“God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son . . . .” Ch. 1:2. The prophets came and performed many powerful works for the people because they were stubborn. They prayed, and it did not rain. They got fire to fall down from heaven; they prayed again, and it rained. They got thunder and lightning to occur and the people were terribly afraid. 1 Sam. 12:18. They prophesied against the altars that were built for idols that they would be torn down and the ashes strewn about, etc. 1 Kings 13:5. This is how God spoke in various ways to the fathers by the prophets, but in these last days God speaks to us by His Son. He is a much greater messenger than the prophets. Behold how great the Son is! God has appointed Him heir of all things. Through Him He also made the worlds; He is the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and He upholds all things by the word of His power, who, therefore, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Ch. 1:2-3. As much as the Son is greater than the prophets, so He also has a much more important message to us. Peter says that through the knowledge of Him we have received the greatest and most precious promises so that we through them may be partakers of the divine nature. 2 Pet. 1:3-4. But who believes the message he has heard—that it is possible for a sinful person to partake of divine nature? In the epistle to the Hebrews the apostle explains God’s message to us by His Son, and He presents Him as the firstborn among many brethren. Ch. 1:6. Rom. 8:29. Thereby God has told us that we have the same possibilities as the Son. “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Ch. 2:10-11. “How shall we escape,” says the apostle, “if we neglect so great a salvation . . . ?” V. 3. And so Satan comes and speaks unbelief to people. He says, “After all, being called a brother of Jesus is just something you are called; you need to realize that you are different from Him because you have a flesh and are tempted to all kinds of things.” In order to counter this assertion, the apostle says, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil . . . . For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” Vs. 14, 18. “Not at all,” says Satan, relatives, and neighbors, “You must not imagine that you can overcome sin, and you are not an angel either!” Then you can simply answer with the apostle’s words: “If I were an angel He would not have helped me, but He does help the seed of Abraham.” V. 16. Angels are only ministering spirits that are sent out to minister for those who will inherit salvation. Ch. 1:14. Jesus came to help mankind, therefore He had to become like us in all things. Ch. 2:17. The apostle goes to great lengths to explain that Jesus did not come to do a great work in angels, but in man, and he says, “For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: ‘What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him?’” Vs. 5-6. Therefore it is an important message to us from God by His Son in letting Him be born into mankind. Satan has managed to obliterate these words from the preaching in our days, for it is the Antichrist and the deceiver who does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. 2 John 7. Think that God will subject the world to come, of which we speak, under His Son and His brothers! “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him . . . .” Ch. 3:1-2. God sent His Son who was faithful in His race as the Son of Man in this world and who, as our forerunner, has entered the Presence behind the veil. Ch. 6:19-20. God speaks powerfully to us through His Son’s race. We must have the same attitude if we want to reach the goal. Therefore we must consider Him who, despite the fact that He was the Son, learned obedience by the things He suffered. We must not harden our hearts but rather let the sufferings lead us to a life of obedience to God. 1 Pet. 4:19. This wasn’t an easy matter for Jesus either. In the days of His flesh He had to cry out with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death. Ch. 5:7-11. There is much to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, because people are dull of hearing when it concerns following Jesus on the way that He pioneered. Ch. 10:19-20. People stop when the going gets difficult. One would rather sin than suffer, and then pray for forgiveness. However, that is not God’s word to us by His Son, for the apostle says, “Let us go on to perfection . . . .” Ch. 6:1. Jesus was tempted in all things like we are, yet without sin, and these are precisely the steps He left behind: “Who committed no sin . . . .” 1 Pet. 2:22. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Read Hebrews 4:15-16. We read about how much they suffered for their faith in the old covenant; how much should we not suffer for something better that has been provided for us. Ch. 11:40. They fought in their days and were faithful to God’s word that was spoken to them by the prophets. But now we live. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us . . . looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Ch. 12:1-2. Just think that there is Someone sitting at the right hand of God who has been a Son of Man, and who said without ceasing during His sojourn on earth: “Follow Me!” We have a desire to say together with the poet: “Oh, too much to comprehend!” But it is not too much to grasp by faith, because Jesus is the captain of our salvation, and He can save us to the uttermost who come to God through Him since He ever lives to make intercession for us. Ch. 7:25. And the fact that there will be other people who will sit together with Him with the Father is brought out by the promise to the church in Laodicea: “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Rev. 3:21. We shouldn’t be amazed when we are contradicted by sinners when we preach this message. Jesus was contradicted as well. Let us consider Him so we do not grow weary in our souls. “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip us for every good work to do His will, working in us what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Ch. 13:20-21.Sigurd Bratlie