Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 2 * PART 3 * BOOK 47
Hebrews 2:10-17
I would like to remind our audience how we appreciate your letters, your prayers and your financial help. It’s just the highlight of our day when we get the mail. It is unbelievable!! We appreciate you so much!!
Let’s get right back into the Book. We have a lot of ground to cover in this lesson and we’ll pick right up where we left off in the last lesson and that would be in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 15.
Hebrews 2:15-16
“And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16. For verily he took not on him (that is, Himself) the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.”
Now, stop and think for a moment, how easy it would have been for Christ to become the man, the Son of God in the form of an angel, because after all, there are myriads of angels. And their power, at least in total, is stupendous. But God didn’t draw on the power of angels. He did nothing with regard to angels but instead, set up the man Abraham. And He gave him the covenant that, out of him would come a nation of people and through that nation of people would come this Redeemer, this God Man.
So, this is why in programs years back I spent so much time on the Abrahamic Covenant, and those who have been in my classes, you know that. The Abrahamic Covenant is so basic to our understanding of Who Jesus of Nazareth really was, and Who the Christ of the Book of Hebrews really is. When we realize that, then we can understand that He did not come through the powers of the angels but through the seed of Abraham. So let’s go back to Genesis and come forward to see how all of this unfolded to bring about this One Who would become man in the flesh. The One Who was the Creator of everything and the One Who is the God of Glory. The One Whom we are looking to return in the flesh, bodily, and will yet establish His kingdom on earth.
It all really began, so far as Abraham is concerned, in Genesis chapter 12. Those of you who have studied with me for a long time, and on the daily program we just came through it, but the Abrahamic Covenant is so basic to everything that we believe. Genesis 12 verses 1, 2 and 3. The Abrahamic Covenant.
Genesis 12: 1
“Now the LORD (remember the word Lord in the Old Testament is actually Jehovah and Jehovah and Christ are One and the same. Jehovah is his Old Testament term but it is still God the Son. It’s the One we know as the Lord Jesus Christ.) had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:”
It always helps to understand background. You want to remember that from Adam to the flood was 1,600 years in round terms and the whole human race has rebelled against their Creator, with the exception of Noah and his family for a total of eight souls. Out of those eight souls coming out of the Ark after the flood, the population once again began to explode and we came to the Tower of Babel about two hundred years after the flood.
Now the problem with people who think in Biblical time, they think two hundred years as we think of as twenty. But listen, two hundred years is a long time, I don’t care when it was! Because all you have to do is think back. How far have we come in America in two hundred years? It’s unbelievable, you know that!! Two hundred years ago we were just an empty wasteland and look at us today. So don’t just think that two hundred years from the Tower of Babel to the call of Abraham was just a flip of a coin. No, it was still two hundred years and a lot of people came on the scene in that period of time and they are all steeped in idolatry, in false religion.
God now is going to do something totally different. And, he goes down to Ur of the Chaldees and I think God went down in human form. I think he confronted Abram eyeball to eyeball because that’s what the term in Acts chapter seven implies. That He “appeared” unto our father Abram. The word appeared is optomai from which we get optometry, which has to do with eyes! So, I feel that the Lord went eyeball to eyeball with this man Abram and said, “I want you to get out of town! I want you to get away from your relatives and get away from all this idolatry, and go to a land that I will show you.” And Abraham believed God!!
Now, that is the background for the call of Abram, out of idolatry. Out of the mainstream of humanity coming from Adam and now we are going to see a totally different group of people. Alright, verse 2. Here comes the Covenant, this is the promise from God to Abram.
Genesis 2:2a
“And I will make of thee a great nation,…”
Now you want to remember back in antiquity, a great nation didn’t have to be 275 million people. But, by the time Israel came out of Egypt with her five to seven million, they were indeed the greatest nation at that time. In numbers and in power and everything else. So the promise was that out of this man Abram would come a nation of people, totally different from all the rest.
Normally, I don’t use humor in my teaching because I feel that this is serious business. But, I did read an interesting one. I don’t remember what book it was in, but it was in regard to Israel being the favored nation. And, so the story and that’s all it was, just a fantasy was that this Jew had gone to heaven and God was showing him around. And, this Jew says “Now Lord is it true that Israel is the favored nation? The chosen people?” The Lord just boomed, “YES! Of course!” And the Jew asked, “How about choosing someone else for a while!”
Well you can sort of get the idea, because as soon as God let it be known that out of this man is going to come a nation that will be a vehicle for His purposes, who kicks in high gear with opposition? Satan! See? So that is why you have to understand that all the troubles and tribulations have beset the Jewish people is because Satan knows that without Israel, God cannot accomplish His eternal purposes. So, he is out to destroy them.
Right now today, in the year 2001, why is little Israel under such constant attack? Not just from the Palestinians and their neighbors but from the whole world community. Hey, the world never get on the Palestinians’ backs for their terrorism. It’s always Israel’s fault. Well, why? Because if the world, through the Satanic powers, can get little Israel off the scene and as they would like to do, push them into the sea, then the Devil has won it all, and then all the marbles are in his bank.
But, you see, Israel HAS to be there in order for God to complete His master program. And it all began right here. “I will make of you a great nation.”
Genesis 12:2b-3a
“…and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:…” Here is where the whole plan of redemption comes into the Abrahamic Covenant. The last statement:
Genesis 12:3b
“…and in thee (in this man Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees. Out of idolatry) shall all families of the earth be blessed.” What did that refer to? The coming of the Messiah! That the Messiah would come from this earthly bloodline of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and then there was another promise made to David.
Now for sake of time, jump all the way up to the New Testament to Matthew chapter 1, verse 1. This is just background for the verse in Hebrews, that He did not come through angelic power. He didn’t come as some supernaturally empowered angel, but instead He came through the bloodline in the flesh of the family of Abraham.
Matthew 1:1
“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”
That’s as far as it goes! Why didn’t the writer of Matthew keep on going back to Adam like the writer of Luke did? We know Luke went all the way back to Adam. But, Matthew only goes to Abraham. There is a distinct scriptural reason.
Matthew depicts Christ as the King! And, the promise of a King did not show itself until the covenant made with Abraham. So, Matthew is only going to concern himself with the genealogy with the beginning of the coming of the King. That was the Abrahamic Covenant!
Now for sake of comparison, turn to Luke chapter 3 and you can see the other genealogy in verse 23. Here we begin with the time of Jesus’ birth with Joseph and Mary and we go all the way back to Adam. Whereas, Matthew went back to Abraham and came up to Joseph and Mary. Just a reverse in the layout.
Luke 3:23-24a
“And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 24. Which was the son of Matthat (and so forth.)
Now come all the way through all those names of generations and then you come to verse 31 to see that we are on the other side of the family tree from Matthew’s. Because Matthew uses the son Solomon whereas verse 31 of Luke chapter 3 uses Nathan who was:
Luke 3:31
“Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan,…”
Nathan and Solomon were brothers from David and Bathsheba’s union. So this is a totally different side of the family tree. But, this one doesn’t stop with Abraham, it goes all the way up to verse 38 which is Adam! Now, why the difference? Well, you see, here the Luke genealogy takes Christ back to his fleshly origin which was his birth to Mary. Matthew is only concerning himself with the Kingship of Christ so he only goes back to the beginning of the promise of the King, which was Abraham. See how beautifully all of Scripture dovetails together?
Now from that promise of the King in Matthew’s genealogy, let’s go all the way up to Acts chapter 3 verses 24 and 25. This is Peter preaching to the Nation of Israel. Nothing has changed. It’s just an extension of Christ’s earthly ministry, only Christ is now in Glory instead of being in their midst. Peter, James and John are still performing the same kind of miracles. They are still preaching to the Nation of Israel that they should repent of having crucified their Messiah and Christ would yet come and give them their glorious earthly kingdom.
Look what Peter says then in chapter 3. This is so you will know what I am talking about when I say that he appeals only to the Nation of Israel. Look at verse 12 of Acts chapter 3. They have just healed the lame man. No different than what Christ would have done.
Acts 3:12
“And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel…” See that? There are no Gentiles in that group. But he says, “Ye men of Israel why marvel at this?” Now, look at verse 13.
Acts 3:13a
“The God of Abraham, (not the God of Adam and Eve, but rather the God of Abraham) and of Isaac and of Jacob the God of our fathers,…” How many Gentiles could talk like that? Nobody! No Gentile could call Abraham “our father.” So, it is all Jewish. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers:
Acts 3:13b
“hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up…” Now come over to the verses I mentioned earlier. Acts chapter 3 verses 24 and 25. Peter is still pleading with the Nation, shortly after the resurrection and the ascension. In verse 24 Peter says:
Acts 3:24
“Yea, and all the prophets (the Old Testament) from Samuel and those that follow after, (you can name them: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. Then the minor prophets, i.e. Zechariah) as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.”
Well, of course! Because what were the prophets talking about? The coming of the Messiah! And yet in veiled language was His rejection. In even further veiled language, in Psalms 22 was his burial and resurrection. Then the language was that He would ascend (Psalms 110). We looked at it after we started Hebrews, Psalms 110 verse 1. Where “the Lord said to my Lord, come sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”
What was the “until?” When He would leave Heaven and go back and set up His earthly kingdom. So this is all the Old Testament prophecy, how that Christ would come, and, how that He would suffer and die, but be raised from the dead. And yet bring the Kingdom to Israel. This is what Peter is standing on! All the Old Testament Prophets have foretold of these days. What are these days? His earthly ministry, His crucifixion, His burial, His resurrection, His ascension, and all right there bunched together. Now verse 25.
Acts 3:25a
“Ye (Peter says to the Nation of Israel) are the children of the prophets, (you are the ones the prophets were writing to. You are the children) and of the covenant which God made with (whom?) our fathers, (See how plain all this is? I hope you can see that.) saying unto (which one?) Abraham,…”
If you know your Old Testament back there in Genesis, the same words that God said to Abraham, He repeated to Isaac. And as soon as Jacob takes the forefront, He repeats it to Jacob. Then the prophets begin to rest on all those Covenant promises. Peter is reminding Israel that YOU are the children of all the prophetic writings. You are the children of the covenant.
Acts 3:25b
“…And in thy seed (the seed of Abraham. Who is the seed of Abraham? The JEW! The Nation of Israel.) shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.”
But, Who was the crowning seed of Abraham? Jesus of Nazareth!! The Christ!! And, in that way, you and I then benefit from all the things promised to the Nation of Israel.
It is just like the New Covenant. A lot of people try to maintain that we are under the New Covenant. I just scream in opposition. NO, the New Covenant says as plain as day, a new covenant I will make with Israel!
But, now here in the Church Age, what are we getting? We are getting those crumbs falling off the table as the Canaanite woman begged for, we are getting the spillover. The New Covenant isn’t to us, it is to Israel. But, because of what God did for Israel, we are cashing in on the overflow.
Well, I hope all that helps in Hebrews, that He didn’t take on the form of angels. He didn’t use the powerful angelic forces to bring all of this about. But, instead He took upon Himself the seed of Abraham. He came as a Jew, and lived as a Jew. He lived under the Law, as a Jew. So, all of those promises made to the Nation of Israel will yet one day be fulfilled, or you can just as well throw this book away. If Israel is not yet at the very core of everything that God is doing – throw it away!! But you don’t have to because Israel still IS at the core!!
Listen, why can’t people wake up and realize. Why is the little nation of less than three million people, with no more land area than our state of New Jersey, in the news every day?
I always have to think of the poor little island kingdom of Sri Lanka which used to be Ceylon. They have been under civil war for years. They are probably several times bigger than Israel. Do you ever see Sri Lanka in the news? No. Why not? Because they are nothing as far as the world is concerned.
But, there is Israel. Right in the middle of everything. That is as it should be! A verse comes to mind. Go to Deuteronomy 32:8. I used this in one of my classes this last week. That’s why it is fresh on my mind. My, if this isn’t enough to knock your eyes out, I don’t know what is!!! Look what it says. Plain language! You don’t have to be a Greek scholar to understand this. You don’t have to be a Hebrew scholar. You don’t even have to be a whiz at English! You can just take it for what it says!
Deuteronomy 32:8
“When the Most High (the Almighty God, the Creator in His sovereignty) divided to the nations (all of them around the planet) their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, (and put them into their various nationalistic categories) he set the bounds (or the borders) of the people (of all these nations of people all around the planet. Every nation’s border was set) according to the number of (what?) the children of Israel.”
That’s what it says. Do you believe it? You had better! So, who is at the hub of the vast wheel of humanity? Israel!! That’s why Satan has been constantly attacking them. Hitler’s holocaust was not just an accident. That was a Satanic effort to usurp and destroy God’s program for the nations.
I will repeat it. That’s why they are under attack today. That’s why the whole world – you ought to just take a look at the votes of the United Nations for the last 50 years. I don’t know how many have been mentioned. But there have been hundreds of things that they have voted on regarding the little Nation of Israel. And, you know with almost no exception, it’s always been hundreds to one or two against Israel.
Even today, the world in general is coming down on the little Nation of Israel. As if to say, well, just let the rest of the world take over. Just swim out into the Mediterranean and disappear and let everybody else have their own way. But, God won’t have it! God will NOT have it! Because He has decreed that at the core of all of His dealings with the nations is this little Nation of Israel.
On your way back to Hebrews stop at Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 35. When you read the paper tomorrow, you just remember what you heard here today. If this is not true then we might as well throw the Book away and go home and forget it. But, it IS true.
Jeremiah 31:35
“Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the start for a light by night, which devideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of host is his name:” Now this is what He says:
Jeremiah 31:36
“If those ordinances (of the universe) depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.”
Verse 37:
Jeremiah 31:37
“Thus saith the LORD; if heaven above can be measured, (and it can’t be. The universe is expanding. Nobody can determine the edge of the universe) and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.”
But it will never happen. And God has promised, that even though they are guilty of iniquity, yet God has promised “my mercy shall never depart from them.”