(Hebrews 1:1-3).
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Human nature – we all have it because we’re all human. In short, it refers to how we think, feel, and act regardless of the influence of our culture. Because we’re all human, the desire to sin controls our human nature. We all sin; we all fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23).
Jesus was fully human but sin didn’t control His thoughts, actions, and feelings. This phenomenon was only possible because He was also fully God. That’s the first point the unknown author of Hebrews made as he began his book and it’s the first area we’re going to discuss in this online study. The Jewish author gave us seven pieces of evidence from key events in the history of the Jewish people. Those seven pieces of evidence cover the range of the Old Testament Law and the Prophets.
Seven Evidences of Jesus’ Divine Nature
God “has spoken to us by His Son…and made the universe through Him” (Hebrews 1:2)
How did God create the universe? He didn’t mix and combine a list of ingredients until He had the perfect concoction. He spoke each part into existence. “Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). He continued with the same process through the remaining days of creation. See Genesis 1:6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, and 26. God spoke – He used holy words – to create the universe.
Jesus is the Word of God fashioned into a man. He is the Word made flesh. John began his gospel by explaining this mind-blowing concept. He wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created” (John 1:1-3).
Take a note of verse three from John’s passage. All things were created through the Word made flesh – the Messiah Jesus. Before Jesus took on human form – through the times of the Old Testament – He is the Word of God. When He came as a man, He completed the gift of the revelation of God’s Word so God no longer spoke through prophets.
Jesus is the Word of God through whom God created the universe – Genesis 1.
God “appointed Him heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:3)
Around what promise of inheritance does the entire Old Testament revolve? To answer that question, let’s look at the first use of the word “heir” in Scripture. In Genesis 15, Abram didn’t have an heir so his entire estate would go to his servant, Eliezer of Damascus. God had a different plan, however. He covenanted with Abram that he would have a son. Through that son, Abram’s descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky; they would dwell in the area we refer to as the Promised Land. It spread from modern day Egypt all the way through most of modern day Iraq.
Abram’s son, Isaac, was born later after God had changed his name to Abraham. He was the son which God had promised. He was also Abraham’s earthly heir but God’s promised heir would come through Isaac’s descendants many generations later. The Apostle Paul explained it for us when he wrote, “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say ‘and to seeds,’ as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ (Galatians 3:16).
Jesus is the promised heir of the covenant made with Abram – Genesis 15.
Jesus “is the radiance of God’s glory” (Hebrews 1:3)
Centuries after Abraham’s death, his descendants through Isaac found themselves slaves in Egypt. God rose up the leader Moses to bring his people out of their captivity and into the Promised Land. God provided a pillar of fire by day and a cloud by night to guide the Israelite people during their journey. The pillar/cloud remained in front of the people at all times (Exodus 13:21-22). During that story, we first read about the glory of God. It appeared within the cloud which guided them (Exodus 16:10).
The author of Hebrews refers to Jesus as the radiance of God’s glory. Radiance is the light shining from a light source. In other words, Jesus is the light shining from the midst of the pillar guiding the people through the desert.
Jesus is the light radiating from the glory of God during the Exodus – Exodus 16.
Jesus “is the exact expression of the nature of God” (Hebrews 1:3)
Fast forward a little bit during the time of the Exodus. God gave the Law to Moses. Although the whole of the Law is quite extensive, an important part of it is what we call the Ten Commandments. The second command states, “Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth” (Exodus 20:4).
Not carving any idols was an important thing for the people of the Old Testament. Doing so got them into trouble on more than one occasion. Hebrews’ author, however, wrote that Jesus is the exact expression, literally meaning He is an engraving, carving, or stamped impression of the nature of God. The author couldn’t randomly say such a thing as that would be blasphemy! He would only say that Jesus was the exact expression of God if Jesus actually was God Himself in the flesh.
Jesus is the exact expression of God, not an idol or blasphemous carving – Exodus 20.
Jesus is “sustaining all things by His powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3)
This translation may use the word “sustaining” but the idea here is to carry or bear all things, although the word “things” is added. In short, Jesus bears all.
As part of the Law, God established a plan to make atonement for the sins of the people. That plan included a high priest. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest performed a series of rituals which would purify the people of their sin. The high priest wore beautiful, highly symbolic, highly detailed garments when he performed his duties on the Day of Atonement. Those garments included shoulder pieces on which he bore the names of the twelve sons of Israel. They also included a breastplate which bore the instruments for making decisions on behalf of the people. Finally, the high priest bore a gold plate on his turban which bore the guilt of the gifts of the people (Exodus 28:12-38). To summarize, the high priest wore garments symbolically bearing the names of the people, the judgment for the people, and the guilt of the people’s sacrifices. The high priest bore those things as he entered before God to make atonement.
Jesus “Himself bore our sins in His body” (1 Peter 2:24). We no longer need a high priest to enter the Holy of Holies bearing our name, our judgment, and our guilt. Jesus has done so once and for all. I’ll leave that alone for now, though, because we’ll hit on it again throughout our study of Hebrews.
Jesus is the high priest who bears our name, our judgment, and our guilt – Exodus 28.
Jesus made “purification for sins” (Hebrews 1:3)
Beginning in the book of Exodus and continuing through Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, the Law repeatedly outlines the process for purification from things such as infectious skin diseases, feminine and masculine discharge, and outbreaks of mildew. Most importantly, though, the high priest performed his duties on the Day of Atonement to purify the people from their sins (Leviticus 16:30).
Again, we no longer require a high priest to perform the duties necessary for our purification from sin. Jesus accomplished that task for all time.
Jesus performed the duties necessary to purify us from our sin – Leviticus 16 and the remainder of the Law.
Jesus “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3)
The Hebrew prophet Micaiah saw into heaven as he received a word from God. He wrote of that vision, “I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and the whole heavenly host was standing by Him at His right hand and at His left hand” (1 Kings 22:19). Do you notice what’s missing from this description of heaven? From our New Testament perspective, we expect to read that Jesus was at the right hand of God the Father. Don’t you think if He was there, though, that Micaiah would have included Him in his description? I don’t believe the prophet would tell us about the heavenly host at God’s right hand and omit the presence of His glorious Son if He had been there. I believe the pre-incarnate Jesus – the Word not yet made flesh – didn’t yet occupy that place of honor.
The Hebrew prophets knew the Messiah would one day occupy that spot, however. King David prophesied as much when he wrote, “This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool.’” The Hebrew people awaited the promised Messiah who would defeat their enemies and sit at God’s right hand.
The author of the book of Hebrews knew it as well, I promise you. He knew Jesus had completed His work of atonement by bearing the sins of the people and making atonement for that sin. He knew Jesus the Messiah now sits at the right hand of God the Father awaiting the day of the destruction of His enemies.
Jesus is the Messiah who sat down at the right hand of God the Father – Psalm 110.
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Why should I care?
Ultimately, that’s a question you have to wrestle with between you and God. But let me tell you why I care…
I care because when Adam and Eve disobeyed in the Garden of Eden, sin became an inherent part of our human nature. At that time, God made the first prophetic promise (Genesis 3:15) of a Savior who would redeem – or buy us back – from our sinful state so we could once again enjoy a relationship
with Him.
I care because I don’t want to let sin rule in my life and because I want that relationship for which God created me.
I care because the evidence shows that Jesus was that promised Savior.
If you’ve come this far, please join the discussion below with your thoughts, comments, and questions. I welcome hearing from you…
Great study. Thank you
ReplyDeleteThank you for caring. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for these insights into the evidences of Jesus' divine nature as seen through the OT lens. I appreciate this in light of the JW's with whom I sometimes chat, since they deny that Jesus is God. I was struck by the insight that, "He would only say that Jesus was the exact expression of God if Jesus actually was God Himself in the flesh." What a great God and Savior we have!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your input! Yes, in Hebrew writing, the author will often put their main point in the middle. In this case, it's the fourth point in a list of seven. He wants to hit home the fact that Jesus is in fact God.
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