God’s Ultimate Word

MEMORY SELECTION: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.” —Hebrews 1:1,2

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:1-8

DOWN through the ages, the Heavenly Father spoke to the fathers of the nation of Israel and to the prophets concerning his plans for the redemption and recovery of the Israelites, and with them the world of mankind. He spoke to those servants of old in types and shadows and in prophecies that at the time were not fully understood. Why, we might ask, did not the Heavenly Father speak clearly concerning his plans and purposes? The answer is that God’s plan of redemption and reconciliation is developed in stages or ages and dispensations. The extent of revelation during any period of time depended on whether more information was needed to accomplish the work to be done in that particular age.

The Apostle Peter, in speaking of the church, said regarding the prophets, “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” (I Pet. 1:10,11) All this was kept as a mystery because information about the church was not pertinent to the work then being done.

But when Jesus came on the scene it marked the beginning of a new stage or age in the development in God’s plans and purposes. It marked the activation of the Sarah feature of the Abrahamic Covenant. It was under this covenant that Abraham’s seed was to be developed, which was to be a spiritual seed that would bless all the families of the earth. (Gen. 22:16-18; Gal. 3:16,26-29) In order for Jesus to have the instructions needed to fulfill the Father’s purpose, God enlightened his mind and revealed to him hidden secrets that had been recorded many ages before by the prophets. These things had not been understood until they were revealed to Jesus by God’s Holy Spirit.

The account of Jesus being baptized of the Holy Spirit is recorded in Matthew 3:16. “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.” The thought of “the heavens” being opened to him implies gaining a knowledge of spiritual things. When Jesus came to John the Baptist, he was a perfect man, and with his perfect mind he knew the written Word. But the secrets hidden there were secrets to him also until the Holy Spirit revealed those hidden things to him.

The prophecy concerning Jesus in Isaiah 53:11 states, “By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.” The Apostle Paul speaking of Jesus said, “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.” (II Tim. 1:10) Jesus was the one to whom the Heavenly Father first revealed his sacred secrets. Then, starting with Pentecost, these same secrets were revealed to the apostles through the Holy Spirit and thence to all of the spirit-begotten footstep followers of Jesus down through the Gospel Age.

The fathers of the nation of Israel and the prophets knew that there was to be a kingdom here on earth, and God in his wisdom had revealed to them that they were to have a part in that kingdom arrangement. (Heb. 11:9,10,26) But they did not know that there was to be a heavenly phase of the same kingdom from which the authority and ruling power would flow to the earthly phase.

It was this heavenly phase of the kingdom that Jesus brought to light through the Gospel. The opportunity to have a part in this heavenly arrangement was made possible to the footstep followers of Jesus down through the Gospel Age because God had designed that the Holy Spirit would reveal this to them and instruct them how to attain it. The Apostle Paul states, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God … and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”—Rom. 8:14,17

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