Continued from Chapter 2 “The Things which we Have Heard.”

CHAPTER 3

The Son: His Person, His Power, His Kingdom.

HAVING obtained a general idea of what is meant by the salvation so great, which began to be spoken by the Lord, we would look more closely at the contents of the first Chapter of Hebrews. We quickly perceive that it is all about the SON. The Spirit is here giving Him the preeminence, and is fulfilling Christ’s own Word, “He (the Spirit) shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. ALL THINGS that the Father hath are Mine; therefore said I that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you.”

We are told of His “Being,” Who He is — “Being the Effulgence of God’s Glory and the express Image (or exact expression, literally, the character) of His Substance.” His wealth is also declared. The Father has appointed Him “Heir of all things.” His creative wisdom is then set forth; for by Him He made the worlds or ages. His power is announced; for it is He Who upholds all things by the word of His power. His mighty work of redemption is brought to mind; for it is He Who by Himself purged our sins. And then the place to which He has been exalted is declared; for He is seated on the Right Hand of the Majesty on high.

There is no other, no angel or any created being, who could occupy that place. Yet it is as a Man that He has gone into Heaven. He has taken humanity to that exalted position. He appears there as Man, and for men. But He is, at the same time, God over all, and blessed for evermore. Therefore, after His Deity has been declared, the Spirit refers to Him as the Man Who has been “MADE so much BETTER than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they” (Hebrews 1:4). This should be read in connection with the passage in Chapter 2, “We see Jesus, Who was MADE for a little while LOWER than the angels” (Hebrews 1:9).

He came as Man to do the Will of God by tasting death for everything, being made, for that purpose, and for a little time, lower than the angels. Now, as the Man raised from the dead, He is made so much better than the angels, as the Name which He has obtained “by inheritance” (not His own Divine Name) is more excellent than theirs. He, as Man, has obtained by inheritance the Name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9; Ephesians 1:21; Acts 4:12). It is very significant that the first thing here asserted of the Son is that God has appointed Him the “Heir of all things.” Thus our attention is at the very outset directed to the prominent subject of the Epistle, namely the glorious Inheritance of the Son of Man. The frequent recurrence of the expression, “All things,” is worthy of notice.

Our attention is next called to certain prophetic Psalms which are to have their fulfillment in this glorified Man — the Son of God and Son of Man. The fulfillment of these prophecies will be the “salvation so great” spoken of in Chapter 2. These are Psalms 2, 45, 102, 104, and 110. Psalms 8 and 22 also are quoted in Chapter 2.

The Second Psalm is of surpassing interest and importance. In it the Lord is saluted of God as “My Son.” From Acts 13:33 it appears that this was the greeting God gave Him when He raised Him up from the dead to sit with Him on His Throne; and the begetting there spoken of is that whereby He became the Beginning, of a new creation, the First-begotten of every created thing, the First-begotten from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence (Colossians 1:15, 18; Revelation 1:5).

Having been thus greeted and exalted to the highest place, after having made peace by the Blood of His Cross, in order to reconcile all things unto the Father, He awaits the moment when He shall ask of the Father, and shall receive, the nations for His Inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession (Psalm 2:8).

The Lord Jesus has already received some of those whom the Father gave Him out of the world (John 17:6, etc.). They constitute “His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18). But even these are not yet “perfected.” The Church has not yet attained to the “full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). It is not yet ready for Him to “present it to Himself, a Church of glory, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing” (Ephesians 5:27). Therefore we may say that He has thus far received only an earnest of His inheritance in the saints, as they have received an earnest of theirs. But, in the age to come, He will receive, not only the perfected and glorified Church, His Body, to which God has given Him to be Head, over “all things,” but also the nations for His inheritance. At the present time He has, in the world, only a feeble people for His own Possession (Titus 2:14 — the word “peculiar” means “for a possession,” see also 1 Peter 2:9); but then He will have “the uttermost parts of the earth for His Possession.”

In view of this universal dominion that is to be exercised by the Son, the kings of the earth and the rulers, who (as stated in Psalm 2:2) set themselves and took counsel together against the Lord and against His Christ, are admonished, in verses 10-12, to be wise, and to be instructed, and to kiss the Son, because in a little while His wrath will be kindled (RV). Regardless, however, of all that the kings of the earth and the rulers may plan and do, the purpose of God is declared, and will be carried out: “Yet have I set my King upon My holy hill of Zion” (Psalm 2:6).

Surely it is a point of great significance and importance that the very first Scripture cited in Hebrews is that which declares God’s blessed and unalterable purpose to place His Son in absolute authority over the whole earth. This is the great salvation that is in prospect for the sons of God. It is the great feature of “the world to come whereof we speak,” which God has not put in subjection to angels, but unto Him Who stooped to become the Son of man, and unto those who shall be associated with Him, that is to say, unto “all them that obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). The closing words of Psalm 2 doubtless refer to those: “Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.”

Hebrews 1:5 contains also a quotation from the Lord’s message by Nathan to David. In that message occurs this promise, “Also the Lord telleth thee that He will make thee an house. And when their days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy Seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish His Kingdom. HE SHALL BUILD A HOUSE FOR MY NAME, AND I WILL ESTABLISH THE THRONE OF HIS KINGDOM FOR EVER. I WILL BE HIS FATHER AND HE SHALL BE MY SON” (2 Samuel 7:11-14).

The last words of this promise are quoted in Hebrews 1:5 as being fulfilled in Christ. We know that Solomon failed, and that his direct line was cut off in Jehoiakim, the last wicked king of Judah, whose sons were slain before his eyes, and of whom God declared that none of his seed should sit upon the throne of his father David (Jeremiah 22:30; 36:30). Hence the descent of Jesus Christ is traced through David’s son Nathan (Luke 3:31). At the same time Christ was the adopted Son of Joseph, who was descended from David through Solomon, and thus was, by Jewish law, the rightful heir to the throne (Matthew 1:6, 11) although not of “the seed” of Jehoiakim.

In the next verse of Hebrews 1, we read that “When He bringeth in the First-begotten into the world (habitable earth) He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him.” Although He was made for a little while lower than the angels, nevertheless when He comes into the habitable earth the angels are commanded to worship Him. This coming scene of the revealed glory of the Son of Man was made known by the Lord to Nathanael, the guileless Israelite, who believed His Word. To him He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see Heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending unto the Son of Man” (John 1:51). That “hereafter” is the age to come; and this is another instance where the Lord began to speak of that so great salvation that is ready to be revealed.

At this point Psalm 104:4 is quoted: “Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire”; and then, by way of contrast, Psalm 45 is quoted. In that Psalm the Holy Spirit, by the tongue of the Psalmist, speaks of “a good matter,” even of “the things touching the King.” No other prophetic Scripture speaks so clearly, with such detail, and in such glowing terms, of God’s King. The words quoted are verses 6 and 7 of the Psalm. “Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever; the scepter of Thy Kingdom is a right scepter. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness (lawlessness); therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.”

Here again the Kingdom of the Son is brought into view, for it is “unto the Son” that God saith “Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever.” He is saluted as “God,” and is also spoken of as the “anointed” One, that is, the Christ, being anointed, not with the oil of consecration for suffering and death, but with the oil of gladness for reigning in glory.

Attention should be paid particularly to the words “above Thy fellows.” This glorious and blessed One has companions or associates, taking part with Him in the responsibilities of His Kingdom, and participating in His glory. There is no difficulty in recognizing these as the “many sons” whom God is bringing “unto glory,” whom Christ is not ashamed to call “brethren.” The connection is very clearly seen in the original, for the word rendered “fellows” in Hebrews 1:9 occurs again in two passages in Chapter 3, and those occurrences should be carefully noted. In Hebrews 3:1, we read “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers (fellows) of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus.” These “holy brethren” are the “fellows” or companions, or associates, of God’s anointed King, Jesus.

The next occurrence is in verse 14, and it calls for special notice. “For we are made partakers (fellows) of the Christ (the anointed King) if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.” Thus we are plainly told that being made an associate of God’s anointed King in the glories of His reign is dependent upon the steadfastness of those who are called to that great honour. Those who are seen coming forth with the Faithful and True One, when He issues from the opened Heaven, bearing upon His vesture and upon His Thigh the Name written “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS,” are not only “called,” and “chosen,” but also are “faithful” (Revelation 19:11-16 with 17:14).

The next Psalm quoted in Hebrews 1 is Psalm 102. This Psalm speaks of the time when the Lord, Who endures for ever, shall arise, and shall have mercy on Zion (verses 12-13). “For the time to favor her, yea, the SET TIME, is come.” As the apostle Paul declared to the Athenians, God has “APPOINTED A DAY in the which He will judge (that is, will do justice and equity to) the world (habitable earth) in righteousness, by that Man Whom He hath ordained, whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). And it is given to us, who are now sojourners in that world, to “see the day approaching.” Furthermore the Psalm declares: “So the heathen (the nations) shall fear the Name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Thy glory. When the Lord shall build up Zion HE SHALL APPEAR IN HIS GLORY” (verses 15-16). “This shall be written for the generation to come; and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord” (verse 18).

The succeeding verses refer to the work of Christ in the days of His flesh, when His strength was weakened and His days were shortened; and then follow the words quoted in Hebrews 1. “Of old hast Thou laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of Thy Hands. They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure. Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed. But Thou art THE SAME, and Thy years shall have no end.”

He Who is soon to take up the sovereignty of the earth, and reign over it, is “the Same” Who of old laid its foundations, and created all things therein. He alone knows the secrets of nature, the marvelous properties of matter in its countless forms, and He will bring to light and put to their intended uses all the properties and forces of nature. At that day it will be seen that the wise and learned men of this day, the “men of science” (falsely so called, for they are really men of ignorance) are but stumblers in the darkness. At that day the wisdom of this age will be seen by all to be utter foolishness.

He is also the One Who changes not. “Thou art THE SAME”; and this blessed truth, full of comfort and assurance for those who are enduring the sufferings of this present time, is repeated in the last Chapter of Hebrews, in those well-known words, “Jesus Christ, THE SAME yesterday, today, and for ever.”

The last quotation in Hebrews 1 is from Psalm 110. This contains the germ of the great subject which is expounded in the Epistle to the Hebrews, and nowhere else in the Word of God, namely, the office of the Son as a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Again the Spirit of God directs our attention to a Psalm which speaks clearly of the Kingdom of the Son, pointing to the time when the Lord shall send the rod of His strength out of Zion, and He shall rule in the midst of His enemies. It tells of the coming day of His power, when His people will offer themselves willingly to Him, adorned with the beauty of holiness; and He Himself will have the dew of His youth out of the womb of the morning. Again, there is a reference (as in Psalm 2) to the “day of His wrath,” and to the kings of the earth who will then be stricken through. And again is the promise given, “He shall judge among the heathen (the nations).”

Such are the Scriptures which are brought to our notice as showing what is meant by the great salvation which is to become a manifested reality in the habitable earth to come whereof we speak. In view of such a revelation, in view of the wonderful things we have heard, can there be anything more important for us than to examine ourselves as to how much heed we have paid, and how much we are now paying, to these things?

And if, as the result of such examination, we find that we have been paying even less heed to these things of Christ and His coming Kingdom, than to the perishing things of this present evil age, shall we not make haste to present ourselves at the throne of grace, where the High Priest of our confession is now seated, that we may “obtain mercy” for these past failures and perversities, and “find grace to help” in this present time of need?

The wonderful “things that we have heard,” whereof a beginning was spoken by the Lord Himself, transcend the human mind and understanding. They constitute a salvation so great that the imagination of man can form no conception of its greatness. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him.” Paul could say for himself, “God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit”; but he could not write them unto the Corinthians, because they were babes. He could not speak to them as unto spiritual men, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1). Hence the importance of the exhortation to be no longer babes, but to “go on to full growth,” of which exhortation we hope to speak later on.

(To be continued.)