How Is God Known Best?

MEMORY VERSE: “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” —John 1:18

HEBREWS 1:1 – 2:9

AS FINITE earthly creatures we find it impossible to grasp the glory and beauty of the divine nature, for no man can look upon God and live. Therefore if the Heavenly Father were to reveal to mankind something of his character and attributes, it would have to be done in some other manner. Thus we find that it was through his only begotten Son, Jesus, that he chose to reveal himself; for even as our Lord declared (John 14:9), “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”

The expression “he hath declared him” is better understood from the Rotherham translation where the thought is rendered “he hath interpreted him,” or from the Diaglott, where it is given as “he has made him known.” And, this is exactly what Jesus accomplished while in the flesh as the Heavenly Father’s representative here on earth. In every sense of the word Jesus was the image of God manifested in the flesh. Through him we may get a glimpse of the Heavenly Father’s attributes, and in that way he is “interpreted for us,” and in this manner he is “made known to us.”

In his letter to the Hebrews the Apostle Paul draws our attention to the fact that God has “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.” (1:2) As the only begotten Son of God, our Lord Jesus had the privilege of bringing into being all of the other works associated with the creation and preparation of this earth for the eventual blessing of the whole human race. Also, having purchased the human race with his own precious blood, Jesus will inherit the destiny of man. Yes, God has been well revealed by the faithful dedication of his Son, whom he appointed for that purpose.

This thought is beautifully suggested by the apostle in the following verse (1:3); and, using the phraseology of the Weymouth translation as a guide for our remarks, let us note: “He brightly reflects God’s glory and is the exact representation of his being [marginal rendering, nature, or substance].” In what better way could the apostle have expressed this thought than to explain that our Lord Jesus reflected the Heavenly Father’s character and glory in the very life which he led as a perfect human being; and that as a man, he was an exact representation of the divine spiritual character. We know God best, indeed the only way we know him is through his Son.

As a result of our Lord’s faithfulness he was richly rewarded, having “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” (1:3,4) Another way we may know something of God’s character is the realization that he is willing to share his glory, honor, and Immortality with others. This is seen in the exaltation of Jesus to the position of sitting at his right hand; and in an even more remarkable manner, in the invitation which has been extended to those who desire to participate with Jesus in presenting their “little all” alongside of his perfect sacrifice, that they too may receive a crown of life.

That this invitation was not extended to the angels is another manifestation of the Heavenly Father’s plan, even as the apostle explains in his letter to the Hebrews (1:5,6): “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.” God by-passed the angels in extending the invitation to Jesus to become the world’s Redeemer, and he also by-passed the angels in his call to the new creation from the families of man.

Surely God could have found from among the angels those who would gladly have served him, but this lays the foundation of our hope in the narrow way which leads to glory, honor, and immortality—if we are faithful unto death. May that hope sustain us unto the end of our course that we may be victorious and “see him as he [really] is.”

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