Day 606: Pay attention - Hebrews 1 vs 10 – 2 vs 3
10-11 “And You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” 13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? Chapter 2 vs1-3 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? Hebrews 1:10-2:3 (English Standard Version)
I guess that in Bible days when cities were smaller and further apart, and no electricity lit up the streets at night, people may have been much more aware of the vastness of the sky above them. The never ending expanse of space, as well as the solid ground on which mountain ranges stood, must have conveyed a deep sense of eternity. Yet what does the writer say in vs 10-11?
The heavens and the earth, unlike the God who created them, will come to an end. The writer quoted words from Psalm 102:25-27 which proclaimed that only God is eternal. That is God’s natural state. The surprising thing here is that he applies those words to Jesus Christ as well. In this chapter he has been giving reasons to show why Jesus is greater than all of God's angels and superior to them in every way. One very big reason is because Christ is as eternal as the Father. It was through Christ that God created the heavens and the earth.
What is another reason he gives for the superiority of Christ in vs 13-14?
He quotes words from Psalm 110 which were written some one thousand years earlier by King David. The gospels tell how Jesus showed His disciples that those words were written about someone who was greater than David. They were a prophecy about the Messiah. The words foretold how the ultimate King that God appointed would have final and absolute dominion over all. That was never promised to any of the angels. In fact, a big part of the role angels have been given is to help those whom God is bringing into that Kingdom. For example, in the Book of Acts we read how an angel was sent to open some prison doors and lead the apostle Peter out to safety.
So the writer of this letter has been using the Old Testament to show his Jewish readers that Jesus Christ is greater than the angels they greatly revered. But he wasn't just having an intellectual debate with them. What's the important conclusion he makes in vs 1-2 of Chapter 2?
The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians that it was 'through angels' that God gave His holy law to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. That law contained a wonderful message of God's salvation, and how forgiveness of sins could be found. But the Jews knew that the law also prescribed strong punishments on anyone who disregarded it and treated God's message with contempt. The writer of this letter's conclusion therefore is that if the message that angels brought resulted in retribution on those who rejected it, what will be the outcome of those who reject the message brought by someone far greater than the angels!
What this man said to those Jews who'd become Christians all those years ago is just as important for anyone today who has turned from the ways of the world and called on Jesus Christ to save them from sin. He said: “We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” We mustn't treat the gospel casually. We must give it our full attention and take it fully to heart. And we must do so even when we meet up with hard times because we are Christians.