Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's happening (and who's involved)?

Reading through this section of Scripture can invoke a few different reactions. Admittedly, early on in my faith when I first read the book of Hebrews, this section would often be one I would skim over. To me, it looked like a long list of proof texts that showed how much better Jesus is than the angels. And indeed, it is partially that, but there is so much more for us to look at through this section. We are faced with a multitude of characteristics concerning the Son as well as the Father. We get to see the evidence of the authority that Jesus has. This ought to provide even greater security in our faith in Him.

I want to take us back for a moment to the background of the book of Hebrews. Let's remember who the original audience is. They are Jewish believers (Messianic Jews) who are threatened to cast off Christ and rejoin the synagogue. So the effort of the writer of Hebrews is to give the reader the depth of confidence concerning who Jesus is. Would they really trade the servants, that being the prophets and their fathers, for the very Son of God? Surely not.

Directly proceeding our previous section that emphasizes the excellency of Christ, we now see the evidence. No angel was called the Son of God. No other being was worshipped other than God and the Son shares that worship. The angels are made to minister and serve, but the Son rules. The Son is righteous and loves righteousness, also hating lawlessness. He is anointed with the oil of gladness. He is the Creator of all things. He will remain forevermore. So in the face of threat that these Jews might perish, they are reminded that the Lord reigns forever.

The mystery of the Lord is revealed in Christ! We get the opportunity to examine these divine declarations of the Son and see what the Lord had been up to all those years before the Son came into the world. As we contemplate this mystery, I want to leave you with a text that I pray encourages you.