THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST (Part 8).
Hebrews 1. Verses 1-3 read:
God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 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 on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
We are still continuing our discussion on the supremacy of Christ. In the first chapter of the book of Hebrews, scripture makes some comparisons between Jesus and some entities to emphasise Christ’s exclusive and matchless status. Going forward, we will be analysing some of these comparisons.
According to today’s text, under the Old Testament, God spoke to his people by means of prophets. These prophets were men upon whom God’s spirit came to declare divinely inspired words. Such men were held in high regard by the general populace of Israel because out of their mouths proceeded divine instruction and divine direction. However, in these last days, beginning from the emergence of Jesus on the earth and the restorations that followed through the work of the Holy Spirit, God is speaking through his son. The term “son” primarily refers to Jesus Christ, and by extension, all who submit to the Lordship of Christ and who through the leading of the Holy Spirit exhibit Christ-likeness in person and operation.
Beloved, it takes the nature of Christ to effectively represent Christ. Yes, he who speaks for God must be Christ-like. Men of this calibre are the qualified sons by whom God is speaking these last days. By virtue of setting aside divinity and submitting himself to sonship, Jesus was appointed the heir of all things by the Father. It was also by Jesus Christ that the worlds were created. He lived an exemplary life by perfectly representing God on earth. His presence on earth was as good as God being present. No wonder his name, Emmanuel means, “God with us.” This is how the writer of the book of Hebrews describes Jesus Christ:
- The brightness of God’s glory. He did not represent God in dimness. His life was an undeniable glow. Hardened men like Paul encountered this glow and could not help but repent.
- God’s express image. Simply put, Jesus was a flawless mortal representation of the immortal God.
- The one who upholds all things by the word of his power. In his words were laden the power of preservation and sustenance. This is how come he could call dead Lazarus back to life.
- The one who sits at the right hand of Majesty. Thus, Jesus occupies the position of great authority.
None of the prophets; past, present, or yet to come, can match up to the standards aforementioned. Beyond declaring prophetic mysteries, Jesus lived to fully represent God. The outstanding qualities he exhibited affirm his superiority over all prophets.
SHALOM 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏