Hebrews 1:3

August 5, 2012 We started through Hebrews 1 last week, and we covered the first three verses: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: I want to pick up again in verse 3 and look at it a little more closely: Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. I think theres four parts to this: First, He is the brightness of Gods glory and the express image of His person. This shows us how His flesh reveals the invisible God. Second, He was upholding (and still upholds) all things by the word of His power. This shows us that even in His flesh He is still God in the truest sense. He wasnt a sub-god or a created being. He was God even in the flesh. Third, He purged our sins through (by) Himself. This shows us that He did indeed truly die. He was the blood sacrifice. He upheld all things as God, yet He also was Man! Fourth, when it says that He sat down, it shows us that He is still God and greater than all creation. Now, lets go through it a few words at a time: upholding all things The Greek word is (phero). It means to bear or to carry something. Our English name Christopher comes from this word: Christ phero or Christbearer. In the sense we use it here in Hebrews we mean that Christ bears the burden of upholding all of creation. We have to put these first three verses of Hebrews into contrast with Colossians 1:14-17: we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16For by him were all

things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. A simple definition for the word consist in this context is to be put together or to stand firm. By Him all things are upheld. The point of the verses in Colossians and here in Hebrews is that He is before all things and so He upholds all things. Look at how involved He is in creation. He is the One: Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: 5Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. 6Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. 7At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. 8They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. 9Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. 10He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. 11They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. 12By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. 13He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. 14He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; 15And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth mans heart. 16The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; 17Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. 18The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies. 19He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. 20Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. 21The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. 22The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. 23Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. 24O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. 25So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. 26There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. 27These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. 28That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. 29Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. 30Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. 31The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works (Ps. 104:4-31).

So Hes over all this stuff, and everything depends on Him. Now, look at how He upholds it all: by the word of his power, In trying to think about this meaning I came across several other verses: Psalm 33:6By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth and Ecclesiastes 8:4Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? The (rhema) of Christ is what creates and upholds all things. No one can refute it or deny Him. When God said, Let there be light there was light. When He commanded Lazarus to Come forth (Jn. 11:43), Lazarus came out of the grave. The word of the Lord endureth for ever (I Pt. 1:25) because its according to His power who upholds all things. Jesus Christ is greater than creation. Now, it says He is the express image of God and He upholds all things by the word of His power, when he These two words might seem insignificant, but they piece together all the doctrine surrounding them. He was the visible manifestation of God while He was upholding all things when He: had by himself purged our sins, He was doing both things at the same time. He didnt stop being God so that He could dieHe was the image of God (the visible manifestation, the Logo) and so, He upheld all things, and yet, He died in His body to purge our sins. Think about the first readers: these converted Jews who grew up in the temple with the offerings and feasts. Was Jesus God? And they immediately think of the One who spoke to Moses and who dwelt in the Most Holy Place. The answer is Yes! He is the image of the invisible God. Did Jesus die for our sins? And immediately they can reference the Old Testament Law with all the blood shed to purge sins. The answer is Yes! God took on the form of a man with blood and He offered Himself (not an animal) to cleanse us from our iniquity. And then He, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high

When Christ was done with His work He sat down at the place of highest honor. Think about the parable: And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them. 8When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted (Lk. 14:7-11). And this is what we see happening with Jesus. He (the God of Creation) humbled Himself and took on the form of a servant. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory (I Tim. 3:16) and was seated at the place of honor with the Majesty on high. Jesus ChristGod and Man! http://newgracebaptist.blogspot.com/