The Trinity - Hebrews 1:10-12

The Trinity

Common
Trinity
Personality
   of the Spirit
Christ
   Preliminary
  Strategy
  Genesis 1:26
  Genesis 3:22
  Isaiah 9:6
  Matthew 1:23
  Matthew 28:19
  John 1:1-3
  John 3:13
  John 5:23
  John 6:33,38,51
  John 6:62
  John 8:23
  John 8:58
  John 10:17,18
  John 10:30
  John 14:9
  John 17:5
  John 20:28
  Romans 9:5
  Philippians 2:6
  Col. 1:15,16
  Eph. 4:8-10
  Hebrews 1:2
  Hebrews 1:8
  Hebrews 1:10-12
  Hebrews 7:3
  Hebrews 10:5
  1 John 4:3
  1 John 5:20
  Revelation 3:14
Soul
Heaven
Hell
Satan/Demons
"Saved"
Baptism
Resurrection
Antichrist

Unique
Catholic
Mormon
SDA
JW
British Israel
Church
of Christ
Pentecostal
Islam

Science
Miracles
Evolution
Creation
Carbon Dating

Inspiration
Partial
Contradictions
& Inaccuracies

Hebrews 1:10-12: "And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail."
Problem:: The writer to the Hebrews quotes from Psalm 102:25-27. It is argued that the Father is the creator of heaven and earth in this Psalm. Since the writer to the Hebrews applies this Psalm to Christ to show that he has a more excellent name than the angels, therefore, it is argued, he must be the creator of the universe, and hence "Very God".
Solution:

The Psalm does not refer to the literal heavens and earth since these will not perish. Many Bible passages either state or imply the continued existence of the earth. (Isa. 45:18, cf. Isa. 11:9, Num. 14:21, Hab. 2:14; Ecc. 1:4; 1 Chron. 16:30; Psa. 93:1; 104:5). The "heavens and earth" are used figuratively elsewhere in Scripture. (e.g. 2 Peter 3:12, 13 cf. Isa. 65:17; 66:22 where it is apparent that the literal earth is still in existence.)
Psalm 102 is Messianic. It was written for the "generation to come: and the people which shall be created". (vs. 18 cf. vs. 13-16). The Messiah is now making new men and women for his kingdom. In the New Testament, "create" is frequently used in reference to this regenerative work of the Lord. (Eph. 2:10, 15; 4:23, 24; Gal. 6:15,¹ 2 Cor. 5:17; James 1:18).
The heavens and earth which were to pass away, rolled up like a garment, are the Mosaic "heavens and earth". This is indicated by the following:
1. The writer to the Hebrews elsewhere in his epistle alludes to the language of Psalm 102:26 in describing the termination of the Mosaic order: "Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." (Hebrews 8:13).
2. The people "that shall be created" (Psalm 102:18) refers to those in the new covenant. It was prophesied of Christ: "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first {old covenant}, that he may establish the second. By the which will we {believers} are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 10:9). Again, the context indicates the termination of the Mosaic order.
3. The argument in Hebrews 1 is that the Son hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than the angels. (Hebrews 1:4). The reference to the Mosaic "heavens and earth" is an effective argument since angels administered this constitution. (Acts 7:38, 53; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2). This was the constitution to be folded up as a garment by the Son - therefore the Son must have a more excellent name than the angels.

Footnotes:

The Greek word "ktisis" means "a making, thing made" and is translated by the word "creature" in this passage. See Robert Young, Analytical Concordance to the Holy Bible, (London: Lutterworth Press, 1967). In the other references cited, the Greek word is "ktizo", which means "to make, produce". Ibid. Return