Hebrews: Jesus is the 'I Am"

Introduction to Chapter 2
This chapter, as well as throughout the Book of Hebrews, is the revelation from God concerning Jesus that God’s theme is repeated throughout the chapters of a book concerning the supremacy of Christ, the sufficiency of Christ Jesus for salvation, faith, hardening of the heart (becoming Dull of Hearing) and spirituality immaturity being carried away by popular opinion and fear of persecution for their faith in Christ Jesus, instead of holding fast to the word of God. This chapter 2 starts with the warning and exhortation regarding neglecting our salvation, using the disobedience of Hebrews as an example. Who ended up wandering the desert for 40 years because of their lack of faith and unbelief. Until they die in the desert, unable to enter God’s rest in the land of promise!!!

[Hebrews 2:1-4 NKJV] 1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard [Him], 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

[Hebrews 2:1 NKJV] 1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

The question is why is the author warning us to give more earnest heed. In other words more serious and zealous attention to the word to the Gospel. The author first establishes who God is claiming the Son of God is by drawing us back to chapter 1 with “Therefore” giving us the reason to why we must earnestly obey.

[Hebrews 1:1-3 NKJV] 1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by [His] Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of [His] glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Scripture clearly establishes who Jesus is in the old and new testaments as God. Remember in Exodus 3, Moses tending to the sheep, when he sees the burning bush. When the Angel of the LORD appears in a burning bush.

Moses not only heard God’s voice; he saw God the pre-incarnate Christ.

[Exodus 3:2 NKJV] 2 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush [was] not consumed.
Next
[Exodus 3:5 NKJV] 5 Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand [is] holy ground."
Moses takes off his sandals and bows down to worship the Pre-Incarnate Jesus.
Moses asked God who shall I say sent me?
[Exodus 3:14 NKJV] 14 And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' "
I Am in Hebrew is Haya & in Greek is Ego Eimi

[John 8:54-59 NKJV] Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55 "Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw [it] and was glad." 57 Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
The importance of this statement is that Jesus was invoking and claiming to be Yehova/ Yahweh and the Jewish leaders understood that was claiming to be God!!!
There are seven other times Jesus uses the I AM
1st, [John 6:35 NKJV] 35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
2nd, John 8:12 I am the light of the world, 3rd, John 10:7 I am the door of the sheep, 4th, John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep., 5th, [John 11:25-26 NKJV] 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?", 6th, [John 14:6 NKJV] 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. & 7th, [John 15:1 NKJV] 1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.