Hebrews 1:10 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Hebrews 1:10

Comments

The writer now quotes from Psalm 102. This whole Psalm is a prayer to Jehovah, though verses 15-23 use the third person to speak of God. The words quoted come at the point where the psalmist returns to the second person and directly addresses the Lord again. The writer of Hebrews has modified the original under the Spirit’s guidance to introduce the prayer with the words ‘You, Lord’. These words do not come at this point in the original but are borrowed from earlier in the Psalm, yet they make clear who is being addressed.The One who was incarnate on earth was indeed Jehovah, who laid the foundation of the earth. He was there before any created thing existed and all that now exists owes its existence to his design and creative power. The same categories of earth and heaven that Genesis 1 speaks of are described here. The earth like a house is pictured as having a foundation. That is to say, its building was planned and it was established in such a way that it will remain stable long enough to fulfil the purposes that God intended for it. The earth is certainly not for ever, but it will last long enough for God’s purposes to be fulfilled; it is illustrated in terms of something which has a secure foundation, which has been laid. So it always was the will of Christ that the universe when he made it – regardless of the great change he would inflict upon it at the fall with the curse and the judgement, nevertheless he so laid the foundations that it would last for at least 6000 years. ‘And the heavens’ – the skies; looking into the night sky – ‘are the works of thy hands.’ What is the purpose of the heavens? Why were they put there? So massive, so wonderful, so much vaster than earth. Why is it there, this immense context in which this world is set? The vast expanse of the universe is an indication to mere earthlings of how much greater is the infinite living God than anything that we already know of him. David was brought up on this, out with the sheep caring for them at night. He stared frequently into the inky blackness and felt the greatness of God. It is a decoration to God to teach us, to impress us. Even the heavens and the most distant stars and galaxies are the work of the hands of the one who lived on earth and grew up in Nazareth. For though known only by the eye of faith, he is the Lord who made all things out of nothing. Such language was never used of angels, nor did they take part in creation, for they themselves were made by the Son of God.

Application

Why does it say ‘thine hands’ when we know that in fact the nearest human speech can get to it is to say that he did it at a word? Yes, it is right: he did it at a word, but it was done with all the care of a craftsmen working with his hands. When a craftsman is working with his hands, why is he spending so much time and trouble, paying so much attention to detail, being so careful to get it right? Because what he is doing is intending to please and to be beautiful and to command our attention and praise and our wonder. That is how God has created the skies – at a word, but as if with his hands to make something extraordinarily instructive and beautiful. That is the power, the goodness, and the kindness of God in fashioning things, and especially for his people.

Questions

This is one of about twelve instances in the New Testament where a quotation from the Old Testament, which originally used the word Lord, Jehovah, is ascribed to Jesus Christ. Such passages can be powerfully used against the Jehovah’s Witnesses to show them the error of their position. In this instance, it is good to start with the Psalm and to get their agreement that this is indeed a prayer addressed to Jehovah. We can then move to the Hebrews quote and show that the writer has there applied it to Jesus Christ with the obvious conclusion.

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

Hebrews 1:10 Commentary and Bible Study

Explain meaning of Hebrews 1:10