We began the study of the book of Hebrews a few days ago. The design of all the devotionals we have put out is to help us to see that our hope can only be in God. The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes was king Solomon. The Author is God. The Author of all the Bible is God. One of the key words of the book of Ecclesiastes is “vanity”. King Solomon found out too late that the goals he set for himself were vanity. He began as a humble man seeking God’s wisdom. He knew that he could never govern such a great nation as Israel on his own. He soon discovered just how much he needed God’s wisdom. However, he also soon discovered how weak he was and how easily women could manipulate him. It was a sad course that he chose.
Each one of us needs to understand just how weak we are. We might make big claims, but unless we know the true God and walk humbly with Him, we will never accomplish anything of any real value. The book of Hebrews begins with reminding us that Jesus Christ is the One we need to know. He is better than all others. In verse 10 of chapter 1 we noted that God/Jesus Christ laid the foundation of the earth. We need to understand that unless we agree with God and trust in Him, we will never make it in this world and we will not make it into God’s heaven.
This week an event took place in Canada that gained the attention of many. There may be more, but there was one that many people were focussed on. That event was a by-election in Toronto. This was hyped as a by-election that would be a referendum on the ruling party in this country. The media stated that the ruling party had to win this by-election. We were told that if they lost, it would send a strong message to the ruling party that it was time for the P.M. to leave. They lost that by-election. Those who trust in politicians have been lied to for a long time. Politicians talk of doing things for us and providing for us. They promise grants for this and grants for that. This government promised free dental care for seniors within a certain income bracket.
There are a few people who understand there is nothing that man can supply that is free. We have paid dearly for the health care that we have received most of my life time. I am old enough to remember when my father had to pay every time we as children needed to see the doctor. I know that cost him some of his wages. Personally, I believe we had better health care then than we have now. Dentists are currently reluctant to sign on to the latest power grab of the government. The expenses involved in administering this plan are more than they want to cover.
We need to understand that when the government gets involved in things they should not be involved in, we the people suffer. Government corruption is rampant. That corruption includes massive amounts of waste. Our taxation would be a fraction of what it is today if the government would do what God says they should do and let people look after the things that God says we should take care of.
Unless we are willing to accept God’s Word as our authority, we will fail. In our text we are warned in verse 1 of paying more earnest heed to the things which we have heard. The danger is that we would let them slip. When we turn to the government as our hope of survival and of success, we will fail every time. Being dependent upon the government is like the person who likes to play the lotteries or any form of gambling. In order for one person to “win” many have to lose. In order for a few people to gain from the government, many have to lose.
When we turn to God and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, we will know success.
For those who paid any attention to this latest by-election, we know that many people were talking and many people had high hopes. Many people hoped that the outcome of this latest election would cause our P.M. to take his walk in the “snow” and choose to leave politics. It does not matter if he stays or goes, things will not get any better. We need to stop listening to liars and start to listen to the ONE Who Is Truth.
We live in this wicked world. We need to function in this wicked world. We need to have houses and cars and food and clothing. These are all things that the governments are trying to take control of. They want us to depend on them for the necessary things of life. They are slowly but surely taking these things away from us.
I was not alive during the ‘great depression’. I have heard of wealthy people who took their own lives because they saw their lifesavings disappear before their eyes. They had nothing else. I lived through the financial crisis of the early 2000’s. I heard of people who put their house keys in an envelope and mailed them to the bank. They walked away from their heavily mortgaged homes because they lost their jobs and could not afford the mortgage. Some of those people took their own lives as well. Now people are turning to drugs because they cannot cope with reality. They have made wrong choices and they cannot live with the consequences of those choices.
When a person rejects the right foundation, there is no alternative way of success. Every generation needs to listen to God and turn to Him for salvation and hope. If we let that slip we have nothing.
In our text we are reminded that the word spoken by angels was stedfast. Notice that it says “the word ‘spoken’ by angels”. The angels did not write the Scriptures. They did not author the Scriptures. They were directed by God to speak the Word of the LORD to men. God is obviously not speaking of the fallen angels here. He is speaking of the good angels who spoke the truth and the people were held accountable for what the angels told them. Those who chose to disobey what the angels declared found out that was a very foolish thing to do.
The writer of Hebrews asked a very important question in verse 3. “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” The Old Testament prophets declared prophecies regarding the coming of the Lord. The people of that time needed to believe what the angels and the prophets said and those that listened were blessed. Many rejected that and are suffering for all eternity.
Jesus Christ came and declared Himself to be the Messiah. There is none other. Those who rejected His declaration missed out. They have no other hope. There is no other Saviour. There will be no other Saviour. Not only did Jesus declare the facts of salvation in person, but the apostles took that same message and confirmed It to others as well. They were eyewitnesses of the truth. They did not corrupt It. They proclaimed It faithfully.
In verse 4 we read that God confirmed what the apostles declared with signs and wonders. There are many false teachers today who crave for signs and wonders. They want to be able to gain a following with their lies. Many people are willing to accept those lying signs and wonders and they are willing to give to and follow these deceivers. They trust their feelings over the sure Word of God. They miss out on God’s salvation because they want something superficial.
The apostles did signs and wonders according to God’s will. They did not do foolish things like the false teachers of our day. The apostles, John and Peter were beaten and imprisoned, and eventually died for their faith. The apostle Paul was stoned, beaten, left hungry, imprisoned, and eventually killed for His faith. They did not have tall tales to tell as the false teachers of our day. They truly had the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Notice that those gifts were according to God’s own will. The Holy Ghost cannot be coerced into doing what we want Him to do. He does all things according to the will of the Father. He did not speak of Himself, but spoke of the Son and of the Father.
Today, we need to trust in what God says, as much as any other generation. We are seeing a slipping of God’s truth today. We are looking to governments to provide for us. We are anxious to find a man that will turn things back. Look around. There is no man that will fix the mess we have created. We welcomed these politicians with our votes. We encouraged them to continue to deceive us because we lacked the discernment to call them out. We just quietly accepted their lies and they were emboldened by that vain dependence.
Worse than that, we accepted false teachers through the New Evangelical movement. We have not been willing to submit to God and reprove false teachers and mark them and stay away from them.
Those who are saved need to demonstrate that our faith is in the God who laid the right foundation and who put the heavens in their place with His own hands. What has man done in comparison to that? Man cannot offer salvation to anyone. The Catholics have their lies but they cannot guarantee anyone a home in heaven. They can only deceive. The Charismatics also cannot guarantee anyone a home in heaven. They talk of rebuking the devil. That is a very foolish thing to suggest. We cannot rebuke the devil. He is willing to let us think we can do that. We need to understand that Pharaoh’s magicians could turn their rods into serpents as well as Moses could. The difference was that Moses’ serpent ate up the magicians’ serpents. The devil is a liar and the father of lies.
We can trust in the Lord. We can help others to know the truth and put their trust where it truly belongs. That is in the Lord Who laid the right foundation and Who put the heavens in their place with His hands. His Word is sure. His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Saviour. His apostles told the truth. They did not make a name for themselves. They exalted the true God. We have His Word. We do not need signs and wonders today. We need to believe the truth. If you are one who needs something more than what the Bible declares, you are deceived. Humble yourself and believe in the true God. He will satisfy the longing of your heart. He alone can satisfy that longing.
Pastor Bartel