God’s Supreme Revelation
GOD DOES SPEAK TO HIS PEOPLE
God, who at various times and in various ways, spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets”
– Heb. 1:1
Some people are ‘the silent type’. Not God.
In the Old Testament, we see how, time after time, He would speak to His people. He sent them prophet after prophet, crying out to them to love and obey Him. He also employed a wide repertoire of methods. If you have ever felt tongue-tied, you’d have to admire God’s creativity! A prophet could be asked by God to marry a prostitute (Hosea), stay in the belly of a big fish for three nights (Jonah), or interpret what a mysterious detached hand had scrawled on the wall (Daniel) in order to communicate God’s word. God is clearly not a silent god. If you are one of His people, He wants to speak to you.
GOD HAS SPOKEN TO US, DECISIVELY
God… has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, [who has] sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”
– Heb. 1:1-3
How about us, living in the New Testament era? Where are the prophets? Has God actually spoken to us, or not?
Yes, He has! Emphatically so! We need not feel left out. The author of Hebrews draws a comparison for us. There are two eras, two audiences, and two types of messengers. In the past, God spoke to the fathers by the prophets. In these last days, God has spoken to us by Jesus. Thus, God has also spoken to us.
But more than that, the era we live in is called “the last days”. Jesus has come to earth and accomplished salvation for us, and has now sat down at God’s right hand, waiting for the end of time when all shall come to acknowledge Him as King. This means Jesus is God’s final messenger to us. God has given His last word to us, and that Word is Jesus.
GOD HAS DECLARED JESUS THE BEST MESSENGER
What does it mean for Jesus to be God’s Word to us?
For the writer of Hebrews, Jesus being God’s supreme revelation was so important, he wrote a whole letter about it – the book of Hebrews itself! He spent 13 chapters unfolding how Jesus is simply the best – the best High Priest, the best sacrifice, who brought the best covenant. And even the first few verses of chapter 1 overflow with Jesus’ greatness.
1. Son of God
His Son… so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they”
– Heb. 1:2-4
Jesus is the best Person to speak to us about God, because He is the Son of God. A son enjoys a special relationship with a father. Because Jesus is His Son, God has given a status which is more excellent even than that of angels! In fact, God commands the angels, mighty as they are, to bow down and worship Jesus. Would we not listen to Someone of such standing?
2. Supreme as Creator and Heir of everything
His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds”
– Heb. 1:2
Jesus is the best Person to speak to us about anything, because of the wonderful double-dominion He has over everything –
a) He created everything, i.e. everything is His, and
b) He will inherit everything, i.e. everything will be His.
Would we not listen to Someone of such authority?
3. Sent Representative of God
His Son… the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person”
– Heb. 1:2-3
Jesus is the best Person to speak to us about God, because He is Deity. In Jesus we see who God is and how glorious He is. In other words, who better to tell us about God than Jesus Himself? Would we not listen to Someone of such divinity?
4. Sustainer of the universe
His Son… upholding all things by the word of His power”
– Heb. 1:2-3
Jesus is the best Person to speak for God, because of the immense power He has. Not only did He once upon a time make everything we know (and everything we do not know), He also continually ensures its continued existence. Jesus is so powerful, that were He to decide not to keep us alive, that would be the end of us! And yet we are alive – kept alive by His power. Would we not listen to Someone so powerful?
5. Saviour of man
His Son… [who] Himself purged our sins”
– Heb. 1:2-3
Jesus is the best Person to speak for God, because He performed the will of God. The key event in God’s word is salvation – and Jesus is that one Saviour, coming between God and man as the sacrifice for our sins. And He has brought us God’s word. Would we not listen to our Saviour?
DEVOTING OURSELVES TO GOD’S WORD
Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard.”
– Heb. 2:1
1. Hearing God’s Word
God has spoken to us decisively through Jesus His Son. But how do we listen to Jesus today, since He is sitting at God’s right hand? We go to the Bible – for the Bible is the confirmation of what He said (Heb. 2:3). To hear God today, it is not visions, dreams, or a still, small voice we should peel our eyes and ears for. To hear God speak, we just have to peel open the pages of the Bible.
2. Heeding God’s Word
And since God has spoken in the clearest and brightest voice possible, by His Son, we can be sure He will be true to His word. So let’s not only hear what He says, but let’s also heed what He says. Let’s not only peel open the Bible, but let’s keep it open, keep studying it, and keep obeying it. For God Himself has spoken to us, once and for all, and His last – and best – word to us is Jesus.