Day 95 — Who Gets The Last Word?
We’re pausing our devotionals for the month of August, enjoy this read!
Hebrews 1:1–3
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets… but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, heir of all things, through whom also he made the universe, the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”
My favourite prophet is Nathan, what a storyteller and such courage to give King David a ticking off… twice! But don’t try to find his ‘book’ in the Old Testament; nor books of the prophets Elijah, Elisha, Gad, Ahijah, Shemaiah, Micaiah, the (anonymous) widow of Tekoa (another favourite). There’s loads of them. All commissioned to bring the Lord’s advice in spoken words to powerful people for their own good and for propelling his redemptive purposes into the wider world.
Now the strategy has changed. Four centuries of prophet silence (though lots going on in Israel’s history) before Elijah’s voice again rang out in the mouth of John the Baptist heralding the arrival of the great prophecy that Moses himself had predicted. What will God say to his people and the world this time? What can he possibly say new? Will just another prophet ever measure up? Do we need more words?
In these last days, his statement to us is this: My Son! Not more talk, a person. Not words but The Word himself, made human.
God’s message to us is Jesus, the exact representation of God himself, radiance of his glory, his thinking, his words now fleshed and inhabiting humanity. This magnificent letter to the Hebrews, possibly the greatest worship treatise ever penned, boldly declares that he has surpassed all the other prophets and their messages by sending us his own Son. If you want to see the face of God, look at Jesus, find his character in the life, death, resurrection, ascension and outpouring - the mission - of Jesus of Nazareth. Confused about God, life, meaning? Explore Jesus.
This week, we’ve been looking at incidents from our Lord Jesus’ life and learned how to move from curiosity to worship, from information to adoration. Every incident opens up an amazing truth. Just put yourself in the story and see the Lord with fresh eyes. Do not be satisfied with more words. Meet the Word in the words.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you said, “See me, see the Father.” I worship you for bearing your Father’s image, his love, generosity, self-sacrifice, justice, forgiveness and faithful commitment to his promise to heal and save the world. What I see in you, I find beautiful and captivating.
Thank you for carrying out his commission, through your incarnation, passion, exaltation and for sending your Holy Spirit to us, to experience new creation life. Amen.