The Brightness of God’s Glory

October 2, 2016 Background Scripture: Hebrews 1 Lesson Passage: Hebrews 1:1 – 9 It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. It also has been said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Together, these two philosophies suggest that when we can look upon something, we are given the opportunity to see it in a unique and very special way. We marvel at images from the far reaches of space that are captured by sophisticated electronics traveling beyond earth’s atmosphere. Likewise, we are entranced by the microscopic world of living things seen only through highly sophisticated microscopes. When we put these two experiences together with the visible world around us, one can conclude that everything observable suggest we live in a universe created by intelligent design. Mankind has developed some truly amazing technology to let us observe and experience many things of the universe which were previously hidden. However, even before the technology boom, David, the psalmist, declared: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” Paul said it slightly different: “since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made”. Both David and Paul are making the same point, i.e., we know that God is by the things that are. Their conclusion was reached without the use of man’s technology. God has placed a yearning within our hearts to seek Him. We know that we are incomplete without Him. Our experiences and observations should lead us to soul search about the person of God. We should desire to know more about God after being fully persuaded of His existence by observing His creation. The next series of lessons should answer many of our questions and satisfy some aspects of our quest to know Him. As we begin this series of studies from Hebrews, the author opens the epistle by stating that Jesus is the express image of the invisible God. To know Jesus is to know God. Jesus came into the world as God with us. Jesus made God observable for the world. Through Christ we are allowed to experience God in a fresh new way that was not previously available prior to Jesus’ birth. Jesus is the shining greatness or radiance of God’s glory. After thousands of years of speaking to His people through the prophets, God has now spoken to us through His only begotten son, Jesus. Jesus has declared what God is like and the works that God is doing in the affairs of man. The spiritual nature of Jesus is God’s divine nature. Jesus is God in human flesh. Jesus is the wisdom of God made known to man. We experience God through a personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus is the highest form of expression of God’s love for mankind. He is the brightness of God’s glory. Jesus is the express image, or picture, of the invisible God. How we see Jesus determines how we see God and every personal relationship with him is unique and very special. Robert C. Hudson September 14, 2016