Hebrews affirms that God created the world “through” or “by” Jesus and that Jesus sustains the world with His powerful word.

Read Isaiah 44:24, Isaiah 45:18, and Nehemiah 9:6. Because in the Old Testament the Lord affirmed that He created the world “alone” and that He is the “only God,” how can we reconcile this affirmation with the affirmations in the New Testament that God created the universe “through” Jesus (Hebrews 1:2-3)?

Some think that Jesus was merely the instrument through whom God created. This is not possible. First, for Paul, Jesus is the Lord who created the world; He was not a helper. Hebrews 1:10 says that Jesus is the Lord who created the earth and the heavens, and Paul also applies to Him what Psalm 102:25-27 says about the Lord (Yahweh) as Creator.

Image © Philippians McKay from GoodSalt.com

Second, Hebrews 2:10 says that the universe was created “by” or “through” the Father. (Exactly the same expressions that are applied to Jesus in Hebrews 1:2.) The Father created and Jesus created (Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 1:10; Hebrews 2:10). There is a perfect agreement between Father and Son in purpose and activity. This is part of the mystery of the Trinity. Jesus created and God created, but there is only One Creator, God — which implies that Jesus is God.

Meanwhile Hebrews 4:13 shows that Jesus is also Judge. His authority to rule and judge derives from the fact that God created all things and sustains the universe (Isaiah 44:24-28).

Hebrews 1:3 and Colossians 1:17 affirm that Jesus also sustains the universe. This sustaining action probably includes the idea of guidance or governance. The Greek word pheron (sustaining, carrying) is used to describe the wind driving a boat (Acts 27:15, Acts 27:17) or God leading the prophets (2 Pet. 1:21). Thus, in a real sense, Jesus not only created us but sustains us, as well. Every breath, every heartbeat, every moment of our existence is found in Him, Jesus, the foundation of all created existence.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

Amen!(0)

The post Wednesday: Through Whom He Made the Universe appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/wednesday-through-whom-he-made-universe/

Read Hebrews 1:2-4. What are some of the things that this passage teaches us about Jesus?

In this section, we will focus on the portion that says, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3, ESV).

Read Exodus 24:16-17; Psalm 4:6; Psalm 36:9; and Psalm 89:15. How do these texts help us understand what the glory of God is?

Image © The Classic Bible Art Collection – Formerly Standard Publishing at Goodsalt.com

In the Old Testament, the glory of God refers to His visible presence among His people (Exodus 16:7; Exodus 24:16-17; Leviticus 9:23; Numbers 14:10). This presence is often associated with light or radiance.

Scripture informs us that Jesus is the light who came to this world to reveal the glory of God (Hebrews 1:3; John 1:6-9, John 1:14-18; 2 Corinthians 4:6). Think, for instance, of how Jesus appeared in the transfiguration. “And He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2, NKJV).

Just as the sun cannot be perceived except by the radiance of its light, God is known through Jesus. From our perspective, the two are one. Because God’s glory is light itself, there is no difference, in actual being and character, between God and Jesus, just as there is no difference between light and its radiance.

Hebrews also says that Jesus is the “exact representation” of the Father’s substance (Hebrews 1:3, NASB). The point of the metaphor is that there is a perfect correspondence in being — or essence — between the Father and the Son. Note that human beings carry God’s image but not His essence (Genesis 1:26). The Son, however, shares the same essence with the Father. No wonder that Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9, NKJV).

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Amen!(0)

The post Tuesday: He Is the Radiance of the Glory of God appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/tuesday-he-is-radiance-of-glory-of-god/

The titles of the thirteen Sabbaths of study this quarter give us two hymns to use as the themes:
Hymn 593 – In Times Like These and 
Hymn 177 – Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness.

Sunday speaks of the last days in which we live just as we sing in 
Hymn 617 – We Are Living, We Are Dwelling. The lesson then goes on to encourage us of our father’s faith in days gone by: 
Hymn 304 – Faith of Our Fathers. The finale of this day’s study is 
Lo! He Comes – Hymn 211.

We are thankful that we have the Word of God in our Bibles today to encourage us. Thank you God that you have spoken to us through Jesus: 
Hymn 60 – Blessed Jesus, At Thy Word. God spoke through the prophets of old for the people then, and now: 
Hymn 413 – God Has Spoken By His Prophets showing that His Word is pure: 
Hymn 274 – O Word Of God Incarnate.

Hymn 41 – O Splendor of God’s Glory Bright adds to Tuesday’s study time as do 
Hymn 234 – Christ is the Worlds Light and 
Hymn 345 – Christ is the World’s True Light.

Creation is studied on Wednesday: 
Hymn 320 – Lord of Creation and 
Hymn 72 – Creator of the Stars of Night.

Just as Jesus was “installed, or adopted by God as the promised Ruler, the Son of David” so we are in 
Hymn 468 – A Child of the King.

We are bound for The Promised Land! Hallelujah!! – 
Hymn 620 – On Jordan’s Stormy Banks. Come, Lord Jesus, come – very soon.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing, but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Amen!(0)

The post 3: The Promised Son – Singing With Inspiration Inbox appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/3-the-promised-son-singing-with-inspiration-inbox/

Read Hebrews 1:1-4. What is the central idea of these verses?

In the original Greek, Hebrews 1:1-4 is only one sentence, and it has been argued that it is the most beautiful in all the New Testament from the point of view of its rhetorical artistry. Its main assertion is that God has spoken to us through His Son, Jesus.

Copyright by Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com

For the Jews in the first century A.D., the word of God had not been heard for a long time. The last revelation to be expressed in the Written Word of God had come through the prophet Malachi and the ministries of Ezra and Nehemiah four centuries before. But now, through Jesus, God was speaking to them again.

God’s revelation through Jesus, however, was superior to the revelation that God had made through the prophets because Jesus is a greater means of revelation. He is God Himself, who created the heaven and the earth and rules the universe. For Paul, the deity of Christ is never in question. It’s all but assumed.

Also, for Paul, the Old Testament was the Word of God. The same God who spoke in the past continues to speak in the present. The Old Testament communicated a true knowledge of God’s will.

However, it was possible to understand its fuller meaning only when the Son arrived on earth. In the author’s mind, the Father’s revelation in the Son provided the key to understanding the true breadth of the Old Testament, just like the picture on the box of a jigsaw puzzle provides the key to finding the correct place for every one of its pieces. Jesus brought so much of the Old Testament to light.

Meanwhile, Jesus came to be our Representative and our Savior. He would take our place in the fight and defeat the serpent. Similarly, in Hebrews, Jesus is the “pioneer” or “captain” and “forerunner” of believers (Hebrews 2:10, Hebrews 6:20). He fights for us and represents us. This also means that what God did for Jesus, our Representative, the Father also wants to do for us. He who exalted Jesus at His right hand also wants us to sit with Jesus on His throne (Revelation 3:21). God’s message to us in Jesus includes not only what Jesus said but also what the Father did through Him and to Him, all for our temporal and eternal benefit.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

Amen!(0)

The post Monday: God Has Spoken to Us by His Son appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/monday-god-has-spoken-to-us-by-his-son/

The first paragraph of Hebrews reveals that Paul believed he was living in “the last days.” Scripture employs two expressions about the future that have different meanings. The prophets used the expression “last days” or “latter days” to talk about the future in general (Deuteronomy 4:30-31; Jeremiah 23:20). The prophet Daniel used a second expression, “the time of the end,” to talk more specifically about the last days of earth’s history (Daniel 8:17, Daniel 12:4).

Read Numbers 24:14-19 and Isaiah 2:2-3. What did God promise He would do for His people in the “latter days”?

Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com

Several Old Testament prophets announced that in the “latter days” God would raise up a King who would destroy the enemies of His people (Numbers 24:14-19) and who would attract the nations to Israel (Isaiah 2:2-3). Paul says that these promises were fulfilled in Jesus. He defeated Satan and, through the proclamation of the Gospel, is attracting all the nations to Himself (Colossians 2:15, John 12:32). In this sense, then, “the last days” have begun because Jesus has fulfilled God’s promises.

Our spiritual fathers died in faith. They saw and greeted the promises from “afar,” but did not receive them. We, on the other hand, have seen their fulfillment in Jesus.

Let’s think for a moment about God’s promises and Jesus. The Father promised that He would resurrect His children (1 Thessalonians 4:15-16). The wonderful news is that He initiated the resurrection of His children with the resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:20, Matthew 27:51-53). The Father also promised a new creation (Isaiah 65:17). He has begun to fulfill that promise by creating a new spiritual life in us (2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15). He promised that He would establish His final kingdom (Daniel 2:44). He inaugurated that kingdom by delivering us from the power of Satan and installing Jesus as our ruler (Matthew 12:28-30, Luke 10:18-20). This is only the beginning, however. What the Father began to do in Jesus’ first coming, He will bring to completion at the second.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

Amen!(0)

The post Sunday: In These Last Days appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/sunday-in-last-days/