All posts by Luella Campbell

THE GOSPEL IN HEBREWS – 3

Bible Study, ,

Hebrews 2:5-8 NIV
[5] “It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. [6] But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? [7] You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor [8] and put everything under their feet.” In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.”

Although angels have a role to play in God’s realm, God has not assigned to them the place that only humans have in His scheme of things.

God created the human species to replace the “sons of God”, the spirit beings that formed His divine council. These beings were called “gods” who were given power and authority to rule the nations under and for God. Instead of representing God, they rebelled and came under divine judgment.

God designated Jesus, in His humanity, qualified by His death and resurrection, to be the supreme Lord. The Father has assigned to Him all authority and power to be the head and blueprint of the Father’s human family. Jesus shares the role of son with His redeemed people…

Hebrews 2:9 NIV
[9] “But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

… so that humans, created in God’s image, will fulfill God’s creation mandate to rule.

Hebrews 2:5-8 NIV
[5] “It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. [6] But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? [7] You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor [8] and put everything under their feet.” In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.”

So, the writer explains, it is to humans, not to angels, that God has assigned authority to rule. Jesus heads that race and prepares His human family in this life to rule with Him in eternity. In this sense, although humans are “lower” than gods (angels) now, they will take their place beside the Son to rule the earth.

Jesus Himself affirms this relationship of sons and daughters of God, His own brothers and sisters who identify with Him in His death and resurrection.

Hebrews 2:10-13 NLT
[10] “God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. [11] So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. [12] For he said to God, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people.” [13] He also said, “I will put my trust in him,” that is, “I and the children God has given me.”

Immediately after His resurrection, he instructed Mary to tell His brothers that He had risen from the dead and was soon to return to the Father.

John 20:17 NLT
[17] “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

The Father has assigned to Jesus and His brothers and sisters, in this close family relationship, the authority to rule over the nations.

Consider Daniel’s prophecy…

Daniel 7:13-14, 27 NLT
[13] As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. [14] He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed…”

Rulers will rise and fall until, in God’s time,

[27]”…Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.”

In this way, God will fulfill His mandate for the human race. Confirmed in righteousness and under the authority of their Head, Jesus, the divine-human Son of God, redeemed humans will rule over the nations in God’s kingdom forever.

When we understand the destiny of God’s people in this context, we will read the story of Israel in the Old Covenant with greater appreciation. Despite the sinfulness and failure of God’s people to carry out His instructions, He persevered with His plan. He was preparing a holy people for their eternal role as rulers of the nations.

The story of the New Covenant, then, is part two in the execution of His plan. Without part one, part two makes no sense. It’s this writer to the Hebrews who puts together the pieces of the puzzle to reveal God’s perspective of the bigger picture.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and prepared and populated it with creatures and humans. He spent centuries undoing the damage the fallen angel, Lucifer, did by luring humans away from loving and trusting their Creator. God gave His own Son to redeem humans from their self-destruction and to restore His image in them.

Never did the Father abandon His original plan. Through His wisdom, grace and mercy, He fulfilled His purpose, rescued His chosen family, and set them on course to complete what He started.

Through salvation and transformation, He is gathering His family in until the time is ripe for Jesus to return to set up His kingdom on earth. God’s plan will be complete.

Revelation 21:1-4 NIV
[1] Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. [2] I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. [3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. [4] ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 22:3-5 NIV
[3] “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. [4] They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. [5] There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”

Mission accomplished!

To be continued…

THE GOSPEL IN HEBREWS – 2

Bible Study, ,

The writer to the Hebrews set out to present evidence that Jesus is superior to the Old Covenant in every way. The worship system of priests and sacrifice was God’s method to prepare Israel for His Messiah’s coming. Jesus, God’s Son, would fulfill and replace all the rules and rituals of the Old Covenant.

His readers needed to be convinced of Jesus’ superiority over Judaism to halt any idea that obedience to the Old Covenant and its demands would satisfy God’s requirements for holiness.

The writer first presents Jesus as superior to angels.

Meta AI explains…

“Hebrews 1:6 and the surrounding context don’t explicitly state that Israel worshiped angels. However, the passage does mention the worship of angels as a potential issue.”…

“Hebrews 1:6 says, “And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.'” (NIV)

“This verse doesn’t imply that Israel worshiped angels. Instead, it emphasizes that even angels are commanded to worship Jesus, highlighting His superiority.

“It’s possible that the author of Hebrews is addressing a potential issue in the early Christian community, where some individuals may have been tempted to worship or venerate angels (Colossians 2:18). However, this is not explicitly stated in Hebrews 1.

“Hebrews 1:6 does not provide evidence that Israel worshiped angels. Instead, it emphasizes the superiority of Jesus Christ and the command for angels to worship Him.” (Meta AI)

The writer’s presentation sets the scene to present Jesus’ superiority over the entire Old Covenant, the role of Moses, the Law, the tabernacle/temple worship, and the sacrifices which could never be a permanent solution to the problem of sin. Therefore, the writer urges, to go back to Judaism would cancel God’s acceptance of sinners through Jesus and put them back under divine judgment.

The writer first warns them, in case they were tempted, to revere Jesus above angels because He is superior to them as a son above servants.

Hebrews 1:7-8, 14 NIV
[7] “In speaking of the angels, he says, “He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.” [8] But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom…
[14] Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”

Jesus is as superior to angels as the Creator is above creatures, as God above serving spirits.

To be continued…

THE GOSPEL IN HEBREWS – 1

Bible Study, ,

One of the truths I learned in Bible school is contained in this statement…

“The New is in the Old concealed, the Old is in the New revealed.”

This declaration of the unity of the Bible puts paid to the idea that the Old Testament is irrelevant. For example, why would we start reading a novel on the middle of the book? The story would make no sense if we ignored the first half.

So, too, with God’s Word. The record of Jesus and His work of salvation would be a puzzle if we didn’t start at the beginning. God’s story begins in Genesis and ends in Revelation. We can only grasp its message when we read the Bible from cover to cover.

However, there is a book in part two, in the New Testament, that throws light on the meaning of much of the Old Testament’s religious system. The book of Hebrews helps us understand the truth of God’s salvation which is hidden in the Old Testament.

Hebrews 1:1-2 NIV
[1] In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, [2] but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.1.1-2.NIV

Whoever wrote the letter to the Hebrews did not reveal his identity. However, he had a thorough understanding of the connection between the Old and New Covenants so that, especially his Jewish readers would be encouraged to remain faithful to
Jesus despite the persecution that threatened their lives.

The Roman government tolerated Jews who practised their Old Testament religion. However, they persecuted those Jews who had become Christians because they believed that Christians were a threat to Rome. Christians refused to acknowledge and confess that Caesar was Lord. They worshipped only Jesus as Lord, rejecting the supreme authority of Caesar over their lives. They defied Caesar’s demands to worship him by offering sacrifice to him instead of worshiping Jesus.

Many Jewish believers were tempted to forsake their faith in Jesus and return to Judaism. Why was it important for Jewish believers never to return to Judaism to save their skin?

The letter to the Hebrews gives them and us the answer. Their return to Judaism would be a backward step from grace into law, once again requiring perfect obedience to God’s holy standards, which is impossible for any sinful human to achieve.

What does faith in Jesus do that obedience to the 613 laws of the Old Covenant can never do? Let’s unpack the writer’s explanation that ties the Old and New Covenants into one logical whole.

The Old Testament is the story of a nation, which God chose and built to be His own people and a witness to the surrounding pagan nations of who God is and the way people should live under His government.

However, since the children of Israel were locked into slavery to their old sinful natures, His people failed to fulfil His commission. They chose to follow the idolatrous ways of their neighbouring nations although God raised up numerous prophets to warn them of punishment for their rebellion.

After the reign of their third king Solomon, the nation of Israel split into two, the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Both kingdoms were punished for their idolatry by conquest and exile. Israel ceased to exist as a part of God’s people, being absorbed into Assyria’s foreign policy of repopulating a conquered territory with people for other conquered lands. In New Testament times, Samaria, a province of the old Israel, was made up of mixed nationalities.

Within the prophetic message to God’s people and the surrounding nations, God promised a Redeemer, one who would represent Him, would fulfil all the requirements of His law, would die for the sins of His disobedient people. He would be God’s covenant to the people and the initiator of the New Covenant promised in Jeremiah’s prophecy.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 NIV
[31] “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. [32] It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. [33] “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. [34] No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

In this covenant, God would take the onus upon Himself to change the hearts of His people.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 NIV
[26] “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

The religious system of temple, priests, and sacrifice in the old covenant was to be the visual aid to teach His people what His Messiah would accomplish.

The Old Testament closes with yet another season of disobedience to God’s commands…marriage between Jews and pagan women, disdain for God’s glory by their offering of defective animals for sacrifice, neglect of required tithes, and more…

For four hundred years, there was no word from the Lord, no prophet to bring God’s will to the people. They continued to dishonour God by their pagan practices which led to occupation and oppression by nations around them who were in a power struggle for domination.

However, God although was silent, He was not inactive. Through the historical events of those times, He was preparing His people and the world for the coming of His Redeemer.

Like Israel of old, under slavery in Egypt, God heard the heart cries of His people who were in a worse situation than Israel in Egypt. They were enslaved to sin and doomed to eternal destruction.

2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV
[2] “For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

Then…

Galatians 4:4-5 NIV
[4]”But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, [5] to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”

The entire Old Covenant with its demands and requirements would be completed and fulfilled in the life and death of His own Son.

The book of Hebrews, then, skillfully knits the two covenants together by explaining how the old was fulfilled and replaced by the new.

To be continued…

JESUS SAID – 11

Bible Study, ,

John 3:17 NIV
[17] “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

This is possibly one of the most either misunderstood or ignored statements that Jesus ever made. Why do I say that? People so often misjudge the very heart of God.

Unbelievers hate and run from God because they think He is out to get them. They think up many kinds of ways to dodge accountability to God… agnosticism, atheism, false religions or philosophies, etc., because they fear punishment. This is true…that sin must and will be punished but…

John 3:16-17 NIV
[16] “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

God is so passionate about saving the world from the consequences of sin that He went the whole way of true love. He sacrificed His own and only Son to save us.

Why, then, would He want to punish people for their sin by condemning them to hell forever?

The Bible is full of reassurances that God’s passion is to save people, not to sentence them.

Ezekiel 18:23 NIV
[23] “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” declares the Sovereign Lord. “Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”

He repeatedly calls people to repentance so that they can live, not die.

To His people in the wilderness, He said,

Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV
[19] “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. “

Again, to the pagans in Athens, He said,

Acts 17:30 NIV
[30] “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”

Peter explained…

2 Peter 3:9 NLT
[9] “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

God delays His judgment on people because He wants them to repent and receive His salvation but… judgment will fall on those who refuse to turn from sin and believe in Jesus.

John 3:18 NLT
[18] “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.”

There are two factors that determine our destiny…

  1. Repentance, changing our minds about sin and turning from sin to God…

God’s mercy through Jesus is freely given to those who believe the gospel and receive Jesus, by faith, as Lord.

  1. Making the right choice…

God never forces His way of salvation from sin and death on anyone. He confronts us with the truth but leaves us to make the choice between life and death.

Now, since we determine our final destiny, we cannot blame God for where we end.

The next imperative we must consider is what Jesus did to deal with our sin. The Bible makes it clear that Jesus died for the sin of the whole world, for all sin, for all people, for all time. Since He dealt with the problem and punishment for sin, no one need to face punishment again, not even if we sin now.

Romans 8:1 NLT
[1] “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

What do we do, then, if believers sin now?

1 John 2:1-2 NLT
[1] “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. [2] He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.”

Can you see, then, that Jesus has taken care of the whole problem of sin, past, present, and future? So, why do His children still think that God is punishing them for their sin? Sin has consequences which God cannot stop but He cannot punish sin twice. Even in the human justice system, it is illegal to punish people twice for the same crime.

1 John 4:16-18 NLT
[16] “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. [17] And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. [18] Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for FEAR OF PUNISHMENT, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

The issue, when stuff happens, is not that God is punishing us for our sin but that we do not trust His perfect love. You see, the hardships we endure are not punishment but discipline and God’s discipline means that He is treating us as His children.

Hebrews 12:7 NLT
[7] “As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?”

Divine discipline is not judgment or punishment but “tough love”. God wants us to share His holiness so that we are ready for life in His presence forever.

Hebrews 12:10 NLT
[10] “For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness.”

Therefore, since holiness is imperative, so also is discipline.

Hebrews 12:14 NLT
[14]”Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.”

The trials, tests, and hardships we face, far from being punishment for sin, are the reassurance that God loves us so much that He works at honing our trust in Him and setting us free from the ravages of our old, sinful nature.

Let’s not insult God’s goodness and mercy by misjudging His love. Let’s trust Him, in our troubles, to do His work of discipline so that we can become conformed to the likeness of Jesus.

JESUS SAID – 10

Bible Study, ,

John 10:34-36 NIV
[34] “Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ’? [35] If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— [36] what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?”

Jesus was in the centre of yet another wrangle with the religious leaders. His insistence that He was the Son of God and one with the Father enraged them. They wanted to stone Him to death for blasphemy but Jesus defended His claim from Scripture…

Psalms 82:1, 6-7 NIV
[1] God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the “gods”:…
[6] “I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’ [7] But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler.”

The term, ” lgods” or “sons of God” occurs in various parts of Scripture – for example, Genesis 6:4, Job 1:6 and Job 38:7.

Genesis 6:4 NLT
[4] “In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.”

These Nephalites were part human, part spirit beings born of the rebellion of the sons of God by having intercourse with human women, causing trouble on the earth.

These spirit brings were present at creation. God challenged Job…

Job 38:3-4, 7 NIV
[3] “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. [4] “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand…
[7] …while the morning stars (meaning shining… star… figuratively, prince,) sang together and all the angels (“elohim barne”, i.e., sons of God), shouted for joy?”

Who were these “sons of God?”

“The setting of Job 38:7 is an entire chapter on the Creation by YHWH, and the reference to the morning stars as sons of God harks back to Job 1:6, in which they are part of the heavenly host of YHWH in his formal Heavenly Council/ Royal Court.” (Article from Google)

The many references to the sons of God suggest that they were spirit beings created to be God’s divine council or heavenly court and given the responsibility to rule over the nations. God divided the nations according to the number of the heavenly beings, and assigned them to the members of His “heavenly court” (also called “elohim” – gods).

Deuteronomy 32:8 NLT
[8] “When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court.”

Each heavenly being was given the responsibility of governing a nation under God. They were “gods” with power and authority to rule on God’s behalf.

Only one nation did not have a “god” to rule over them. God chose Israel alone to belong to Him.

Deuteronomy 7:6 NLT
[6] “For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.”

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 NLT
[7] “The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! [8] Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.”

Israel was to represent God to all the nations.

“In the Bible, God chose Israel to be a light to the nations so that they would reflect God’s character and show the world what obedience to God brings. Israel was also chosen to be a nation of priests, prophets, and missionaries.” (Google)

God is the Most High God among the gods, supreme in power and authority over them. However…

Satan seems to have been a prominent member of God’s counsel, the sons of God, but became leader of the rebellion which led all the “gods” astray.

Job 1:6 NIV
[6] “One day the angels (Hebrew, “ha elohim bane” – meaning
“the sons of God”), came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.”

Satan led a mass rebellion that turned the heavenly beings against God. They lost the war with God’s heavenly army and were, consequently, thrown out of heaven.

Revelation 12:7-9 NLT
[7]”Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. [8] And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. [9] This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.”

So, God judged His rebel council and condemned them to death like all humanity.

[6] “I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’ [7] But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler.”

Now let’s go back to Jesus’ defense. If God’s Word states that God called these heavenly beings “gods” and, by inference, “sons of God”, why would Jesus’ claim to God’s Son be blasphemous since God Himself called them “sons of God”?

Once again, Jesus removed all grounds for debate since the Scripture from which the religious leaders loved to quote, exonerated Him from their accusation.