In the first three verses of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Hebrew (Israelite) converts he emphasizes the importance of the Words of Jesus Christ in the life of the true believer. This includes the Words (writings) of the Old Testament prophets. He says that God spoke to both the prophets and the New Testament apostles. Ephesians 2:20 tells us that the New Testament Church was founded on the writings of both the prophets and the apostles who tell us in writing what they heard from God, preached and wrote. Collectively, those Words are called the Holy Bible. In verse two Paul reminded the Hebrews that God’s Son had recently visited this world and had spoken directly to the Jews (tribes of Judah and Benjamin). He then sent the apostles to the other tribes of Israel with the same message. In verse three Paul calls Christ’s teachings “the Word of His (God’s) power”–GOD’S WORD AND HIS POWER ARE SYNONEMOUS.

In the first three chapters of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Hebrew believers we learn about the ministry of God’s angels in the lives of His true saints –those who walk in obedience to His Words as exemplified by the “Captain of our salvation.” The Hebrew (Israelite) converts to Christ, though having had the “oracles of God” (His Law and the words of the Prophets) from birth, nevertheless needed instruction due to the fact that they and their ancestors had long ago abandoned God’s Law by which He governs His true saints.

Those, from Abel to Christ’s return who will have been be governed by Him will rise from the earth during the first resurrection and become part of the Kingdom of God, also known as “paradise” (Lk. 23:43). Read about that kingdom using the key word–Kingdom. We will begin this study with a few words about the role of God’s angels in the earthly lives of those who obey Him.

In Hebrews 1:13,14 Paul introduces the reader to the Lord’s angelic beings, calling them “ministering spirits ” sent to minister FOR the heirs of salvation. Note that they work on behalf of true saints who, upon the return of Christ, will become inheritors of salvation. Note that until that time such saints are and will continue to be HEIRS of salvation. An heir has the PROMISE of something. An inheritor has RECEIVED the promise. Neither Christ nor His saints have received the promised inheritance–the universe. True, Law-keeping saints, both dead and living, will receive salvation and rebirth upon Christ’s Second Advent. Read Born Again and The Three Resurrections. Key words–Born and Three respectively. Until then the heirs of salvation will have angels to assist them on their journey while “THE MAN, JESUS CHRIST will be the intermediary between God and man” (1 Tim. 2:5). Read Jesus of Nazareth: God, Man or God-man. Key word–Godman.

In 2:1-3 we find a message from Paul that must be understood, believed and obeyed in order to become an inheritor of eternal life. Here Paul warns us that WE (himself and all who seek salvation) must HEED (learn, believe and obey) the things we have HEARD from the original apostles so that we will not let them “slip” from our hearts (minds). When things we know are seldom used they tend to fade from our memories. This includes the Words that involve our future salvation as Paul notes in verse three. Here he asks how can WE (himself included in each use of the word “we” hence forth) escape hell if we neglect (disobey) the Words of God which were spoken by Jesus and repeated by those who heard Him speak them.

In verse four Paul emphasizes the importance of Christ’s and the apostles’ Words by noting that God, through them (Christ and the apostles), performed mighty signs, wonders and miracles as a WITNESS to the eternal importance and power of His Words. Nothing has changed. His Words have lost none of their importance and none of their impact on the lives of those who obey them. He is still in the miracle working business. And the reason for those miracles remains the same–to emphasize the power and worth of His Words. He is the Lord; He does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. In Him there is not so much as a shadow (hint) of change (Mal. 3:6/ Heb. 13:8/ Jam. 1:17 respectively).

In 2:5 Paul notes that God will not put the future world under the control of angels. He has reserved the “world to come” for His saints who believed and obeyed Him during their human lifetimes (“walks”). Beginning with verse six Paul quotes King David (Ps. 8:4) when referring to those righteous people of whom God is mindful and whom He visits (communicates with) through His Holy Spirit. Notice that the words “man” and “son of man” refer to the same people–His obedient saints. A man is also a son of a man.

In verse seven Paul referred to King David who said something that is as eye-opening as the Truth can be. Here he is referring to Adam before his fall from the lofty position into which he had been place by God. Notice the tense of the wording. “You (David’s Lord) MADE (past tense) HIM (man–Heb.–Adam) A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS. YOU CROWNED (past tense) HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR AND SET (past tense) him over the works of Your (David’s Lord’s) hands. In 1:10; 2:10 it is written that the “Lord” created both heaven and earth. We know from John 1:1-4,14 that the Word, the God of the Old Testament (Jesus), created all that has been created. David identifies this God (“Lord”) in Psalm 110:1 where he says: “THE Lord (God) said to MY Lord (the Word Who became Jesus of Nazareth) ….” The Lord that David was praying to was the God of the Old Testament–his Lord.–who would come to earth to become the Messiah. Jesus speaks of this Truth in Matthew 22: 41-45.

The One Who died on the cross is the same One Who created Adam, the earth, the heavens and everything in them. This was the God Who dealt face-to-face with Adam and Eve and other Old Testament people. David’s Lord acted on the orders of the Lord God. It was David’s Lord (Old Testament God) who created Adam, crowned him with glory and honor and placed him over the works of His (David’s Lord’s) hands, meaning everything that was created. More on this in Part 2.

In Psalm 33:1-10 David explains how his Lord (the Word–Jesus) created all that is created. David’s Lord was the God of the Old Testament who was seen and heard by men when He came to earth as (1) the Creator of all that was created, (2) Melchisedec and (3) Jesus of Nazareth. God is spirit (Jn. 4:24). No man has seen God (Lk. 1:18). Multiple thousands of people saw Jesus Who operated under the authority and power of His God and Father. Read John 12:44-50.

Note in John 1:1-4 that, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was WITH God and the Word WAS (also a) God.” Here John is identifying two Gods: God (Adonai) and the Word (Jehovah–the God (Lord) Who spoke the universe into existence (Ps. 33:6-9). He was the God the Old Testament people dealt with. He was David’s Lord. When David wrote: “The Lord said to my Lord ….” THE Lord was Adonai and David’s Lord was Jehovah Who came to earth as Jesus of Nazareth. The Holy Spirit is not a God, but rather the power of the two Gods by which they did what They did and continue to do what They do. They speak to man and hear from man through the Holy Spirit. It is through the Holy Spirit that Their saints hear Their (the Godhead’s) voices and speak to Them (the Godhead). The Holy Spirit is also the power by which Their ministers perform miracles. L.J.

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