Hebrews 1:1-4

I'm reflecting on these first 4 verses at the beginning of the book of Hebrews. The language used by the author here is visually powerful with words like radiance, "He is the radiance of the glory of God". Radiance is the source and quality of this all encompassing, rays of light and brilliance which is coming from "the glory of God".

Who is this "He" that exudes this radiance?

Equal with God

In the verse before the author answers this question, "his Son". God's Son. And this Son is not only the radiance but is the "exact imprint of his nature". That means an exact copy of God's nature. This is what Christians would call "Trinitarian language", outlining the Trinity of the God: The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This exact imprint is talking about equality with God.

These 4 verses are completely saturated with theological language. Theological in simply explaining who God is.

Appointed Heir

Look at the latter of verse 2, "he appointed the heir of all things". God the Father has appointed this person. Appointed sounds a lot like leader, overseer or perhaps king language to me. And not just any leader, but the overseer of "all things". Think about that, "all things", that's everything our brains can conceive of, all people, all creatures, the mountains, the oceans, this world, all stars, all planets, all galaxies, all spiritual beings, all dwellings beyond our understand. This is no simple heir or simple king.

Was there at THE Beginning

Then look at the last part of verse 2, "through whom all he created the world". Did you catch that? Not only is this person the heir of all things, but all things created were through him. Take a second to consider that. The text is saying all things were created through him, meaning this person had to be in the beginning with God. This line is an echo of what the Apostle John wrote in his letter (John 1:3), "All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made".

This being is more superior to "angels", aka spiritual beings. His name is "more excellent than theirs". There is a transcendence to this being, he's more superior than spirit.

So we have this appointed heir, someone more important than angels, with the most powerful name, who the entire universe was created through who was in the beginning with God. Let's keep going and look closer...

Omnipotent

It then says "he upholds the universe by the word of his power". What? Not only is the person the radiance of the glory of God, the imprint of God's nature, an appointed heir of all things, but he also upholds the universe by the word of his power. This speaks to the all powerful, omnipotent of this being. To me this sounds exactly like God.

So what is the wildly powerful person doing? Look at verse 3, this being has made "purification for sins". The wording is past tense, this being has done something. It's not something He's working on, but the job is done. He's made purification for sins. What are "sins"? And is this an important job? That's gotta be for another post.

Regardless, this being has made purification for sins. And that fellow anglers is the best news you can read. It is done.

The book of Hebrews unfolds like a CV or resume of who this being is, what He did, what is means for us, and where He is today, and what He promises for the future.

Offer to You

This appointed heir, with a powerful name (in fact above all names), the radiance of the glory of God, someone who was at the beginning with the Father, and in fact all things were created through is the man Jesus. Not just a man alone but in fact God in flesh so that we could know Him personally. No other god offers this offer to know him and shows himself and offers himself like Jesus.

What an incredible God we have in Jesus. You can have relationship with him, he offers that to you. Consider that free and greatest offer, you won't regret it.

Blessings Jesse