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“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 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; 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, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

For to which of the angels did He ever say:

‘You are My Son. Today I have begotten You’? And again: ‘I will be to Him a Father. And He shall be to Me a Son’?

But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says:

‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’

And of the angels He says:

‘Who makes His angels spirits? And His ministers a flame of fire?’

But to the Son He says:

‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You, With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.’

And:

‘You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain;
And they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will fold them up,
And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.’

But to which of the angels has He ever said:

‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool’? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”

What we just read is the entire first chapter of the book of Hebrews!

The text above — titled ‘God’s Supreme Revelation’ in the New King James Version, and ‘The Supremacy of God’s Son’ in the English Standard Version — is one of the most forceful introductions of Jesus and who He is.

God used to speak through the prophets in the past; but in these last days, He spoke through His Son!

Jesus had earlier given a less poetic rendering — a parable — to illustrate and explain why God had to send the Son, and what happened when God sent the Son.

READ Matthew 21:33-45

^” ‘Hear another parable: There was a certain landownerwho planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers andwent into a far country.  Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent hisson to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves,‘This is the heir.Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

‘Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?’

They said to Him, ‘He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected as become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

‘Therefore I say to you,the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. Andwhoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls,it will grind him to powder.’

Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.”  (Matthew 21:33-45)

I have often heard people argue that Christianity is a Jewish religion, and that the statements Jesus made were not meant for non-Jews, like me.

Bible is however replete with a lot of proof to show that God involves non-Jews in His grand plan.

First is the statement in Hebrews 1, which contrasts how God used to speak in the past — through prophets — and how He has spoken in these last days — through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2)

Second is the statement in John 1, 10-12, which says,

“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

God decided to throw His call wide open, to those “Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

This used not to be so. All these happened because there was a prophecy long ago by the prophet Jeremiah which said,

^“‘Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—  not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their  hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’”(Jeremiah 31:31-34)

This prophecy — about Jesus Christ, and His work through the Holy Spirit — was rejected by Israel and Judah when it was manifested by their rejection of the divinity and son-ship of Jesus.

The invitation was therefore thrown wide open(John 1:12), and that gave non-Jews like us to also be called God’s people.  

It is no more about blood relationships; but rather those who received Him, who believed in His name.

I am one of them. Are you one too?

You are invited if you are not one of us.

(You can click this link and follow the instructions here if you don’t know what to do, or where to start)

MEMORY VERSE

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of blood…but of God.” (John 1:12 -13)

QUESTIONS

1. Have you had doubts, or been questioned, about why you believe the Bible, and in Jesus Christ?  

2. Do you now have enough information about the basis of your Faith?

PRAYER TIP

God almighty, thank you for counting us worthy to become your children and partake in your goodness.

Written by:

BENNY MALM

For:

TESTIMONY DEVOTIONAL

URGENT CALL

If you don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior, you need to do that now!

Please visit ‘The Believer’s Prayer’ for guidance.

We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page. God bless you.

🌹 SPECIAL GRATITUDE 🌹

Thank you for visiting the Testimony Devotional Website. 

We would not have gotten here without your prayers, goodwill and overall support. We are grateful, and humbled. 🙇🏽‍♀️🙇🏽‍♀️🙇🏽‍♀️🙇🏽‍♀️🙇🏽‍♀️🙇🏽‍♀️

We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission.