Scripture Reference: Hebrews 1:1-14
Jesus – Superior to the Prophets (Hebrews 1:1-2)
The clear teaching of these opening verses is that Jesus is incomparably better than all that went before him. Hebrews actually uses the term for superior approximately twelve times throughout the letter, from Hebrews 1:4 to 12:24. This is a key matter of revelation, Jesus is greater than anyone or anything to which he might be compared.
The Muslim call, “Allah hu aqbar,” which Christians usually assume means, “God is Great,” is actually very clever indeed. I am not trying to elevate the Muslim faith, but just to point out something of importance as we come to this letter. The Arabic phrase actually means, “God is Greater.” If you ask a Muslim, “Greater than what?”, the answer given is, “Greater than anything you care to name.” This claim made by Muslims for Allah is in fact true only for Jesus!
Much of Jewish thought in Jesus’ day supposed that all time and life was divided into two ages, known as the present age and the age to come. The present age is one of struggle and defeat, but the age to come will see God’s perfect order and joy established in the world. The “Day of the Lord” separates the two ages, bringing about these last days, and it is the time when the Messiah enters history and brings the age to come into reality. Jesus has done exactly that.
According to Jewish beliefs, the last of the biblical prophets was Malachi, who died centuries before Jesus was born. The Jewish people and the world needed the Messiah to come to live out the life of God among us. The prophets spoke about God’s love, glory and power, etc., but Jesus personified it all.
The prophets were God’s great messengers before the coming of the Messiah, but now God is able to communicate with us at the deepest level because His Son has come and begun the supernatural transformation of the world. So we note that Hebrews focuses on the status of Jesus as God’s own Son, his mission, reign, obedience and perfect nature (see Hebrews 1:2-3, 5, 8). The age to come has already begun. As Jesus said after his baptism, “The time has come, . . . The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15).
All of the various ways added together would not begin to compare with the depth and richness of revelation which has come in Jesus.
God so loves the Son that he has made him the heir of all things. This goes far beyond the promise of inheriting the nations of the earth given in Psalm 2:8, a Psalm which is used in this opening chapter of Hebrews. Only God can give this gift to Jesus (Matthew 4:8–10), and those who fully share Jesus’ life are also promised a share in this inheritance with him (Romans 8:17).
Hebrews delights to reveal that Jesus inherits what he was instrumental in creating in the first place. The Son is the one through whom (God) made the universe. Paul and John also teach us this important truth (Colossians 1:16; John 1:3). This letter has been written to believers in trouble, but just as Jesus was the means by whom God created order and beauty out of the primeval chaos, so he will be able to bring stability and purpose to the difficult life of believers then and now.
To Be Continued
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 
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