The Son Is Supreme
Just as sunlight floods through the highest windows, Christ is the radiance of God’s glory, now fully revealed.
Devotional Credit: Grace and Truth Study Bible
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Hebrews opens with a breathtaking sweep across redemptive history. The writer begins by pointing to the way God once spoke through prophets in many parts and in many ways. Those revelations were true, but partial. Now, something greater has happened. God has spoken in His Son, the One through whom He made the universe and to whom all creation belongs. This is not just a message about Jesus. Jesus is the message. He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature. In Him, the story of the world finds both its origin and its purpose.
The passage then unfolds Christ’s identity. He is not a reflection of God's glory; He is its radiance. He does not resemble God; He bears God's very nature. He doesn't just create the world; He also sustains it. And when He completed His priestly work of purifying sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. That sitting down signals His finished work and present reign. He is both Priest and King.
Verses 4 through 14 address a particular problem in the religious mindset of that era. Some believers, influenced by Second Temple Jewish writings, had elevated angels to an almost messianic role. The author of Hebrews steps in with Scripture after Scripture from the Old Testament to make it clear: Jesus is superior to every angel. Angels serve at God’s command, but the Son reigns forever. Angels are flames of fire; the Son is seated on an eternal throne. They minister to those who will inherit salvation. He purchased salvation for those who believe. The point is not to diminish angels but to magnify Jesus. He is above every created being and fully worthy of worship.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
From the beginning, I spoke, and the worlds came into being. Through the Son, I formed light and laid the foundation of the earth. I have never ceased to reveal Myself, and yet now I have revealed Myself fully in Him. He is the radiance of My glory, the exact expression of My essence, the One who carries the universe by the word of His power.
He offered Himself as a final purification for sin, not in shadow or repetition but once for all. And after finishing the work, He sat down. There is no striving in Him, only rest. His seat at My right hand is not merely a position of honor but of authority, showing that the work is done and the way is open.
He is not a servant like the angels. They minister at His command. They move when He speaks. They worship at His throne. But He is My Son, My anointed King, the fulfillment of all My promises, the heir to everything I have made.
This is the Son through whom I now speak to you. Not through fragments, not through echoes, but through a living voice that dwells within you. As you gaze upon Him, you are being conformed into His image. You are not called to mimic shadows but to rest in the substance. You are united to the One who reigns.
Scriptures woven: Hebrews 1:1–4, Colossians 1:15–17, Psalm 45:6, Hebrews 10:12–14, Romans 8:29
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine you’ve been assembling a piece of furniture using a poorly translated manual with vague illustrations. You're following it, but something always feels off. Then, someone from the manufacturer calls and says, “Let me walk you through it myself.” The frustration lifts. The confusion ends. You’re not just reading anymore. You’re listening. That’s the shift Hebrews 1 describes. God once spoke through distant instructions, but now, He speaks through the One who made you and knows exactly what fits together. The Son does not offer a better manual; He is the clarity we needed all along.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, I no longer need to piece together glimpses of Your character from a distance. You have spoken through Your Son. And in Him, I see You clearly. He is not just the messenger, but the message, the maker, the sustainer, and the purifier of my soul. I rest today in His finished work and reigning authority. I receive His voice as my guide and His indwelling as my life. No angel, no shadow, no former way could compare. My confidence is in Christ alone, seated, glorious, and forever mine.