2 . GOD

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God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds…

Hebrews 1:1

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As we introduced the book of Hebrews last time we did so considering the historic setting of Hebrews – a book written to the Jews scattered around Roman empire and a book written for us. Hebrews has a holy author who knew the holy Scriptures and desired all to know the Scriptures. While many indications point to that human author being Paul, it is not of the essence of the book that we understand who the human author was. It is of essential importance that we take the book as it is, the Word of God. Finally, we said, the book of Hebrews has a holy two-fold message: 1) The divinity and thereby the supremacy of Christ; and 2) The sufficiency of Christ’s work for our salvation.

GOD!

We embark on the text proper of the Epistle to the Hebrews with the greatest of all names being declared, God!  It is the great concern of the book of Hebrews and the Scripture to declare God to us sinful creatures. So at the opening of the book, we are given the very name of Him who is declared, “God.” Throughout its pages Hebrews declares much to us about God:

For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God (3:4) – God is the Creator.

For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God (6:7) – God is the sustainer.

That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. (6:18) God is truth.

By faith Able offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous (11:6) God is worthy of worship.  

Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead… (11:19). God raises the dead.  

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all… For our God is a consuming fire (12:23,29). God is the judge.

God is the One we must know! He is our Creator. He is our sustainer. He is truth.  He is the beginning, the end, the first, and the last, apart from Him there is none other and there is nothing without Him for all things that are came to being by Him.

Now notice something very essential about these statements. They do not seek to prove God to us. They declare God to us.

The First Great Proposition Of Theology

First great proposition of theology is this: God is! Or if you prefer, God exists. There is no proving God as if some philosophical idea is above God. None of that is in view. We state as it is stated here – God is!

The writer of this Epistle is very concerned to make this known – For he that cometh to God must believe that He is… (Heb. 11:6)

Those who demand proof for God, have not faith, and are denying the one who is declared by all that they see and know. The heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament showeth His handy work! (Psalm 19:1)

That which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them… (Romans 1:19) All knowledge and study of God and the book of Hebrews, begins with this great proposition, God is! The first great proposition of theology is this: God is! Very well, but we can go beyond that…

The First Great Proposition of the Christian Faith

The first great proposition of the Christian faith is also this: God is!

In the negative, from this very first word of Hebrews we deny that there is a mere idea of God in Scripture or a concept of God as many may insist. Scripture is not concerned with an idea or concept of God. Scripture is concerned with declaring the pre-existing God of glory.

We further deny that there is need for proving God’s existence. All creation praises Jehovah for it knows its maker. Even the wind and the waves obey Him. It is only the fool who says in his heart there is no God for all the world, Christian and non-Christian, has been made in God’s image. God is!

Positively from this one Word, we affirm that God is self-existent; self-conscious; a personal being, and transcendent over all creation. He need not prove Himself, there is no higher proof of God, He is who He is.

Further we see that the gospel of God assumes that God is! The gospel is good news because the self-existent one, the God who is, declares it. We need not nor can we convince people of the truth of God but God who is does convince people through the working of His Spirit and the proclamation of the Word.

The first great proposition of theology is God is. The first great proposition of the Christian faith is that God is. And we can go further…

The First Great Proposition of Scripture

It only follows that if the first great proposition of theology and the Christian religion are the same than the first great proposition of Scripture must also be the same, and it is. God Is. The self-existent God is the revelation of all of Scripture

In the beginning God… Genesis 1:1. This is the very same thing as Hebrews 1:1-2. God tells us in Genesis 1 how all things came into being and He does the same thing in Hebrews 1:1-2, God spoke by His Son, by whom also He made the world (1:2). Its the same thing as John 1:1-3.

For some this is foolishness, they call it folly. They say, “We are rational creatures, surely God must be proved to us”. “Show me that God exists.” What do you think of this question?

Moses expected a similar argument of the Hebrew slaves when He met God on Mt. Sinai by the burning bush. Moses said to God, the people will ask me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you (Exodus 3:12-13). – God need not be proved – He is! I AM hath sent you! This is the great teaching of Scripture of Scripture – God is!

“Well, what about Jesus,” they might say. “Jesus never spoke this way of himself. He was humble. He was weak. He proved things. Speak to us of Jesus.”

Ah yes, let us consider Jesus if you would like – He speaks in precisely the same way. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? …Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM (John 8:53, 58). This is the first thing of Scripture, it is throughout Scripture, and therefore the first thing of the Christian faith and theology proper – God Is!

“No, no,” the world says, “prove Him!” “No, no,” says the Scripture, “let God be declared and all the world keep silence and bow down before Him!”

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Next time we will examine what it is the Scripture declares of the pre-existent God revealed in the very first word of Hebrews.

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