Devotional 22 May 2025

May 22, 2025 • Steve Torres

Hebrews 1:3.jpg

"He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high," (Hebrews 1:3, ESV)

The writer of Hebrews doesn’t ease into the story of Jesus: he launches with majesty. In just one verse, we are given a sweeping vision of Christ: His divinity, His sustaining power, His priestly work, and His eternal reign. The verse brims with theological weight and invites us to marvel.

Jesus is “the radiance of the glory of God.” The Greek term (apaugasma) means the shining forth—the visible light that emanates from the source itself. He doesn’t simply reflect God’s glory; He is the outshining of it (cf. John 1:14). As the Shekinah glory once filled the tabernacle, now it dwells bodily in Christ (Colossians 2:9).

He is also “the exact imprint of his nature.” The word charaktēr refers to a stamp used to press an image into metal. Jesus isn’t a vague reflection of God: He is God. Paul echoes this truth in Colossians 1:15, saying Christ is “the image of the invisible God.” When Jesus told Philip, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9), He was declaring this very truth. While we were made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), Jesus is the image.

He not only reveals God, but sustains creation itself. “He upholds the universe by the word of his power.” Every atom, every law of physics, every heartbeat, exists by His command (John 1:3; Colossians 1:17). Jesus, while he was being crucified, was holding the nails in existence, the cross in existence, the soldier who was beating Him, the ones who were nailing Him, the very thorns that pierced His brow, all were held in existence by Him. As He bled, He reigned.

This is the wonder of our redemption: “After making purification for sins, he sat down…” The priests of the Old Covenant never sat, because the work was never finished. But Jesus, having offered Himself once for all (Hebrews 10:12), sat down: because it was finished (John 19:30). He accomplished our salvation not by ceasing to be God, but by fully revealing God: His justice, mercy, and love.

So today, we do not work to earn what He has already secured. We rest in the power of the One who reigns, who sustains, and who saves. No wonder He is worthy to sit at the right hand of the Majesty on high! All glory be to Him!