1 Corinthians 15:47-48 – Of Dust and Heaven

“…The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven….” – ESV / Commentary

The Final Word – Hebrews 1:1-4

Study on Hebrews 1:1-4 (ESV)(NKJV)

The epistle to the Hebrews is an unknown author, it’s debated that Paul wrote it but also debated that one of Paul’s pupils wrote it. It begins with an earnest proclamation about the supremacy of the NT revelation by the Son over the OT revelation by the prophets.

“The primary purpose of the Letter to the Hebrews is to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. The central thought of the entire Epistle is the doctrine of the Person of Christ and his role as mediator between God and humanity.” -Wikipedia (Hebrews)

V.1-2a

Those Days – Old Testament; Up until the coming of Jesus Christ God spoke, and revealed Himself, to prophets at many times and ways. The prophets were the human middle-men bearing a message from God to other men. This is how people of the Old Testament talked and had relationship with God. Such as Abraham who ‘walked by Faith and not by Sight‘ because he knew that there was no more to God’s promise, and calling, then there was visible to his physical eyesight.

These Days – New Testament; The coming of Jesus initiated the “Last Days”, meaning whoever lives in circa A.D. lives in the Last Days. Throughout the Old Testament there is mystery surrounding the coming of the Messiah and the propitiation who is going to save all. All the foreshadowing of this is revealed and now in the open since the coming of Christ. He is not just a barer of the message from God he IS the message from God. Christ is Word [john 1:1-4], He is the truth [john 14:6], He is the light [john 8:12], and whoever sees Him sees the Father, and whoever knows Him knows the Father [john 14:6-9].

Christ Jesus IS God’s final word, He is the final massage to the children of the earth everywhere. We are not  listening to another prophetic message, born by a human messenger, to be followed by until further revelation from future human messengers. Here God himself comes to us and speaks to us His final Word. If we reject God here in his self-revelation, if we do not receive His Word, then we have would’ve expressed our ultimate and final rejection of God.

V.2b-3

Who is the Son? “..whom he appointed the heir of all things…” [esv] The Son is the heir of ALL things, that includes man, animal of the land, beast of the sea, bird of the air, the sun, stars, sky, the universe, etc… ALL things he is the heir to the throne of. This small portion explains the authority that the Son has in God’s house. Following here are further examples of this superiority throughout scripture. {here} “… through whom also he created the world.” [esv] suggesting the the Son was there when the world was created and was also a partaker in creating it. “…He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature…” [esv] here we learn that the Son is the outer rendering of God’s glory and is precisely what God is. The Son is no more or no less than God, their character and their nature is exactly alike. Jesus didn’t just speak the message of God, but Jesus is the Word and the Message of God. The Son communicates himself, and makes himself known, so that when we see Him we see God, and when we know Him we know God. “…and he upholds the universe by the word of his power…” [esv] We read here that Christ not only is the message, the heir of all things, the creator of all things, but is also the upholder of all things. With out His word, His powerful wonderful word, breathing into us and all living things, our world would cease to exist. We see examples of this in the NT when Jesus heals the blind and the sick, casts daemons from bodies, and controls the seas and plans. “… After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” [esv] Note the word AFTER, because it’s so important that we recognize the sacrifice and significance of it. It was AFTER He made the purification for sins, he made it, he made the purification, it was prepared. God and the Son were not surprised by it, because His sacrifice was the plan all along. The verb “made” also indicates that it was a once-and-for-all action, meaning it will not be repeated and cannot be repeated, we cannot do anything more or anything less to supplement it. You can’t try and be saves, it was done once and it was done for ALL, it’s a free and perfect gift that is extended out to each and every one of us. All you have to do is take it. After all of this the Son was caught up and was seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. Meaning His work here on earth is done and accept Him and accept the Word as truth and as your life, and you will be saved…

Romans 5

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God…”[esv]