HE SAT DOWN
God 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; 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. Hebrews 1:2-3
But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
Reading a quick overview of the Book of Hebrews one can only come to one opinion:
It was either the glories of the ancient religion of Judaism, with all its rituals, ancient prophets and sacred sanctuary –
OR IT WAS JESUS!
What a struggle it must have been for those who wanted to follow Jesus because in doing so they would have had to leave behind their religion. They would have had to turn their backs on old customs, rituals, rules, regulations and laws not to mention what the neighbours would think!
The pressures and opposition put on them by the Scribes and Pharisees to return to their old ‘faith’ would have been enormous and relentless and would have been accompanied by threats and persecution both physical and mental. It is with this background in mind that we consider our verses of Scripture.
If the Pharisees and Scribes had read and understood their own Scriptures, they would have known that the Messiah was coming. They would have known why He was coming, even where He was going to be born, and yet they were blind to the contents and meaning of the ancient writings they purported to study and know so well.
They didn’t have life and they didn’t want truth.
They were more interested in their own traditions and prejudices than in the truth of God. They were dead in their sins and were destined to remain so, and they would not have their eyes opened to the truth. What they did do was cling to that which they had for so long cherished, sadly it proved their undoing in the end.
The prophets were only channels through which God’s Word was communicated, and it was a tragedy that they and their leaders failed to realise that their revered Prophets were continually pointing to the Messiah.
Jesus had arrived and was the final revelation of God to men.
It was Jesus who said:
Whoever had seen ME had seen the Father.
John 14:9
JESUS SPEAKS NOT ONLY FOR GOD BUT AS GOD.
Note what the Scriptures tell us about Jesus:
- God has spoken to us through Jesus.
- He has appointed Jesus heir to all things.
- It was through Jesus that God made the worlds.
- It was through Jesus that every creature on earth was made.
- Jesus is the brightness of the Glory of God.
- Everything that is in God is in Jesus.
- Jesus is the image of God.
- Jesus being God reveals to mankind exactly what God is like.
- It is Jesus that holds all things in the universe together. Colossians 1:17
- And it is done by the power of His Word.
- It is Jesus, who bore our sins on the Cross of Calvary.
- It was Jesus who died there for us.
- It was Jesus who removed and cleared our sins.
- It is Jesus who now sits at the right hand of the Majesty on High.
- And He sits there because His work is done.
- It is finished.
- The price has been paid.
- In the beginning God HAD ONLY TO SPEAK and the entire universe was created.
- In order to maintain the universe, HE ONLY HAD TO SPEAK.
- BUT in order to put away our sins, HE HAD TO DIE!
It is utterly staggering to think that the God of all creation had to stoop so low for us.
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride….
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
(Isaac Watts)
May this be our daily prayer as we wait, eagerly for His return.