LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Hearing God Today
"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe" (Hebrews 1:1-2).
When Abraham heard in faith the words of God concerning his descendants, he was counted as righteous (Gen. 15:5-6; Gal. 3:5-6). By the word of God, Abraham's hearing was awakened and produced faith in his heart. And by that faith he was declared righteous.
Now, what is the word of God that we are to believe, in an age so different from that in which Abraham lived? We do not have a word from God concerning our descendants, nor do we have a word from God concerning a system of atoning sacrifices, like that of Moses.
God's word to us today has to do with his Son Jesus Christ. The verse quoted tells us that in these last days God has spoken to us by (or "in") the Son. That is, God's message to us, which we are to hear as Abraham heard the message concerning his descendants, is Christ. And by believing him, we will be declared righteous.
The message given to Abraham required faith to be believed and received, for the patriarch's conditions were not the best -humanly speaking- to believe it. In the same way, the message of God who is Christ requires faith, because we do not see him, nor has he appeared to us; we have not heard him, nor have we seen him.
God's message today is very peculiar, because it is not composed of words: it is a person. A Person who spoke and who did things that we must believe in order to be declared righteous. That is why the Father presented him thus: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17), as if to say: "See this Person, who he is and what he does". And further on, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him" (Matt. 17:5), as if to say: "Hear ye this Person".
What Christ was, and what he did and said is, on the whole, the message of God that we are to believe in order to be declared righteous. What attitude are we having toward him? How are we seeing him? How are we hearing him? Who is he to us? Undoubtedly, God's message today is far more powerful than the one he gave to Abraham, for the Scripture says that this Son is the heir of all things, and by whom also he made the universe. It is more powerful because it is not a mere message about things, but a person, and not an ordinary person, but the Son of God.
The whole Christ is God's message to us today. Christ made the Father known to us, showed us his love, his noble purpose for us. The Father sent him from heaven to seek and save us. Christ took our place, as an evildoer, on the cross, so that God's wrath would not fall upon us. God's message -that is, Christ- is a gift, an inheritance, a way, a heaven; nothing less than God himself, and an eternity with him.