The Epistle of the Hebrews begins by addressing the reality that God condescends himself to interact with His creation.  The medium that God chose was through the Prophets in the days of old which has its terminal fulfillment in the Son of God.  The uniqueness of this opening theme is located in the “message” of what was and is communicated from God to people.

  

The line of transmission of this method is, in the olden days, from the Prophets to the Fathers.  This statement unifies the Jewish context and shows the connectedness to the Israelite roots that many of the Hebrew believers would have identified with ethnically.  This language also presents a similar reality that hearkens back to the ratification of the covenant at Sinai, when God spoke to the people through the Prophet Moses to the Elders.  However, the term “fathers” elicits a more intimate connection than “elders.”  God, in these last days, uses His Son to transmit the message unto us (the ancient and modern contemporary hearers). 

  

Although the method of transmission varies throughout the ages, the message is the same.  This is an interesting concept because one might think that if the method of delivery changed, then it is possible that the message itself has been altered in some ways.  However, the author of Hebrews will refute this notion of a possible change by showing that the final transmitter of the message communicates the same message that was from the beginning.  As the letter continues, it becomes clear that the transmitter of the message is far superior than the previous methods of transmission.  This idea will be important as we continue to examine this letter. 

 

This fulfillment of the divine action of God exhibited in verse 1 of this text is best understood from considering the Triune nature of God as well as the attributes of God.  This helps the modern reader understand the implicit message that is being communicated to the Hebrews as well as the explicit message.  The implicit message is important because it brings the reality of God to bear upon our hearts in these days, directly connecting the modern audience to the ancient audience in a method similar to the way in which the ancient audience was connected to their forefathers through the explicit message written.

  

The author of Hebrews exposes that Jesus created the world.  This connection is consistent with chapter 1 of John’s Gospel.  But, what does this reveal to us about God?  The implicit message is: “Jesus, the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, is God, and is both transcendent and immanent.”  Do you see the message that verse 2 opens to the modern reader?  Our God is simultaneously grand in glory and intimately personal in relation to the human creature.  There is great beauty in the medium of transmission because it is the most intimate manner in which God can communicate to humans and it allows humans to directly relate to both the message and the messenger, God incarnate, the person of Jesus Christ.

A natural question then comes to mind: “Why is it important to understand the Trinity in light of the opening of this letter to the Hebrews?”  The phrasing used by the author brings the listeners back to Genesis 1 where God spoke and the worlds appeared.  It brings to the forefront of the mind that God ordered the world after which He rested on the seventh day.  It harkens to the relationship, intimacy, and community that God shared with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Likely, these realities start to flood the minds of the readers of this epistle.  Then, the author says that the “message” is what it always has been from the beginning.  “God is going to live in the midst of His creation and enjoy them as they enjoy Him.”  This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

  

Now, you might be thinking to yourself: “How did you get that out of the text of Hebrews 1?”  Walk with me back to the Pentateuch for a moment.  In the Pentateuch, who did the first-century Jewish community revere as the greatest prophets? Moses? Elijah? Isaiah?  Based upon the language of the Pharisees when they spoke of following Moses, and were subsequently rebuked by Jesus, I would submit to you that Moses was a prophet who was highly revered.  If this is the case, and the Jewish community all viewed Moses as the author of the first five books of our Old Testament, then the language of verse 1 would have brought them to Genesis chapters 1-3 mentally.  Then, the readers would be confronted with the reality that God created a perfect world, but they live in an imperfect world (under the oppression of Roman rule, nonetheless).  The “message” would have fast-forwarded their minds to Sinai where God gave a message to Moses to share with the people.  This mental journey would have culminated in the Tabernacle dedication, and further into the prophets, the Temple where the Spirit of God resided for a time.

  

These echoes of the Old Testament help us see the full picture of what God was doing in those days as well as the “sameness” of the message.  The message being: “I will create a people for my possession and I will be their God and they will be my people” (see Genesis 17:7-8 and Leviticus 26:11-12).  This same message is then solidified and communicated by the Son of God, himself.  God is going to fulfill this promise, the Abrahamic Covenant, by the redemption of humanity through Jesus Christ which is the good news.

  

Remember that I stated this message is best understood by viewing it through the Triune nature and attributes of God?  Bear with me as I attempt to show why this is important from a pastoral perspective.  First, we noticed that God wants to dwell with His people which has been the message from the beginning of the world.  Second, it was God who created the world and everything in it through the action of His Son.  Lastly, application comes from understanding the explicit and implicit message of Hebrews 1:1-2.

  

The transcendence of God puts the creation in a different category than the Creator.  The inherent ability and power of God to create all the stars of the sky as well as the Earth in its glory is beyond the comprehension of humanity.  In a way, this makes God distant from humans.  This makes humans unable to relate to God in a meaningful way.  God does something spectacular that is mind-blowing and wonderfully beautiful: He clothes himself in human skin.  God becomes a real flesh-and-blood person sharing in the hardships of humans (see Philippians 2).

  

The incarnation makes the transcendent God now immanent to humans.  The reality is that God was always immanent before, but now because of the incarnation, humans can relate to His immanence personally.  God has clothed himself in such a way that not only is the redemption of humanity possible, but humans can personally relate to God in a way that was not previously possible.  This is the expression of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity.

  

The Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity, is not left out.  It was the Spirit of God that separated the waters from the waters in Genesis, and it is the same Spirit of God that regenerates the hearts of men at the preaching of the Gospel to impart faith to those who would believe and trust Jesus Christ.

  

The reality of Hebrews 1:1-2 is that God, the Father, has through Jesus Christ, the Son, proclaimed a message of redemption for his people which was previously spoken by the prophets, and is accomplished by the working of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of humans who have faith in Jesus Christ.  This message which was previously proclaimed by frail humans, has been now proclaimed by God, Himself in human flesh.

  

Take heart, modern reader.  God wants to dwell personally with you and you with Him.  As the Westminster Shorter Catechism states: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”  This is only made possible by Jesus.  Humans can enjoy God because God has brought Himself to us to be enjoyed.  Trust in Jesus Christ for your redemption. Cast yourself unto Him who is able to save your soul!

  

Take heart, sufferer.  The very same God who hung the stars in the sky suffered as well.  He was beaten, broken, and crushed at the hands of merciless people.  God understands your pain.  Trust in Him, run to Him, Cry out to Him.  God is big enough to understand, personal enough to feel what you feel, and yet still able to redeem your pain unto perseverance.

  

Take heart, beloved.  Our God is coming back for you, He will rid you from the body of sin, and give you eternal rest in a new sinless body.  Therefore, remember Him who called you into Holiness, and press on forgetting what lies behind and moving toward the upward call of Christ Jesus.  Will it be tough? Yes.  Will there be hardship and suffering? Yes.  Is it worth it to endure? Yes.  For let us not grow weary in well-doing (Galatians 6:9).  Our God sees us, is with us, and indwells us.  It is by God’s Holy Spirit that we shall be strengthened, so saturate yourself in God’s Word that you may know Him.

Scorners, be warned.  The God who hung the stars in the sky, who became incarnate, and who suffered rejection at your hands will come to judge the living and the dead.  This God will execute vengeance and justice causing you to be punished eternally without mercy because you shunned the sacrifice of Jesus.  This God is the God of the living, and if you continue in your disregard for the Living God, you will face the second death.  You have been warned.

Soon, we shall continue our examination of this letter to the Hebrews.