Hebrews: Chapter 1

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

March 31, 2021

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

Although the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews does not identify himself, for at least 1200 years, from 400 to 1600 A.D., there was little doubt that this letter was written by Paul. The book was, and still is, commonly called "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews." The academic theologians and literary critics weighed in to suggest other possible authors, such as Barnabas or Apollos. However, the best proof that Paul wrote the Letter to the Hebrews is 2 Peter 3:15, 

"And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;" 

So if the Epistle to the Hebrews is not the letter that Peter referenced, where is it? Of course, the letter was written through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, so to speculate about the human being who penned the letter is a waste of time.

Considering all of the revelation that Paul received, who else could have written 

Hebrews 5:10-11, "Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Of Whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing."? 

In addition, Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:4 says that he "was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

No other New Testament book gives us such a glorious picture of Jesus Christ in all the splendor of His manhood and in all the majesty of His deity. No other book in the New Testament is more worth the effort to understand. The major theme of Hebrews is the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as both the revealer and the mediator of the grace of God. Perhaps the key thought to this whole letter is that Jesus is the one and only Person who gives access to reality and access to God. From 

John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

The book of Hebrews, among other things, is a book of contrasts between the old covenant and the new covenant. For example, Hebrews 1:1-2 contrasts how God spoke unto the fathers by the prophets but now speaks to us by His Son. Chapter 1 also contrasts the Son with angels, and contrasts the Lord with those things (the earth and the heavens) made by Him. Chapter 2 compares the word spoken by angels with our great salvation. Chapter 3 contrasts Moses and Christ. Chapters 3 and 4 compare works and rest. Chapters 5 and 7 compare the Levitical priesthood with the priesthood after the order of Melchisedec. Chapters 5 and 6 compare babes in Christ with those who are of full age or mature. Chapter 7 contrasts the daily sacrifices required under the old covenant and the once and final sacrifice of Christ Himself. Chapter 8 speaks of the tabernacle built by man and the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched. 22 verses in Chapters 7 and 8 state that the Old Covenant has been fulfilled and made superior by the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Chapters 8, 9, and 10 also contrast the old covenant and the new covenant. Chapter 11 compares the faith of many notable old testament men and women to "some better thing" which God has provided for us. I believe it is fair to say that the "some better thing for us" is the faith of God Himself, of which we can and must partake. Chapter 12 contrasts the earthly Jerusalem and the heavenly Jerusalem; it also compares the "mount that might be touched" to mount Sion and the city of the living God. Chapter 13, in Verse 9, contrasts grace and doctrine; it also contrasts altars in Verse 10. This last contrast (on altars) would be easy to overlook, yet it is vital to the believers' well-being.

The letter was originally addressed to the Diaspora, the Jewish converts living geographically outside of the land of Israel and who were being tempted to revert to Judaism or at least to incorporate much of the Mosaic Law into the true gospel. Jesus said that the Law was fulfilled by and in Himself (Matthew 5:17-18 and Luke 24:27). However, this epistle is for every Christian over all of time, particularly those who still want to abide by some elements of the Old Covenant. Today, there still is a very strong and widespread move within genuine Christian churches to incorporate parts of Judaism into our services and life. Some of the things I have heard and read, written by Christian pastors of many long years, are actually heresy. For example, one pastor, who encourages incorporating some Jewish rituals, customs, and feasts into Christianity, wrote, "If it had not been for the Jewish people, there would have been no Jesus." I call that gross error. My Bible says the exact opposite. Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58).

The Epistle to the Hebrews was also intended to prepare the Diaspora for the impending disaster of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. In like manner, this epistle is intended to prepare us for the impending judgment of God which must come soon.

Hebrews could also be called "the book of better things" because the two Greek words for "better" and "superior" occur 15 times in the letter. The letter to the Hebrews (and to us) clearly sets forth the superiority of new revelation through the Son of God; the superiority of Christ compared to leaders of the Old Covenant; the superiority of Christ to the angels; His superiority to Moses; His superiority to the Aaronic priesthood; the superiority of the Son's faithfulness; the superiority of the Son's work; the superiority of the Christian faith; the superiority of the Father's way; and the superiority of the Christian life in the Church as well as practical guidelines for Christian living. I heartily recommend that every professing Christian prayerfully and carefully read the Epistle to the Hebrews over and over again until the truth therein becomes flesh within.

Hebrews, Chapter 1, is one of five Christology chapters in the Bible. We have previously shared messages about those five Christology chapters, which are John 1, Ephesians 1, Philippians 2, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1. Like the four other Christology chapters, Hebrews, Chapter 1 speaks of the centrality, supremacy, preeminence, and sovereignty of God. Please turn to Hebrews, Chapter 1.

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2a Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son,

All Old Testament writers are here viewed as prophets in that their testimony was preparation for the coming of Christ. Verse 1 says that God in divers manners spake in time past by the prophets. Several times God spoke through a prophet but the prophet never spoke one word.

Acts 3:24, "Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." 

That implies that a prophet does not necessarily have to speak words audible to human ears. Indeed, the Lord told Ezekiel to prophesy to the wind and to the mountains. In addition,

Isaiah 20:2-4, "At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;

So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt." 

The wife of Isaiah is called a prophetess in Isaiah 8:3, but scripture never records one word that she ever spoke. Scripture does not even give her name. The only thing recorded about Isaiah's wife is that she bore two sons.

Hosea 1:2-3, "The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son." 

About 50 years ago the Lord made it very clear to me that He had placed us in a Virginia suburb of Washington, D.C., not to do something and not to say something, but primarily just to be one of some number of believers to hold back the forces of evil in Washington, D.C., just by the presence of Christ within us.

Returning to Hebrews 1:1, many years ago I heard with my natural ears, a rather mature Spirit-filled minister of God strongly imply that prophets are no longer relevant or needful because now Jesus has spoken to us. I said nothing but I strongly disagreed both then and now. I will certainly agree that the Father desires for all of us to hear His voice directly through His Son, but the Lord speaks to us in a multitude of ways, even through a donkey or a rock, if need be. Of course, some Christian churches believe that neither apostles nor prophets exist anymore. But Ephesians 4:11-13 says, 

"And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:"

Those verses state that the five-fold ministries exist until we all come unto a perfect man. Are all Christians perfect? If there are no longer any apostles or prophets, then there are no longer any evangelists, pastors, or teachers.

So what does the comparison between Verse 1 and Verse 2 mean? Under the Old Covenant, God used His prophets to speak His truth in fragments, as needed, but it was never out-of-date or irrelevant. His prophets today still speak His truth in fragments ... in parts. The author of Hebrews in no way was trying to belittle the prophets; his purpose was to establish the supremacy, the superiority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, there are many more false prophets today than true prophets. That has always been true. Just think of Elijah and the 400 prophets of Baal to get a comparison.

Note in Verse 1 that God spake in the past by the prophets to the fathers, but now He speaks to all believers by (or through) the Son. The problem with His chosen people has never been a lack of God speaking; the problem has always been a lack of hearing and obeying on our part. Returning to 

Hebrews 1:2b, "whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by Whom also He made the worlds;

Verse 3, "Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high";

Verses 2b and 3 list seven great descriptive statements about the Son of God.

(1) The Father appointed the Son to be heir of all things.

Romans 8:17, "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together."

The incarnate Son, having performed the work of redemption, was gloriously exalted to the position of the firstborn heir of God; i.e., He received the inheritance of all things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. In Scripture, almost every time we read of suffering for His Name, glory follows closely behind.

(2) "By Whom also He made the worlds"

Colossians 1:16, "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him:"

(3) "the brightness of His glory."

The brilliance of the natural sun is inseparable from the sun itself. In like manner the radiance of the Son of God is inseparable from Deity, for He Himself is God.

John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

John 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

(4) "express image of His Person"

Jesus is not merely an image or reflection of God. Because the Son Himself is God, He is the absolutely authentic representation of God's being.

John 14:9, "Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?"

(5) "upholding all things"

The Son dynamically holds together all that He created, both naturally and spiritually.

Colossians 1:17, "And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist," [or "sit together."]

(6) "purged our sins"

Jesus purged our sins through His redeeming death on the cross of Calvary.

Romans 14:9, "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living."

(7) "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high"

Being seated at God's right hand in the spiritual Holy of Holies indicates that the work of redemption is complete and that Christ is actively ruling with the Father as Lord over all.

Mark 16:19, "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God."

Returning now to Verses 4-14 of Hebrews, Chapter 1, which establish the superiority of Christ as compared to the angels.

4 Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

To the Jews, a name stood for the character of a person in all he was and did. To most Jews, angels were exalted beings, especially because they were involved in giving the law at Mt. Sinal, and to the Jews the law was God's supreme revelation. This explains why the superiority of Jesus over angels is mentioned first.

That angels were active in giving the law is indicated by a number of different verses, such as Acts 7:38 and 53, 

Acts 7:38 "This is He, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: 

Acts 7:53 "Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it." 

In Verses 5 through 14, Christ's superiority to the angels is likewise documented by seven Old Testament quotations, showing that He is God's Son, that He is worshiped by angels, and that although He is God, He is distinguished from the Father.

5 For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?

This verse (from Psalm 2:7) is quoted in Acts 13:33 as fulfilled in Christ's resurrection.

"I will be to Him a Father and He shall be to me a Son"
The Jews acknowledged 2 Samuel 7:14, of which this passage is a quotation. Jesus is neither an angel nor an archangel; He is God's Son.

6 And again, when He bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him.

The word "firstbegotten" means the first born from the dead. Although scripture speaks of several different people being raised from the dead, such as Lazarus, all those later died again. Just as the firstborn son had certain privileges and rights in the natural world, so also Christ has certain rights in relation to all creation... priority, preeminence, and sovereignty.

Psalm 89:27, "Also I will make Him My firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth." 

The phrase, "let all the angels of God worship Him," clearly establishes the superiority of Christ over the angels.

7 And of the angels He saith, Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire.

8 But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom.

This verse, quoted from Psalm 45:6-7, proclaims the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and further demonstrates the Son's superiority over angels.

9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.

Christ is the only Anointed One. There is no anointing outside of Christ. All Christians are called to identify with the Lord Jesus Christ in every respect. Therefore, we too should love righteousness and hate iniquity.

God is love. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Jesus demonstrated that He loves sinners but hates sin. If our goal is to love mankind any less than this, the truth is not in us. 

Because God is love, He must love absolutely. In that He is omnipotent, His hatred also has to be absolute. To know Him as 'love' necessitates that I know 'what it is' that He hates.

There is a great deal of frustration and sickness in the Church because of loving the wrong things while subtly tolerating a few of the right ways of the Lord.

He hates pride, unbelief, abominations, murder, sexual immorality, sorcery, idolatry and lies. In Revelation 2:6 Jesus said, "I hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans." Every other thing He hates is spiritually involved with Lucifer, the one who became evil personified.

He admonishes the church at Ephesus to repent for leaving their first love while commending them for hating what He hates.

Therefore, we should love everything He loves and despise everything He hates. Many professing Christians are currently deeply enmeshed in religious harlotry. Our generation has lost its spiritual senses and discernment to the point it cannot tell the difference between what the Lord loves and what He hates.

Returning to Hebrews, Chapter 1 and Verse 10, which is a word from the Father to the Son.


10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands:

11 They shall perish; but Thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

12 And as a vesture shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail.

Those verses are quoted from Psalm 102:26.

13 But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool?

This quotation from Psalm 110, Verses 1 and 5 occurs at least five times in the Book of Hebrews.

14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Christ reigns, angels minister to Christians, and we are sent to serve ... to minister to the Lord.

Abraham, Moses, David, and Job, among others, are called servants of God. At least five times, Paul states that he was a servant of God. Lord, make all of us Your ministers! Of course, the greatest Servant of all was and is Jesus.

For hundreds of years many Biblical scholars have talked about four so-called "servant songs" in the Book of Isaiah: Isaiah 42:1-4, Isaiah 49:1-6, Isaiah 50:4-9, and Isaiah 52:13-Isaiah 53:12.

The servant, to orthodox Jews is the nation of Israel, but to us Christians, the servant is the Messiah. I strongly encourage you to read all of those sets of verses. However, for now, let us read Isaiah 49:1-6.

1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name.

An island is surrounded by water. "Isles" speaks of professing Christians who are surrounded by the humanity of the world. "Ye people from far" addresses those who have not yet experienced the saving grace of God. The word "womb" and "the bowels of my mother" have both a natural and a spiritual meaning. The natural meaning is obvious in that Jesus was born of a virgin. The spiritual significance is that Jesus was born as a Jew, as a part of the Jewish nation, whose religion was Judaism. Paul makes the same spiritual statement in 

Galatians 1:15-16, "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace, To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:" 

I was born in America as a Gentile and my family was Methodist. Now I am a disciple of Christ and a citizen of the heavenly kingdom, where there is neither Jew nor Gentile.

2 And He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand hath He hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver hath He hid me;

A powerful rod of authority comes from the mouth of the Messiah. 

Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." 

Arrows are used of God's judgment in Deuteronomy 32:23 and 42.

3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

"Israel" here must refer to the Messiah through whom the Father will be glorified. He will succeed where natural Israel failed and will ultimately enable spiritual Israel (the remnant) to fulfill its "servant" role as God's messenger to the nations.

4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.

Just as the nation Israel had toiled in vain, so Christ would encounter strong opposition during His ministry on earth and would temporarily suffer apparent failure. But despite all of the circumstances, Jesus completely trusted His Father. Should we do the same?

This is also a message for all Christians who are discouraged. The enemy will come with lies to discourage us and try to make us think that we have labored in vain because of apparent unanswered prayers and shattered expectations. It is very dangerous to allow this lie to fester in our heart. The Holy Spirit will awaken our spirit and mind to the truth that God will not fail us and that our life is in His hands.

Isaiah 65:23, "They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them."

5 And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to Him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.

This is a prophecy of release in the natural realm from captivity in Babylon. The spiritual significance of the prophecy is a release from the greater captivity of sin and the kingdoms of this world. 

Revelation 18:4, "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

6 And He said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Verse 6 could be called the great commission of the Old Testament. The fulfillment of this passage begins with the church's preaching of the gospel to all nations and climaxes with the submission of the nations to Christ in His kingdom, which is soon to be revealed to all.

Revelation 11:15, "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever." 

What a glorious day that will be! Amen.