Breathingbook

This is part two of the section on Heb 1:8,9 which quotes from Psa 45:6-7. For Heb 1:8, please see Heb 1:8 Jesus is God.

Heb 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy fellows.

Thou hast loved righteousness The Gk. word for “loved” used here is “agapao.”

G25. agapao, ag-ap-ah’-o; perhaps from agan (much); to love (in a social or moral sense):–(be-) love (-ed). Compare G5368. (“…the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety… being chiefly of the heart.” – From G5368’s note on G25.)

In brief, agapao, is a decision made in one’s heart to hold something in a “regard of  love.” One also might call it a “place” one sets aside in one’s “heart.” This is the “regard” and not the “expression” of love. The “expression” of love is the Gk. word ”agape.” (For more on ”agapao/agape,” please see Understanding Agapao/Agape Love).

“Thou hast loved righteousness” means that God loves righteousness and holds in a special regard in His heart. The Gk. word used here for “righteousness” is “dikaiosune,” which means “to have equity in one’s character or deeds.” 

G1343. dikaiosune, dik-ah-yos-oo’-nay; from G1342; equity (of character or act); specially (Christian) justification: — righteousness.

The idea of equity of character or deed follows the principle of God being sovereignly pure and good. This belief should cause all to, not only believe in God, but also to trust in Him. This entails believing His Words and instructions, provided one can verify they are, indeed, God’s. This emphasizes the importance, again, of knowing God’s Word for oneself, for that is the only way to identify God short of His standing right in front of you: He does not contradict Himself.

For an example of what righteousness is, let’s go to the first mention of it in the bible where Abram (later called Abraham) believes God and God accounts it to Abram as “righteousness” (Gen 15:2-6).

Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness.

So to paraphrase:
God said, “Abram, I’m going to do this.”
Abram answers, “Yes, Lord, I believe you will with all my heart.”
To which God responds, “That’s right” (-eous).

What happened was God said something and Abram believed He was telling the truth. Abram did not question that God would do what He said He was going to do, because that would be calling God untrue. Calling or insinuating that God might say something untrue, questions His integrity, purity, goodness, and love.

Therefore, believing what God says is true, is righteousness. This is exemplified by believers believing on Jesus Christ as Savior and thereafter in the promises of God’s Word.  By the way, this is also loving (agapao/agape) God.

Heb 1:9 Thou hast loved  righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy fellows.

hated iniquity At first glance, one might find it perplexing to find that God, who is love (1 Jn 4:8) actually hates. Hate is love’s regression or pulling back. Simply put, the Gk. word for “hate” used here is “miseo,” which means to “love less.”

G3404. miseo, mis-eh’-o; from a primary misos (hatred); to detest (especially to persecute); by extension to love less:–hate (-ful).

So, God hates “iniquity.” The Gk. word for “iniquity” is “anomia” and it is defined as “lawlessness, violation, wrongdoing, unrighteousness and wickedness.”

G458. anomia, an-om-ee’-ah; from G459; illegality, i.e. violation of law or (genitive case) wickedness:–iniquity, X transgress (-ion of) the law, unrighteousness.

Basically, because God is true, pure, perfect, loving, righteous, and has no respect of persons (Rom 2:7-12; Col 3:23-25; Eph 6:8-9; Jam 2:1-4), He has designed instructions for His children and spoken to them from time to time about them. Those that are against God’s instructions practice illegality (violation of those instructions) and are wicked and unrighteous. They not only stand in direct antithesis to God and all that He stands for, but are also a threat to His children.

Therefore, God hates (loves-less) iniquity.

Whenever God does “anything” on the behalf of protecting His children, He is also supernaturally coming against iniquity (wickedness and unrighteousness). Ultimately, when God casts satan into the lake of fire, He will ”love satan less,” but His act will be an “expression” of His agape love for His children in protecting them from further harm. This is similar to a murderer breaking into your home and threatening your family’s lives. You protect your family, but you do not allow yourself to become wicked or unrighteous in order to do so.

Believers are instructed to love one another (Jn 13:35) and to leave justice and vengeance to God (Rom 12:18-21). Whenever believers cease to express love (agapao/agape) to ourselves or others, that is a dangerous state.  The Apostle John taught that when a believer hates (loves less) that is to commit spiritual murder (1 Jn 3:14-16).

Heb 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy fellows.

therefore God, even thy God This is testifying that God the Father is the God of Jesus Christ, very much reminiscent of Psa 110:1.

Psa 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.

This is basically saying that the Father remains the God of Jesus Christ, reiterating once again the scriptural reality of “God, the Father” and “God, the Son.”

Heb 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy fellows.

hath anointed thee with the Oil of gladness above thy fellows Earlier I wrote about how believing what God says is true and trustworthy is “righteousness.” There is also a special blessing for actually doing it. This blessing is called the Oil of Gladness (sometimes also translated the Oil of Joy). I’ve expounded in previous posts on what the Oil of Gladness is, but basically it is believing fully in both the fulfilled promises of God and those promises that are yet to be fulfilled. For more on the Oil of Gladness, please see Psa 45 and What is the “Oil?” 

Therefore, “hath anointed thee with the Oil of gladness above thy fellows” means that Jesus fully believed in the promises of God. Not only in the prophecies concerning Himself and everything the Father instructed Him to do, but also in the promises as they relate to the salvation of His children.

Jesus Christ believed God through great adversity: He grew up being different than everyone else, His family disowned Him, and He was mocked, persecuted, beaten and crucified. Yet, He loved the praise of God more than men.

Now, because of the faith of Jesus Christ in the goodness and truthfulness of the Father, every believer receives the promise of Jesus Christ when He is received into their lives. And – whenever we go through something – it is that promise “of our salvation” – that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us – that brings us through our trials. He will do everything He has said!

And “that” is the “oil” that continues to burn in our lamps no matter what – though we be in the midst of darkness in our own midnight hours – such as in the parable of the Ten Virgins.

I hope that every believer who reads this post understands the gist of the Oil of Gladness. Remember how I said it was sometimes translated the Oil of Joy? Well, when Jesus announced the beginning of His ministry in His home town of Nazareth, He made a statement in the synagogue:

Lk 4:18-20 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.20 And He closed the book, and He gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him.

In this statement, Jesus begins by quoting a section from Isa 61. He says the first part of the section and then, stopping, as if in the middle of it, He sits down, as if the last part of the section would be fulfilled at another time.

I’m going to put the whole section here so you can see it.

Isa 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the Oil of Joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.

Notice here the additional prophesies of “beauty for ashes,” the Oil of Joy for mourning,” and the “garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…” Brethren, the promises of God are for you and me. In righteousness, let us, therefore, receive them.

Peace out!

Loris Anne James