“God, who at sundry times and in diverse 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; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high;” – Hebrews 1:1-3
LIGHT FOR NOW: The revelation communicated by the prophets was progressively communicated, but God has climaxed his revelation in Christ.
Let’s pay careful attention to the above text as we will observe a vital truth in studying the Old Testament books. We will discover how the revelation of God was communicated unto the fathers by the prophets and we will see that God communicated the climax of his revelation in Christ. This understanding will guide you on how you read the Old Testament books. Observe the phrase “in sundry times” (in verse 1), it was translated from the Greek word “”polumeros”, which implies many parts/portions of a whole. The phrase “in diverse manners” is the word “polutropos” in Greek, which implies many ways. In essence, the sundry times and in diverse manners had to do with the prophets. Two inferences can be drawn from the above Greek words:
- “Polumeros” implies what they said could not have been.
- “Polutopos” implies the way they said it also was imperfect.
In verse2, observe the word “in” in the statement “…in these last days spoken…” it was translated from a Greek word for conceiving a child. Observe, “Hath in these last days spoken by his son”; the word “by” used here could be better replaced with the word “in”; that is, “Hath in these last days spoken in his son” not by his son, why? It is because Jesus is not God’s errand boy, Jesus is God revealing himself. Jesus is not God’s messenger, Jesus is the message. So, God in speaking spoke in his son. Look at the flow of thoughts from verse 1 into 2:
- Spoken in the prophets (in many parts of a whole in many ways).
- Spoken in the son (the brightness of his glory; the express image of his person).
So, when you put together all that the prophets said in many portions, and in many ways, you will have the substance of what they were saying in the son. That is, the whole, the announcement, the speaking is about the son. So, the “who” in verse 1, used by the King James translation had to do with the prophets; who spoke many portions of the truth in different ways unto the fathers; however, God in speaking, spoke in the son. Hence, the truth they revealed was in progressive revelation. It was the prophets who spoke in different portions of the truth and in different manners unto the fathers. That is why the syntax arrangement in the Greek doesn’t have the word God in verse 1; it is rendered thus; “At sundry times and in divers manners, the prophets spake unto the father. In these last days, God hath spoken to us in his son…” Hence, the complete, perfect revelation of the father is seen in the son (Jesus Christ). Hallelujah!
INSTRUCTION: Stay with proper bible interpretations.
PRAYER: I pray that understanding is given me to comprehend your word, in Jesus Name, Amen.
QUOTE: Outside Christ, God is not perfectly revealed.
DAILY READING: MORNING: HEBREWS CHAPTER 1; EVENING: HEBREWS CHAPTER 11
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 