Written ~ 10-22-2023
Hebrews 1:1-4
1“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.
2 And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son He created the universe.
3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.
4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave Him is greater than their names.”
When the author of Hebrews starts out in verses one and two, he is reminding its readers that God spoke about Christ through the Old Testament by way of the prophets and also how He speaks to us through the words of Christ. One prominent Scripture in the Old Testament is Isaiah chapter 53. Take time to read that chapter, it’s awesome to see how clearly it points to Christ (I’ll write it out at the end of today’s journaling). Then, throughout the New Testament Jesus points to the Scriptures and confirms they are speaking about Him. Here are some examples:
Luke 24:25-27
25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering His glory?” 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Luke 24:44-48
44 Then He said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And He said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of His name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.”
John 5:39
39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to Me!”
During the time Jesus was here on earth, His ministry caused a lot of division, the religious leaders did not believe He was the Messiah, that’s why He said so many times that the Scriptures pointed to Him. But Jesus also pointed out to them that they did not know the Father either, that’s why they didn’t know Him.
John 8:18-19
18 I am one witness, and My Father who sent Me is the other.” 19 “Where is your father?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who My Father is. If you knew Me, you would also know My Father.”
Because of the unbelief of the religious leaders, even though they studied the Scriptures, their minds were closed, they did not want to see who Jesus really was, that He was the Messiah they were waiting for. My prayer is that our minds would be open to the Scriptures, our hearts open to the truths we are reading in the Bible and know without doubt that Jesus Christ is the Messiah.
From our passage for today, let’s concentrate now on verse 1:3,
“The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.”
I absolutely love where it says, “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God.” Do you know what that means to me personally? It means since I have Jesus Christ the Messiah residing within me as my Lord and as my Savior, His Radiance, God’s Radiance shines through me too! If Jesus expresses who the Father is and I am supposed to be like Christ and be transformed in His image, then I too must express the character of God. The Message (MSG) says, “…The Son perfectly mirrors God…” Do we mirror the characteristics of Jesus and of God? Something to think about.
“…He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command…”
The Lord’s Word is powerful, whatever He says goes, His command is obeyed. When you think of all creation, nothing would remain if it weren’t for the powerful Word of the Lord. “He sustains everything…”
“When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.”
Once Christ had achieved what He came to earth to do, He ascended to Heaven and now remains in the place of honor, seated at the right hand of Almighty God. The purpose for Jesus to come to earth was to become the ultimate sacrificial Lamb of God. He knew all during His ministry that He would lay His life down for us, so we might be saved from the penalty of sin and death. I would imagine, that when He witnessed the unbelief, He was grieved. But when His time came, He died on the cross to cleanse us from our sins. And now He rules in Heaven with the Father and awaits the moment He can bring us home.
Verse 1:4.
4 “This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave Him is greater than their names.”
These verses in Hebrews gives us a wonderful glimpse into not only who Jesus is, but also who God is… Jesus is the Son of God. God’s love for His Son is immeasurable. But one way we see that love is in verse 1:4, the name God gave His Son is greater than any of the names given to the angels… “the name God gave Him is greater than their names.” At the end of today’s journaling I will write out the rest of Hebrews chapter one, it is awesome to see what God says about His Son.
My prayer today would be that we all know and believe who Jesus Christ is. He is the Son of God, He reflects God’s character, He has mighty power in His words and His Name is above all names. If you haven’t made the decision to accept Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior, why not do it now? By praying this simple prayer with a sincere heart, brings you into the very presence of God! You are inviting His Son into your life. It’s pretty awesome! Pray the following…
Dear Jesus, You know my heart, all the things I have done and said. Please forgive me for my unbelief. Please forgive me for all of my sins. I believe You are the Son of God. I believe You came to earth to die on the cross for my sins. I believe You rose from the dead to give me freedom from sin and death. By faith through believing in Who You Are, I accept You as my Lord and Savior. Come into my life, cleanse this heart of mine, white as snow. Help me not to doubt any longer and breathe life into me, fill me with Your light. Thank You Jesus! Amen.
If you solemnly prayed this prayer, tell at least one person, so they can share in your joy!! I rejoice with you! All the angels in Heaven rejoice with you! And just as Jesus said, “Peace be with you.”
~AMEN~
The following is the rest of Hebrews chapter one – it’s verses 5-14… after that I have included Isaiah chapter 53…
Hebrews 1:5-14:
5 For God never said to any angel what He said to Jesus:
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.”
God also said,
“I will be His Father,
and He will be my Son.”
6 And when He brought His supreme Son into the world, God said,
“Let all of God’s angels worship Him.”
7 Regarding the angels, He says,
“He sends His angels like the winds,
His servants like flames of fire.”
8 But to the Son He says,
“Your throne, Oh God, endures forever and ever.
You rule with a scepter of justice.
9 You love justice and hate evil.
Therefore, Oh God, your God has anointed You,
pouring out the oil of joy on You more than on anyone else.”
10 He also says to the Son,
“In the beginning, Lord, You laid the foundation of the earth
and made the heavens with Your hands.
11 They will perish, but You remain forever.
They will wear out like old clothing.
12 You will fold them up like a cloak
and discard them like old clothing.
But You are always the same;
You will live forever.”
13 And God never said to any of the angels,
“Sit in the place of honor at My right hand
until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”
14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.
Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our message?
To whom has the Lord revealed His powerful arm?
2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about His appearance,
nothing to attract us to Him.
3 He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
4 Yet it was our weaknesses He carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed Him down.
And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for His own sins!
5 But He was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on Him
the sins of us all.
7 He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet He never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
He did not open His mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned,
He was led away.
No one cared that He died without descendants,
that His life was cut short in midstream.
But He was struck down
for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But He was buried like a criminal;
He was put in a rich man’s grave.
10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush Him
and cause Him grief.
Yet when His life is made an offering for sin,
He will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in His hands.
11 When He sees all that is accomplished by His anguish,
He will be satisfied.
And because of His experience,
My righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
for He will bear all their sins.
12 I will give Him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because He exposed Himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.