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 ontrary
to the Word of God, many churches and synagogues call the man
who preaches Sunday after Sunday their pastor, rabbi, or priest.
In the Christian Church, in addition to the preacher, there are usually
other leaders such as elders, deacons, or trustees. The one leader
is sometimes called reverend, which means in English “worthy
of reverence” while the other leaders are called laymen. We
honor the one and ignore the others. Yet, Jesus told us not to do
this in Matt. 23:6-12. He said the Gentiles seek this type of honor.
He told us not to call one person our teacher, father or leader.
Yet we do! When we come to the New Testament, we usually focus on
God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and rarely on God the Father.
We hear very little about God the Father. I have never seen a Christian
book nor heard a sermon about God the Father. We usually talk about
Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Have you ever wanted to know more about
God the Father? If so, you can find Him in the passage we are about
to study.
Background. Actually,
God the Father has been present in the book of Hebrews since the first verse.
He has been talking to us as well as warning us. In the first verse, He tells
us that He had spoken through His prophets, and now through Jesus.
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God,
after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in
many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken
to us in His Son . . . (NASB) Heb. 1:1-2 |
In
Hebrews 5:6 we are reminded that even though He established the Levitical
priesthood, He declared Jesus to be a priest after the order or rank
of Melchizedek. This was God’s decision and His creation.
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He
says also in another passage, “THOU ART A PRIEST FOREVER
ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK. (NASB) Ps. 110:4 and
Heb. 5:6 |
In Heb. 8:6-13 we were reminded again that God the Father had planned
to replace the Old Covenant, the Mosaic Law, with the New Covenant.
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For
finding fault with them, He says, “BEHOLD, DAYS ARE
COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT
WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH . .
. When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the
first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing
old is ready to disappear. (NASB) Heb. 8:8, 13 |
In
Hebrews 9 we found that the Tabernacle and the sacrifices were only
a shadow of the real tabernacle in heaven and a picture of Jesus.
We found that 1) Jesus’ blood did more than the blood of animals;
2) Jesus’ blood installed the Father’s New Covenant, and
3) His sacrifice was perfect. Since the first chapter the Holy Spirit
has been laying a foundation of doctrine. He prepared us for the
conclusion in chapter ten. Here we will see God the Father in action
in two major ways. He has been the Designer all along. What we will
see now may be a surprise. |
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