What Do We See in Glory of the Son?

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, (Hebrews 1:3)

Today’s big question: what do we see in the glory of the Son?

As we continue to look at Jesus, we must ask ourselves who He really is. I wonder how many of us reflect on Jesus Christ by thinking of the storybook pictures we viewed as a child—the Jesus with long, flowing hair, holding a newborn lamb, or open arms to accept the little children. This is the Jesus painted on the walls of many church nurseries, but the writer of Hebrews asks us to consider something much, much greater.

Jesus is the brightness of the glory of the Father and His express image. This first statement in today’s verse is a cause for countless hours of meditation. We are told that when we look at the Son, we see the Father (John 14:9).

Is this what happens when we look at the storybook pictures? No. The storybooks picture us a physical presence that any human being can show. However, the Bible reveals Jesus as possessing unparalleled wisdom, immeasurable grace, incomprehensible mercy, and unquestionable authority. He could see into the heart of humans and see our sin in all its dirtiness. He had authority to forgive sins, which only God can do (Mark 2:5–7). He lived in perfect submission to the Father without one blemish of defiance (2 Corinthians 5:21). He could control the winds and the waves (Mark 4:39), command trees to wither (Mark 11:14, 20), and command demons to be cast out as only the Creator can (Matthew 12:22).

Whenever we look at the Son of God, we see the express image of His Father. The full representation of the glory of God is found in the Son, and He has revealed it to us.

The question is: how do you respond to this truth? God has revealed Himself to us in Jesus Christ and given us His Word, through which to know Him. God’s Word reveals His Son, who reveals His glory.

God, in His infinite grace, has found it in His heart to reveal Himself to a rebellious creation by actually coming into this world to be one of us. When we deserved His utter wrath, He graced us with His glorious presence. Not only this, He died on a piece of wood that was reserved for the lowest of criminals. This immeasurable grace is the essence God’s glory in Christ for which I am eternally thankful. At the same time, it makes me loathe my own sinful pride.

Today’s big idea: in the glory of the Son we see the immeasurable glory and grace of the Father.

What to pray: ask God to rid you of your sinful pride.