HEBREWS: CHRIST is the FINAL REVELATION

Christ is the final revelation

Text: 1:1-3a – God who speaks

The passage has two main “parts”: (1) Scripture; (2) introduction of the Son to the discourse. 

First, let’s talk about Scripture. More than ones we will see a “coin of…” Example chapter 11 – coin of faith – here we have a coin of God’s speech – if He speaks, then no wonder that He listens.

Spoke in the prophets. Two aspects:

(1) speaking as delivering a message

(2) we have Prophetic writings. This means that the Word is not going to change, we can fully rely on it. We’ll talk about this later.  

Same God has spoken to us by His Son. Jesus’ incarnation is vital to the story of salvation – for the Cross reason, but also for the reason of God’s speech to be delivered. John puts is most beautifully – the Word became flesh (1:14a – see more later 1:14b).     

Scripture has three main qualities:

Holy – separate, unlike other writings, God’s word  

Written – therefore, can’t be changed, meaning that God limited Himself to the Word left to us. Proverbs 25:2.  

Inerrant – has no mistakes, not only in its content, but in its formation, we confess closed canon.   

Liturgical usage of the phrase: Evening Prayer, LSB p. 247, which – after a reflection – concludes the readings of the Scripture from both the Old and New Testament.   

Challenge of the Red-Letter Bibles. In the context of Heb. 1:1-3a, what is the problem with?

(2) Then the author introduces Son as a person. He comes up with 5 “basic” features that wi;; be important for the rest of the “letter.”

 

God appointed Him as the heir of all things – Nicene creed, whose kingdom will have no end  

 

Through whom the world was created – Proverbs 8:22-31; Nicene creed, by whom all things were made.

Radiance of God’s glory – John 1:14b 

Exact imprint of His nature – Philippians 2:6-11  

Son upholds the universe by the word of His power – we are coming back to the speech/word of God, John 1:1-3. It is the Word that sustains the universe, therefore being unthankful to the Word is being unthankful to the Creator (a thought to ponder when we discuss weekly Eucharist [Thanksgiving] or the Lord’s Supper). 

PSALM 30

Psalm 30

As a fan of structural analysis, I am happy to present a case where two (or even three) layouts are possible.

This is the way David A. Dorsey presents it:

a. 30:1, promise of praise, “rejoice”

 b. 30:2-3, report of appeal to God and rescue from the pit, “I cried… gone down” 

  c. 30:4-5, Statement of Yahweh’s favor (birshono)

   d. 30:6, Expression of confidence

  c’. 30:7, Statement of Yahweh’s favor (birshono)

 b’. 30:8-10, report of appeal to God and rescue from the pit, “I cried… gone down”

a’. 30:11-12, promise of praise, “joy”

Then in the footnote 23 Dorsey refers to Alden, “Chiastic Psalms”, 22 who presents nine part pattern.   

I see the parallel structure in the psalm:

a. 30:1, You drawn me up

 b. 30:2, I cried

  c. 30:3, You brought my soul from Sheol, go down to the pit

   d. 30:4, Sing praises and give thanks

    e. 30:5, His anger for a moment, His favor from a lifetime – turning point!

a’. 30:6-7, I shall not be moved by Your favor

 b’. 30:8, To You, O LORD, I cry

  c’. 30:9-10, death, going down to the pit

   d’. 30:11-12, Sing praise and give thanks    

I think, when Jesus was talking to His disciples about His death and resurrection referring to the Law of Moses (Torah), Prophets, and Psalms (Lk. 24:44-46), He was referring and/or using this psalm. One of the few that presented the picture of the One who ended up in Sheol, but YHWH brought “my soul” from it. So, it is not a death prevention psalm, it is a psalm of restoration (30:3).

This leads to singing of praises to YHWH and giving thanks to the His holy name. This demands a pause and slow reading. Think about this:

who represents (or wears) His holy name? Jesus – John 17:11-12.

Also, thanksgiving in Greek is eucharist.

Uniting these two points together we can say that Service of the Sacrament – is an act of thanksgiving of His holy name, the name of the One Who paid for our release from the fear of death with His own life. He descended into hell (cp. Apostle’s creed), He knows “firsthand” what death is all about but being sinless “death could not hold Him”, trotting a path for our re-union with the Creator.

This is even more reassured in v. 7 – He, the Creator, sustains our lives. Without Him we are dismayed.

But He is gracious and merciful, which is revealed in the following:  

vv. 8-12 We have two parts:

a. 8-10 – confessional part, when we cry for help

b. 11-12 – reversal part:  mourning into dancing

            Sackcloth into clothe of gladness

Concluding with glory, praise, and thanksgiving forever!

As a result, we can confidently say with the psalmist, described by Dr. Luther:

6. In My abundance I said, I shall never be moved. This can also be understood in the manner of that apostolic word: “Christ, rising from the dead, dies no more” (Rom. 6:9). And thus “abundance” signifies the glory of resurrection, where every kind of salvation beyond the prior life has abounded in Him. And because of this abundance He says that He will never be moved, that is, He will no longer die. And this is because the LORD God in His good pleasure “gave to My beauty (that is, beauty to humanity through the glory of the resurrection) “strength” not to die. See also Ps. 93:1: “The LORD has reigned, clothed with beauty; the LORD is clothed with strength” (LW, 10:138).     

 

PSALM 29 - the voice of the LORD!

Psalm 29

On the voice of the LORD!

vv. 1-2: Introduction – heavenly being should ascribe Him the glory

vv. 3-9: Voice of the LORD

vv. 10-11: Conclusion – LORD is enthroned

Introduction: Ascribe or give to the LORD

    O, Heavenly beings (sons of the mighty one) – angels and/or godly people

    Glory and strength

    Glory due His name

Worship in splendor of holiness – beauty of holiness. No wonder the traditional church buildings are (1) separate from regular use and (2) beautiful inside and outside

 

Voice of the LORD – 7 aspects of the voice of the LORD

The beauty of the structure: 1 long, then 2+3 (short), 4 long, 5+6 (short), 7 long 

1. Many waters + glory thunder!

2. powerful

3. full of majesty or beauty (similar to v. 2 “splendor”)

4. Breaks cedars, Lebanon, Sirion (one of the peaks in Lebanon)

5. flames of fire

6. shakes the wilderness

7. makes the deer give birth

Strips the forest bare

Call to worship – in His temple (maybe, creation) all cry “Glory!”

Conclusion – He is enthroned (See John 19:15)

He gives the blessings, blessings with peace

 

Psalm 28

Psalm 28

Psalm begins with two requests (v. 1):

a. Be a rock

  b. Not to be deaf to me

  b’. if you’ll be silent

a’. I will go to the pit  

Then the primary answer is right there (v. 2):

Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help

When I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.

 

But then David goes into a “negative” example (vv. 3-5):

a. Description:  Wicked – workers of evil 

being treacherous: speaking peace but having evil in their hearts

   b. Outcome: Give them what they deserve (in accordance with their deeds), v. 4

a’. Description of the reason: Because they do not regard the works of the LORD (the Living one, see the reference to the pit, v. 1)

   b’, Description of the outcome: He will tear them down and build them up no more – they will not experience resurrection. For all of us go through the cycles of “down-ups” or “death-resurrection.”

   

Fuller description of God’s “answers” (vv. 6-9):

a. Hearing (vv. 6-7). He hears – I give thanks with my song.

b. Lord – the strength of His people (vv. 8-9) – like a ROCK. He is a saving refuge, where people can hide in times of trouble.

PSALM 27

Psalm 27

 

This psalm is written by David [most likely] during the time of persecution. The First king of Israel Saul was chasing after young David. It is also possible that the psalm came to light during the rebellion of his son Absalom (we talked about it when studying Psalm 3). 

 

David presents the LORD as (1) the light and (2) salvation

(1) Light has two main functions:

   a. gives light for the surrounding area – like a chandelier or a floor lamp

We can walk around safely – v.5-6

LORD hid David in the day of trouble – in His shelter, in His presence

   b. points to direction – like flashlight

v. 11 – teach me YOUR way, o LORD

and lead me to the level path (path that is not going up or down – very comfortable for travel)

(2) Salvation

Real troubles – enemies vv. 2-3,

Abandonment [by parents], v.10

Sins, v. 7-9 – He ends with salvation!

Conclusion:

The light and salvation of the LORD comes out of the goodness of His character – v. 13

Therefore, we should exercise patience and the inner strength of faith, v. 14  

Romans 9. Part II: Paradox of God's patience

Paradox of God’s patience

Text: Roman 9:19-33

After two examples of Jacob vs. Esau and Moses vs. Pharoah, St. Paul asks a question about God’s will and determination v. 19

If everything is pre-determined, why is it their (Esau’ and Pharoah’) fault?

Two answers:

(a) Potter has authority over any vessel of his making, vv. 20-21, but it should be read in the context of God desire to show His … mercy bearing the vessels of wrath with patience – reason being that people being called not from the Jews only, but also from Gentiles

Supported by three quotes:

Hosea 1:10 – return of His mercy after the prophet’s sad personal example.

Isaiah 10:22-23 – the remnant is going to be saved, in the presence of many numerous Israel – as the sand of the sea.

Isaiah 1:9 – Lord gave the offspring – the Messiah – for the delivery of Israel, overwise they would be doomed.

All three quotes are given as a description of His mercy, while judgement is coming. Yet, the judgement is not the point, the point is God’s glory and mercy.

(b) righteousness by works over the righteousness by faith.

The faith is the key for the understanding of God’s conundrum of wrath vs. mercy, see John 3:16-18. Condemnation is not a result of God’s choice or election, but faith vs. lack of believing of people.

Israelites have stumbled with all the gifts of God were at their disposal – see 9:4-5, as prophesied by Isaiah 28:16 – stone of stumbling, in relation to it/Him people will have either offence vs. no be put shame.