Long ago, at many times and in many ways,
God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but
in these last days he has spoken to us by his
Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things,
through whom also he created the world. He
is the radiance of the glory of God and the
exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the
universe by the word of his power. After making
purification for sins, he sat down at the right
hand of the Majesty on high, having become as
much superior to angels as the name he
has inherited is more excellent
than theirs. (Hebrews 1:1-4)
This passage is a powerful
summary of who Jesus is
and what Jesus came
to do. He is God’s final
word, the One all
the prophets in the
Old Testament were
looking forward to.
In this advent season,
a season marked by
anticipation, we ponder
the Old Testament
passages that the author
of Hebrews speaks about.
The promise of a Savior is first
seen all the way back in Genesis
3:15, when God promised to crush the
head of the serpent through the seed of the
woman. Though Adam and Eve sinned, God made
known His plan to redeem them. The rest of the
Old Testament anticipates the fulfillment of this
promised plan of redemption.
Amid sin, ruin, and exile, prophets like Isaiah
encouraged the people of God by telling of a
Messiah who would come to rule and reign forever.
However, after the prophecy of Malachi, there
were four hundred years of silence. Then, at just
the right time, God sent His Son. The One who is
“the radiance of the glory of God,” the sovereign
King who upholds the universe “by the word of his
power,” came to us.
Jesus came and accomplished our redemption,
or as the author of Hebrews puts it, He made
“purification for sins.” Through His work on the
cross, Christ delivered us from sin, self, and the
wrath of God, and then He “sat down at the
right hand of the Majesty on high.” His work was
finished.
As we celebrate Christ and all that
He accomplished at His first
coming, we also look forward
to His second advent. We
anticipate the day when
the One seated at the
right hand of the Father
comes again to bring
His church into the
presence of God for
all eternity.
PRAYING IN LIGHT
OF TODAY’S
PASSAGE
Thank God for
keeping His promises of
redemption by sending His
Son for our salvation.