September 8 | Hebrews 1:5 & 13; Psalms 2 & 110
- Dave Mann
- Sep 8, 2025
- 2 min read
DAILY READING
REFLECTION
The Nature of God
By Dave Mann
No doubt, you have noticed that as a church, we are taking a deep dive into the letter of Hebrews this fall.
The author of Hebrews devotes some ink in chapter 1 to establish the fact that Jesus, as the Messiah, is superior to the angels.
Both Psalm 2 and Psalm 110 were (and still are) considered to be Messianic psalms, that is, they refer to the coming Messiah in a prophetic way.
In Hebrews 1:5a, the author quotes from Psalm 2:7 to show that the Messiah is superior to angels. He clearly states that the Lord refers to the Messiah (Jesus) as “Son.” Note that even the psalmist uses Trinitarian language of the “Father” and the “Son” hundreds of years before the early church fathers clarified the doctrine of the triune God – one holy God with three persons.
During his ministry on earth, Jesus used “Son of Man” as his preferred title. Nevertheless, some people also referred to Jesus as “Son of God.” Check out just a few of the passages in which Jesus is addressed as Son of God:
Impure spirits confessed Jesus’ eternal identity (Mark 3:14)
Martha’s confession of faith (John 11:27)
Peter’s confession of faith (Matthew 16:15-17)
The centurion at the foot of the cross (Matthew 27:54)
Note that Jesus never corrected those who ascribed to him the title which clearly states his divinity.
The author of Hebrews also quotes the opening verse of Psalm 110 to show that the Messiah is a descendant or “son” of David (lower than David), but he is also David’s lord (superior to David). How can both be true? God the Father says to the Son, “The LORD said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand.’” That is the power seat of the King. If you have attended a performance of Tetélestai, you may recall the scene when Jesus used Psalm 110:1 as a foil when the Pharisees tried to trap him in his words. (See Matthew 22:41-46.) This psalm (and Jesus’ words in Matthew 22) only make sense when viewed through the lenses of the doctrine of the Trinity, and the two natures of Jesus (human and divine).
This devotional is a bit more theological than normal, but it is important to understand that the church fathers and others did not invent doctrines. Rather, they have based their writings on what the Spirit of the Lord inspired in holy Scripture.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank you for inspiring the authors of your holy Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments to write what you will so that we can understand the truth of your nature as the Triune God from before all time began and into the eternal future. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DAVE MANN
I am a Pastor for Internationals (retired) in the UALC community. I am married to Pam, father of four, and grandfather of six. Pam and I have lived twenty of our years in other countries including France, Cameroon, Haiti, and Morocco. In retirement, we continue to enjoy writing devotionals, learning languages, and teaching English to internationals.
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