Understanding the New and Living Way

Understanding the New and Living Way - Part 1

Chapter 1 - The Foundation to this great Salvation through Jesus Christ God's Son

Hebrews chapter 1 v 1 -5 NLT

Jesus Christ Is God’s Son

1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.

Before we read further lets take a deeper look at verse 1. God spoke many times and many ways by the prophets.

Jesus, the Messiah, and the plan of Salvation was not hidden but was being revealed from the beginning. When we know what we are looking for we can see the threads of revelation and prophecy about Jesus and God's plan of Salvation being revealed throughout the bible, in every generation. It would take to long to look at every one, but here are just a few that are very important to know, because these form solid building blocks for our salvation and faith.

In Genesis 3 v 14 -15 -

14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this, you are cursed
    more than all animals, domestic and wild.
You will crawl on your belly,
    groveling in the dust as long as you live.
15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
    and you will strike his heel.”

Right from the beginning when Adam sinned, God began to reveal his plan of redemption and salvation, by declaring a Saviour would come through the seed of the woman.  This is estimated to have been 1500 years before Christ was born. (Side Note:  Genesis was written by Moses through divine inspiration, Moses was a prophet raised up by God to bring the children of Israel out of Bondage.)  A prophet is one who speaks for another, who speaks the words that the other put into his mouth.  
He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.  Is a direct and clear message that God was saying to the devil - you have stolen the birth right of man, his dominion on the earth - BUT I AM sending A MAN to take it back.

This was a great mystery, that God would send 'a man' who would Redeem back all that was lost. This great plan of Salvation was beyond what anyone could conceive. That God would send his own Son who would become 'a man', and that he would conquer death, hell and the grave.

But God continued to reveal more of his great plan of salvation.

God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 12 v 3 "

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

What we want to take note here is the last sentence "All the families on earth will be blessed through you". God was giving Abraham a great prophecy, because ONLY by Jesus 'The Seed' or 'the Messiah or Saviour' could ALL the families on earth be blessed.

Galatians 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.

Take Note that Abraham lived about 600 years before the Law was given to Moses, so we see that because of his faith, God had counted him as righteous. Likewise we are saved by Grace through Faith.

Romans 4:13

For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Galatians 3:18

For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

There are so many more scriptures, but I have to limit myself, for the sake of time. But it is something you could continue to study for yourself.

NOTE: Jesus fulfilled more than 324 individual prophecies that related to the Messiah!

Isaiah 7 v 14 - All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

Isaiah foretold of the virgin birth. Revealing How the Saviour would be born. (NOTE: Approx. 700 years before Christ was born.) Isaiah also declared his name - IMMANUEL which means 'God with us'. Revealing another mystery - that the Saviour would be both 'man' and 'God'.

John 1 v 14 also tells us "So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son."

One way that helps me understand this is to Think that Jesus was 100% man, he was tempted as we are, but he was also the Christ - The Anointed One, 100% God. He had the divine nature of God. His blood was pure and clean, he was perfect, sinless and full of Grace and Truth.

Sometimes he is called Jesus Christ - and other times Christ Jesus. You may have heard some preachers saying that Christ is not Jesus' surname - but it is 'Who He is' 'The Anointed One'.

This is a great mystery for our human comprehension, and many get lost in trying to work out how did this happen. How was the virgin birth possible etc. But in trying to comprehend it they fail to ask the most important and only relevant question, Why did the Son of God have to born as a man? Understanding the answer to this all important question places our feet on the rock of true Christianity.

This becomes the unmovable foundation stone of our salvation.

No man could take our place, no-one would ever be good enough or pure enough "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard." Romans 3 v 23.

Without the virgin birth, there would have been no Saviour of the World and therefore there would be no 'Salvation'.

Micah 5 v 2 foretold where he would be born. Approx., 800 years before Christ was born.

Christ's death was also foretold in accurate detail. Lets cross reference some scriptures with Psalm 22. written approx. 1000 years before by King David.

Psalm 22 v 1 says "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?"

Now cross reference this with

Matthew 27v 46 and Mark 15 v 34 "At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Psalm 22 v 7 - 8

Everyone who sees me mocks me.
    They sneer and shake their heads, saying,
8 “Is this the one who relies on the Lord?
    Then let the Lord save him!
If the Lord loves him so much,
    let the Lord rescue him!”

Now lets look at Matthew 27 v 39 "The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery."

and Mark 15 v 29-30 "The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

David continues in Psalm 22 v 16-18

My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;
    an evil gang closes in on me.
    They have pierced my hands and feet.
17 I can count all my bones.
    My enemies stare at me and gloat.
18 They divide my garments among themselves
    and throw dice for my clothing.

Isn't this just what happened to Jesus when he was on the cross?

Matthew 27 v 39 "After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice."

Mark 15 v 24 "Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. They divided his clothes and threw dice to decide who would get each piece."

Luke 23 v 34 "Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

Another great Prophecy was given in Isaiah 53. I urge you to take the time to read it with me.

Who has believed our message?
    To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
    like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
    nothing to attract us to him.
3 He was despised and rejected—
    a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care.

4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.

7 He was oppressed and treated harshly,
    yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
    And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
    he did not open his mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned,
    he was led away.
No one cared that he died without descendants,
    that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down
    for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong
    and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
    he was put in a rich man’s grave.

10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
    and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
    he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
    and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
    he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
    my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
    for he will bear all their sins.
12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
    because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
    He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

Father God, help us to understand these words. Amen.

We must settle it in our own heart that God's Word is true and reliable.

Matthew 5 v 18 " I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. "

Matthew 24 v 35 "Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear."

Hebrews v 2 says "And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe".

We can clearly see here the distinction between the prophets and Jesus. Some say Jesus was just a prophet but here we see that he was appointed HEIR (RULER - LORD - OWNER) of ALL THINGS.

He also created all things.

John 1 v 3 "All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made."

Colossians 1 v 16 "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him."

1 Corinthians 8 v 6 "Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist."

Hebrews 1 v 3 continues - "The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven."

This makes our hearts jump for joy, Jesus revealed the love, heart and life of the Father to us. He was the express image of God. So when we study the life of Jesus, we can see and know the Father. We also see that not only did he create everything but he sustains everything. Hallelujah! The same power that caused the sun to be created is the same power that keeps it in place and sustains it.

But how amazing is the second half of this verse - "When he had cleansed us from our sins" - This should make us shout for joy. We are not waiting for our sins to be cleansed but Jesus has already paid the price, he has already cleansed us. We are not waiting on him to do something rather he is waiting on us to accept and to receive forgiveness and cleansing by Grace through Faith.

"Then he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven".

Matthew 28:18

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Praise God, Jesus has been given all authority and he has given us the legal right and authority to Go in his Name, as his ambassadors and representatives. This is why we must seek to understand this Gospel of the Kingdom.

Lets finish Hebrews chapter 1.

4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.

5 For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus:

“You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.”

God also said,

“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son.”

6 And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said,

“Let all of God’s angels worship him.”

7 Regarding the angels, he says,

“He sends his angels like the winds,
his servants like flames of fire.”

8 But to the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
    You rule with a scepter of justice.
9 You love justice and hate evil.
    Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you,
    pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.”

10 He also says to the Son,

“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth
    and made the heavens with your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain forever.
    They will wear out like old clothing.
12 You will fold them up like a cloak
    and discard them like old clothing.
But you are always the same;
    you will live forever.”

13 And God never said to any of the angels,

“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”

14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

Jesus is superior to all, we must be careful not to pray to angels or worship them.

Luke 4 v 8. Jesus replied to him, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE ONLY HIM.’”

I encourage you to read over chapter 1 a few times, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight and revelation. There is so much more, that I could say. But remember that this is the foundation of your faith. Settle these things in your heart and meditate on them.

Hebrews 13 v 8 - 9 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

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