Heeding Counsel

Hebrews 2:1-4 underscores a reason to resist spiritual drifting. In the Old Testament, the reason is the ministry of God's Word through angels. In verses 3-4, another important reinforcement serves as a deterrent to wandering from the Lord and His Word.

Verse 2 down to verse 4 provides a form of parallelism, I've italicized the similar words. The word, spoken and the words, steadfast and confirmed correspond in the respective verses.

vs. 2 if the word spoken by angels



vs. 2 proved steadfast



vs. 3 which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord



vs. 3b and was confirmed


In verse 2, we're to heed the counsel of truth, God's Word, because it was administered at times in the Old Testament by angels (see Acts 7:38, 53), and God proved faithful and demonstrated His accountability about transgressing His Word spoken back then through them.

In verses 3-4, we're to heed God's Word and resist spiritual drifting, because in the day of God's final revelation of His Son, with the dawn of the New Testament, the Word is administered by the Trinity. Here we see greater seriousness about carelessness regarding sin, after all, God Himself gave His final revelation of truth and life.

Look at the triad of the Persons of the Godhead mentioned in connection to the giving of His Word in the New: the Lord (Jesus), God (the Father) and the Holy Spirit.

The Trinity, the fullness of God Himself, with the incarnation of Jesus in view, is to serve as a reinforcement as to why we will not escape His just accountability.

With the Father, Son and Holy Spirit at work, indeed, it is so great a salvation revealed and accomplished!

G. Mark Sumpter