Blogging the Bible

Jesus is the better high priest. The author of Hebrews lays out a very meticulous argument in this regard. There is no way I can adequate condense all the argument in a blog like this. But the conclusion is clear in 7:27 and 28: Jesus is the “once for all” sacrifice due to God’s oath (promise) that the Son would be the “perfect” priest “forever.”

And in the blog today, I want to concentrate on this idea of the irrevocable promise of God’s oath that is described in 6:13-20. Our faith is founded on the certainty of God’s promise (oath) of which Christ’s coming, dying, and rising from the dead is the evidence. He is the great high priest that takes our sin and offers a sacrifice (enters the holy of holies) on our behalf so that our sins are forgiven and we have access to God (Rom. 5:1-5).

The author compares the oath of God with the oaths of humans. A human person swears by someone greater than himself or herself in order to assure delivery (vss. 13 and 16). For God there is no one greater to swear by (vs. 13). But verse 17 says that God wanted to “make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised.” Unchanging and clear, that is what God wanted to communicate about what he had promised. So what did God do? Verse 18 -20 says that he did this (communicated his promise) by two unchangable things–God’s promise (in and of itself sure) and God’s oath. Because it is impossible for God to lie, his oath reinforces the unchangeability of his word or his promise. Abraham received his promise and this was the Old Testament corallary to the promise of Christ. Abraham received his son, born to his barren wife, offered as a sacrifice and delivered from death. So, too, we have received the promise of THE Son, born to a virgin, offered as a sacrifice and delivered from death, not by interruption of the sacrifice (like Isaac) but by resurrection from the grave!

And so the author of Hebrews says that we who take hold of this hope (salvation found in Christ’s death and resurrection) have an “anchor for the soul, firm and secure” and we can be “greatly encouraged” by this (vs. 18,19).

Wow! God has promised and made an oath to help us understand how sure our hope is. What he has said, he will do! Those who put their faith and trust in Christ WILL receive eternal life and be heirs together with Christ of all of the riches of God’s rule and reign for eternity. Now that’s worth hoping for!

The first four chapters of Hebrews begin right away with the “Christ is better” argument. Chapters one and two describes how Jesus is better or has more authority and power than the angels. Chapter three argues that Jesus is better than Moses or Joshua. Chapter four gives a stern warning NOT to miss what God has revealed. The author of Hebrews says that the Israelites missed it big time and as a result missed out on God’s promises described here as his “rest.” The author is telling us that if we fail to pay attention to what God has revealed in Christ–something even better–we will miss out, too!

Chapter 1 verses 1-4, in my view, is one of the most important passages in the New Testament. It answers a lot of questions about the bible and about God and about living the Christian life. If four verses can do that, they are important indeed!

These verses summarize God’s revelation throughout history as ONE God progressively revealed to humankind. The verses state very clearly that God revealed himself in the past in “many and various ways” through the prophets. When we read “the prophets,” which refers to both people of the Old Testament as well as the Old Testament scriptures themselves, we see that God used a great variety of means. He spoke directly to some, he appeared in visions and dreams to others, he wrote on the wall to King Belshazzar, he came in the form of a king named Melchizadek to Abraham, a burning bush to Moses, a pillar of fire and a dark cloud to the Israelites, to name just a few. The prophets spoke God’s revealed word, wrote it down, and at least one, Hosea, actually lived out God’s revealed word to the people. (You might remember from the Hosea blogs that God told him to marry a woman of unfaithfulness–a prostitute–in order for the people to see that is what they had been to the Lord their God!).

But all of these revelations were only the warm up act! They all pointed to and progressively led to God’s finaly and complete revelation–Jesus Christ. Though God spoke in many and various ways through the prohpets in the past, now (in these last days) God has spoken to us “by a Son.” This Son is not an offspring. This Son has authority over all things (sound like God!) and created the worlds (sounds like God, again!). This Son’s word is so powerful it holds the universe together (sure does sound like God!). This Son is the “reflection of God’s glory” and the “exact imprint of God’s very being. This Son IS God!

Let me try to put it as simply and clearly as I can to explain why these four verses answer so many questions. Jesus is everything that can be known about God. Everything that God wants to say to us and that we need to know about God can be understood by knowing Jesus. If we want to know how much God loves us, look how Jesus loved us. He gave himself to a horrible death for our sake. If we want to know how God requires us to live, look at how Jesus lived and what he taught about life. The life of Jesus is the answer to most of our questions about God, the world, and our lives. Because we are human and finite and limited in our ability to understand we cannot know everything. But everything that CAN be know is known by knowing Jesus.

There you have it. The person serious about knowing God will get serious about knowing Jesus. Reading through the bible is a good way to be about that business. Applying what we read is even mor important.

We begin five days with the book of Hebrews today. It is the only book/letter in the New Testament that we are still unsure of the author. The style is very different but the message is very consistent with the letters of Paul and also consistent with the testimony of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) regarding Jesus. The letter to the Hebrews is critical to the understanding of how the Old Testament and the New Testament fit together. The questions in the letter reveal it was written during a time when the new church was moving away from the synagogue. What was the relationship between Christianity (The Way) and Judaism? What was the relationship of Christ to the Old Testament sacrificial system? The book or letter explains this really with one brief sentence: Christ is better.

In this book the author takes the reader through the meaning and significance of important people and institutions of Judaism and explains how Christ is better. He is not OPPOSITE of the old, but a more complete and final expression of the old. Jesus is better than angels, Moses, the priesthood, Abraham, the old covenant, and any other sacrifice. Jesus is better! All these old things were merely shadows directing our attention to the real thing that cast the shadows–God come in the flesh in Jesus to provide a way to be forgiven of sin and redeemed for life eternal. How much better can it get?

Hebrews also clearly defines the faith that is the gateway to this better life. The author shows that the faith of Old Testament people was the same as the faith of the New Testament believers. The constant is WHO our faith is in. The next few days we will look at some of the specific teachings in this wonderful letter that tells us about the better way in Christ.

Titus was a very special disciple trained under Apostle Paul’s leadership. In fact Paul called him “My loyal child in the faith we share” (Titus 1:4) this letter is a pastoral letter especially written to guide Titus and the church’s leaders of that time in the responsibilities and challenges of the pastoral ministry.

The first century church was challenged with many obstacles and problems that arose from the inside and outside. Paul wrote this letter to encourage and empower Titus in his ministerial development. Also the churches were inspired by this letter which brought light to the struggles of the community of faith.

There are many things we can say about this short but wonderful letter. For me the main message is clearly summarize in the following verse:

“I desire that you insist on these things, so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to everyone” (Titus 3:8)

Philemon: This letter is probably the most personal of the Pauline letters. The main message is that in Christ there is always a possibility of reconciliation and restoration in our relationships with God our Creator as well as with our neighbors.

This short letters is particular meaningful because Paul elaborated through it a wonder path towards reconciliation. The key argument is that because Christ has forgiven and restored us, we also can do the same with others.

Paul says something that should be the normal approach of each Christian and every church:

“If you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me” (Philemon 18)

We know that this plead was made to favor his new disciple and former runaway slave Onesimus, but I also believe that this is the Holy Spirit’s plead for every church in every community in this world.

God is looking for churches that can be his bridges of reconciliation for this runaway and lost humanity.

Yes! Let’s welcome them as we would welcome Jesus Christ himself. (Matthew 25: 31-46)

Malachi: He was the last of the O.T. writing prophets. His name means “my messenger”. The book can be dated somewhere between 450 and 425 B.C. The people in the land were discouraged, times were hard and; they were experiencing drought and famine, causing them to wonder whether God care for them. (NRSV Harper Study Bible)

God came to the Israelites thru the prophet Malachi to show them that much of their problems came from their lack of commitment to the divine covenant. He particularly confronted the Israelites priests and spiritual teachers which instead of leading God’s people to him and his purposes; they were living without any commitment and integrity. (Chapters 1-2)

This book is a wonderful source of spiritual confrontation. When we read it, it is very difficult not to think that God is calling us to revise our lifestyle. The prophet uses a lot questions to stir up our comfortable lifestyle and to call us to review our priorities and concerns.

One the most challenging verses of the Bible come from this book. The prophet asked: “Will anyone rob God?   Yet you are robbing me! But you say, how are we robbing you? In your tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3: God was very direct with them, and if we really want to hear him he also is going to be very straightforward with us.

I would like to finish this book by citing (in my understanding) the most important statement of the prophet, and at the same time the heart of his message to the Israelites:

“Remember the teaching of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel” (Malachi 4:4)

These lasts chapters show us how tender and committed the Lord was with his people. God was providing everything they needed, even the purifications of their sins.

The greatness of God is more evident when he shows his mercy to his unworthy people. The people of Israel were not following him with all their hearts, but still he was dealing with them in a very compassionate way.

God is very patient with his people, he does everything he can (Everything) to take care of his people and bring them back to his covenant. When you read chapter 10 verses 8-12- you can see that he treats them according to his purposes not only according to their behavior.

The final purpose of God is cited by Zechariah in the following verse:

“And the Lord will become King over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be one and his name one” (Zechariah 14: 9)

God has his plans and also his particular ways. That he chose Israel and that he has a great commitment with them, is something very clear in the Old Testament. What will happen with them in the future? We do not know exactly, but one thing is for sure, God knows how to take care of them as well as of us without any problem.

Do you remember what the disciples asked Jesus before his ascension into the heavens?

“So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, is this the time when you will restore the Kingdom of Israel? (Acts 1:6)

They probably had Zechariah and others prophets’ prophecies in mind when they asked. However Jesus did not deny or affirmed their concerns, he just told them:

“It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witness…” (Acts 1:7-8)

God is looking for witness of his glory and that is precisely what Zechariah was, a witness of the Judgment and mercy of God.

His name means “God has remembered”. Zechariah was contemporary of Haggai and had similar interests in the rebuilding of the temple. (Ezra 5; 1-2) (NRSV Harper Study Bible)

The people of Israel were not putting a reasonable effort in rebuilding the temple.  Zechariah appeared in his prophetic ministry to encourage and warn them about their responsibility of putting God’s work first.

They were challenged with a big task and few resources to accomplish it. Also they were struggling with their own personal and family needs. It is, in this situation that God sent Prophet Zechariah with powerful divine visions and words of encouragement to inspire them.

The main message can be put into these words: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts”

In other words, if the task seems to be overwhelming, and your strength and resources are not enough, do not worry; just put your confidence in me (The Lord) I will take care of everything.

 Zephaniah: His name means “He whom Yahweh has hidden, or protected” was the great-great grandson of King Hezekiah and thus of royal blood. He was a prince and a prophet.  (NRSV Harper Study Bible)

Even though he prophesied a lot of judgment, he also can be remembered as prophet of hope, he actually promised:

“At that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord.”  (Zephaniah 3:9)

Haggai: The name Haggai is derived from a word meaning “festival”. He was probably born in Babylon during the captivity and returned to Jerusalem with the remnant in 539-538. . (NRSV Harper Study Bible)

His main prophecy was about the restoration of the temple. He prophesied in a time when the Israelites could easily be discouraged by the big task of rebuilding their nation and their national symbol of unity “The Temple of Jerusalem”.

His most powerful message was the great promise that God gave the Israelites through him: “The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:9)

In others words God told them “Do not pay attention to your challenges and giants that you are facing, just trust in me, I will take care of everything”

There are plenty of reasons to trust in the Lord. The provision of God through Jesus Christ is the best of them.

Nahum: Whose name means “consolation” or “comfort” announce the downfall of a heathen nation-Assyria and its capital Nineveh. The prophet himself came from Elkosh, the site of which is unknown except that is undoubtedly in Judea. (NRSV Harper Study Bible)

This prophet carried out his ministry under a lot of pressure. His voice was a hopeful one for the Israelites, but a challenge to the powerful Assyria. He definitely faced a lot of stress in order to keep up with his great responsibility as prophet.

He learned something very important that every servant and child of God should keep in mind when facing difficulties in life as well as in their service for the kingdom of God. This is what he learned:

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of trouble; he protects those who take refuge in him, even in a rushing flood. He will make a full end of his adversaries and will pursue his enemies into the darkness” (Nahum 1: 7-8)

Habakkuk: His name is derived from a Hebrew root meaning “to embrace”. He lived and prophesied during the closing years of the seventh century B.C and the early years of the sixth century. Habakkuk was the third prophet whose ministry was limited to God’s judgment on a single Gentile nation-Chaldea “Babylon” (NRSV Harper Study Bible)

In this book you will find out that Habakkuk’s ministry wasn’t easy either.  He was called to prophesied to the downfall of a very strong nation that also would be use to punish his own nation which he considered less sinful. However he also learned something very important that every child and servant of the Lord should keep in mind when facing difficulties and contradictions in life as well as in their service for the kingdom of God. This is what he learned:

“Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and makes me tread upon the heights”  (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

This is probably Paul’s last letter before being executed by the Roman authorities. Also this can be called Paul’s testament for his “beloved child” Timothy. When you read it carefully, you still can see and feel that the concerns that Paul addressed on his first letter.

This letter is about keeping the faith and sound doctrine. Paul reminded Timothy that his duty and privilege was to keep and proclaim “the message” (2 Timothy 4: 1-2) The Gospel of Christ was always under attack from different sources in the first century. Paul central message to Timothy was “carry out your ministry” (2 Timothy 4: 5)

In this context, carrying out ones ministry implies that regardless people’s opposition and circumstances, you must to keep doing what you were called to do for God and his kingdom. That is why Paul told Timothy: “As for you, always be sober endure suffering, do the work of evangelist, carry out your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5)

There are many people who complain about being overwhelmed by so many religions and beliefs. On Paul’s time was about the same, especially for the Christian church because they were under the outside pressure as well as and the inside. Some Christians leaders and general believers were turning their back to the original faith and instead they were seeking new “insights and revelations”

Paul insistence was to keep the “sound doctrine” and to remain faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How many of you feel the challenge of being a Christian?  We know that particularly in the United States is kind of easy to be a Christian, but how about “carrying out our ministry”? Are we doing what we are expected to do? Do we feel shame or joy in sharing the Gospel of Christ? Are we looking for teachers who will tell us what we want to hear or looking for real and committed men and women of God who will tell us what the Lord is expecting us to do?

“Gracious God, please help us to see and hear what you want us to do, in the name of your faithful son Jesus Christ” Amen