Hebrews 1:8

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“But of the Son He says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.” Hebrews 1:8.

In the previous verse devotion, Hebrews 1:1-7 (available here), the writer spoke about how God used prophets and Godly people to direct them in God’s ways, as well as declaring to them important information they had no other access to including future events, and the coming of the Christ who would ultimately die, paying the penalty for the sins of all mankind who accept Him. Throughout this next section, God refers to the Christ as His Son. Let me take a moment to speak about this.

Jesus is not the Son of God with the idea of a human father and a son. God did not get married and mate with Mary and have a son. Jesus is God’s Son in the sense that He is God manifested in human form.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-2,14.

Jesus is called God’s Son in that He was conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit. We see this clearly in the gospel of Luke.

“The angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most-High will overshadow you; and for that reason, the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.’” Luke 1:35.

Now moving forward, we read verses 8 and 9.

“But of the Son He says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER 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.” Hebrews 1:8-9.

But notice what we read in the psalms.

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your fellows.” Psalm 45:6-7.

We see here that this message in Hebrews 1:8-9 is taken from Psalm 45:6-7. The Father is telling His Son, that His kingship would be a never ending one.

Next, we read the following.

“And, ’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; AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT, AND LIKE A MANTLE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END.’” Hebrews 1:10-12.

Again, notice what we read in the psalms.

“Of old You founded the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You endure; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them, and they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.” Psalm 102:25-27.

The writer of Hebrews used the Psalms at various times to validate his thoughts. In here we see that the creation of everything was by the Son. It was He who laid the foundation of everything created. But He also notes that all of this will cease to exist. This idea is also found in the Book of Matthew  where everything will be made new.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” Matthew 24:35.

As well as in Revelation.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-2.

The basic idea here is that the new home of God’s people will not consist of anything that exists now, which includes the seas. Everything will be made totally new and will be perfect and last for eternity. We, as God’s people, will be changed into immortal beings that will live forever with Him, just like Jesus. And referring to Jesus,

“But you are the same, and your years will not come to an end.” Hebrews 1:12b.

And just as God; The Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, will live forever, so shall we in His kingdom.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16.

Then we read the final two verses in Hebrews 1.

“But to which of the angels has He ever said, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET”? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:13-14.

For the seventh time in chapter 1, the author quotes the Hebrew Scriptures, this time to demonstrate that Jesus is greatly superior to any angelic being. He quoted Psalm 110 to show again that God the Father said things to Jesus He never said to angelic beings.

“The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’” Psalm 110:1.

Angels are ministering spirits, not governing spirits. They are called to service and assist those who have accepted Christ as Savior. They are commanded to serve God, and He shares these servants with redeemed men and women. This shows the great love of God for us, and how He wants to share all things with us.

Quoting theologian F.F. Bruce:

“The most exalted angels are those whose privilege it is to “stand in the presence of God” like Gabriel (Luke 1:19), but none of them has ever been invited to sit before him, still less to sit in the place of unique honor at his right hand. Their standing posture betokens their promptness to execute his commands, or simply to abide his pleasure.” F.F. Bruce.

To go back to Hebrews 1:1-7, click the following link.

Psalm 11:4

Verse of the Day Devotion: Psalm 11:4

“The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.” – Psalm 11:4   

This verse is a picture of how God watches over us.  This is worded so we, being human and not having a full knowledge of God, can have a reasonable understanding.  This starts off saying that God is in His holy temple.  He is seated in the temple of His holiness, and His throne is in heaven. Isaiah gives us this image.  “Thus says the LORD, “Heaven is My throne and the earth is my footstool. Where then is a house, you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?” Isaiah 66:1. His greatness is exhibited here in that heaven is His throne, the seat by which, as King, He holds His court, where He dispenses His commands and from where He oversees all His work.  Jesus reiterated this thought.  “But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING.”  Matthew 5:34-35.  Another verse that truly exemplifies how great God is.  “But will God indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built.”  2 Chronicles 6:18. He fills the known universe and the high heavens.  There is no place anywhere that He is not.

Proceeding to the second part of our focus verse, we see His eyes see everything within His vast empire, which is everything He has created, and also outside of this created universe.  He see all of our needs and all our desires.   God watches over everything; all we do, all we see, all we experience and all the dangers that may be near us. One thought here is that He is protecting us from whatever the enemy may do.  He is keeping us safe from whatever comes against us.  He knows what the enemy is planning long before he himself knew, for He does know the end from the beginning.  The theologian John Gill puts it this way.  “Knowing all this, we may be assured that he will interpose when it is best that he should interpose, and that he will suffer nothing to come upon us which it is not best that he should permit. When evil befalls us, therefore, it does not come because God does not know it, or because he could not prevent it, but because, seeing it all, he judges that it is best that it should thus occur.”  John Gill from his commentary on the Psalms.

And lastly, His eyelids test the sons of men.  In other words, He searches all men’s hearts, into the very depths of our beings, and knows our thoughts, intentions and designs, our wishes and desires.  He knows our emotional state and all that either brings us joy and peace, or sorrow and frustration.  There is nothing we can do to hide anything from Him.  And what does this tell us?  We can trust Him completely in everything.  We are safe in placing ourselves in His care.  In the next verse, the writer of this psalm adds, “The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates.”  What is intended here is that He hates the ways of this person and takes account of it.  This we cannot hide either.  He knows if our heart is filled with love or hatred, goodness or wickedness.  There is nothing He does not know about us.

In closing, I want to emphasize the idea that we are safe with Him.  We may not like what He allows us to experience, however, we must trust Him because He would never allow us to endure anything that was not going to have a good result.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. This is one of my favorite verses in the scriptures.

Take comfort in this focus verse.  It tells us that He fills all the heavens, in fact, the heavens are His throne, and He watches over us, not just in what we do, but the why’s and the how’s.  We can be content in knowing that we are safe and that nothing surprises Him.  And nothing can happen to us that He does not allow because of His great love.  Remember this during times of trial; it will help to brings us through.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

2 Samuel 7:13

Verse of the Day Devotion 2 Samuel 7:13 

“He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:13 

Up to Christmas day, I will be looking at the different prophesies which foresee the coming of the promised Messiah, Jesus the Christ.  He came here in order to offer the means of salvation for all.  An important idea to remember is that God knows everything and forgets nothing.  “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,” Isaiah 46:9-10.

This verse is part of a covenant God made with David.  The prophet Nathan was given a divine revelation from the Lord for David and his house.  God starts with a question. “Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in?” 2 Samuel 7:5. He continues by saying He has never dwelt in a house from the time He brought Israel out of Egypt to that current day, but have dwelt in a tent, a tabernacle.  Then He adds that He has never commanded any of the tribes to build a house for Him., “For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?” 2 Samuel 7:6-7.

God then proposes to build David a permanent home. He starts by reminding David, through Nathan, what He had done for Him.  “Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be ruler over My people Israel.  And I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth. I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly, even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies.” 2 Samuel 7: 8-11a. 

Then God, again through Nathan says. “The LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you.” 2 Samuel 7:11b.  This idea is a two-fold prophecy.  First, it speaks of Solomon, his direct descendent who would be the builder of the temple in Jerusalem.  However, this also speaks of Christ, and we see this through the words of the Apostle Peter in the book of Acts.  “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. is Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Acts 2:29-36.   

And Christ did build the house as mentioned in our focus verse, which again is “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”  2 Samuel 7:13.  And what is this house?  We are. “Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.” Hebrews 3:1-6.

In closing, what God, through Nathan, is communicating to David is that there will be one who will come into this world with the purpose of building a house for the Lord, which He did not call His people to build in the days of King David. However, it will be an offspring of His people who would build that house of the Lord, that being the Church.  Jesus, the Messiah, would come and make that happen.  And as Peter stated to the Jews, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Acts 3:36.  And this message is for all people, Jesus Christ came into this world, by way of David, and ultimately Mary, to bring His people together to be the house of the Lord and also to declare Himself to be the King who would rule an everlasting kingdom which never ends.  And it is in us that the Holy Spirit abides, in His Church: His house.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.