Todays readings.. Joshua 16, Isaiah 22, Hebrews 1&2
“HIM WHO PLANNED IT LONG AGO”
Today we began reading the letter to the Hebrews and found some thoughts that have their parallel to our chapter in Isaiah (ch.22). Both show us facets of the ultimate purpose of God: Hebrews wonderfully so!
Isaiah tells us, “For the Lord GOD of hosts has a day…” [v.5] This is a “day” or time coming of “tumult and … confusion“ This was a message for his people because so many had become blind to their ungodly ways. The Lord GOD “called for weeping and mourning …” [v.12] because of their sins, but instead ” joy and gladness … and drinking wine” and saying “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” [v.13]
The people had lost their vision of their God – and it is just the same today. Isaiah tells them – and equally our world today, “you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago.“[v.11] To put it bluntly, then and now, nearly all had no sense of believing that there is a Creator with all-seeing power and an eternal purpose.
The letter to the Hebrews starts, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets …” and then makes the vital point that God has now “spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things” [v.2] Some translations are poor here, the translators are influenced by their trinitarian ideas: it was ‘because of’ Jesus’ – with him in mind, that God planned out his creation with Jesus as the “heir” to that creation.
We read this week in 2 Tim. 1 v.9,10 that God “called us to a holy calling … which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and that “Jesus … abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” God does not see the passage of time as we do – he is not bound by time! We will read in Isaiah next month, that God says, “there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning” [46 v.9,10]
Back in Hebrews verses 8 and 9 also challenge us to understand them correctly! “…of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness …” It is clear the Almighty is the God of Jesus. Jesus is only ‘god’ in the sense that he represents God!
Jesus ” loved righteousness and hated wickedness” – and we must do the same! Finally, let us take right into our hearts the words of verses 1 and 3 in ch. 2, “… we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard (and read), lest we drift away from it … how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?”
