Friday, June 26, 2009

Chapter 1, Hebrews...

An expression my pastor often uses in teaching the Old Testament is "pop-up book".  This illustration really makes sense to me when you consider all the visual symbols of Christ that God gave in the layout and articles of the Tabernacle, the Levitical priestly garments, and the details to the nth degree for the sacrifices and offerings. Each ceremony and law pointed to Christ.

In Chapter 1 of Hoping For Something Better, Nancy Guthrie describes this process as well regarding how God the Father from Genesis through Malachi was teaching His people about Jesus, who was to come. Hebrews is the book that gives the inside explanation on how all that had gone before is now seen clearly and fully in Jesus Christ.
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son...Heb 1:1-2

Jesus is throughout the OT, from Genesis 1:1, He is found in the Word before He is seen in the Living Word-Flesh. Believers should joyfully celebrate Christ in the OT truths of Law, prophecy, narrative, symbolism, poetry, songs and proverbs.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading through each detail of Hebrews 1 and relishing the intimate descriptions of Jesus Christ: heir of all things, radiance of God's glory, exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. What an amazing Savior the Father has given!

What struck me in this chapter was the requirement of God to respond to His giving us the fullness of Christ. In the questions at the back of the book,  Nancy asks you to express in your own words the idea of Heb. 1:1-4. I answered, "Jesus is the first, last and eternal Word of God, in His life and model, in His instruction and work, in His character and Person."

At the end of the chapter, she challenges, "God's message to us in Jesus requires a response. God has spoken to us plainly, clearly, personally in the person and work of Jesus. And we need no other word. Jesus is everything God wants to say to us. Are you listening?" (Chap. 1, p.20)

There's the rubber to the road. My personal profession that Jesus is the first, last and eternal Word of God requires an application response. If I'm listening to what God is saying to me in the model of Jesus, then I must seek to know and obey His Word in my own life and model, in my instructions to others, in the work He has given me to do, and in my character and person. A response to the Person of Christ is always required.

I'll discuss the warning of drifting away in the next post on this chapter. I know that several of you are still waiting on books. When your book arrives, the first chunk of reading includes the foreword, introduction and before you get started section. Then remember to work on the Chapter 1 questions in the back before you read Chapter 1.

If you're reading along, let me know in the comments what you thought.

3 comments:

  1. I loved the image of Jesus as powerful sustainer. The reminder that if He allowed the axis of the earth to shift even the slightest bit, we'd cease to be. And then the beauty of being sustained... it was very much an "ah" moment for me to breathe in.

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  2. "Jesus is everything God wants to say to us." Wow, wow, wow. Looking forward to the day I can do this study.

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  3. I'll be following this series of posts closely since, as you know I'll be facilitating this study in the fall (which I've probably mentioned here a time or twenty). Reading your thoughts makes me all the more eager!!!

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