The Telos

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 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, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs ." --Hebrews 1:1-3

Our God is a speaking God; He is not silent. This fact alone should make us stand in awe. Who are we to be the recipients of God's speech? Yet, He has chosen to communicate and fellowship with us. In the past He spoke through the prophets, who were His representatives to His people. And as the writer of Hebrews makes clear, God's communication with His people did not stop with the prophets. On the contrary, God chose to speak to us in "in these last days" in the clearest and most personal manner: by His Son. As Donald Hagner remarks:

A fundamental turning point has been reached as God speaks climatically, definitively, and finally through his Son. Any further speaking about what remains to happen in the future is but the elaboration of what has already begun. All that God did previously in a preparatory manner, pointing as a great arrow to the goal of Christ. This is the argument our author so effectively presents throughout the book. Christ is the telos, the goal and ultimate meaning of all that preceded.

Here in these verses the writer points us to the true nature and superiority of the Son. (The fact that He does this by using seven phrases may be yet another way that the author of Hebrews points to the greatness and completeness of the Son of God.)

The Son is...

*The One whom God appointed the heir of all things.
*The One through whom He created the world.
*The One who is the radiance of the glory of God.
*The One who is the exact imprint of His nature.
*The One who upholds the universe by the word of His power.
*The One who made purification for sins.
*The One who sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.