Worship Christ’s Majesty
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Key Verse: “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.” Selected Scripture: |
IN THE OPENING CHAPTER of his letter to the Hebrews, the Apostle Paul calls attention to the fact that God “at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.” (vs. 1) Now, however, God would speak to them through his Son, the Messiah, whom all the holy prophets had foretold would come at the proper time.
Because Jesus had been fully obedient to the end of his earthly ministry, he now had the right to speak with power and authority to his faithful followers—even more so than their prophets of old. “When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”—Eph. 4:8
In our Key Verse, Paul says that the basis on which divine justice and love operates toward fallen mankind is that Jesus “himself purged our sins,” and “sat down on the right hand” of God. Pointing to the high exaltation of our Lord based upon his obedience even unto death on the cross, Paul’s words provide four proofs of God’s plan to redeem the human family.
First, the exaltation of Christ’s majesty proves beyond any doubt that he indeed faithfully gave himself a ransom for our Adamic transgressions, a corresponding price which satisfied justice, through the shedding of his blood. (I Cor. 15:21,22; Rom. 3:25) This had been typified in Israel’s annual Atonement Day sacrifices, but which Paul now referred to as “better sacrifices,” because Jesus needed to die only “once … to bear the sins of many.”—Heb. 9:22-28
Second, the exaltation of Christ to a high position of majesty is demonstrated by his resurrection to a plane high above that of all the angels. He was given the divine nature and a share in his Father’s throne, yet he did not have any desire to usurp these things. Paul said concerning Jesus, “Although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.”—Phil. 2:6, New American Standard Bible
Thirdly, Christ’s majesty implies that authority now existed to justify those running for the prize of the High Calling during this Gospel Age through the application of the merit of his blood. “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”—Eph. 1:5-7
Finally, because the word Savior means life-giver and deliverer, the exaltation of Christ’s majesty further implies power to make his precious blood effective to grant life to all the families of earth through the provisions of the New Covenant. (Jer. 31:31-34) How fitting it is to worship Christ’s majesty when we realize he has bought Adam and his race from the penalty of death and will soon establish his long awaited kingdom here on earth.