God's Final Word: The Supremacy of Christ

HEBREWS 1:1-4

The Radiance of His Glory: Unveiling the

Bible Passage: Hebrews 1:1-4

OPENING STATEMENT

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE PEOPLE WHO THIS LETTER WAS WRITTEN TO, WERE NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN OUR OWN IN MANY ASPECTS I BELIEVE. SURE ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY MAKE THE LANDSCAPE AND HOW WE COMPLETE OUR DAILY TASKS LOOK MUCH DIFFERENT BUT THINGS ARE VERY MUCH THE SAME. THE TYPES OF PEOPLE AND THE TYPES OF PROBLEMS THAT THEY WERE HAVING PROBABLY EXIST IN THIS VERY ROOM AND IM EVEN MORE CERTAIN THAT THEY DO OUTSIDE OF THESE WALLS. THERE ARE BELIEVERS, SOME OF STRONG FAITH, SOME OF WEAK FAITH AND ONES THAT MAY BE STRUGGLING FROM CHANGING FROM ONE BELIEF SYSTEM TO ANOTHER OR TRYING TO SEE THE TRUTH AS THEY SHOULD BUT MAYBE SUFFER FROM MISUNDERSTANDING OR BAD TEACHING. THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT THINK THEY ARE SAVED BUT ARE NOT, THERE’S PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING THAT SCRIPTURE SAYS IS TRUE BUT FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER WILL NOT TRUST IN THE GOSPEL OR COMMIT THEMSELVES TO CHRIST’ AND THEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO DONT BELIEVE AND DON’T CARE TO KNOW WHY THEY SHOULD. THE AUTHOR OF THIS LETTER( WHOEVER IT IS) WAS DEALING WITH PEOPLE WITH ALL SORTS OF ISSUES. SOME PERSONAL, SOME SOCIETAL, SOME FROM THE JEWISH ESTABLISHENT THAT DID NOT RECOGNIZE JESUS AS THE MESSIASH THAT WOULD OF PUT QUESTIONS OF CHRIST’S VAIDITY IN THEIR MINDS, HIS CO EQUAL NATURE WITH THE FATHER WOULD HAVE COME INTO QUESTION, ANY DOUBT THAT COULD BE PLACED THERE WOULD BE USED.THERE WAS PROBABLY PERSECUTION FROM THE ROMAN GOVERMENT TO THE POINT WHERE THESE BELIEVERS BEGAN TO QUESTION IF FOLLOWING CHRIST WAS WORTH IT. WE DONT KNOW FOR SURE WHAT COMMUNITY THIS LETTER WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR BUT I DONT THINK IT REALLY MATTERS BECUASE ALL OF THESE ISSUES ( AND MORE I’M SURE) ARE HIGHLY LIKELY AND EXIST AMONGST US TODAY. SATAN IS NOT A ONE TRICK PONY. HE USES ALL SORST OF MEANS TO DISCOURAGE US, TO DISTRACT US, TO PERSUADE US TO BELIEVE IN ANYTHING BUT THE TRUTH.

1. Prophets Prepared the Path

Hebrews 1:1

GOD’S REVELATION THROUGH THE OLD TESTAMENT COVERS A VAST TIME PERIOD. DURING THIS TIME GOD SPOKE TO MAN IN MANY WAYS AND THROUGH DIFFERENT MEANS.

THE OLD TESTAMENT IS VIEWED TO SERVE DIFFERENT PURPOSES TO DIFFERENT GROUPS

JUDAISM SEES IT AS THE ETERNAL WORD AND A GUIDE FOR LIFE - GIVEN DIRECTLY BY GOD TO THE PEOPLE OF ISREAL WHICH HOLDS THE LAW AND THE STORIES THAT SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH IDENTITY, ETHICS AND DAILY LIVING.

ISLAM SEES IT AS EARLY REVELATION WHOSE TEXT WAS ALTERED THE HANDS OF MAN AND ULTIMATELY HAD TO BE REPLACED BY THE QURAN WHICH THEY BELIEVE IS THE DIVINELY INSPIRED “FIX” TO A TEXT THAT WAS FULL OF HUMAN ERRORS.

HISTORIANS AND SCHOLARS VIEW IT SIMPLY AS ANCIENT LITERATURE OR HISTORICAL CONTEXT JUST A COLLECTION OF BOOKS THAT HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE POLITICS, LANGUAGE, AND CULTURE OF ISREAL AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.

AS A CHRISTIAN WE CAN VIEW IT THROUGH SOME OF THESE LENSES ( MINUS THE ISLAMIC ONE) BUT WE SHOULD VIEW IT AS A TEXT THAT POINTS TO THE COMING OF JESUS . BY WHICH IT USES FORESHADOWING, POETRY, TYPES, DREAMS, SYMBOLS, AND PROPHECY.

GOD USED THESE PROPHETS AND KINGS, THEIR MINDS, AND THEIR PRSONALITIES TO WRITE THESE THINGS DOWN BUT IT WAS ALWAYS GOD SPEAKING.

GOD SPOKE FIRST IN FACT Genesis 3:15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.””

HE SPOKE THROUGH MOSES Deuteronomy 18:15–19 ““The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.”

ISAIAH TELLS US ABOUT THE VIRGIN BIRTH ISAIAH 7:14, IN CHAPTER NINE HE TELLS US SOME OF THE NAMES THAT JESUS WOULD BE KNOWN BY LIKE WONDERFUL COUNSELOR AND THE PRINCE OF PEACE. IN CHAPTER FORTY HE TALKS ABOUT THE FORERUNNER WHO WILL PREPARE THE WAY( JOHN THE BAPTIST). AND HE DESCRIBES CHRIST AS THE SUFFERING SERVANT IN CHAPTER 53

JEREMIAH TELLS US ABOUT THE NEW COVENANT Jeremiah 31:31–34 ““Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.””

Psalm 16:10 SPEAKS OF HIS RESURECTION

DANIEL, MICAH, ZECHARIAH, HOSEA, AMOS THEY ALL PLAYED A PART. THEY WERE ALL INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH GOD USED TO FORETELL OF THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH.

AND THEN IT HAPPENED, BUT IN THESE LAST DAYS HE HAS SPOKEN TO US THROUGH HIS SON!

GOD THROUGH THE PROPHETS AND THROUGH HIS WORD HAD REVEALED HIMSELF AND HIS PLAN OF REDEMPTION IN GLIMPSES AND THROUGH EXAMPLES, AND IN HIS TIMING , ACCORDING TO HIS SOVEREIGN PLAN, HE PUT HIMSELF IN THE TIME DOMAIN.

JESUS, HIS FINAL WORD ON THE MATTER HIS FINAL REVELATION.

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF GOD HAD REVEALED NOTHING TO US, BUT HAD STILL PUT THAT SOMETHING IN US THAT MADE US KNOW THAT WE WERE CREATED AND THAT THE CREATION AROUND US SPOKE TO HIS EXISTENCE?

IF HE JUST LEFT US ALONE TO FIGURE OUT FIGURE WHAT KIND OF GOD HE IS, WHAT PLEASES HIM, DISPLEASES HIM, WHAT OUR PURPOSE IS, WHAT OUR FUTURE HOLDS. WHY DO WE HAVE PAIN, ILLNESS, SADNESS, DEATH.

OUR GOD IS NOT LIKE THAT, HE WANTS US TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM, SO MUCH SO THAY HE PUT ON FLESH AND WALKED AMONG US.(AND THE FLESH PART IS CRITICAL BUT THATS IN CHAPTER TWO)

ITS HARD TO FATHOM, I HAVE A HARD TIME COMPREHENDING IT SOMETIMES, THAT HE WOULD COME INTO THIS PLACE, TO REVEAL HIMSELF FULLY, TO SHOW HIS LOVE AND HEAL THE SICK, TO WALK FOR MILES FOR JUST ONE INTERACTION, TO CHANGE ONE MIND, TO CORRECT TEACHINGS THAT HAD BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD OR ABUSED, TO BE HURT, SUFFER, DEAL WITH EHHAUSTION, BE TEMPTED, AND ULTIMATELY TO BE SACRIFICED FOR US.

BUT HE DID, SO THAT IN HIS FINAL REVELATION, THROUGH HIS SON, WE COULD TRULY SEE HOW HE FELT ABOUT US.

ITS ALL OVER THE NEW TESTAMENT WHICH IS ALL ABOUT HIM.

AN UNBELIEVER OR SCEPTIC MIGHT SAY OK THAT ALL SOUNDS GREAT BUT WHAT ARE HIS QUALIFICATIONS? HOW DO YOU KNOW HE’S THESON OF GOD?

2. Son's Sovereign Splendor

Hebrews 1:2–3 “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. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

THE HEIR OF ALL THINGS- THE ANCIENT EGYPT THERE WAS A PRACTICE KNOWN AS CO-REGENCY. IT’S A FORM OF RULE THAT IN WHICH, AT A CERTAIN TIME, DETERMINED BY THE KING, HE CROWNS HIS SON AS CO RULER. USUALLY THE ELDER PHARAOH WOULD STAND BACK AND LET THE YOUNGER RUN THE SHOW WHILE STILL BEING VERY MUCH IN POWER. I THINK WE SEE THIS PLAYED OUT IN JOSEPH’S STORY IN EGYPT, WHERE AFTER EXPLAINING A DREAM TO PHARAOH JOSEPH IS PROMOTED TO SECOND IN COMMAND OF EGYPT.

Genesis 41:40–44 “You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.””

NOW SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE THINKING THAT IM SAYING JESUS IS BELOW GOD BECUASE I USED THE TERM ‘SECOND IN COMMAND” AND PHARAOH SAID “ ONLY AS REGARDS THE THRONE WILL I BE GREATER THAN YOU”

IM NOT BLASPHEMING THE TRINITY BY ANY MEANS. NOR AM I SAYING THAT JOSEPH IS A 1 FOR 1 TYPE OF JESUS IN THIS TEXT ( HE DID HAPPEN TO BE THIRTY WHEN ALL THIS WENT DOWN THOUGH)

WHAT I WANT YOU TO SEE HERE IS THAT EVEN THOUGH PHARAOH PUTS JOSEPH IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING, HE STILL REMAINS PHARAOH. YOU SEE ALOT OF TIMES WHEN WE HEAR THE WORD “HEIR” WE AUTOMATICALLY THINK THAT SOMEONE HAS DIED OR THAT SOMEONE IS STEPPING DOWN.

THATS CLEARLY NOT THE CASE HERE IN VERSE TWO, WHICH IS MORE ALONG THE LINES OF A ROYAL INHERITANCE IN WHICH THE FATHER IS APPOINTING THE SON AS RULER AND POSSESSOR OF HIS KINGDOM. WE SHOULD HEAR THE ECHOES OF Psalm 2:6–8 ““As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.”

THE FATHER HAS APPOINTED THE SON “ HEIR OF ALL THINGS BUT HE IS STILL THE FATHER.

AND JESUS ISNT JUST INHERITING A KINDOM EITHER, EVERYTHING BELONGS TO HIM.

ALL OF CREATION, FROM DOWN HERE, TO UP THERE AND BEYOND.

NOT ONLY THAT, AS WE CONTINUE TO READ, JESUS CREATED IT TO. THIS ISNT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS BEEN CLEARLY STATED. IN JOHNS GOSPEL WE HEAR THAT John 1:2–3 “He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

PAUL AS WELL, IN HIS LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT COLOSSAE. Colossians 1:16–17 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

I WOULD SAY TO THE SKEPTIC, AND I ALSO THINK THAT ITS A GOOD REMINDER TO OURSELVES THAT HE’S QUITE QUALIFIED, AND UNARGUABLY THE SON OF GOD.

HE’S NOT JUST THE SON OR ANY OTHER SON “

English Standard Version Chapter 1

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature

THIS IS NOT SAYING THAT HE IS “ LIKE GOD” OR THAT HE IS A “REFLECTION OF GOD” ITS SAYING THAT IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY HE IS GOD.

JOHN MCARTHUR PUT IT LIKE THIS

“JESUS IS BOTH GOD MANIFEST, AND GOD IN SUBSTANCE’

YOU SEE, JESUS DOESNT MERELY REFLECT GOD’S GLORY LIKE THE MOON REFLECTS SUNLIGHT. HE RADIATES DIVINE GLORY BECAUSE HE SHARES THE DEVINE NATURE.

AND ON THE TERM “THE EXACT IMPRINT OF HIS NATURE” HE SAYS THAT “ THE GREEK WORD USED HERE CARRIES THE IDEA OF AN IMPRESSION PRODUCED BY A STAMP OR AN ENGRAVING. JESUS IS NOT MERELY GOD’S BRIGHTNESS BUT SHARES HIS VERY “ESSENCE” AND “SUBSTANCE”

I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW I WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT SECTION, AND WHEN I FOUND THAT QUOTE, HE SAID IT SO GOOD THAT I DIDNT EVEN TRY TO PUT IT IN MY OWN WORDS. ( AND IT MADE ME WANT TO RIVER DANCE.)

AND HE UPHOLDS THE UNIVERSE BY THE WORD OF IS POWER.

NOW THIS DID HAVE ME CHASING A RABBIT. MAINLY BECUASE OF THE WAY ITS PHRASED “ BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER”

IT JUST SOUNDED ODD, WHY WOULD YOU JUST SAY BY THE POWER OF HIS WORD? SO I DID A MINI DIVE

IF THE AUTHOR HAD SAID “ BY THE POWER OF HIS WORD” THE EMPHASIS WOULD FALL UPON THE WORD ITSELF BEING POWERFUL. IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THIS:

HIS WORD-> POSSESSES A TREMENDOUS POWER-> THEREFORE CREATION OBEYS

AND THIS IS TRUE. WE SEE ALL THROUGH THE CREATION ACCOUNT “ AND GOD SAID” AND CREATION COMES INTO EXISTENCE.

HERE THOUGH IT SAYS “THE WORD OF HIS POWER”

THIS IMPLIES POWER BELONGS TO HIM, AND HIS WORD IS THE EXPRESSION OR EXERCISE OF HIS POWER.

SO THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THIS

HIS POWER->EXPRESSED THROUGH HIS WORD-> SUSTAINS ALL THINGS

HE DOESNT USE POWERFUL OR MAGIC WORDS, THE POWER IS INHERENT IN HIM.

THIS STATEMENT ALSO SHOWS A CONTINUOUS ACTION.

The language reflects a dynamic, continuous action. The Greek word translated “upholds” (pherō) means to carry or bear something with active, purposeful control, and the present participle form indicates Christ is continually carrying along all things in the universe. This isn’t passive maintenance—it’s active, moment-by-moment sustenance. The cosmic implications are staggering. Christ keeps all created things existing; if he ceased this ongoing activity, everything except God would instantly cease to exist.

THANK YOU LOGOS AND WAYNE GRUDEM

BUT THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS IS SAYING, YOU SEE DEIST BELIEVE THAT GOD STARTED EVERYTHING AND THEN WALKED AWAY FROM IT. THIS IS SAYING SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT, EVERTHING THAT YOU SEE FROM THE STARS TO THE OCEANS TO MOUNTAINS, US, AND EVEN THE THINGS WE CANT SEE LIKE GRAVITY, SOUND WAVES, AND ATOMS, ALL OF IT, IS BEING CARRIED BY HIM, OR HIS WORD MORE ACCURATELY. HE SAID IT ONCE AND THROUGH THE POWER OF HIS WORD IT STAYS TOGETHER AND CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD AS HE DECREED.

IF HE WANTED, HE COULD LOOK AT THE MESS WE’VE MADE, WAD IT UP LIKE A PIECE OF PAPER AND THROW IT IN HIS TRASH CAN.

BUT HE WON’T, HE’S PROMISED HE WON’T, NOT ENTIRELY ANYWAY. ( I’M REFERRING TO THE NEW CREATION). AND BECAUSE OF JESUS THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE PART OF THAT NEW CREATION.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high

THANK GOODNESS WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM AND THAT IM NOT A PRIEST.

IM SURE THAT THE PRIEST OF JESUS’S TIME, AND THE ONES GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE VERY FIRST WHEN GOD FIRST IMPLEMENTED THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM HAD WISHED THAT THIS REVELATION HAD CAME A BIT EARLIER.

THEY WERE VERY, VERY BUSY GUYS.

3. Supremacy in Name

Hebrews 1:4

Maybe you could emphasize the superiority of Jesus' name and status over the angels. His exaltation to the right hand of God underscores His divine authority and majesty. Understanding His position can motivate Christians to elevate their view of Jesus, clearing misconceptions of Him as merely an inspirational figure. As God's perfect revelation, His name becomes the cornerstone of faith, highlighting the invitation into an intimate relationship where believers can find refuge and guidance.