June

19

Tuesday

God having spoken in many parts and in many ways formerly to the fathers in the prophets, at the end of these days has spoken to us in the person of the Son. (Hebrews 1:1-2)

SPEAKING IN HEBREWS (1)

Our God is the great Speaker and Communicator, and His Word is always powerful, effective and wonderful. God the Son spoke all things into existence (v. 2), after which He constantly sustains all things through the word of His power (Heb. 1:3). The Son is the Chief Executor through whom God created all things, and He upholds all things continuously. John 1 identifies the Word as being the Creator and Upholder, and it also records the unfathomable mystery of the incarnation. When Jesus was formed in Mary’s womb and she gave birth to Him, “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14). As a Baby in the manger, a Boy in the temple, or as “obedient even unto death,” He was “in the form of God” and always will be (Phil. 2:5-11).

God has spoken in many different ways, using various instruments (Heb. 1:1), but in the fullness of time He spoke “in Son” (literal translation, v. 2). Before that, He spoke through events, symbols, figures, prophets, or in other ways, but when “the Word became flesh,” God spoke, not through instruments, but He spoke Himself. God spoke through Him who is God: unfathomable mystery!

In the Old Testament, the Angel of the Lord spoke on God’s behalf, yet the Lord Himself spoke. In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus, “God blessed forever,” spoke and revealed God’s thoughts, but His people rejected Him (Jn. 1:11). Then He sent out the Twelve to speak and act on His behalf, followed by the Seventy. After the cross, His death, and resurrection, Jesus was glorified. Since then He speaks from heaven (Heb. 12:25). We had better listen!

Alfred E. Bouter

Of everything Creator, By whom all things subsist!
All praise to Thee, Lord Jesus, From all that doth exist!

G. W. Frazer