In the first chapter of Hebrews, we find scriptures quoted which reveal to us various dignities and glories of the Lord Jesus. Some of them speak of that which is permanent and eternal, others of that which is transitory. “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son” (vs. 5) appears to be quoted from the typical prophecy about Solomon (2 Samuel 7:12-16) and to be connected with the earth, the glory of government.
Thus we have in this chapter the glory which Christ has as the Son before the world was, the glory which He now has, and the glory which will be displayed when He is ushered again into this world, as it is written, “When He bringeth again [margin] the First-begotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him.”
His Coming Glory
From the dignity of His Person and from the glory which He now has, we may learn a little of what that coming glory will be. But the first moment that we shall really know that glory is when God thus commands the angels to worship Him. It will be the time of the “manifestation” of our own glory as “sons of God” (Rom. 8:15-19; 115For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (Romans 8:15‑19) John 3:1-21There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. (John 3:1‑2)). And this is what the Apostle means when he says, “If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him” (1 Thess. 4:14). When He comes in His glory, we shall be in the train of that glory. The moment after He had purged our sins He could take His place on the throne of God, the pledge of the church’s final glory (Heb. 6:2020Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 6:20)). The moment He comes again, we shall be made practically to know the result of His work, in the glory. Intermingled with our experience of glory, now there must be a trembling, for glory is always terrible to nature, the judgments of God terrible to human feelings. But we are told that when He comes again, when we are brought into the glory, we shall be made like unto Himself, and this by God’s transforming power. He is able to make us like unto Christ, and that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:49-53). We shall have none of the feelings of our present nature, of old humanity then. All that is of mere nature will be broken off and laid aside, and we shall be like Christ.
“Of the angels He saith, Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands: they shall perish; but Thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail” (Heb. 1:7-127And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 8But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 10And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: 11They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. (Hebrews 1:7‑12)).
Who is this displayed as King on His throne — praised by angels — around whom all things are gathered? The living and eternal God. Christ Jesus may have been under the pressure of Satan and of death for a season — wondrous thought — yet is He unchangeably God. Nothing can alter or affect His essential and eternal Godhead and glory.
His Fellows
And we are spoken of as “His fellows.” We cannot understand the nature of our union with Christ. Godhead is not ours, nor ever can be, and yet we shall have capacities and powers resulting from union with Him in all that He is, even as God.
It is said that He is anointed with the oil of gladness “above” His fellows, and when that is said, all is said. It is true we are but the receivers, while He is the Source; in Him that is essential which in us is derived; yet in every felt blessing we are to be one with Him. And we shall not desire that it should be otherwise; we shall rejoice to say, “All things are of God” (2 Cor. 5:18). We shall see the fitness of our being but receivers and of His being the Source, as it is said, “His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.”
The Sceptre of Righteousness
The being anointed with the “oil of gladness” is spoken of in connection with what He was here, as loving righteousness and hating iniquity. We can easily understand that joy — it is a peculiar spring of joy to the heart of Jesus. But we may enter a little into the same character of gladness, and this we shall in proportion as, while here, we also love righteousness and hate iniquity.
The thought conveyed by the phrase “a sceptre of righteousness” is that of the shepherd’s rod. A king should be to his people what a shepherd is to his flock. Now Christ will hold the “rod” in that day as a Shepherd King, and it will be a “sceptre of righteousness.” And we shall share in His rule. But he holds it now (though not for the world, yet) for His church. Do we recognize this rod? Truth becomes practically blessed to us when looked at, not abstractedly, but as connected with ourselves.
Heirs Together With Him
When we read this chapter, we can say, “This is what our inheritance is.” If it sets us above angels, how much more so above what is natural, whether in ourselves or in others! However lovely what is natural may appear, we are far above it. With such a portion and such a glory, can we desire honor or dignity here? It gives contentment to those who are low in the world, and abasement to those who are great. These are the inward feelings produced in saints by the knowledge of the glory. In outward things there are two lines of difference among those who are one in Christ. First, as regards gifts in the church; these the Holy Spirit divides to each severally as He wills. Second, as to natural arrangements and relationships appointed of God; these things are right and good, and we find them so, when received in the Spirit. If they act on the flesh, they bring sorrow. Paul and Onesimus as to inward feelings were on a level, but in the church they had different places and gifts, so also as men.
These are great things respecting the glory of Jesus and our union with Him, but it is God’s word, and not man’s. The same word which tells us of Adam and his sin tells us of this. We did not see Adam sin, yet we believe that he sinned, and we feel the consequences of his sin. Why should we not as fully receive the testimony of God, when He speaks of our union with His Son and of the glory into which we shall be brought, as heirs together with Him!
The Christian Friend, 2:125