God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, (2) has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; (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 at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (4) having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (5) For to which of the angels did He ever say; “You are My Son, Today I have begotten you?” And again: “I will be to Him a Father And He shall be to me a son”? (6) But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the Angels of God worship Him.”
The author of the letter to the HEBREWS is unknown but the letter was written to Christian Jews who were considering – in the face of persecution for their faith — to revert to Judaism to escape harm. The Jewish religion was legal in the Roman Empire but not so Christianity and the lesson here is a warning not to seek temporary relief at the cost of eternal salvation. The embattled Jewish Christians would have a better chance of persevering in their faith through pursuing an enduring relationship and faith in Christ Jesus. The theme of HEBREWS is the supremacy of Christ Jesus to everything – Who is with us always and is our path to salvation.
This final revelation of God Who spoke to us in the past in various ways, is that Christ is the essential Son of God. GOd has revealed Himself to man not just in the complexity and genius of the natural world but also in his Word – the Bible. God spoke to the fathers – the Jewish ancestors – through the Old Testament prophets. Beginning with chapter 3 of Genesis God told of a future redemption which would have the final and complete revelation in Christ Jesus. The whole of the Old Testament points to Christ who was revealed in the New Testament. And my belief is that the Bible is without error and completely inspaired by God using different personalities and styles of various authors.
Man was lost until Christ -the universal heir – and only as we are united in Christ shall we be given – freely by grace – eternal life. The message of all the Bible and the message of Christmas Day is Jesus Christ came to save us from our sin.
Merry christmas.