Turn to the book of Hebrews,
Hebrews chapter 1. As we begin, there is another
book, and I have asked the Lord I've asked the Lord to bless
it. I pray He does. We come this evening in the beginning
of this blessed portion of Scripture. This book was probably written
by the Apostle Paul. I've heard that. lot of times. But it was a book that was, it's a book not addressed to
Gentiles, it's addressed to the Hebrews, to the Jews. It's a book that I believe I made
mention of this last week that Peter makes a statement in a
scripture, and I think he gives reference to the Apostle Paul
being the penman unto the inspiration of the Spirit of God. Here's
what Peter said in 1 Peter 1.1. He said, Peter, an apostle of
Jesus Christ to the strangers that are scattered throughout
Pontus Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Peter was writing
to some Jews. In fact, James said in James
1 to the 12 tribes, which are scattered, used the same terminology
that Peter had used. And then in the second letter
that Peter wrote, In 2 Peter 3.1, Peter wrote these words,
this second epistle, Beloved, I now write unto you in both
which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. So we
know that that second letter that Peter wrote, he was writing
to Jews. Now the reason I say that is
also in 2 Peter 3.15, Peter says these words, an account that
the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation, even as our beloved
brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him,
hath written unto you." So, according to the account that Peter gives,
Paul wrote a letter to Jews, and this letter right here, obviously
wasn't written by Peter. It was a letter written by Paul. So we believe that probably,
based on that word from Peter, that this was a letter written
to the converted Jews by the Apostle Paul. So knowing that
this letter addressed to Jews, let's look and begin where the
Spirit of God was pleased to begin. He starts in verse 1 and
he comes right to the heart of this issue, God. God, who at sundry times and
in divers manners spake in time past unto the Father fathers
by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by His
Son." Now, I'll stop. We'll look at what we just read
for tonight. I originally had planned to preach
out of verses 1, 2, 3, but after I looked again at that second half
of that second verse and the third verse, I thought maybe
we ought to look just, let's just look at a verse and a half
tonight. The Spirit of God sets forth,
clearly declares that Almighty God That is the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit, God, Jehovah Himself, the I Am, the One who
is God Almighty that rests the hearts of His people, reveals
His majesty and His glory and His dominion unto those that
He has everlastingly loved. did something for the fathers. He spoke to them. Now you stop and think. Man by
nature creates in his mind with his hands, Scripture says, he
takes a log, takes a piece of wood, and out of that piece of
wood he might Cut him up some firewood. Build him a fire. Might make him a chair. And out
of part of that wood, he'll make him a God. Out of the same piece
of wood. A God that can't talk, can't
hear, can't see, can't think. But you stop and realize what
we just read. God. God Almighty who at sundry times
in diverse manners spake. The God who speaks. How wonderful it is to realize
that God has been pleased to speak to his people. Now, how does a writer say that
God spoke. Well, he says this, God who at
sundry times and in divers manners, now sundry times means many portions. Divers manners means various
ways. God was pleased to speak and
He spoke in many portions, meaning that He did not give, at any
one time a complete revelation of His being or His will, but
with separate revelations, portions. He set forth portions of the
truth. And He did it in various ways. sometimes in dreams, in signs,
in shadows. But He spoke through the prophets. That's what He said. God who
at sundry times in diverse matters spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets. He spoke through men, through
men that He had called by His grace. And when He spoke in these
sundry times, different portions, a portion, a portion, a portion,
and in different ways, a dream, a sign, always through the prophets. Even when He did that, it wasn't
through the same prophet. in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, Amos, different
prophets. Almighty God would possess their
heart. He moved upon them. 2 Peter 1.21
says, For the prophecy came not in old times, by the will of
man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost." And something that King David said, David the prophet. We know that there was an understanding
that God was speaking through them. They knew it. Listen to
what David said in 2 Samuel 23. The Spirit of the Lord spake
by me. And His Word was in my tongue. They knew it. They had understanding. So we know that in time past,
in different portions, various ways, God spoke by the prophets. But the writer says in verse
2, God hath in these last days spoken unto us By, and the word
his is in italics, he's spoken by son. That is, in the last days, that
is from the birth of Christ till now. In the days that are the
last time is what it is. God is spoken. Now, God's message
has never changed. God has always set forth Salvation
by grace through faith in the Messiah, in the Promised One,
the Christ, the Lord Jesus. And though this message in time
past was in many portions, listen to this, Numbers 12, 6, and he
said, Hear now my words, if there be a prophet among you, I the
Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision. And I'll speak
to him in a dream. And that prophet would come and
he would tell the people, thus saith the Lord. And God would
speak. And they would hear the prophet.
But based upon this scripture right here, God doesn't speak
that way anymore. God hath in these last days spoken
unto us." Muse on that just for a moment.
God has spoken unto us. This is not a figment of our
imagination. To you that believe, He is a
God that speaks and speaks to you. And He speaks to you by
His Son, spoken unto us by the One who
has come. Now, the Scripture says in John
1.18, our Lord speaking, no man has seen God at any time. The
only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath
declared Him. That is, unfolded. There is an unfolding. of Almighty
God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Portions, various ways, but when
He came, the Lord Jesus Christ, in Him, the Scripture says, Colossians
2.19, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. We still see through a glass
darkly. But I'm telling you, everything that Almighty God
is going to say to man, He has said in His Son. And He says
now in His Son. Now listen as we look at just
a few verses here on how God spoke through the prophets. Here's how God spoke through
the prophets concerning the birth. of His Son. Isaiah 7.14, Therefore
the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall
conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. God spoke through Isaiah. Now I want you to turn over to
Luke 1. Luke chapter 1. God spoke through the prophet
Isaiah. But in these last days, that
is, from the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ, He spoke in
His Son. Luke 1 verse 26, And in the sixth month the angel
Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth
to a virgin, a spouse to a man whose name was Joseph of the
house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel
came in unto her and said, Hail, thou art highly favored. The
Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast
in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel
said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with
God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt
bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. And the
Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever. And of his
kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel,
How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered
and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy
thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son
of God." Now look in Luke chapter 2 and verse 4. And Joseph also went up from
Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea into the city of David.
which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage
of David, to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great
with child. And so it was that while they
were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling
clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for
them in the inn." God spoke. There in the birth
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior, there Almighty God spoke
in Son. There He is. God at sundry times
and in diverse manners spoke unto us by the prophets, but
He hath in these last days spoken unto us in Son, the actual accomplishment
of it. Listen to the prophet. Listen
to God speaking through the prophet of Christ's faithfulness in the
redemption of His elect. Turn to Isaiah 49. Isaiah 49,
verse 5. Here is God speaking through
a prophet, speaking of the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah
49. 5 and 6, And now saith the Lord
that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob
again to him. Though Israel be not gathered,
yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God
shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing
that thou shouldest be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and to restore the preserved of Israel. I will also give thee
for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation
unto the end of the earth." Now do you know what God just said
through the prophets? He shall save His people. He shall be the obedient servant. God spoke through the prophets. God set forth that the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Messiah, would come. God, who in sundry times and
in diverse manners spoke in time past unto the fathers, hath in
these last days spoken unto us by His Son." When did He speak? Well, of the many times that
I could quote where He spoke, how about this one out of Matthew
3, verse 17, "'Lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased.'" God spoke through the prophet.
He spoke in these days by the Son. Listen to the word of the Lord
through the prophet concerning His death. Turn to Isaiah 53. How many times have we looked
at this? But listen, this is God speaking. Isaiah 53, verse
1 to 5. This is God speaking. through
the prophet. Who hath believed our report?
And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow
up before Him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground.
He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see Him there
is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected
of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we
hid, as it were, our faces from Him, He was despised and we esteemed
Him not. Surely He had borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten
of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities.
The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes
we are healed." I want you to notice the The way in which this
is written, this has happened. He was wounded for our transgressions.
He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon Him with His stripes. That was God speaking to the
prophet, the prophet Isaiah. And this had never taken place
in time, but it was accomplished. From the foundation of the world,
the Lamb was slain. God was speaking through this
prophet. And then in time, God hath in
these last days spoken unto us by His Son. In Matthew chapter
27 and verse 46, here was God speaking in the accomplishment
of what God Almighty had said would absolutely take place in
time. Our Lord and Savior cried from
the cross, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? The Scripture
says right there He was stricken. He was wounded. The prophets
spoke of the resurrection of the Lord. Why did He stay three
days in the tomb? God said that's how long he was
going to say. Listen to Psalm 1610. For thou wilt not leave
my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to
see corruption. God spoke through the prophets.
God Almighty set forth that three days the Lord Jesus Christ would
be in the grave. His body would not see corruption.
Turn to Acts 2. Acts chapter 2, there was God
speaking and time passed. Same message. Have you noticed
that? Same message. It never deviated. God who at sundry times in divers
men have spoke unto the fathers by the prophets. The message
never changed. Acts chapter 2, verse 22, speaking
of The resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ, ye men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth,
the man approved of God, among you by miracles and wonders and
signs which God did by him in the midst of you as yourselves.
Also know him being delivered by the determinant counsel and
foreknowledge of God. Ye have taken and by wicked hands
have crucified and slain, whom God hath raised up, having loosed
the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should
be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning
him, I foresaw the Lord also before my face. For he is on
my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore did my
heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad. Moreover, also my flesh
shall rest in hope, because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell,
neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to seek corruption."
God spoke. Whenever the Lord Jesus Christ
came out of the grave, God spoke by son. Time would not remotely, all
of time, would not remotely be enough to set forth the prophecies
concerning our blessed Savior as God spoke in time past through
the prophets. But He hath in these last days
spoken unto us by His Son. The fulfillment of all that God
Almighty has set forth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. And as
surely as God spoke by His Son in the day of His humiliation,
just as surely as those apostles heard the voice of the Master
as he spoke the fulfillment of all that God Almighty had always
promised, as surely as they heard his voice. You hear it tonight. Those that heard it in their
heart, that God gave a new heart, they heard. They understood. They perceived. Believers hear his voice today.
He said, My sheep hear My voice and they follow Me. God has spoken
unto us by His Son. And the book of Hebrews is the
revelation of that which Almighty God has set forth concerning
His blessed Son. Now in closing, I want to just
read the last half of verse 2 and verse 3 And Lord willing, we'll
look at this next portion right here next time. As I read it,
I want you to ask yourself this. Probably wasn't it the best thing
to wait and to look at this latter half of this second verse and
the third verse where we could look at it completely in one
message. Listen to these words. 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." That's the one by whom God Almighty
hath in these last days spoken. May the Lord add his blessing
upon the reading, the expounding, and the hearing of his blessed
word. 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. Let's pray together. Our Father,
how we thank you this evening for the precious time that we
have, Lord, just to stop for a moment and consider the One
by whom You speak. Lord, would You cause us, we
ask, as we study Your holy Word, cause us to hear, cause us to
have a heart that longs to hear. Speak, we pray, through Your
Son, As the Spirit of God gives us understanding, teach us, we
pray, for Christ's sake. Because it is in His name that
we ask these things. Amen.