" That in all things he might have the pre-eminence." (Col. 1:18.) Such is the statement of the inspired word concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. It may not be without interest briefly to see how this is carried out.
God has revealed Himself as a jealous God, as one who will not give His glory to another. The very idea of one God implies none other of equal authority. He, and He alone, must be the object of all worship. How constantly do we see this in the history of Israel Did Israel go after idols? God's honor must be vindicated. Did the heathen nations exalt themselves and their idols above the Lord's people and Jehovah Himself? Then judgment must go forth on them, that men may know that He whose name alone is Jehovah is the Most High over all the earth. (Psa. 83:18.)
But when the Lord Jesus is presented to our view, when He came to Israel, what do we see? One in "the likeness of sinful flesh" is pointed out to the believing, expectant remnant as the object of their heart's desire. " Behold the Lamb of God," says the messenger of the Lord Jehovah, as he points to the Virgin's son. " Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." And when the multitude of His disciples surround Him at Jordan's brink, He exclaims, " There standeth one among you whom ye know not: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." (Matt. 3; John 1.) Scarcely had the echo of this announcement died away ere Jesus Himself appears to be baptized of John. " And when he was baptized he went up straightway out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting upon him; and lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. 3:16.) The attention of all is then directed to the Lord Jesus, the object of the Father's delight, and the one on whom the Holy Spirit rested. He is the one to whom prominence is now given. To Israel it had been, " Hear O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord." (Deut. 6:4.) To us it is, " Hear ye him," the Lord Jesus, the Son of the Father, God over all, blessed for evermore.
We may trace this same prominence in the name of Jesus. Several people had names given them from God, as Abraham, Jacob, Solomon, in the Old Testament, and John the Baptist in the New. But while in this they resembled the Lord Jesus, having in common with Him a name given them by God, in this they differed, that their names, though referring to the blessings bestowed on them, or the favor with which God regarded them, had reference also to Him who gave it. With the Lord Jesus it was different. Thus when God changed Abram's name to Abraham, it was done, we are told, because " a father of many nations have I made thee." (Gen. 17:5.) Jacob received the name of Israel, " for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." (Gen. 32:28.) Nathan was commissioned by God to call David's newborn son Solomon, Jedediah, beloved of the Lord. (2 Sam. 12:25.) And John speaks to us of the grace of Jehovah so soon to be manifested. But of Jesus we read, " Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matt. 1:21.) Here there is no thought of the bestower along with the recipient, as is the case with the others. When we read of Abraham, Jacob, or Solomon receiving a name from God, we may think how blessed they were to enjoy the favor of the Lord God Almighty, and to be called by another name. But whilst thinking of the favors shown them, their very name brings to remembrance the One from whom they received it. Not so with Jesus. It would seem as if on Him all eyes were to be concentrated, and nothing was to be presented with Him that might draw away attention from His person. " He shall save his people." Not a word here about Him who gave the name. The only thought is about Christ. He who was the desire of all nations had come. To Him men were to look, God manifest in the flesh. Not that in beholding the Lord they would forget God, for He was God. Not that in taking the place of prominence the person of the Father is overlooked, for He was the Son. But it was the Father's good pleasure that the Son, in whom was His delight, should be the one object for the eyes of the whole world to rest upon.
Again, at the transfiguration do we not see the same prominence given to the Lord Jesus? Moses' and Elias appear with Him on the mount, and speak " of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." The astonished and bewildered disciples witness these two in glory holding converse with Him. They saw three enter the cloud with themselves. But when they emerged " they saw no man, save Jesus only;" whilst a voice had been heard from heaven bearing witness to the Lord, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased: hear ye him." (Matt. 17:5.)
If we search the word of God to find out the origin of all created things, in that also we see the prominence given to the Lord Jesus Christ. Do we inquire who made the heavens and the earth in the day that they were created, was it not God? Yes; but the word answers that it was by the Son " he made the worlds;" (Heb. 1:2;) " All things were made by him." (John 1:3.)
If the mind, when contemplating the different orders of angelic beings which surround the throne of God-those ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation-inquire, Who called them into life? the word of God again supplies the answer: " By him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (Col. 1:16,17.) Is it the new creation which occupies us, the glories of the Church, its high position, its firm foundation? In all this we find Christ. Of the new creation He is the head. What gives stability and strength to the Church? Christ, the " precious corner-stone, a sure foundation." (Isa. 28:16; 1 Peter 2:6.) What gives it position and dignity? Christ the Head and the Bridegroom. (Col, 1:18; Rev. 21:9.) Is the Church a body? It is the body of Christ. (Eph. 1:23.) Is it in heavenly places now? It is there in Christ. (Eph. 2:6.) In whom are we presented perfect before God? In Christ.
What is the object presented to the sinner? Christ. " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31.) " To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." (Acts 10:43.) What is the subject of apostolic preaching but " Jesus Christ and him crucified?" (1 Cor. 2:2.) Are all things to be gathered together in one? It is in Christ. (Eph. 1:10.) What is the antidote to all spiritual poison but Christ in some one or more of the varied aspects in which He is revealed. Is it the assumption of superior wisdom and depth of knowledge to be found in human philosophy, which leads the mind astray, where shall we find the fullness of wisdom and the unfathomable depths of knowledge but in Him, in whom they are hid; (Col. 2:3;) and in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily? (Col. 2:9.) Is the heart endeavoring by assiduous attention to legal ordinances and ritual observances to attain to that standard of righteousness, which can abide the searching scrutiny of an holy God? " Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." (Rom. 10:4.) " We are made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Cor. 5:21.) Are we seeking for an example? He has left " us an example that we should follow his steps." (1 Peter 2:21; John 13:15.) Do we want to know something of the invisible God? We see Him in the Lord Jesus-" The brightness of his glory and the express image of his person." (Heb. 1:3.) " He that hath seen me bath seen the Father." (John 14:9.)
Again, what cheers the dying saint like the prospect of being with Christ? " Absent from the body present with the Lord." (2 Cor. 5:8.) What encourages the struggling believer as he journeys through the wilderness, so much as the hope of the Lord's coming? If downcast at the want of spiritual progress, and the wide difference between the example and the copy, what consoles him like the remembrance " That when lie shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is?" (1 John 3:2) And when sin comes in and clouds his view, how precious the remembrance that " We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins;" (1 John 2:1,2;) and that, " by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." (Heb. 10:14.) What, too, was the wish of the apostle as he drew near the close of his earthly pilgrimage? He had gone where no mortal had been before or since. Caught up into the third heaven, he had heard words which no mortal dare repeat. He had seen the Lord in glory, and had drank deep of the wells of knowledge and fountain of truth. Yet still we find he had a want unsatisfied, a desire not fully gratified-" That I may know him." (Phil. 3:10.)
Once more, if we look through the door opened in heaven, surveying the scene as presented in Rev. 4;5, and catch the sound of praise as it rises from the lips of the redeemed, what is the subject of it?-the Lamb t It is Him they worship, in the very presence of the One who sat on the throne. And as they sing, " Thou art worthy," the multitude of the heavenly host-ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands-take up the strain; and, just as when the First-begotten came into the world, the command went forth, " Let all the angels of God worship him," (Heb. 1:6,) so now the whole angelic choir joins to cry, " Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." And if He is thus the object of angelic worship, and the subject of saints' praises, what are His titles as given in the word? Do not they point Him out as having the pre-eminence? " First-born of every creature," (Col. 1:15,) in connection with creation; " Prince of the kings of the earth;" (Rev. 1:5;) " King of kings and Lord of lords," ( Rev. 19:16,) in connection with the government of the world; " First-begotten of the dead;" (Rev. 1:5;) " Captain of our salvation;" (Heb. 2:10;) " Author and finisher of the faith," (Heb. 12:2,) in connection with redemption. How truly, then, do we see that in all things He has the pre-eminence. He is the object of the Father's love, and the subject of the Spirit's testimony. To Him the Father bore witness when on earth; to Him the Spirit now bears witness as He reveals Jesus to our souls. How marvelous to find One suiting the need of all; at once the refuge of the sinner and the stay of the believer; our strength in weakness, our wisdom in ignorance, our solace in sorrow; the One who meets all. the desires of our souls, and the One whom all in heaven combine to worship. In all things He has the pre-eminence. And whilst saving as God can spew sympathy as man. No mere mortal could take such a place. None but the Son of God could fill it. But if He occupies such a place in creation, revelation, and glory, what place has He in our hearts? He is the Father's delight; is He ours? It is the Father's will that in all things He should have the preeminence; do we respond to this? It is God's decree that " at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father;" (Phil. 2:10,11;) do our hearts now bow to Him? What an object have we presented as the One to whom all shall bow! But marvelous as all this is, and whilst with all intelligent creation we are to give Him the pre-eminence, which is rightfully His, we have a position, a relationship with Him which none other of God's creatures can enjoy. He who is the head over all, God blessed for evermore, is not ashamed to call us brethren. (Heb. 2:12.) Nor is this all; we are one with Him, " members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." (Eph. 5 " One spirit with the Lord." (1 Cor. 6:17.) Our security is bound up with Him. Our life is linked with His. He is our life. (Col. 3:4.) " Because I live ye shall live also." (John 14:19.) But we do not stop even here, for " we are in him;" (1 John 5:20;) and yet, more wonderful still, He dwells in us. (John 6:56.)