Spoken By His Son: Hebrews 1:1-4 Explained

Scriptures for Today

Hebrews 1:1-4
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,  2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;  3 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;  4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Introduction — A Letter Written to Tired Believers Who Needed to See Jesus Again

The Book of Hebrews was written to Jewish believers who were discouraged, persecuted, pressured, and tempted to turn back.

Not back into idols. Not back into paganism. But back into the old system — the temple, the sacrifices, the priests, the shadows God used before Christ came. It was known to them. It was comfortable to them. They weren’t struggling with atheism. They were struggling with going backward.

Hebrews is God’s answer: “Don’t go back. Jesus is better.”

Better than Moses. Better than angels. Better than prophets. Better than the priesthood. Better than the old covenant. Better than the sacrifices.

And right from the opening paragraph, God declares the theme of the entire book: God has spoken — finally, fully, and perfectly — through His Son.

Hebrews begins not with comfort, but with a loud thundering: Jesus is the final revelation of God. There is nothing and no one higher, better, or greater. Sometimes we don’t realize the GREATNESS of JESUS CHRIST. This is an amazing book that I love. Some of my favorite verses are in this book.

And, if someone can read through this book, and still believe in a works based salvation, something is very, very wrong.

Verse 1 — God Spoke in Many Ways, But That Was Not the Final Word

Hebrews 1:1
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

The Bible is the word of God. God speaks to us through His words. This verse looks backward or “in time past” at the entire Old Testament.

• “Sundry times” — different periods, different stages
• “Divers manners” — visions, dreams, types, shadows, miracles, symbols, direct words

God spoke through different people in the Bible: Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Malachi. But all of those were fragmented pieces of the full revelation.

The prophets did not give the full picture. They gave glimpses. They gave shadows. So, what’s the point here?

Old Testament revelation was real but incomplete. Jesus Christ is the completion. That’s the point of the entire Bible. Jesus is the FINAL REVELATION. He is the revealed answer to all things.

Verse 2 — The Final Revelation: God’s Son

Hebrews 1:2
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Several massive truths appear in this single verse:

1. “Hath in these last days”

The last days began when Christ came, died, rose, and ascended. We are in the final chapter of God’s plan. Thank God. Look, we are not in the Old Testament. We are not in Genesis. We are not in the beginning or even the middle. We are towards the last days. “Hath in these last days.”

2. “Spoken unto us by His Son”

Not a prophet. Not an angel. Not a vision. His Son. Jesus is not a messenger. He is the message. Remember this. “Spoken unto us by His Son.” Jesus Christ is the Son of God with all power and all might.

He is God’s final revelation. There is nothing more to come. No additional prophets. No added scriptures. No new revelations. Christ is the full and perfect Word. And we, here today, right now, have everything that we need.

We have our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit given to us by God at the moment we believed on Christ as “THE” Savior of the world. And we have God’s perfect word that He gave to us, in English, the King James Bible. And we have this church that He gave to us. He has spoken unto us by His Son.

3. “Whom He hath appointed heir of all things”

Notice there’s more than one here. This proves the doctrine of the Trinity. There’s more than one person here. Not more than one God. More than one person. One God in three persons.

Everything belongs to Jesus — kingdoms, nations, creation, the redeemed. Make sure you hear me on this. An heir receives the full inheritance. Everything in creation. Everything in heaven. Everything on earth. Everything in the future kingdom. Everything that exists. And, if you didn’t hear me, let me say this again. EVERYTHING rightfully belongs to Jesus Christ.

Jesus is “THE HEIR.” Jesus owns the universe, the galaxies, the angels, the nations, and history itself. That’s why it’s so hilarious when you have these little men and women out there who mock Jesus Christ. It’s absolutely hilarious to me. Jesus rules everything: every throne, every kingdom, every creature is under His authority.

Jesus is “THE” purpose of everything. All creation exists for Him and will end with Him. He is both the source and the goal of everything. Why is Jesus the heir of all things?

• Because He is the eternal Son, equal with the Father, the rightful King.
• Because He is the Creator, the One who made all things.
• Because He is the Redeemer, the One who restored what sin ruined.
• Because He is the Judge, the One who will inherit the kingdom after judgment.

That’s what it means to be the heir of all things. He is the rightful owner, ruler, and supreme authority over everything God has made.

4. “By whom also He made the worlds”

The Son is the Creator. Not the helper. Not the instrument. He is God Himself. John 1, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1 all agree:

Jesus is the Creator. Jesus is eternal. Jesus is God. The entire Bible teaches this. Yet, we still have these false religions out here very close to us. And we have people that think it’s okay to support these people. It’s not okay.

So let me provide a clear warning about the Mormons, the Latter Days Satanists, the Church that says they are of Jesus Christ. They teach that Jesus is a created being, a spirit brother of Lucifer, and that Jesus is a god and not the eternal and almighty God of all creation.

This is not a small disagreement. This is not a side issue. This is a different Jesus and a different gospel. Hebrews 1:2 says Jesus made the worlds. Created beings do not create the universe. Only God does. If Jesus created everything and existed before everything and upholds everything, then Jesus is God, fully, eternally, and uncreated.

Any religion that lowers Jesus is a false religion. Any doctrine that makes Him less than God is absolute 100% damnable heresy. Salvation depends on believing in the true Christ, not a reduced or altered version. And it is not okay to be a Latter Day Satanist. Understand me right now.

Verse 3 — The Brightness of God’s Glory and the Express Image of His Person

Hebrews 1:3
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;

This is one of the greatest Christology verses, or the study of Jesus Christ and what He has done, in the entire Bible. This is a deep and strong verse.

1. “Who being the brightness of His glory”

Jesus is the radiance — the shining forth — of God’s glory. Not a reflection. Not a secondary light. Not a dimmer light. He is the same divine glory as the Father.

Now, you can take a look at that yourself and either believe the Bible or not. For all you Latter Day Satanists out there. For all you Jehovah Witness or Watchtower Society out there. For all you Oneness Pentecostals or Modalists. For all you Unitarians. For anyone out there who denies that Jesus is the Almighty God, LOOK AT THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE.

Jesus is equal to God the Father. Do you not see this in the words of the Bible everywhere? I see them, but you can’t see them.

2. “and the express image of His person”

Jesus is the exact, perfect, complete representation of God. If you want to know God,
you look at Jesus. This destroys false doctrine: Jesus is not a created god, Jesus is not an exalted angel, Jesus is not a lesser deity. He is the express image of God.

3. “and upholding all things by the word of His power”

These Scriptures are speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus holds the universe together. Gravity holds because He speaks. Atoms stay intact because He wills it. He is not only Creator — He is Sustainer of all of creation. ALL THINGS. Not some things.

Like you and I, as a creation and not God, we can’t even hold up our own families at times. We can’t even hold up our own jobs at times. We can’t even hold up our own selves at times. But Jesus Christ holds up all things at all times.

4. “when He had by Himself purged our sins”

He needed no assistance. No priest. No ritual. No temple. He did it Himself — fully, finally, and forever.

Let me be very clear. Jesus did not need your help. You didn’t help him. You’re the one who put Him on the cross. But now you think you’re going to help Him save you? That’s what all the works based salvations are all about. The Catholics are going to help Jesus. The Latter Day Satanists are going to help Jesus. The Jehovah Witness are going to help Jesus. The Seventh Day Adventists are going to help Jesus.

The Bible, the word of the Almighty God in heaven above, says different. GOD SAYS, “Jesus did it all by Himself.” Do you understand out there? 1 Peter 2:24 says “who His own self bare our sins.” Salvation is solo Christ. Jesus did it all. You can either believe that or not.

5. “Sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high”

Priests in the Old Testament never sat down. Their work was never done. Jesus sat down. Finished. Completed. Perfectly accomplished. It is done.

Under the Old Testament system, a priest never sat down because the work was never finished. Sacrifices never ended. Blood never stopped flowing. Atonement was never complete. But Jesus — our great High Priest — sat down.

Not because He was tired. Not because the ceremony paused. But because the work was finished. Jesus finished it all. For you to get to heaven, the work is completely finished. He sat where no priest from the dust of this earth ever could — at the right hand of the Majesty on high, the place of honor, authority, and absolute victory.

When Jesus sat down, He declared: No more sacrifices. No more rituals. No more offerings. No more priests. No more atonement needed. One sacrifice. One Savior. One finished salvation. It is the greatest mic-drop in the Bible: The Son sat down because the work is done. It’s not let me keep the faith. It’s not let me endure to the end. It’s not let me do this, let me do that, let me help you Jesus. It’s not that. JESUS DID IT ALL.

If you don’t like that, and you want to help Jesus, you will be sent straight to hell. You aren’t believing IN Jesus if you think you’re going to help Jesus. HE DID IT ALL. Like it or not. I like it. And I believe “IN HIM” to save me. I can’t save myself. I can’t help Him save me. I can’t do it. I know that.

But there are people out there and maybe even in here that don’t believe that. They think they’re going to help the Almighty, the Alpha, the Omega, the beginning, the ending, the Creator of all things. You really think you’re going to help Him save you? What a joke. That’s what a works based salvation happens to be. It’s a joke of a false doctrine. A lie straight from the pits of hell.

That’s where the devil worshipping religions of the Mormons, Latter Day Satanists, Catholics, and Jehovah Witness came from. Straight from the pits of hell where Satan and his angels will be. You can be there with them if you want. Simply believe their lies and reject what I’m showing you in these simple words within Hebrews 1 today.

Verse 4 — So Much Better Than the Angels

Hebrews 1:4
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

The angels are powerful. They are glorious. They are spiritual beings. But Jesus is: the Creator, the Son, the Heir, the Purifier, the Sustainer, the Ruler. We just went over the verses that are telling us that Jesus is God. The Bible, in Colossians 1:16-17 says: “For by Him were all things created… all things were created by Him and for Him… And He is before ALL THINGS, and by Him ALL THINGS consist.”

When the Bible says made so much better than the angels this doesn’t mean He is a creation. Made doesn’t mean created. It means declared, shown, installed. This refers to His exalted position after the resurrection, not His origin. Jesus created the angels. Verse 2 told us that. Jesus is not a creature. Angels are creatures or created by God and by Jesus Christ.

Jesus is better in nature, name, position, authority, glory, and power. Hebrews rejects every false doctrine that lowers Christ:

• Jehovah’s Witnesses who say Jesus is Michael the archangel
• Mormons who say Jesus is a created being
• Unitarians who deny His deity
• Modernists who say He is only a teacher

Hebrews 1 destroys all of that in four verses. We are only going over the first 4 verses in Hebrews, but if you know what’s in the rest of Hebrews you would absolutely know that anyone teaching that Jesus is a creation is an absolute fool.

The Latter Day Satanists are 100% absolute fools. Now, can many of them change their mind about Jesus? Yes, they can go from a complete and utter fool, which they are right now, to a complete and utter saved man or woman believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. His name shall be called Immanuel, which being interpreted is, “GOD WITH US.”

Hebrews 1 Continues Teaching Us Jesus is God

Hebrews 1 continues teaching us this. You’ll find these phrases in the rest of Hebrews 1. “Thou art my Son. Let all the angels of God worship Him. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth.” God the Father calls Jesus “God, Lord, and the creator of heaven and earth.” But, that’s not enough for the fools out there.

Those same people will say that I make the Bible say what I want it to say. Am I? Am I the one making the Bible say that Jesus is God? Am I the one? Or is it the word of God telling you that?

Matthew 1:23
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

1 Timothy 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Revelation 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

The Lord Jesus Christ HIMSELF tells you right there that He is the ALMIGHTY GOD. So, you can call the One with ALL POWER and ALL MIGHT a liar if you want. And you can say that Josh is just making the Bible say what He wants. You can be a complete and utter fool if you would like.

John 6:46
Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

“He which is of God, he hath seen the Father.” Who has seen the Father? Jesus Christ. You haven’t. I haven’t. Jesus has seen the Father because He is of God. I am not. You are not of God.

John 14:9
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Can you say that? O false gods of the Mormons, can you say that? No, you can’t. You are a creation. Jesus is not.

Application — What These Verses Teach Us Right Now

1. God has spoken finally and fully through His Son. You do not need new revelation.
You need the written revelation that points to Christ.

2. Jesus is the full expression of God. Look at Jesus — and you see the Father. Jesus is not the Father, but He is the express image of God the Father.

3. Jesus created everything and sustains everything. Your life is not chaos. He holds it all together.

4. Jesus purged your sins Himself. No works. No law. No sacraments. No repeated sacrifices. One sacrifice, once for all.

5. Jesus sits at the Father’s right hand. Your salvation is secure because your Savior is seated.

Conclusion — Christ Alone, Above All, Before All, Beyond All

The opening of Hebrews is one of the most majestic passages in the Bible. I absolutely love these opening 4 verses of Hebrews 1. It lifts our eyes to the supremacy of Christ:

• He is the final Word
• He is the perfect Revelation
• He is the Creator
• He is the Sustainer
• He is the Purifier
• He is seated in glory
• He is better than angels
• He is God made flesh

This world offers many teachers. Many religions. Many voices. Many opinions. But God has spoken once and for all through His Son.

There is no higher revelation. There is no deeper truth. There is no greater Savior. Christ is enough. Christ is supreme. Christ is final.

Let’s pray.