"Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister (serve to bring up) questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith " (1Tim. 1:4)

How Shall We Escape? - April 15, 2023 - Dr. David Antion

One of the books that were debated about putting into the canon, and you understand the canon, the line of what was considered the inspired books of the New Testament, one of the books that were debated because it did not have an author named in it. Although this book, by any standard you want to measure, is probably one of the most impressive works of the entire New Testament, it is very meticulous. It is carefully constructed.

It is well written in the Greek language with excellent Greek. It is passionate about exalting Jesus Christ as the high priest, as the Savior. It offers incredible and unforgettable insights into all the things that have shaped Christianity.

And it has strong and very important warnings for you and for me. It starts off like this, because most of the letters in the New Testament start off with the author, like James to the brother and so on, Jude, and so on. And then Paul wrote to somebody.

Most of the letters start off with that, but this doesn't start off this way. Here's how this book starts off. I'm going to read verses one through four in the new English translation.

This is Hebrews, chapter one, beginning in verse one. It goes like this. After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways portions and ways.

Some people put it this way. After he has spoken in different portions and in different manners. Different manners, different ways.

Okay? After he'd spoken and he spoke to our ancestors through the prophets, or in the Greek word is in the prophetess, in the prophets in these last days, eschatology. Eschatone, meaning the last times, the last days, he has spoken to us in the sun. The word thee is not there.

It should be in the sun, because all it says is in the sun, in the word sun. Okay? In other words, he's spoken to us sun-wise through the sun, as in these last days, spoken to us in a Son whom now he's talking about the Son whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom he created the world. So now listen to this exaltation of the Son.

The son is the radiance of his. The Father's glory God. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the representation of his essence, whatever the essence is that God is the Son is that representation of the essence.

And he, the Son, sustains all things by his powerful word. And so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. Thus he became so far better than the angels, as he has inherited a name superior to theirs.

Now, I want you to understand what Hebrews is driving at the author of this Hebrews, probably Paul, the author of Hebrews is trying to tell us something. He's trying to tell us that this Son is greater than all the angels. Okay, let me read this in a very directed translation of the Greek as close as possible to the way it really would read.

I'm going to read it again. Hebrews one and verse one god, having old having of old times, spoken to the fathers in the prophets by different portions and in different manners, has at the end of these days spoken to us in sun or SunWise, whom He God appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. That is the age.

The word world is aging. He's made the ages. There's this age, there's this age, and this is age.

He made the ages, who, being the effulgence, the effulgence of his glory and the very image of his substance is the image, the exact carved image of whatever God's character is upholding all things by the word of his power. When he had made purification of sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels as he has inherited a more excellent name than they. That's the first four verses now verse five.

For to which of the angels did He God ever say? Quote, you are my son. Today I have begotten you. This is a quote from Psalm two and verse seven.

And again here's another quote I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. In II Samuel seven, verse 14, and also 1 Chronicles 17, verse 13, he says, talking about King, King David, I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. Now, the author of Hebrews here is applying this now to Jesus, to whatever angels God ever says, you are my son today I have begotten you.

That's from Psalm two, verse seven, which now we believe is a messianic quote. So the first quote, psalm two and verse seven is from the Septuagint version and it does not diverge from the Hebrew text much. I mean, it's pretty much the same.

I will surely tell of the decree of the Eternal. He said to me, you are my Son today I have begotten you. That's from the Septuagint version.

So if you remember Paul's speech, in Acts chapter 13, Paul quotes that same thing that God has fulfilled. This is Acts 13 and verse 33. Paul quotes that God has fulfilled this promise in our children, in that he raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second psalm quote, you are my Son today I have begotten you.

There it is. From Acts 13, Paul quoted, he used it again. It's once again used in Hebrews chapter five and verse five.

So also Christ I'm quoting now Hebrews five, verse five. So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a great high priest, but he who said to him, you are my Son today I have begotten you. That's again from Psalm two, verse seven.

Then we have a second quote here from Two Samuel, chapter seven and verse 14, where we saw that in verse five, remember? And he says, I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will correct him, and the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, I'll correct him with that rod and with the strokes. And in one Chronicles, chapter 22 ten, it says this of the king he shall build a house in my name, and he shall be my son and I will be his father, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.

That's a quote for King David. So these quotes are now being taken and placed in the book of Hebrews regarding Jesus himself. The third quotation is this one from Psalm 97 and verse seven, let all the angels of God worship Him, found in Psalm 97, verse seven, where it says, let all those be ashamed who have served graven images, who boast themselves in the idols, worship Him, all you gods.

Now, the word alawim is often applied, that's the Masoretic text, the word aloeim is often applied to angels. So the Septuagint version says in Psalm 97, verse seven, worship Him all his angels. Okay, worship Him and all his angels.

And in Deuteronomy 32, verse 43 of the Septuagint, it goes like this rejoice you heavens along with him, and let the sons of God worship Him. Rejoice, O nations, with all, with his people, and let all the angels of God ascribe strength to him, for he avenges the blood of his sons and will avenge it, and he will recompense punishment to his adversaries, even to those who hate him, will he recompense it, and the Lord will cleanse his people's land. Now, these are things then transferred from quotes.

How would you find that quote? They didn't have chapter verses, they didn't have concordances, you had to know the Scriptures, you had to know these passages. And the author here of Hebrews, which we are assuming, Paul applies these to Jesus Christ the Son. Now we're back to chapter seven, chapter one, chapter one, and verse six.

Remember the quote, let all the angels of God worship him. We got that from these various passages from Psalm 97, Psalm 32. And now we come to verse seven, Hebrews one, verse seven.

I want to tell you right now there is a specific direct reason why Hebrews is doing this, why the author of Hebrews is building this up about the sun. And that building up of the sun affects you and affects me. So in verse seven, the fourth quotation is from Psalm 104, verse four.

It conforms to the Septuagint, practically, almost, but not specifically. On the one hand, this is Hebrews one, verse seven. On the one hand, he says descriptive of the angels he makes his messengers winds and his servants a blazing fire, talking about the angels, they're winds, they're messengers, they're like the wind go like spirits.

He makes his messengers, his angels, and spirits. And like blazing fire. The point of verse seven is to show that the angels are servants, servants.

And verse 14 will confirm this, that the angels are not above Jesus Christ, they are far below Jesus Christ, and they are servants to us. Now, verse eight, Hebrews, chapter one, verse eight. Here comes the fifth quotation now, and he's quoting now from Psalm 45, verses six and seven, but of the sun but to the sun he says.

The Greek means prose to the Son he's speaking to, but to the sun he says yours. And he's quoting now from Psalm 45. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.

And the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. A righteous scepter by which you rule is the scepter of his kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness, therefore God your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions.

The author of Hebrews here quotes from Psalm 45, verses six and seven. Let me read that from the Masoretic text, how it reads your throne. This is now from the I'm reading from the Complete Jewish Bible.

Your throne, God, because he's saying this to the Son, will last forever and ever. You will rule your kingdom with a scepter of equity you have. Now this is verse eight.

Now you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God your God has anointed you with the oil of joy in preference to your companions. That's Hebrews one versus verse eight and part of verse nine.

Okay. So here comes Hebrews one, beginning in verse ten. And you Lord.

Now he's quoting again, here comes the quote from Psalm 102. The word and is not a quote, but and beginning quote you Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish, but you remain.

They will all become old like a garment and like a mantle. You will roll them up like a garment. You'll write them, and they will also be changed, but you are the same, your years will not come to an end.

Now he's quoting Psalm 102, verses 24 through 27. Let me read that in the Old Testament quote, I say, oh my God, do not take away, do not take me away in the midst of my days. The years are throughout all generations.

Your years, your years are throughout all generations of old. You did find the earth and the heavens and the work of your hands, like a garment, like clothing. You will change them and they will be changed, but you are the same.

Your years will not come to an end. He's quoting that in Psalm and in Hebrews, chapter one verses ten through twelve. Now verse 13 of Hebrews but to which of the angels has he ever said and here again a quote coming from Psalm 110 and verse one.

To which of the angels has he ever said? Quote, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. He never exalted an angel telling that angel to sit in his right hand, but he did with a son. He quoted Psalm 110 and verse one.

This is the most widely, most often quoted Old Testament text in the entire New Testament. It's quoted over and over. If I were to ask you a question, what is the text from the Old Testament that is most quoted in the New Testament? You would say Psalm 110, verse one.

And what does it say? Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. That's the quote more often in the New Testament than in any other passage. Now, in Hebrews one, verse 14, are they, not all ministering spirits? He's not going to say to an angel, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.

He's not saying that to angels. He's saying that to his Son. Now, here's the question.

Does the New Testament call Jesus God? Yes, it does. Yes, it does. Plainly, directly and specifically.

Now, in what manner is he God the Father? Is he the Super Creator? In what way is he God? That's the whole thing. But the Bible seems to imply from John, chapter one. Verse one, in the beginning, was the Word.

The word was with God. And the word was God. So you have this close to equality here.

So we're dropping down to verse 14, are they not? All. This is Hebrews one. There's a reason he's bringing all this up.

You've got to understand this reason. You've got to understand why this is so important because it's going to affect you. Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? Those angels are for us, to help us because we're going to inherit salvation.

Okay? Now, we went through the first 14 verses of Hebrews. Now we come to Hebrews ten. The whole passage, the whole chapter of Hebrews one is for one thing, verse chapter two and verse one.

For this reason, he just gave you all his reasons. The son is exalted. Sit at my right hand.

The son is exalted. For to which of the angels did he ever say, you are my Son. Today I have begotten you.

The son is so exalted. He is the one to whom is the very radiance of God's character, the very quality of his etched character in his being, the radiance of his glory. So now, in chapter two.

For this reason, all the reasons you have in chapter one, read them, read them over after today's sermon, read them over. For this reason, we, you and I, must pay much closer attention to what we have heard so that we do not drift away from it. We have to pay closer attention to what we hear and from whom did we hear it.

Hebrews is telling us we heard it from Christ's apostles who got it from him, watching him, seeing him, being with him, seeing his resurrection. For this reason, because Jesus is God's son, highly exalted, called God, raised up to sit his right hand said, today I have begotten you, he's God's Son, and he's the fullness of God's glory. For this reason, let me read that in Young's Literal translation.

Because of this, it behooves us more abundantly to take heed to the things heard lest we may glide aside. Let me read that to you. This is Hebrews two and Verse one in the Bible, in basic English.

For this reason, there is more need for us to give attention to the things which have come to our ears for fear that by chance we might be slipping away, we might let it slip away. And this is the new Internet. A new American standard.

Now we're going to go to verse two. Now we're going to Hebrews now two and verse two. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, now angels acted as intermediaries.

This is brought out in the New Testament and is definitely believed by those in Jesus' day. It was believed by Stephen on the day he was martyred. Angels acted as intermediaries in giving the law to Israel.

This is well documented in the New Testament. Let me give you a couple of places. This is Acts, chapter seven and verse 38.

This is Steven's speech. I'm reading this from the McDonald's Idiomatic translation. This was the same Moses who was with the community in the desert and with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai.

The angel of God. The angel of God, the angel of the Lord spoke to Moses, who was with our ancestors, the man who received a living message to give to us. Let me read that in the new American Standard version.

This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness, together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai. He was an angel. The New Testament is confirming this.

And who was with our fathers, and he received living oracles to pass on to you. Let me read it in the English Standard version. I'm sorry, I'm now dropping down to Acts seven, verse 53.

Here's Stephen now talking to these Jews, and he says, you who received the law as delivered by angels, and yet you did not keep it. English Standard Version Galatians, chapter three, verse 19. Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made.

And it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Escalations three, verse 19. The English Standard Version so what Hebrews is saying here is okay, chapter two and verse one.

For this reason, we must pay closer attention to the things which we have heard, lest we let them slip by. For if the words spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, now we come to verse three, Hebrews two. How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation after it was first spoken through the Lord, through Jesus Christ, it was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

Now we have it confirmed to us because we have this New Testament, we have this Bible, we have the Scriptures written the salvation. How will we escape if we neglect it? Now, the word neglect means to have no care for it, to neglect it, to be unconcerned. You ever neglect something somebody says, you know what? You left your bicycle outside, it might rain on it, and you're just not concerned, so you neglect it, okay? You're now neglecting that.

It's not something you want to neglect. How shall we escape? What are we neglecting if we neglect so great a salvation? Is our salvation just a small thing? Or is it eternal life as spirit beings living forever and ever and ever? What is it so great a salvation after it was first spoken through the Lord and was confirmed by those who heard it? Okay to neglect it, to neglect it means to make light of it, to have no care for it. Listen to the King James Version, Matthew, chapter 22, verse five.

It's talking about they invited him. He was out inviting people to this dinner, and they made light of it, and they went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise. Marie, that again in the complete pardon me, the English Bible.

The Complete English Bible. It goes like this and they paid no attention. They were invited to this dinner.

He's inviting them all. They paid no attention, and they went away, some to their fields, others to their businesses. Timothy was told in one, Timothy, chapter four, verse 14, do not neglect the spiritual gift within you.

Timothy had a spiritual gift, and I imagine he was an evangelist, and he was supposed to do the work of an evangelist. He was supposed to preach that Gospel, and he was supposed to do that which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. Don't neglect it, don't lay it aside, don't be unconcerned about it.

Okay? Here's, Hebrews, chapter eight, verse nine. The same Greek word is used that is translated as neglect. Here you'll see it and you'll see how God used it.

Hebrews eight, verse nine. Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and I did not care for them.

That's that word they neglected. I just was unconcerned about them. They didn't care about my covenant.

They didn't care about my laws. They didn't care about my rules, and therefore I didn't care about them. Let me read that in the new English translation.

It will not be like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they did not continue in my covenant. And I had no regard, no respect neglect here. I have no respect for it.

How shall we escape if we have no respect for the salvation God is offering? Hebrews I'm going to read this from the new international version. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt because they did not remain faithful to my covenant. And I turned away from them.

I just didn't care. I didn't care. They didn't care.

I didn't care. I turned away from them, declares the Lord. How shall we escape? Now that's another Greek word, to escape.

Means to seek safety, to run. To run away. To escape.

You see it here in the Book of Acts, chapter 16, verse 27. When the jailer awoke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew a sword and was about to kill himself. Supposing that the prisoners had escaped, the prisoners ran out.

You're in jail. The jail door opens. What do you do? I'm getting out of here.

I'm going to escape. How will we escape? How will we escape from the punishment? And so on. And in Acts chapter 19, verse 16, the man in whom the evil spirit leaped on them.

Do you remember? They tried to cast this demon out of this man. They said we adjure you. By the Jesus, Paul.

Preaches. And they said I know Paul, I know Jesus, I don't know you. And he leaped on them and subdued them and overpowered them so that they fled out of that house.

They finally escaped from that house. Naked and wounded. They escaped.

How shall we escape? To become free from danger, to avoid some pain, to escape from prison, from punishment, from being captured. How shall we escape? It's also used in the Book of Luke, chapter 21, verse 36. But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that are about to take place and stand before the Son of man.

How shall we escape? Romans, chapter two, verse three tells him or do you suppose, O man, you who judge those who practice such things, and yet you do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? How shall we escape God's judgment? And in One Corinthians I mean first Thessalonians chapter five and verse three, when they are saying peace and security at that sudden time destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they definitely will not escape that's complete the current English Bible, and it will not. And also in Hebrews chapter twelve and verse 25 see then that you do not refuse him who is speaking.

For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them from the earth, much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns from heaven. So now we come back to this very powerful Poignant verse in Hebrews two, verse four. God also testifies with them what is Hebrews two and verse three. How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation that was spoken through the Lord? And in verse four, god also testifies with them both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will.

It wasn't that they just preached it and said nothing. God put a stamp on it with his miracles. Let me read it.

Hebrews two and verse four again from the new English translation while God confirmed their witness with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. So verse two, after speaking about the sun, how great the sun is, how he is the radiance of God's glory, how he is the exact chiseled image of God's character, how he is made exalted above all the angels, and the angels are worshipping Him, how he has been invited to sit at the right hand. To which of the angels did he ever say, sit at my right hand? To which of the angels did he ever say, you are my Son this day I've begotten you.

How great he is above all these and he has preached to us salvation. Jesus Christ came to bring us great, marvelous, and never-ending salvation, to become spirit beings, bringing forth to us and being with us, bringing forth many sons to glory that we might become his brothers in the future of eternity. How shall we escape if we let that slip, if we don't pay attention to the words that came from Jesus Christ and his apostles? That's the most important of all things.

And Hebrews is putting it now I have in my lifetime I have neglected a few things. I have I don't know if you have. One of the things I regret right now is a bird pooped on my car.

And I thought I'd get to that. I need to go out and get that off. And I had this to do and that, and I just kind of postponed it and put it off and neglected it and it ate through the paint of my car.

And now I have a big smudge there, it really does eat right through the paint and it goes right down to the metal. I'm very sick about that. I'm sad about it.

I neglected it. I neglected to do what I needed to do. Okay, that's one thing.

Now I can probably get it repainted and rebuffed. I can really have somebody redo it. So it's not the end of the world, but it's just foolish and I neglected it.

But here's what I do not want to neglect. I do not want to neglect the everlasting life offered to me by God's Son. By God through his son by God speaking to me in these last days in his son through him by him I don't want to neglect so great a salvation.

And I hope you don't want to either. Join me as we end today's services with prayer. And then you can stay tuned for a song following.

Heavenly Father, our great God, you give us so much. You have committed so much, you've done so much. And we thank you for Jesus Christ, who has been exalted beyond all glory, sitting at your right hand, the one who is responsible for upholding all things by the word of his power, who is also our High Priest above all the priests that have ever lived.

He's our high priest. He's the High Priest not because he becomes a member of Aaron's Children, but because he has the High Priest because he has the power of an endless life. And so he doesn't need to go into the holy of holies every year.

He did it once and for all time. We give you thanks now for all the blessings of the Book of Hebrews to us, and for this great warning that we need to heed. How shall we escape if we don't hear the words of Jesus Christ and his apostles? If those are not the most important words in the Scriptures, how shall we escape? We thank you for today.

We ask your blessing on your people. We ask you to hear the prayers of those crying out to you for their needs. We give you thanks now for everything, and we commit it all to you in our lives, to Jesus Christ, our Lord.

In his name, we pray it. Amen.