y beginning to the right n o w, Jesus’ mission has been to make known the radiance of God. As creation was crafted into existence, it was through Jesus it was made. Right now it is through Jesus that all things in creation continue holding together. (Colossians 1:17) See how creation declares the glory of God? (Romans 1:20) This is God’s intended design through Christ! See Jesus at His birth where even shepherds came to worship Him? See His teachings and miracles? See His defeat of death by His resurrection? He is making the radiance of God known!