Breathingbook

In Heb 1:4 we covered how Jesus is far better than the angels. Heb 1:5 begins a series where the author of Hebrews points specifically to fulfilled Old Testament prophecies describing the Messiah and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. These are given to strengthen one’s faith by clarifying what OT scriptures were fulfilled in Christ and offering explanation for things previously not understood. The entire book of Hebrews continues to do this, addressing believers undergoing extreme trials, suffering, and possibly persecution, who consequently were considering returning to the life they knew before coming to Christ (1 Pet 3:14-15).

Let us begin.

Heb 1:5 For unto which of the angels said He at any time, THOU ART MY SON, THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE? And again, I WILL BE TO HIM A FATHER, AND HE SHALL BE TO ME A SON?

Now, n0tice this first sections similarities to Psa 2:7.

Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten thee.

So, let’s break this down, step by step and proceed.

Heb 1:5 unto which of the angels said He at any time. This is to address those who have tried to place angels (called the sons of God in the OT Gen 6:1-8; Job 1:6-7; 2:1; 38:4-7) in a position superior to the Messiah. To paraphrase this: “Where,” in any of the Old Testament references to the sons of God, “did the Father ever refer to them as: Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee?” The answer, of course, is “no where.”

There is no record anywhere in the Bible of angels (even when referred to as sons of God), as ever being anything more than God’s created beings, fashioned specifically to serve and carry out defined purposes. Please see Heb 1:4 Jesus is better than the angels, and the forthcoming study on Heb 1:13 for more reference on angels.

Now, this particular phrase, “which of the angels said He” is spoken again in Heb 1:13, once again tying the opening of the Book of Hebrews to Heb 1:13‘s reference to Psalm 110 early on (see Heb 1:3 Majesty & Power of Jesus for more).

Heb 1:13 But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool?

Later on, we’ll see Heb 1:5 (Psa 2:7) tied to Psalm 110 in Heb 5:5-6, but more on that when we get ther

 Heb 1:5 For unto which of the angels said He at any time, THOU ART MY SON, THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE? And again, I WILL BE TO HIM A FATHER, AND HE SHALL BE TO ME A SON?

Heb 1:5THOU ART MY SON, THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE? This refers specifically to Psa 2:7, but actually is calling to remembrance the whole of Psalm 2 (Psa 2:1-12). So let’s open up Psalm 2 and take a look at it.

Psa 2:1-3 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His Anointed, saying,3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

Psa 2:1-2 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? This psalm begins with a reference to the Gentiles, because the Hebrew word here for “heathen” is gowy, which indicates a massing of foreign nations. The term “foreign” means those that belong somewhere else. In other words, they do not belong to the nation that does belong to God. Hence, the gentiles are those people who do not know God as the head of their nation.

There is also a derogatory picture of a “troop” of animals (a reference to collective beastly conduct) and a “flight” of locusts” (again, a collective known to tear down, decimate and destroy things for their own benefit).

H1471. gowy, go’ee; rarely (shortened) goy, go’-ee; apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence a Gentile; also (figurative) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:–Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

Thus the idea behind Psa 2:1-6 is that the heathen rage and “imagine” vain things. These “imagined vain things are those reasoning’s or computated thoughts which contradict the will of the Father and the Word of God (for more on the Gentiles, please see Gentiles What Are They Now).

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together. This speaks of those heads of government and rulers over the people counseling together and, because of their “vain imaginations,” they counsel together to set themselves against the Lord and His Anointed (which is the Messiah; God’s Son).

against the LORD, and against His Anointed. Here we see the forthcoming reference to “Thou are My Son, this day have I begotten thee” (Psa 2:7) is not just” any” son. The context of Psa 2:1-12 as a whole tells us the LORD’s Anointed IS His Son (Psa 2:7). It strongly reiterates Heb 1:5‘s reference to Psa 2:7 that the Messiah is clearly not to any angel. He’s definitively better than mere angels and effectually more powerful.

Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. This speaks of the kings and rulers of the earth’s knowledge that God is Almighty, and their vain imagination that they might walk outside of His rule.

Psa 2:4-6 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. This speaks of the LORD’s reaction to the vain imaginations the kings and rulers of the earth have about His Son.

Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure. This speaks of the last days when the LORD stands up to reveal Himself to the kings and rulers of the earth (the whole world).

Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion. This introduces the concept of Zion into the Book of Hebrews treatise (please see What is Zion for more).

Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten thee.

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto Me. This mentions “declaring the decree.” The Heb word for “decree” is “choq” and refers to things God says will be so and so. Only God can say these things, for His authority extends to believers through Jesus. We don’t venture to tell what to do, because we have the “fear of the Lord.”

H2706. choq, khoke; from H2710; an enactment; hence an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage):–appointed, bound, commandment, convenient, custom, decree (-d), due, law, measure, X necessary, ordinance (-nary), portion, set time, statute, task.

A decree is like a governmental ordinance. All kinds of people might continually try to break the ordinance (some might even think they’ve gotten away with it), but God’s decrees are everlasting and breaking them always has its way of catching up with you.

Thou art My Son this day have I begotten Thee? This verse not only declares the Lord’s Anointed (Psa 2:2) will be God’s Son (2 Sam 7:14), but also specifies it happens on a specific day of birth.

Psa 2:8,9 Ask of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

Ask of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for Thine inheritance Here, the LORD offers the heathen (Gentiles) to His Son for an inheritance, if they Son will only ask for them. Jesus the Son of God cares for all of God’s creations, so He asked. Thus, this speaks of the Gospel being extended to the Gentiles (the heathen) and it being fulfilled in the creation of the church for all those adopted into Jesus’ inheritance (Eph 1:17-20).

the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. This speaks of Jesus’ dominion over the whole earth.

Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. This is another reference to the fulfillment the LORD sending the rod out of Zion (Psa 2:6; Psa 110:2; Rev 12:5).

Psa 2:10-12 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling These are instructions in repentance as to what the kings and judges of the earth need to do if they are wise. Yet, to serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice (while at the same time trembling, that He in anyway might be displeased) is wisdom for anyone (at all times).

Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. This is an admonishment that reiterates the “serving the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling” statement. In other words, one kisses the Son to give Him honor, respect, reverence, establish loyalty, and to praise Him with your adoration).

Note Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, thus indicating the betrayal of Antichrist is one of false adoration and reverence intended to gain placement and not eternity. The bottom line is a warning that you really don’t want to anger the Son of God – not even a little!

Now, we return to Hebrews 1:5 for the second part of the verse, which references as a “Key Phrase” to 2 Sam 7:14.

Heb 1:5 For unto which of the angels said He at any time, THOU ART MY SON, THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE? And again, I WILL BE TO HIM A FATHER, AND HE SHALL BE TO ME A SON?

Consider how the second portion of Heb 1:5 is quoted from 2 Sam 7:14.

2 Sam 7:14 I will be His Father, and He shall be My Son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.

Heb 1:5 I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son This refers specifically to 2 Sam 7:14, but to get this, one must also consider what’s going on in that passage.

Backing up a bit (and paraphrasing a lot so we can to get the context), in 2 Sam 7:1-17 David desires to do something good for the LORD and decides to build the LORD a house to dwell in (2 Sam 7:2,7). So the LORD responds by sending Nathan the prophet to David, basically saying, you want to build a house for Me, rather, it’s I who will build a house for you (2 Sam 7:11b).

The LORD adds that after David has died, He will also set up a Seed (or Heir) from David whose kingdom the LORD will establish (2 Sam 7:12).

Let’s take a brief look at 2 Sam 11b-14.

2 Sam 7:11b,12 …the Lord telleth thee that He will make thee an house. 12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy Seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish His kingdom.

He will make thee an house… when thy days be fulfilled God will make David a house after David is dead and buried.

I will set up thy Seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels The LORD says this Heir will be born from the semen of David (but born long after David is dead). God says He’ll set this up to happen, meaning it’ll have the divine stamp of “God made it happen” upon it.

I will establish His kingdom God says He’ll be the one establishing this kingdom for David’s heir (thus, not the heir, so it’ll be a spiritual and not a physical thing).

2 Sam 7:13,14 He shall build an house for My Name, and I will stablish the throne of His kingdom for ever. 14 I will be His Father, and He shall be My Son. If He commit iniquity, I will chasten Him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.

He shall build an house for My Name This speaks of Jesus building the house, which is His body, the church or Tabernacle. Here, God clarifies, saying, house will be for “His Name.” This is alluding to the glorification of what only God can do as evidenced by believers who willingly give God all the glory for what God does through Him. In glorifying what God does, you exemplify the power of His Name. This is what Jesus did.

Everything the Son does affects His Father’s Name, and everything a believer does, does the same.

I will stablish the throne of His kingdom for ever This is to say, God will establish the throne of His kingdom for eternity. This means the “seed of David” will have eternal life.

I will be His Father, and He shall be My Son This says David’s Heir will be the Son of God. Not only will He have eternal life and live forever, but God will make Him His Son (Lk 1:34-35). This title God gives to no one, but Jesus. How could this One be both an Heir of David (a human) and also the Son of God? Through the virgin birth wherein the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, mother of Jesus, so that Jesus Christ could be born (Lk 1:34-35).

2 Sam 7:14 If He commit iniquity, I will chasten Him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men Now, even David thought at first this was referring to Solomon, but Solomon turned against God and committed iniquity. God then afflicted Solomon until Solomon died (1 Ki 11:11-14,25; 1 Ki 11:26-43; 1 Chr 28:2-9; 1 Ki 11:1-13; 1 Chr 28:9; Neh 13:25-26).

Heb 1:5 For unto which of the angels said He at any time, THOU ART MY SON, THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE? And again, I WILL BE TO HIM A FATHER, AND HE SHALL BE TO ME A SON?

So we see that Heb 1:5 packs quite the wallop in terms of pointing directly to the Supremacy of Jesus the Messiah (Anointed One) over angels (Heb 1:4). Jesus is the Messiah (Psa 2:2), God is His Father and He is the Son of God (Psa 2:7, 2 Sam 7:14). Yes, sir, because in just a few lines, it says a lot more than it appears on the surface.

Peace out!

Loris