Heading into the New Year is a good time to renew your view of Christ the Lord. In Hebrews 1:1-3, the apostle reminds us of how great a Savior Christ is.
The book of Hebrews has as many warnings to professing Christians as any New Testament epistle. It is written to Christian Jews wavering in their faith. They have been prone to neglecting their faith and have experienced suffering, which has made them consider returning to Judaism.
Their lack of growth in the faith has rendered them vulnerable to false teaching and the danger of apostasy. It wasn’t easy for them to hear from Jews that by faith in Christ they had forfeited the law, the temple; and forefathers such as Abraham, Moses, and David.
The apostle writing to them, a Jew himself, basically walks them through Old Testament scriptures throughout the epistle, reminding them that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Scriptures; he is the Christ the prophets wrote about. Abraham, Moses, David, and all the prophets wrote of him, are with him, are redeemed by him, and are examples of faith in Christ. To leave faith in Christ Jesus is to abandon their forefathers and to forfeit the promises of God.
In verse one, he contrasts the Old Testament prophets with 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.” The “last days” mean the age of fulfillment, the time after Christ has been born.
In Luke 24, after his resurrection, Jesus spoke to two disciples on the road to Emmaus and explained to them Moses and the prophets, including what was written about his sufferings. Christ is not only the great prophet Moses wrote about, and the descendant of David who will be a king forever, but also is the High Priest who offered himself as a sacrifice for the sins of his people. Scripture is one unified revelation that comes to completion in Christ.
There is a difference between the servants (the prophets) and the Son (Christ). Isaiah was a great prophet, but in the holy presence of God he said, “Woe is me.” The central subject of Isaiah’s writing was Christ. God seals the promises of the prophets in Christ; God speaks salvation to us through his Son; to leave Christ is to reject the truth and abandon the only way to God.
For the Son of God to speak to men is a great mercy to souls. His word is a sure word. If you believe in Christ, it is because he has spoken to you. He has called you; he has forgiven your sins; he knows your name; he gives you eternal life. Consider who it is that has redeemed you.
In verses 2-3, the apostle lists 7 wondrous truths about Christ, the Son of God. God appointed him “Heir of all things,” (including all the redeemed and the New Heaven and New Earth) “through whom he created the world.” You cannot delegate the omnipotence and infinite wisdom it takes to create the world. Christ is very God of very God, our Creator.
“He is the radiance of the glory of God.” The shekinah glory in the Old Testament represented God dwelling with his people. Jesus is our Immanuel, God with us. When we see his glory, we see the glory of God. “The exact imprint of his nature.” In Christ we see the moral character of God, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
“He upholds the universe by the word of his power.” All the laws and physics men discover are but small advances toward grasping the infinite mind of Christ. He made “purification for sins.” Only he could purge sin in a way consistent with the honor of divine perfections, for God to be just in justifying the sinner. “He sat down at the right hand of Majesty on high.” Christ rules, not Satan, not evil; the Lord Jesus will set all things right in due time and judge all men.
The apostle reminds us of the glory of Christ as Creator and Redeemer. You can see why he says in chapter 2 says, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.” To leave or neglect Christ amounts to unbelief. Be in awe of him, fear him, cry to him, delight in him, love him, fall down at his feet and worship him - but don’t neglect him.
