Hebrews 1
Hebrews is called Hebrews because it was written mainly to Christian Jews, the Hebrew people. The author is unknown, but most likely wrote from Rome to the Christians in Jerusalem. The main focus of the book is Jesus and the better covenant He established.
The first chapter quotes many Old Testament scriptures that show Christ was exalted over angels. Before He was exalted, He first took a position underneath them. Verse 4 saying, “having become so much better than the angels” and “has by inheritance obtained.” The idea is that at one time he was lower than the angels.
In verse 5, the writer quotes Psalm 2:7 saying Jesus was begotten.” The word begotten here describes a birth, as a woman would deliver or bring forth a child. It also says, “You are my Son.” Jesus was born to Mary, but she was a virgin. The son she carried was the son of God.
It is also written, “I will be to Him a Father and he shall be to Me a Son.” Jesus existed before His earthly birth. We read that He was there when the worlds were formed. We read that He had a choice in the matter of coming to earth, choosing to leave the glory of God’s presence (Please read Philippians 2:5-11).
In John 3:16 Jesus is “the only begotten” which in the Greek is monogenes, made up of mono meaning only or single, and ginomai, meaning to become or come into existence. Jesus was unique, one of a kind, who came into the world as a human baby with the full earthly legal rights of one birthed into this world. He became one of us, in an earthly body, with the same delegated authority in the earth. He did this to demonstrate how God intended a person to live in authority on the earth, but His main purpose was to die our death in order to remove the penalty of sin.
When Jesus entered a human body and entered the world through a birthing process, He took the position of a human being. What was the position of a human being? Adam was the first man, who walked with God and had delegated authority from God to rule the planet. When Adam knowingly rebelled against God, he turned away from God in self-sufficiency, thinking he could be a free agent. As a result, sin and death entered the world, and Satan became a god, or ruler, in it (2 Corinthians 4:4). Adam lost his authority, and Satan became his father, his authority (John 8:44-45). This is why we call it the fall of man, because we lost our authority to Satan and sin. The human spirit was separated from God, who is life, and death entered the human race, both physical and spiritual (Romans 5:17). Satan did not have authority until Adam gave it. All sinned, and therefore, no human was qualified to pay the debt of sin that hung over our heads.
When Adam sinned and was separated from God, placing himself under Satan, the human race was then positioned underneath angels. When Jesus became one of us, He chose to become a bondservant (Philippians 2:7), not a master. He was the Son of God operating as the Son of man.
In verses 8-9, we read of the Son that God had anointed Jesus over all His companions. We are His companions (prophetic from Psalm 45:6,7). In verse 10, taken from Psalm 102:25-27, we read that Jesus was at the beginning of creation, at the foundation of the world. We read that His years will never fail. The writer is establishing His lifted position over angels. And lastly, in chapter 1, quoting Psalm 110:1 establishing Him over angels, speaking of the Son of God, called to sit at God’s right hand of power until His enemies would be made His footstool.
The Son of God had become the Son of man. He operated on the earth as both. Even though a man, yet without sin, He operated with authority over the enemy as a man anointed with a power from God. For a time, Jesus operated from a position as one lower in rank than angels, as a man, then died to defeat Satan. When God raised Jesus from the dead, He had the keys, symbolic of authority, over Hades and Death (Revelation 1:18). In Ephesians 1:20-23, we read of His new position over all spiritual authority, being said again as seated at God’s right hand.
Jesus is Lord!
Jeremiah 38-39
Ministry is a place where a person is called to serve. We all are called to do our part. Some are called to an office, or a place of leadership. We are told to honor those who are in those positions of spiritual authority. A leader is given more responsibility, and that responsibility is not always desirable. Many see a preacher in the pulpit, but they don’t see the person in the trenches from day to day. We should be careful not to think more highly of ourselves than our leaders, not understanding from experience what they deal with. We should be careful not to exalt ourselves to a place where we think we have the right to dictate the services a leader performs.
Here we see Jeremiah, a prophet used mightily of God, in a dungeon, a cistern, where the bottom was nothing but mire. Jeremiah was left there, sinking in the muck of this hole in the ground, without food or water. The same people who put him there were men who wanted to put him to death. Jeremiah was rescued by a royal official to King Zedekiah.
It is interesting that when a prophet or other spiritual leadership gift speaks on behalf of God, they often live it first. I can testify this is true for me, and over the years, knowing the faithfulness of God, I have learned to ride the waves of experience, knowing they will pass, and more than likely, God will require me to share His message. Jeremiah is asked to share a word from God with the king. Jeremiah didn’t believe the king would listen (38:15); however, Jeremiah obeyed the Spirit of God and delivered a message that included the phrase “your feet have sunk in the mire.”
In chapter 39 we read of Babylon’s capture of Jerusalem. In verse 11, Nebuchadnezzer sets Jeremiah free. We read that even while in prison, the gift of prophecy was still working in Jeremiah, giving him a message for another man. No matter if a person is in a difficult place, even a place of bondage, the gift and the word of God is never bound.
If you are in a place where you face difficulty, opposition, abandonment, betrayal, or bondage, know that you are free in the spirit. Know that like the king, if we obey the voice of the Lord, we can claim this promise “it will be well with you, and your soul shall live (38:20)!”
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