ONLINE BIBLE STUDY
The Book of Hebrews – Part 3
October 28, 2007
Hebrews 1:1-4 NKJV
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 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 at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
The Superiority of Jesus Christ
In the last article, we looked at the meaning of the “last days, “and saw that they began with the First Advent of Jesus. The “latter days” or the later of the last days, which is synonymous with the “end generation,” began with the budding of the Zionist Fig Tree of Matthew 24. The first bud took place on August 29, 1897 with the First Zionist Congress to make a homeland for the Jews in Israel. The barren Fig Tree (secular and religious Israel) is not ordained of God to usher in the millennial kingdom, but to be judged by God and destroyed. However, a remnant will be saved at the 11th hour (Matt. 20:9) and allowed into the kingdom along with the believing Gentile nations who survive the tribulation and the Day of the Lord. We are approaching the time of the end – the seven-year tribulation.
The book of Hebrews is a most appropriate book to study given the current attitude in the United States and the world that all religions and gods are equal. If that were true, then Jesus would just be another god and Christianity another religion. However, that is far from the truth in both the Word of God and life experience.
It is unfortunate when President Bush and leaders of Congress invite the leaders of pagan religions to our nation’s capital and the White House and bestow honors upon them such as what recently happened with the Dali Lama and Rev. Sun Myung Moon. In addition, the U.S. Senate invited a Hindu priest to open prayer for that august chamber. Furthermore, Mr. Bush often praises Islam as a great world religion and attends the Ramadan feast annually. Uninformed Christians – those who do not know their Bibles and who have no insight into false religion, fail to understand that President Bush is an ecumenicist and believes in the “interfaith movement” – that all religions worship the same god, but have different names for him; moreover, the pathway to heaven is the same for all religions. That is a lie right out of hell and one that Satan himself is promoting. Because of Mr. Bush’s ecumenical spirit, he sees nothing wrong in inviting false religions into our nation and acclaiming them equal status with Christianity. His philosophy is “Move Over Christianity and let Allah come in!” Remember, Mr. Bush in campaigning for the presidency, said that Jesus was the greatest philosopher who had influenced his life. He did not say that Jesus was the only begotten Son of God and that He was his Lord and Savior. Contrary to what many Christians believe, President Bush has never publicly said that he is a born-again Christians. His words and actions prove that he is not. The Holy Spirit will never lead a believer to equate false gods with the Lord Jesus. Why do I say that?
John 16:12-15 NKJV
12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
The Holy Spirit will never recognize or glorify another god. He will glorify one person and one God, the Lord Jesus. When President Bush, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority leader Reid, invite false religious leaders to our nation’s capital and bestow on them our nation’s highest honors, they are in essence, introducing idolatry into our nation and that will eventually bring the judgment of God and is already taking place.
I have often wondered how a man who claims to read the Bible (which proves one can read the Bible and not understand it) can misunderstand John 14:6:
John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
“No One” means what it says; there is no other God by which a man can come into the presence of Holy God. The Lord told us in Isaiah that there is no other God but Yahweh (the name of the Godhead – Father, Son and Holy Spirit):
Isaiah 45:14,18 KJV
14 Thus saith the LORD…there is none else, there is no God.
18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
The revelation of the Scriptures is progressive never regressive, so who is this God in Isaiah who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them?
Colossians 1:15-17 NKJV
15 He [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
The creator God is the Lord Jesus Christ not some abstract unknown God or the God of the Old Testament in opposition to the New. The God of both testaments is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the creator God, which the Hebrews text affirms:
Hebrews 1:1-2 NKJV
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds [ages].
This is the major theme of Hebrews – Jesus Christ is superior to all gods; in fact, there are no other gods, but which man has made for himself to worship. Consider the three religions that the United States has invited into our house to give special recognition – Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism:
Muhammad was a confused mixed up person who was influenced by Talmudic Rabbis and Gnostics posing as Christians. Because he opened himself up to demonic spirits, they invaded his mind and spirit and gave him false revelations that resulted in the Qur’an. Anyone worth his or her salt whether Arab or non- Arab must admit that the Qur’an is a corruption of the Bible. The Bible in its completed form – Old and New Testaments preceded Islam by 2100 years (the Old Testament began to be written in the 15th century B.C. and was completed sometime in the 4th century B.C.; the New Testament was written and finalized in the 1st century A.D.; the Qur’an was not written until 653 A. D. or the official date for the manuscript). Therefore, the Bible was already established as the Word of God long before Muhammad came along and established the Islamic religion. Consider the comments of Muqtedar Khan of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (Robert Spencer, The Truth About Muhammad, page 8, which I highly recommend every American read, especially Christians):
No religious leader has as much influence on his followers as does Muhammad (Peace be upon him) the last prophet of Islam….And Muhammad as the final messenger of God enjoys preeminence when it comes to revelation—the Qur’an –and traditions. So much so that the words, deeds, and silences (that which he saw and did not forbid) of Muhammad became an independent source of Islamic law. Muslims, as part of religious observance, not only obey, but also seek to emulate and imitate their Prophet in every respect of life. Thus Muhammad is the medium as well as a source of the divine law.15
Mr. Khan is saying in plain terms that Muhammad is superior to Jesus and the Qur’an is superior to the Holy Bible. Both statements are incorrect of course, but most Christians do not know how to defend the Christian faith against Islam. The book of Hebrews is a good place for Christians to educate themselves as to why Jesus is superior to all other so-called prophets and gods. If you want to know how to talk to a Muslim about Christianity and why it is superior to Islam, study the book of Hebrew with me and when I am through, you will know how to counteract Islam and all other false religions with spiritual wisdom and sound exegesis.
Jesus Himself warned us not to be deceived by false prophets and false Messiahs:
Matthew 24:4-6 NKJV
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many…23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 "Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
Jesus told us in this passage that many false prophets would come along and claim to be Him or to supersede Him. The earth is full of last day’s prophets and their so-called revelations that are sweeping many into the fires of hell and eternal damnation. Islam is one of the most prolific and damnable religions in the world today that is deceiving billions of people into accepting it as superior to Jesus Christ and Christianity. Hell is already full of deceived Muslims who believed Satan’s lie propagated by his prophet Muhammad. I guarantee you by the Word of God that not one terrorist who has blown himself up in the name of Allah or holy jihad is in paradise enjoying sex with a harem of virgins! On the contrary, and to his shocking surprise, he like the rich man in Luke 16 is suffering in the fires and torment of hell. If he could speak, he would warn his Muslim brothers to forsake Islam and embrace Christianity. However bad hell is, it is not the worst place for unbelievers. Every person in hell will one day be summoned to stand before the Lord Jesus at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11- notice a number 11 that is always associated with evil and judgment) to be judged and found guilty of rejecting the true God – the Lord Jesus Christ; then consigned to the Lake of Fire to be tormented forever and forever day upon day and night upon night without any hope of a pardon. If you are someone reading this article (you may be a Muslim), and you have never accepted the truth of the gospel that Jesus Christ is the only way to be accepted in God’s eyes, then bow your head and ask Him to forgive your sins and to apply His shed blood to your account. If you do so by faith, He will save you, write your name in the Lamb’s book of life, and give you eternal everlasting life this very day. A simple prayer like the one below, based on heart faith, will bring you into the spiritual kingdom of God:
Lord Jesus, I believe that you and you alone are the true Son of God and that you died for me upon a cross, bearing my sins and iniquities. I accept and receive you into my life as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for forgiving me and for saving me. Amen.
If you sense the Holy Spirit leading you to say that prayer, please email us and tell us of your salvation. We want to rejoice with you in your new life in Jesus Christ. We also will give some information that will help you grow as a Christian.
There is much we could say about Islam, but the basis of today’s Bible study is to declare that Jesus is the only true God and superior to any other so-called god and prophet. Therefore, our comments about Islam will have to be brief.
No other prophet can make the claims Jesus does to fulfill the Holy Scriptures and be totally 100% truthful and accurate. No other prophet or god has paid the price for mankind sins, except the Lord Jesus Christ. No other prophet or god has been raised from the dead bodily to justify sinful humanity, not even Muhammad! No other prophet in the history of religions can claim a virgin birth except God’s prophet – the Lord Jesus Christ. No other prophet and God has healed the infirmed including raising the dead and casting out demons in the manner in which Jesus of Nazareth did. No other prophet and God exhibited the kind of love, mercy, and grace, as did Jesus. After His enemies had beaten him to a pulp, spat upon Him, plucked out His beard, drove nails in his hands and feet, placed a crown of thorns upon His head, and crucified Him upon a Roman cross, Jesus looked upon them and cried out in a loud agonizing voice, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” In His death by evil men, He forgave them. Now, in contrast, consider what Muhammad teaches in the Qur’an, which he says is a revelation from Allah:
Sura 5:32-33 (Read the whole Sura in the Qur’an – there are online translations)
32 Because of this, we decreed for the Children of Israel that anyone who murders any person who had not committed murder or horrendous crimes, it shall be as if he murdered all the people. And anyone who spares a life, it shall be as if he spared the lives of all the people. Our messengers went to them with clear proofs and revelations, but most of them, after all this, are still transgressing
33 The just retribution for those who fight GOD and His messenger, and commit horrendous crimes, is to be killed, or crucified, or to have their hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, or to be banished from the land. This is to humiliate them in this life, then they suffer a far worse retribution in the Hereafter.
Those who fight “God and his messenger” (Allah and Muhammad) are to be killed. Notice this “passage even suggests crucifixion and the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides as a punishment. Rather than encouraging tolerance, Sura 5, as a whole, is actually an incitement of hatred with an undertone of violence. Jews and Christians are explicitly cursed as wicked people with diseased hearts and as hateful blasphemers respectively. Muhammad goes on to coyly remind his people that Allah loves those who fight in his service and it’s pretty obvious who the enemy is.”
In defending Muhammad and the Qur’an as a book of peace, Muslims often quote Sura 5:32 and omit Sura 5:33 and the reason is obvious. Since Christianity and Judaism both oppose Islam, Muhammad especially wrote into the Sura’s of the Qur’an that Allah had given him permission to kill Christians and Jews unless they conform to Islam. Christianity, on the other hand, forces no one to become a Christian with the threat of death. Christianity’s invitation is clearly stated in Revelation 22:17:
Revelation 22:17 NKJV
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Jesus Christ and Christianity are far superior to Islam in that they are tolerant of others in making their own choices in life however damning it may be in the hereafter. In fact, Christianity lovingly warns unbelievers of the consequences of rejecting the gospel, but in no way does it hate or resent those who reject the truth. It may pity them, but it does not hate them. Again, the Lord Jesus, in contradiction to Muhammad, tells us to love our enemies and even to bless them:
Matthew 5:44-45 NKJV
44 But I say to you, love your enemies , bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…
Jesus is the God of love, mercy, and forgiveness toward all mankind, that is, He extends His love and forgiveness to all races of people and excludes none who comes to Him in repentance and faith. He does not command His followers to kill those who reject Him, but to love them and even bless them. What a contradiction of religions between Islam and Christianity. No sane intelligent person given the opportunity to know the truth would choose Islam over Christianity. Only those who are willing deceived and prefer believing a lie would believe Muhammad over the truth of Jesus Christ. This is why Christians in the United States need to acquaint themselves with the Qur’an (I suggest that you know the Bible first before trying to tackle the Qur’an) so they know how to counteract it with the truth of the gospel. Every Christian in this nation and every true minister of the Gospel should write the President of the United States and their Congressmen in strong opposition to their placating false religions in our nation’s capital by standing up for the Lord Jesus Christ as the only true God of America. We should not allow President Bush or our Congressional leaders to praise a false religion without taking them to task. So you know that I practice what I preach, I have written the President and my Congressional representatives many times rebuking them for worshipping and recognizing false gods and warning of the consequences of idolatry – judgment.
While our founding fathers would not have forced Christianity upon anyone, they would not have advocated or recognized other religions over or equal to Christianity’s God – the Lord Jesus Christ. The government of the United States of America for at least 150 years recognized only one God and one religion of this nation – the Lord Jesus and Christianity – this is a fact easily proven by our nation’s history. Now our politicians, brain washed by the political correct nonsense and New Age ideology, are not only supporting multi-culturalism, but also polytheism that accompanies it. God has told us in His Word that He hates idolatry, but He also has pronounced strong judgment upon those who lead the people astray and that is what President Bush and the leaders of Congress are doing when they recognize and praise other religions such as Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Make no mistake about it – idolatry in our nation’s capital will bring down the judgment of God upon it and our nation as a whole. For those of you (apparently there are many from the emails we receive) who do not believe God would do such a thing need to read Jeremiah 19:
1 Thus says the LORD: "Go and get a potter's earthen flask, and take some of the elders of the people and some of the elders of the priests. 2 And go out to the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the Potsherd Gate; and proclaim there the words that I will tell you, 3 and say, 'Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold, I will bring such a catastrophe on this place, that whoever hears of it, his ears will tingle. 4 "Because they have forsaken Me and made this an alien place, because they have burned incense in it to other gods whom neither they, their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known, and have filled this place with the blood of the innocents 5 (they have also built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or speak, nor did it come into My mind), 6 therefore behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "that this place shall no more be called Tophet or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. 7 And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place, and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies and by the hands of those who seek their lives; their corpses I will give as meat for the birds of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth. 8 I will make this city desolate and a hissing; everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss because of all its plagues. 9 And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and everyone shall eat the flesh of his friend in the siege and in the desperation with which their enemies and those who seek their lives shall drive them to despair."' 10 "Then you shall break the flask in the sight of the men who go with you, 11 and say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts:"Even so I will break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter's vessel, which cannot be made whole again; and they shall bury them in Tophet till there is no place to bury. 12 Thus I will do to this place," says the LORD, "and to its inhabitants, and make this city like Tophet. 13 And the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah shall be defiled like the place of Tophet, because of all the houses on whose roofs they have burned incense to all the host of heaven, and poured out drink offerings to other gods."'" 14 Then Jeremiah came from Tophet, where the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the Lord's house and said to all the people, 15 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will bring on this city and on all her towns all the doom that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their necks that they might not hear My words.'" NKJV
This is a prophecy about the House of Judah and the city of Jerusalem. While the House of Judah no longer exists, the city of Jerusalem remains to this day. Notice however in Verse 11 (the number 11 stands for disintegration and judgment) there is coming a final judgment upon the city of Jerusalem in which it will be totally destroyed and never rebuilt. Why is that? Because it has been the center of gross idolatry and unbelief and even is today. In addition, it is the city where our Lord Jesus was brutally beaten and crucified. It will become a haven for homosexuality and idolatry in the last days. If God has destroyed the city of Jerusalem in the past with a prediction of a final judgment, then why do we think that God will not judge the United States and its capital for its own brand of idolatry and wickedness? I tell you that it is so and will take place if we do not repent as a nation and turn from our wickedness and idolatry. The judgment that is coming in the Pacific Northwest, namely Washington State is liken unto the “Sign of the Broken Pottery” in Jeremiah 19 – it will be God’s final and last warning that he is going to judge and destroy our nation’s capital. This nation must repent to avert God’s judgment. Preachers should be warning of judgment, but they are too smug in their $1000 Madison Avenue suits, Rolex watches, and mega-churches to preach an unwanted message of Judgment. Where will the motivational preachers like Joel Osteen end-up when the judgment of God falls upon godless America and the carnal Church? I tell you, they will be wiping the egg off their embarrassed and shocked faces as well as seeing their wealth diminish, which they accumulated from the saints who only wanted to hear some positive message about prosperity and the “good times!”
Hebrews is about the superiority of Jesus Christ over all things in heaven and earth, and while He is most assuredly the God of love and mercy, He is ALSO THE GOD OF JUDGMENT!
There is none like our Jesus for He alone is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – NOTHING IS HIS EQUAL not Muhammad, Buddha, the Pope or any other religious leader. Jesus is in a class all by Himself and no man shall take away His glory, which will soon be revealed in His Second Advent.
My prayer and desire is that of John who wrote the book of Revelation –
Even so come, Lord Jesus!
We will continue the theme of the superiority of Jesus in our next article.
God bless you all.