Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 2 * PART 1 * BOOK 46
The Son’s Glorious Creation
Hebrews 1:11 – 2:3
It might be a little bit rainy outside today, but you could never tell it in here. I mean, you all look like the very blossom of springtime, and we just thank you for putting forth the effort to be a part of this program. We always try to just teach the Word as we feel the Lord has opened it to us. Also, we feel that the Lord has put His stamp of approval on this ministry, by the countless numbers of letters and phone calls, and I guess the ones that thrill us the most are the ones that have found Salvation, and have come out of a life of darkness. And almost as exciting are the believers who, for the first time in their life, have dusted off that old Bible, and are studying it.
Now let’s go right back to where we left off in the last program, which was in Hebrews chapter 1, and we were down to verse 10. But I’m going to be periodically reminding our audience for the sake of those who may be just coming in, that the book of Hebrews, I feel is much more than a letter, but it was no doubt written by the Apostle Paul. He leaves his name off of it, and that’s understandable because the Jews of his day just detested him, because they thought he had become a renegade to their race and religion, so I’m sure that’s the reason he left his name off it. But I think the evidence is interior, as well as exterior that the Apostle Paul is the author of this book of Hebrews.
And as usual we always like to remind our class and our audience that you always want to first and foremost “determine to whom a portion of Scripture is addressed in its original setting.” Now that does not mean that if it isn’t addressed to us that we ignore it. I’m always coming back to the portion of Scripture that says, “All Scripture is inspired of God.” That means every word from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 is inspired by the Holy Spirit. It’s all the Word of God, and Paul says, “It’s profitable for reproof, and instruction in righteousness.” But on the other hand we have to realize that some of the Scripture is not directed to us Gentiles, as such it was directed primarily to the Nation of Israel, so we always have to take those things into consideration.
For example when you start reading back there in the Old Testament some of the things pertaining to the sacrifices, and what those people had to do, well that doesn’t apply to us directly. We merely read those things as Paul says in Romans chapter 15, for our learning. In fact let’s look at that portion of Scripture. I think any time we study Old Testament and even the Four Gospels, and other portions of Scripture that were not written by the Apostle Paul, it’s for our learning and not our doctrine. And so this is appropriate even for this book of Hebrews, because it, like the Old Testament, was addressed to the Hebrew people, and not specifically the Body of Christ. But it’s still profitable, because it’s the Word of God, and because it’s the Word of God, there’s lots of good things in it for our learning. So, I always like to use this verse to get the Apostle Paul’s admonition for us to study the parts of Scripture that he didn’t write. And look what he says:
Romans 15:4a
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime (before he came along) were written for our learning,…”
Notice it says for learning not our doctrine! Like I said when we introduced Hebrews in our last taping, you won’t find a Roman road to Salvation in the book of Hebrews, and you won’t find a lot of the instructions for the Gentile Body of Christ in Hebrews, but it’s loaded with things that enhance our learning. So now finishing this verse.
Romans 15:4
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we (as Grace Age believers, we as predominately a Gentile called-out people), through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
Now, when I read this verse, the first Old Testament personality that comes to my mind is Joseph. That young man was hated by his brethren, sold into slavery, taken into a foreign country, and sold again as a slave, and even though he had come out pretty good (working for his Egyptian master), and you know the account of how his masters wife turned on Joseph, and accused him falsely, consequently, Joseph ends up in the dungeon. As near as I can figure it out he was down in that dungeon for 8 or 10 years. Now a lot of people would have given up hope, and would have said, “Well, God has forgotten all about me,” but Joseph didn’t do that.
And all of a sudden Joseph comes out of that dungeon and becomes the second man in Egypt, and why? Because, as he told his brethren when they finally came together in Egypt, “You didn’t do it, but rather God did.” So that’s where we can take comfort from the Scripture, that even when bad things happen, we know that God is in control. And sooner or later we’re going to be able to look back on those bad things and see that God was in it as His purposes were being fulfilled. And I think that’s exactly what this verse means. We go back to the Old Testament writers, and we can pick up all of these things that were written, not for our doctrine, as you won’t find the plan of Salvation per se, but oh, we can see how God works in the lives of His people. So always keep that in mind even as study this book of Hebrews. The whole book of Hebrews is written primarily to Jewish people, to prove to them that this Jesus of Nazareth, whom most of them rejected in unbelief saying, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” And yet this book of Hebrews is proving that Christ, the Son of God, was better than anything that had come before. And as I’ve told you before, always look for that word “better” throughout the Book.
We saw that word “better” as we started in our study of Hebrews last week in verse 4, and we might look at that again. This is speaking of the One who purged our sins, and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high:
Hebrews 1:4
“Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”
So we’ll be looking for that word as we teach the book of Hebrews, how that the apostle is proving to these Jews, Who Jesus is. Even today we hear it constantly, when people have been ingrained in a cult, and you know the cults have a way of just simply brain washing people. And here people have been in a cult for maybe 40, 50, 60, or even 70 years, and then the Lord begins to show them the truth of this beautiful Gospel of Grace, and they begin to grasp it, but yet there is that constant nagging, that pull, with the thought, “What if I was right and this is wrong?” So most have that constant pull to go back into that which they had drummed into them for a lifetime.
Well you see these people to whom Paul was writing were in that same set of circumstances. They’ve been steeped in Judaism since way back in the days of Moses. They’ve been in Judaism and Law-keeping as a nation of people throughout their whole lifetime, and now, to suddenly have this brought before them; that they were to turn their back on all that, because they’re no longer under the Law, but that God the Son had now finished the work of redemption, and faith alone is all that’s needed. So you can see where a change to that would be tough. Just watch for that flavor throughout the book of Hebrews. These Jews are trying to be pulled back into that, which up front, they can see is now behind them.
So the whole purpose of this first chapter is to show the glory and majesty, and the Godheadship of this Jesus of Nazareth Who we now call the Son. I think, as I pointed out in our last taping, in the first two verses of this chapter that we have to make people realize that Christ is not the Son of God by virtue of God siring Him, and bringing about His birth at Bethlehem. See, that’s not what the term means at all, because the term is a place of preeminence. Father and Son and Holy Spirit are co-equal. So we’ll be emphasizing that the Son is preeminent. He is God, and has been from eternity past, and will be into all eternity future. So today let’s just pick up in verse 10 of Hebrews chapter 1 for just a little bit.
Hebrews 1:10
“And, Thou, Lord, (speaking to the Son) in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:”
Now those of you who were with us in our last taping, will remember that in my closing few minutes of the program, I took you back to Job chapter 38, and we rehearsed how that God put Job on the spot, and said, “Job where were you, when I laid the foundations of the world? Where were you when I confined the waters of the seas,” and time ran out and we had to close. But now I’m going to carry you a little further into the Old Testament account in Psalms chapter 104, and I find it amazing how many times the writer of Hebrews uses the Psalms to back up what he’s saying. Here we have another record of creation from David the Psalmist. Oh listen, I think every Christian ought to read this once a week and just be reminded of how great our God, our Christ, our Saviour, the Head of the Body, really is because He’s the One that did it. We’ll just look at a few of them, we won’t take it verse by verse. So let’s just start with verse 1. I mean this is just good reading.
I got a kick out of a letter we received some time ago, where they wrote, “We certainly enjoy your television program of Bible reading.” Well that didn’t bother me a bit, because I do spend most of the time reading. But also as we read we realize that people are seeing things that they never saw before, so I make no apology for that.
Psalms 104:1-4
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, O LORD my God, thou art very great: thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 2. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: 3. Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: 4. Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:” And we’ll be looking at that more a little later. Now speaking of the Creator God, the Son:
Psalms 104:5-6
“Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. 6. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.” And of course we go back to Genesis 1:2 for that:
Genesis 1:2b
“…And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Now back to Psalms 104, and drop down to verse 7.
Psalms 104:7-8
“At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. 8. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.”
You know what I always like to tell people about the country? We’re so blasé about a lot of things, for example when you drive through the countryside, and you come to these mountains and rivers, do you ever just stop and think, “Now imagine, God created the surface of the planet in such a way that all the water finds its way sooner or later back to the sea, with rare exceptions. The exceptions would be probably, the Great Salt Lakes, and the Dead Sea, but for the most part the whole planet as the rain and snow falls, sooner or later it’s going to find its way back to the sea. Well, was that an accident that happens? Heavens no! That’s the way the Creator planned, and that’s what the Psalmist is saying in verse 8.
Psalms 104:8
“They (the waters) go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.” (back to the ocean). That’s just plain ole geography. Now let’s drop on down to verse 10.
Psalms 104:10-11a
“He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. 11. They give drink to every beast of the field:…”
Do you see how God provided for everything? Just think about it as you drive wherever you go, just stop and think, “The Creator planned it all for mankind’s good.” We’re not going to have time to look at it here, but the book of Isaiah says, “The world was created to be inhabited.” Well by whom? By all His created beings, not just men, but for all the animals, fish, birds and reptiles as well, at His command. Now let’s read on in verse 12.
Psalms 104:12-14
“By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. 13. He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. 14. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;”
Is that mundane? Yeah, but Who was behind it all? The Creator, The Son! So every time you drive by a pasture of cattle just think, “The grass they’re eating, the Creator planned it that way.” Now verse 15.
Psalm 104:15-17
“And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart. 16. The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; 17. Where birds make their nest: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.” And on and on you can read about the Son’s creation. Let’s look at a few more here in Psalms chapter 4. These are just too good.
Psalm 104:30a
“Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created:…”
Now what does that tell you? I’ve been stressing now for the past several programs, that God the Son was the Creator. He’s the One that spoke and things began to happen, but this verse tells us that it was the Spirit that carried it out. So yes, God the Father was in agreement with it, God the Son spoke it, and God the Spirit sent it forth. Now verse 31.
Psalms 104:31-32
“The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works. 32. He looketh on the earth and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.”
So everything is under His control. Now let’s go all the way up to the New Testament and see how the Apostle Paul addresses the intellectual snobs in Athens. And that’s what they were. My, they thought they were so smart. They thought that old Paul was just a babbler. So turn to Acts chapter 17, where he addresses these Athenian intellectual philosophers. And let’s just drop in at verse 22. I want you to remember now what we just read back in the Psalms, and what God said to Job. All of this fits together.
Acts 17:22-23
“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions,(their worship of their pagan gods and goddesses) I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, (Just in case there’s one they didn’t know about) him declare I unto you.” Now here it comes in verse 24. This is Paul’s agreement with Psalms chapter 104.
Acts 17:24-25
“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25. Neither is worshipped with men’s hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;”
What does that mean? Just exactly what it says. The food you eat even here in 2001 AD, Who provided it? The Creator! All the things you enjoy, and the clothes on our back, who provided it? The Creator! The roof over your head, who provided it? The Creator! See, this is what God wants us to understand, that He is the provider of everything, and not just to the believing world, but the whole world. And Paul is even telling these pagan Athenians that God had provided everything they needed, and they didn’t know. Well I guess that’s far enough in the book of Acts, so coming back now to the book of Hebrews.
So everything that has been made, everything up in the heavens and on the earth are the works of His hands. We don’t have much time left in this lesson, and I doubt I’ll be able to finish my next thought, but we’re going drop down into verse 11, and take just the first three words. That’s the way I like to study Scripture.
Hebrews 1:11a
“They shall perish;…”
Everything that God has created, everything that God has made for man’s use and privileges and for his comfort, one day it’s all going to disappear! “They shall perish;…” Now in the moment or two we have left, I want to take you back in your mind, especially those of you who studied with me years ago back in the book of Genesis, about the creation. Remember I went back and correlated the Biblical account of creation with the first two laws of science, do you remember what they were? They’re called the two laws of thermodynamics. The laws of heat and energy. Well the first law of thermodynamics says in plain English: “There is now nothing else being created.” Now that’s your first law of heat and energy. And that’s the law that functioned while Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden. There were no deaths and everything was set for all eternity. They could have lived there forever if they had not sinned.
You know I just wrote someone the other day, that when God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden, that they could have lived there forever. There was no stipulation. But of course what Adam and Eve didn’t know, and God did, was that Adam would sin and end that glorious habitation in the Garden of Eden. But until Adam sinned the first law of thermodynamics was in full control. Everything that was needed to carry everything on and its purposes was completed, and nothing more was needed and it could go forever.
We’ll have to pick this thought up in the next program. But as soon as Adam sinned, what came in? Death! And now when you have death in the picture, the second law of thermodynamics kicks in, and that laws says, “That even though nothing more is being created, yet everything that has been created is constantly going into a less useable state.” And science calls that entropy. What does that mean? Everything is in the process of dying. You and I are in that process – at the moment we’re born, we start dying. And that applies to everything on the planet. The moment they’re born, the seeds of death are already working, and that’s not only for the animal world, but also for the non-animal world. In other words, just as soon as a tree falls in the forest, it begins to rot; it just simply goes back to the dust it came from. So just be thinking about that until we get to the next lesson.