The verse highlights that God's communication in the past wasn't one grand pronouncement but came in "many portions and many ways." This emphasizes that God’s past revelations were partial, piecemeal, and varied in method, preparing the way for a fuller, more complete revelation in Christ.
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The author of Hebrews begins by establishing that God, who is speaking now, has a history of communicating with humanity. He reminds his audience that in the past, God revealed Himself through prophets in various ways and at different times, laying the groundwork for His ultimate message. This sets the stage to contrast those past revelations with the new and final one now being presented through His Son.
Ever felt like God's communication is sometimes hard to grasp? The writer of Hebrews acknowledges this, but in a way that builds trust, not doubt.
The verse begins by affirming that God spoke directly to His people. This wasn't a distant or silent deity. However, the way He communicated was carefully managed.
'In Many Portions'
This phrase highlights that God revealed Himself piece by piece. Think of it like a puzzle; each prophet, each event, added another piece. No single prophet, or even a collection of them, held the entire picture of God's plan. Revelation unfolded over time, with each part building on what came before.
'In Many Ways'
This points to the variety of methods God used: dreams, visions, direct speech, angelic messengers, symbolic acts, and even through human actions and history. God adapted His communication to the recipients and the unfolding of His plan. This wasn't random; it was a deliberate, multifaceted approach designed to prepare His people for something even greater.
Who were these 'fathers,' and why did God speak through prophets instead of directly to everyone?
The verse specifies God spoke 'unto the fathers by the prophets.' This tells us about both the recipients and the conduits of His message.
The 'Fathers'
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This refers to the ancestors of the Jewish people – figures like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. They were the foundational generation of God's covenant people. God was establishing a lineage and a history, and His communication was directed toward them to shape that lineage and their understanding of Him.
'In the Prophets'
God didn't speak directly to all the fathers in every instance. He chose specific individuals, the prophets, to be His spokespersons. The preposition 'in' (rather than 'by') is significant. It suggests God was present within the prophets, indwelling them, making them His living instruments. They weren't just delivering messages; God was speaking through their very being and words. This highlights both the authority of the prophetic word and the intimate way God worked through chosen vessels.
Understand the original words
nāḇîʾ · Hebrew Noun
An inspired spokesperson for God who conveys divine messages to humanity, often concerning current events or future divine interventions. Prophets were the primary vehicles of revelation under the Old Covenant.
eschatos hēmera · Greek Noun Phrase
The final epoch of human history initiated by the coming of Christ, marking the inauguration of the kingdom of God and the anticipation of the age to come.
huios · Greek Noun
A title emphasizing Jesus' unique ontological relationship with God the Father, denoting his divine nature, authority, and intimacy within the Trinity.
klēronomos · Greek Noun
The legal recipient of an inheritance; in a theological context, this refers to Christ's rightful authority and sovereignty over all creation, as ordained by the Father.
Hebrews 1:1 anchors its message in the long history of God's communication with humanity, emphasizing that the revelation through Jesus Christ is the ultimate and most complete 'speaking' of God, contrasting with the fragmented, varied messages of the past.
c. 2000 BC - c. 400 BC
Old Testament Revelation Period
God reveals Himself through a series of prophets, including Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Malachi, over roughly two millennia. This revelation is partial and varied in its delivery.
c. 400 BC - c. AD 1
Period of Prophetic Silence
Following the last of the Old Testament prophets (Malachi), there is a period of approximately 400 years with no new prophetic revelations recorded in Scripture.
c. AD 1 - c. AD 30
Ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus
The anticipated Messianic age dawns with the arrival of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, representing the culmination of God's planned communication.
c. AD 30 - c. AD 95— this verse
The Apostolic Age and Early Church
Following Jesus' ascension, the apostles and other New Testament writers continue to spread the Gospel, with the book of Hebrews likely written during this period.
This passage highlights the power and authority of God's word, comparing it to fire and a hammer, which resonates with the idea that God's communication, even in the past, was potent and impactful.
1 Samuel 3:1This verse shows God directly communicating with Samuel, illustrating the personal nature of God's communication, echoing the 'God spoke' theme in Hebrews 1:1 and the directness God had with individuals.
Deuteronomy 18:18This passage from the Old Testament explicitly states God's intention to raise up a prophet like Moses, directly connecting to the role of prophets as God's spokesmen, which is central to the opening of Hebrews.
Matthew 17:5The voice from the cloud declaring Jesus as God's 'beloved Son' is a pivotal moment where God speaks directly and authoritatively, marking a significant shift from the 'many times and in many ways' of the past to a singular, ultimate divine utterance.
Isaiah 40:8This verse emphasizes the enduring nature of God's word, stating that it 'will stand forever,' which underpins the significance of all God's past communications, including those through the prophets, as part of a continuous divine plan leading to Christ.
ellicottHebrews 1:1: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,"
(1) God, who at sundry times. . . . —The fine arrangement of the words in the Authorised version fails, it must be confessed, to convey the emphasis which is designed in the original. The writer’s object is to place the former revelation over against that which has now been given; and the remarkable words with which the chapter opens (and which might not inaptly serve as the motto…
pooleHebrews 1:1: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,"
Heb 1:1-3 The essential dignity of the Son, by whom God hath revealed himself in these last days. Heb 1:4-14 His pre-eminence above the angels in office. God: the apostle designing the conviction of these Hebrews by this discourse, enters on it solemnly, that if a God can awe them, the consideration of Him should gain credit to his doctrine. The God he speaks of is to be apprehende…
The verse highlights that God's communication in the past wasn't one grand pronouncement but came in "many portions and many ways." This emphasizes that God’s past revelations were partial, piecemeal, and varied in method, preparing the way for a fuller, more complete revelation in Christ.
The author of Hebrews begins by establishing that God, who is speaking now, has a history of communicating with humanity. He reminds his audience that in the past, God revealed Himself through prophets in various ways and at different times, laying the groundwork for His ultimate message. This sets the stage to contrast those past revelations with the new and final one now being presented through His Son.
The author of Hebrews begins by establishing that God, who is speaking now, has a history of communicating with humanity. He reminds his audience that in the past, God revealed Himself through prophets in various ways and at different times, laying the groundwork for His ultimate message. This sets the stage to contrast those past revelations with the new and final one now being presented through His Son.
"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world." — The verse highlights that God's communication in the past wasn't one grand pronouncement but came in "many portions and many ways." This emphasizes that God’s past revelations were partial, piecemeal…
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Last reviewed October 2026
