Musing

Musing

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Hebrews 1:2b-4

“His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through 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 at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”

Why did God make the Lord Jesus heir of all things? Didn’t God create everything? Yes. Hebrews says that: “through whom also He made the worlds.” But sin has taken possession of creation. Romans 8:20-22 (NKJ): “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” The Lord Jesus has been made heir because creation will be released from this corruption; there will be a new heaven and a new earth! And we will share as heirs with the Lord Jesus in this new creation.

I often wonder about our perspective as Christians, why we so often shrink from death when it is death which actually brings life to us? We hold onto this life with a death-grip, as if there is something in this life that has great value. The Lord has told us, over and over, that all of this will be destroyed in favor of a creation that is much greater. These bodies will be destroyed in favor of better bodies. Shouldn’t we all want that? The apostle Paul writes:

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." (I Corinthians 15:52-54 NKJ).

Death is defeated because death is simply a door, a graduation to a better life! And the Lord Jesus is heir to all this because He Himself purged our sins.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I struggle with my sins. I feel like Paul that I do what I don’t want to do, as if this body had a mind of its own. And yet, I know that the mind in control here is mine and that I choose to sin. It is a battle, a battle whether or not I would do the Lord’s will or my own. I am so grateful that the Lord Jesus has purged all of these sins and that He has promised me a new body that will not rebel against His will. I long for the day when I don’t struggle to do His will, but when His will reigns totally with no opposing force. It amazes me how much God loves us, that He has allowed this rebellion to continue throughout the years so that all who will would end up saying “yes” to salvation. The Lord tarries His judgment because He loves us! He often even stays His hand of temporary judgment for our sins simply because He loves us. We have the “heir of all things” as our advocate before the throne. It is amazing to me and something I think we should not forget.

Lead Me to Calvary
by Jennie Hussey and William Kirkpatrick

King of my life, I crown Thee now, Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn crowned brow, lead me to Calvary.

Show me the tomb where Thou wast laid, tenderly mourned and wept;
Angels in robes of light arrayed guarded Thee whilst Thou slept.

Let me like Mary, through the gloom, come with a gift to Thee;
Show to me now the empty tomb, lead me to Calvary.

May I be willing, Lord, to bear daily my cross for Thee;
Even Thy cup of grief to share, Thou hast borne all for me.

Lest I forget Gethsemane, lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me, dead me to Calvary.

© 2010 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

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