A Divine Conversation (Heb. 1:7-9)

This sermon was preached on 6/1/2013

The author of Hebrews continues to prove that Jesus is superior to the angels, those powerful creatures that serve God and who exist in his immediate presence in heaven. Each aspect of the superiority of Jesus mentioned by the author in this section from 1:4 onwards is concerned with his exaltation and the author bases his assertions on Old Testament quotations. The exaltation began with Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, which the author has referred to in verses 4 to 6. Now he mentions a second aspect that reveals the superiority of Jesus, and that is his reign at God’s right hand which is referred to in verses 7 to 9. 

Before he focuses on the topic of Christ’s reign, the author details some features of angels which are found in a quotation from Psalm 104:4: ‘Who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire.’ The verse brings to his readers’ attention both the dignity and the inferiority of the angelic host. It is clear from this verse that angels are created beings because they are made by God. The verse also indicates that they are not human, but spirits, which is a reminder that the Lord is capable of making many kinds of intelligent creatures. 

Further, the angels function as God’s court retinue, standing before his throne ready to obey swiftly and powerfully. Some scholars think that the phrase ‘flames of fire’ is a reference to lightning and argue that the author is using it as an illustration of the rapid service of the angels (they would also say that the term ‘spirits’ should be translated ‘winds’, which would also indicate swift and powerful service). Others suggest that the phrase points to their burning holiness, as seen in the vision of the seraphim in Isaiah 6. In so describing the angels in this way, the author is showing that they are highly privileged creatures. 

Although they are close to the divine throne, the angels are not allowed on to the throne and never will be. Only one who is divine can sit there. The Jewish readers of this letter would have acknowledged this to be the case, which means that since Jesus sits on that throne he must be greater than the angels. The author expanded his explanation of the superiority of Jesus by referring to another psalm, Psalm 45, which is a psalm celebrating the activities of the divine King, including his warfare and his wedding. 

A divine conversation

In the quotation from Psalm 45, the author reveals that we are listening in to a divine conversation between the Father and the Son. The eternal Father is addressing the eternal Son about his eternal throne. This is one of the wonders of the Bible. It describes to us the communion that takes place within the Trinity. We don’t know what a king and a queen say to one another in private conversation. Yet because of this verse, and others like it, we do know some of the matters that the Father and the Son spoke about.

When did this conversation take place? The Father and the Son have been speaking to one another from eternity, so we need further information to help us discover when the conversation occurred. The answer to this question is found in the details mentioned in the quotation from Psalm 45. 

It is likely that this psalm could not have been fully understood during Old Testament days. Readers may have assumed it was describing God’s relationship with his people Israel. Before it could be understood fully, the Saviour had to come into the world as a man. Now that he has come in this way, the hidden meaning of the psalm opens before our eyes. This is the case with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of other Old Testament passages. Seen through the person and work of Jesus, they take on a larger and more profound meaning. It is a good practice, when reading the Old Testament, to think of how Jesus Christ affects the meaning of the passage.

So when did the conversation take place? Perhaps verse 9 will help us. In verse 9, the Father is looking back as he addresses the Son and says to him, ‘You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.’ While this would be true of any stage in the eternal existence of the Son, the particular phase to which the Father refers was rewarded with a special anointing of the oil of gladness. The period that was followed by a reward was the time that the Son of God spent between his incarnation and death. Therefore, the specific period in which his love for righteousness and hatred of sin was displayed was his earthly sojourn. The conversation took place after that time spent on earth, when Jesus ascended to heaven after his resurrection from the dead.

There are many ways in which we can think about the earthly life of Jesus. We can focus on his compassion that he showed to various kinds of people. Or we could think about his power revealed in his miracles. Or we can marvel at the penetrating effect of his teaching. And here we have another way – we can think of him as the one who loved righteousness. A passion for righteousness filled his heart. 

When Jesus ascended and entered into heaven, it is possible that he had an angelic escort. There would certainly have been angelic observers, millions of them. As Jesus entered the heavenly throne room (Rev. 4-5), the Father did not speak to any of the angels and suggest that they could have a reward. But he did welcome his Son in line with the sentiments of Psalm 45. And as he ascended to the heights, the angels praised him with all the love they possessed.

What did the Father call Jesus? 

In verse 8, he calls Jesus, ‘O God,’ which is an acknowledgement of the full deity of Christ. The One who knows Jesus exactly and perfectly declares of him that he is fully divine. Angels were never addressed by the Father as divine and as possessing a throne. Instead of giving them a throne, he gave them tasks to perform. But it is so different with regard to the Son.

Yet in verse 9, the Father also says to Jesus that he has a God (‘Your God’). How can he be God and yet have a God? I suspect that this description points to the fact that the eternal Son also has a human nature, that he in his humanity had a God. Jesus himself refers to this twofold relationship when he said to Mary Magdalene on the resurrection morning, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God”’ (John 20:17). A similar statement is found on his lips in Psalm 22:10: ‘You are my God from my mother’s belly.’ This is one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith, how the Son of God is both divine and human forever.

What did the Father say about Jesus? 

The Father said to Jesus that he has a kingdom that is marked by perpetuity and justice. When reading this description of the Saviour’s kingdom as perpetual, we must remember that although the kingdom entered a new stage of worldwide conquest when he ascended, it is not dependant on his humanity. As John Owen put it, ‘It is the divine nature of the Lord Christ that gives eternity, stability, and unchangeableness to his throne and kingdom.’

In reading these features, we are reminded of the contrast between the kingdom of Jesus and the kingdoms of this world. Each of them is limited in duration, no matter how powerful it becomes. History is like a track littered with kingdoms that once existed; they are described in a couple of paragraphs in a history book. Even in good kingdoms, their rulers don’t have the time to bring about all the improvements that they desire.

In contrast, the kingdom of Jesus will continue and expand, as indicated in the words of Psalm 72 which details both the historical length and the geographical breadth of the Messiah’s kingdom.  He will never be prevented or disappointed in his government of his kingdom. Although there are stages in his rule, he will reign forever. (We can think of his reign between his first and second comings as one stage, and his reign over the new heavens and new earth after he returns as another stage). 

In addition, his rule will be marked by righteousness or justice. The subjects of his kingdom will experience this kind of government, which cannot be guaranteed in earthly governments no matter how many defenses are put in place to prevent corruption. The kingdom of Jesus will be righteous because its ruler is totally and always righteous. Initially, we might think that this is bad news because we are unrighteous. To discover more about how righteousness will be enacted, we have to consider the current concerns of the Saviour’s kingdom. 

Although his throne is set in heaven, much of his domain is on earth and is made up of sinners who lack personal righteousness. Yet for such, he can act righteously in a beneficial way, and here are three ways by which he does so.

First of all, he provides a perfect righteousness for them, a righteousness that satisfies all the claims of possible condemnation. Instead of being sent to prison, they are given a status which guarantees permanent residence within his kingdom. This righteousness is the obedience worked out by Jesus in his life and death. 

Second, he provides the power that enables them to live a righteous life: ‘that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit’ (Rom. 8:4). Jesus himself said that his yoke is easy and his burden light. It is unjust to make a law that is hard to obey. John Owen, when referring to Romans 12:1ff., argues that one aspect of the righteous rule of Christ is that his laws are suitable to our human natures, to our new nature as Christians, and is enabled by the Spirit which he supplies. As John Owen put it, ‘Whatever he requires to have done by his subjects, he gives them strength by his Spirit and grace to perform it; which makes his rule easy, righteous, equal, and altogether lovely.’ 

Third, he provides a righteous restoration when any of his people sin against him after they become his subjects: ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:9). The sceptre of Christ is a sceptre of righteous mercy.

Of course, Jesus can act in judgement as well whenever a person or community reject his authority. We can see this in the Book of Acts, which is a record of what Jesus continued to do after he ascended to God’s throne. It does not matter who the person was, according to earthly status. Herod is devoured because he elevated himself; Ananias and Sapphira are struck down because they lied to the apostles. They are examples of the righteous judgement of Jesus. 

The best attire to wear in the Saviour’s kingdom is the garment of repentance and faith. Through them, we receive richly from Jesus all the provisions that we need in order to live in his kingdom. Because his kingdom is a righteous kingdom, he deals with his subjects fairly. He will not deprive a penitent sinner of any of the blessings of his grace.

What the Father gave to Jesus? (v.9)

The verse from the psalm states that Jesus received from the Father the oil of joy. It is an allusion to the practice in Israel of anointing public figures with oil before they began to fulfil their office. The author does not mean that Jesus was literally anointed with oil in heaven; instead he means that Jesus received what the oil symbolised, which is the Holy Spirit.

This was the first time that Jesus received the Holy Spirit in this special way. The Bible makes clear that he was indwelt by the Spirit throughout his life, whether as a child or adult. He had also received the Spirit when he began his three years of public ministry. This reception took place at his baptism and as a result he was equipped to perform all the Messianic functions that he did during these three years. Yet Jesus also looked forward to a further reception of the Holy Spirit. Even after his resurrection, he promised his disciples: ‘Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high’ (Luke 24:49). And on the Day of Pentecost, Peter says, ‘Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear’ (Acts 2:33).

The reception of the Spirit was a reward for his earthly life. ‘Therefore’ in verse 9 makes that clear. The best way to explain this reward is to consider the contents of the eternal agreement between the Father and the Son. The Son was to take the path of procuring redemption for sinners, and the Father’s role was to exalt him as a reward, and part of his reward was to give to him in an increased way the Holy Spirit, not only for himself, but also for his people.

The reception of the Spirit is connected to the way the Saviour rejoices as he sits on the eternal throne. He rejoices as he reigns in righteousness. What took place on the Day of Pentecost is an example of it. He dealt righteously with his enemies who had crucified him: by his Spirit he pointed out their sins, revealed his righteous way of salvation, forgave freely their sins, and sent the Spirit to indwell them. And as each of the 3,000 was converted, Jesus rejoiced. 

Well might we say with Adolph Saphir: ‘To which of the angels was ever language addressed as unto this One, who indeed is born of a woman, the Son of man, a descendant of David, who lived upon earth the servant of God, honouring the law of Moses, and obedient to all the commandments of God ? But to Him the Father has given a throne and a sceptre for ever, and speaks to Him as His equal from all eternity unto all ages.’