Hebrews 1:1-2

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.

I really enjoy how Hebrews starts out, the author (for the sake of argument I will refer to the author of Hebrews as Paul despite all the debate on that question) immediately captures his audience's attention with the assertion, "Long ago...God spoke to OUR fathers by the prophets." We know that Paul is writing to a Jewish audience to encourage them in times of persecution. And we know that the Jewish culture places a high emphasis on their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (and many more). Paul immediately gets their attention with this assertion.

Paul reminds the Jews of their history and how God is deeply a part of their nation's past. God spoke to Abraham through many different ways. Jacob saw a latter in a dream. God spoke to Moses face to face. The later prophets had night visions, dreams, were told to speak on God's behalf, were told to perform miracles or symbolic actions. God spoke to and through people in so many different ways and throughout Israel's history. (God is so creative and unique to each prophet he speaks to). The Jewish people respected these righteous men they called prophets and kept their sacred writings as words from God himself.

But Moses himself said it the best in Deuteronomy 18,
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers...and he shall speak to them all that I (God) command him. And I (God) will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them (Israel) all that I command him.

However, God today speaks through his Son. Jesus teaches us about the salvation he provides and how to live before God. He is THE prophet to come, the one we turn to, and the one at whose feet we sit and listen.

There are a lot of different philosophies of life out there. And many different people will tell us who God is or how to live our lives. But the foundation we all need and the man we all need as our first and foremost teacher is Jesus. God spoke through him and the Son knows the Father.

May we all sit at Jesus' feet, read his words in the Bible and live as he commands us to live. It is all about Jesus. What a good way to start a letter.

#2

I have decided that the first study I would like to post about is on the book of Hebrews. I was thinking about what I could post about that might be encouraging to anyone out there who happens across this blog. So I decided on Hebrews because I have spent some time studying it and reflecting on this portion of God's Word.

May it be an encouragement to me and anyone who happens across it.

#1

I decided to start blogging today because Jake Gibbs talked about how he was starting a blog about his illness and his relationship with Jesus.

I have always admired people like him who hear truth and immediately want to share truth and experiences with others to encourage them. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps his mouth shut
is a verse I kept close to my heart, but swinging the opposite direction and never speaking up is a disservice to your brothers and sisters if you can encourage them, but don't. That is my struggle: being to timid to speak up, even when I have something to say. I want everything I say to be original, witty, or clever. But even things that we might think are simple or old news, will encourage others (I am learning this every day as I am encouraged by others). So I admire men who want to spread truth to others, men like Jake Gibbs, Doc Smith, and Jason Savage, who speak up when they know they are speaking truth. This blog will be a way for me to encourage myself and others and witness to God and declare his truth to others (and myself).


May the Lord enable me to encourage others.