2/28/19
Tom Lowe
Lesson #3: Demonstrated From the Old Testament (Hebrews 1:5-14)
Scripture: Hebrews 1: 5-14 (NIV)
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father”?
Or again,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”?
6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
7 In speaking of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels spirits,
and his servants flames of fire.”
8 But about the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
10 He also says,
“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12 You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.”
13 To which of the angels did God ever say,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet”?
14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Lesson #3
(1:5) For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father”?
Or again,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”?
Paul quotes here from Psalm 2:7. He points out first the Son’s superiority in relation to the Father: “For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? This is God’s testimony that Jesus was His Son, begotten of Him, thus setting forth the Deity in His virgin birth. [Angels are created, not born.]
In Job 1:6 the angels, in a collective way, are spoken of as “the Sons of God.” In John 1:12 we read that believers are “the sons of God.” But there is no place in either the Old Testament or the New where God speaks of men or angels in these words: “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” Those words are spoken only of Christ Jesus our Savior. According to this verse, Jesus Christ has a more excellent name than the angels have: “So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs” (Heb. 1:4).
Yes, Jesus has a more excellent name than Moses, Aaron, Joshua, David, Daniel, or the angels. He has a more excellent name than all in heaven or on earth. “I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands” (2 Sam. 7:14). This is referring to God’s covenant to have a Son of David on the throne.
The title “Son of God” was first used at the Annunciation [announcement] when Gabriel told Mary that she would be the mother of the Savior: “... .Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called “the Son of God” (Luke 1:3). The title was declared by God when Christ was baptized at the beginning of His earthly ministry (Matt. 3:17) and again on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:5). Christ is called “the Son of God” over and over again in the Gospels which record the events of his earthly ministry.
The question asked in verse 5 is from Psalm 2:7. “None” is the answer. The angels serve before the throne. The Son sits on the throne. That Jesus is the Son of God can be seen in three ways:
1. SEEN IN HIS VIRGIN BIRTH (Luke 1:35).
2. SEEN IN HIS VICARIOUS BAPTISM (Luke 3:22).
3. SEEN IN HIS VICTORIOUS RESURRECTION (Acts 13:33)
(1:6) And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
This verse is a quote from Psalm 89:27 and Psalm97:7. If God, Himself, says that the angels are to worship the Son, then the Son must be God. If He is God, then He is worthy to be worshipped.
“And again” is suggestive of a second time. Thus it would read, “And when again God bringeth in the First begotten. . .” into the world. When Jesus comes the second time in power and great glory to sit on the throne of David to reign, all inhabitants of earth and all the angels of God will worship at His nail-scarred feet! Here we see again that the son is far superior to and much better than the angels so much so that God the Father commands angels to give Him their adoration and worship.
The angels are Christ’s created beings (Col. 1:16-17). We do not know when they were created, but we do know that throughout all eternity since their creation, Christ has been the object of their worship. Personally, I believe the angels have worshipped Him since the first angel was created. They worshipped Him in heaven, they worshipped Him when He came to this earth and took a mortal body, they worshipped Him when His birth was announced to the shepherds, they worshipped Him, they worshipped Him in the wilderness of temptation, they worshipped Him in Gethsemane and on many other occasions, and there is no doubt in my mind that they worshipped Him as He ascended back to heaven, where He now sits, at the right hand of the Father. Yes, the Son is superior to angels.
In Colossians 1:18 Christ is spoken of as “the first born from the dead.” In Colossians 1:15 He is called, “the firstborn of every creature.” These are titles of position rather than of relative order or time, but to honor, dignity and power. Christ is the first born of every creature. He is the first fruits of them that slept. Others were born before Him, Others were raised ahead of Him; but His position is the highest, the most excellent. He is the head. None can be higher. (See Col. 1:18 and Rev. 5:11-14)
(1:7) In speaking of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels spirits,
and his servants flames of fire.”
Verse 7 is a direct quotation from Psalm 104:4. In the fourteenth verse of this first chapter of Hebrews the angels are said to be servants, “ministering spirits.” Their ministry varies. They have appeared to men to deliver to them a message from God. They have worked in supernatural ways to deliver and protect God’s people. The angels are servants of God.
“He makes” here means to create; Jesus created the angels (see Col. 1:16). They were created by Him and are His possession; His ministers. Their function is to rush to do His bidding.
Note: Verses 8 and 9 are quotes from Psalm 45:6-7. Psalms 45 is a wedding Psalm and our Lord Jesus is the heavenly Bridegroom, who experiences “the joy set before Him” (Heb. 12:2) as He considers His Bride.
(1:8) But about the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
Here the Father announces the Godhead of the Son? “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever.” He is King of kings! He is Deity, therefore, “Your throne, O God” is stable, everlasting and unchanging (Isa. 9:6). There shall be no end to His government and peace. His government can be summed up with a simple word: uprightness. Christ’s throne will outlast the Millennium because He is Deity. And because of His nature and character, the principles of righteousness will reign throughout; every man will receive justice and all men will be dealt with in righteousness. The King of kings could do nothing less, because He is equal with God the Father in nature, in character, in power, and in the Godhead.
(1:9) You have loved and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
Verse 9 is a quotation from Psalm 45. It would be well to study the entire forty-fifth Psalm in connection with this. This verse states Christ’s character and nature in the days of His flesh when He walked with men upon the earth. Because He hated iniquity and loved righteousness, He has the qualifications to be the Righteous king ? and these principles will characterize and dominate His rule. But the one that stands the tallest is “He loves righteousness.”
Kings in the Old Testament era were anointed with oil (1 Sam. 10:1; 16:13). Because the Son loved righteousness and hated wickedness, because the Father is so highly pleased with the finished work of the Son, He has anointed Him “with the oil of gladness” above all others. Jesus is a cheerful man anointed “with the oil of gladness [joy].” “Gladness” means much leaping; it carries the thought of dancing and rejoicing. Once Jesus was “the man of sorrows” but now He is leaping with joy upon His throne. This pictures the reign of joy that takes place when Christ sits enthroned with His bride, the Church.
This anointing is much more significant than the anointing of kings in the Old Testament. It goes far beyond consecration to the kingly office. The “oil of gladness” is perfumed oil, and the anointing of God’s Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords is superior to the anointing of those who are enthroned in the Old Testament era.
It is made clear in the Word of God that the Son claims deity (See John 5:18; John 10:30, 33). And the Saints claim Christ’s deity in Rom. 9:5, Titus 2:13 and 1 John 5:20).
This phrase, “your God, has set you above your companions,” magnifies His authority. The word “Companions” undoubtedly refers to those who occupied the throne of David.
(1:10) He also says,
“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
(1:11) They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
(1:12) You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.”
The message of verses 10-12 is that the Lord Jesus pre-existed as SON. They are quoted from Psalms 102:25-27. The subject of verse 10 is creation. Jesus is better than angels because He exists eternally. Jesus created the universe and He is still in the creation business (see 2 Cor. 5:17). If Jesus was in the beginning to create, He must have existed before the beginning, and, therefore, be without beginning. In John 1:1, we are told, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In verses 11 and 12, the subject is collapse; just as you would roll up and throw away an old worn-out garment when you are done with it, Jesus one day will discard the heavens and the earth. (See 2 Peter 3:10; Rev. 6:14) Let’s not have the mindset of Peter’s day - 2 Pet. 3:4, “They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
Paul here declares the eternity of the Son of God. He was in the beginning with the Father. He did not come into existence after the Father but was from everlasting to everlasting with Him. Paul is quoting from Psalm 102:25-27. “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as vesture [clothing] shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.”
To the Son are ascribed the attributes of Almighty God. It is the Son who will bring about the changes in the heavens above us, and in the universe ? yet he is Himself unchangeable and everlasting. It is the purpose of the Holy Spirit to prove, through the pen of Paul, that Jesus is indeed the One through whom and by whom God the Father has spoken to us in these “last days.” Therefore, we must give the most sincere heed to the things He has said. We must listen to Him even above prophets and angels because He is very [actual] God. He created all things in the beginning, and it is He who will recreate (refashion) the heavens and the earth. Changeless and everlasting, the same yesterday, today, and forever, surely He surpasses the angels in power, in glory, in character, and in His person.
When the Lord created the heavens and the earth He did not merely “arrange” materials already created. He carried out the original act of creation. He brought all things into being by the power of His Word. All these created things will perish; they will wax old like a garment, and like a garment, they will be rolled up and changed. That does not mean that they will be removed and destroyed entirely, but they will be changed and we will have a new heaven, a new earth, and the Pearly White City. But the Son will never change and His years will not fail [be unsuccessful; break down].
Everything is under the control of the Son and dependent upon Him. He alone possesses inherent life. He is one with the Father in the Godhead, self-existent in the beginning, never changing, and He can never die. The Father here addresses the Son as deity, and refers to His throne, His scepter, His kingdom, His character, His exaltation, His creative power and His immutability[changelessness].
(1:13) To which of the angels did God ever say,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet”?
Paul gives this quotation from the Old Testament to establish the sovereignty of the Son of God. It is found in Psalm 110:1: “The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand until I make thy enemies thy footstool.” Both Jesus and Peter quoted from the same passage. There is no record that anyone was ever addressed with words such as these. No angel has ever been exalted to the place where Jesus now sits at the right hand of God, nor is it recorded that God ever promised angels that they will reign until their enemies become their footstool. The destiny of Jesus Christ is that ultimately everything in the universe will be subject to Him. (See Phil. 2:10; Rev. 19:15-16) This will all take place at the end of the Great Tribulation.
(1:14) Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Every believer has a guardian angel (Psalm 34:7), and according to the testimony of Jesus, the angels who watch over little children appear before the face of the Father in their behalf (Matt. 18:10). As “ministering spirits” the angels are servants of the Lord. We do not know all the ways in which they serve Him, but they have been in His service since they were created. They served in the giving of the Law (Gal. 3:19); but now God has spoken ? not by a prophet or an angel, but “in son” ? the Mediator between God and men.
God sends forth the angels “to minister for them who shall be the heirs of salvation.” This applies to each and every true believer. Angels are never said to be heirs of God, but believers are His heirs, joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). God sends forth His angels as ministering spirits for His saints, His born again ones. They are to serve God and His redeemed ones (2 Kings 6:15-17). Angels protect and deliver believers from temporal danger.
