“God, Who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, Whom He has appointed Heir of all things by Whom also He made the worlds—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.”
Hebrews 1:1-3
When we look to Him, we need not look elsewhere any longer.
God’s last Prophet, Priest and King.
That’s the essence of today’s Manna in a nutshell, although the verses are teeming with deep, theological truths that make us want us to pull us a chair and sit a while as we ponder them. Without a doubt, they’re “beyond” us; yet, God has given them to us through the Holy Spirit to whet our spiritual appetites for more of “Him”. . .Jesus, the Christ. . .the only-begotten Son. . . the Savior of the world sent by God to those dying without hope.
We know the anonymous author’s words “Who at sundry times and in divers (various) manners spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets” refers to God’s interaction with men in Old Testament days. Sometimes He used dreams and visions. Sometimes He used visible manifestations in nature like burning bushes, talking donkeys and angelic visitations. Other times He used fiery prophets denouncing sin and calling for repentance.
But “in these last days”—the days of Jesus’ sojourn here on earth—God put an end to the need for such miraculous manifestations by “speaking unto us by His Son.” Simply put, when “the Word was made flesh and dwelt (lit., ‘pitched a tent’) among us” (Jn. 1:14), He because the last Prophet. . .pointing the way to God. . .by saying “I Am the Way” (Jn. 14:6) and “He that has seen Me has seen the Father” (Jn. 14:9).
Likewise, Jesus put an end to the need for an earthly priest and sacrificial system by becoming God’s “greater than High Priest” (Heb. 6:20) and new/final Passover Lamb (Jn. 1:29, 36; Heb. 9:11-14; 10:19-22). That’s why “when He had BY HIMSELF purged our sins, He sat down” (v.3b). Hallelujah!!
And, by being “the brightness of God’s Glory and express Image of His Person” (v.3a) He embodied God’s “Stamp of Approval,” demonstrating that He was “Heir of all things, the Active Agent in Creator and upholds all things by the Word of His Power” (vv.2b, 3b). Simply put, just as a signet ring with the family’s crest was pressed down into the wax seal of a legal document, attesting to their approval and its authenticity, so did Jesus say “I Am the One you’ve been looking for; look no further.” Glory!!
That’s why He “sat down on the right Hand of the Majesty on high” (v.3c) after His death, Resurrection and Ascension, where even now “He ever lives to make intercession for us” (Heb. 7:24-25). In so doing, He declared that He is the final “Prophet, Priest and King” and there’s no need to look anywhere else. May we spend some time today spiritually “chewing the cud” (Ps. 1:2-3) on these wondrous truths; then, may we spend the rest of the day glorifying King Jesus in all we think, say and do—for there are many who still need to know Him.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated January 4, 2011