The Brightness of His Glory ~ Alyssa H.

Hi Friends! Alyssa H. recently shared some sweet insights from God's Word which she was encouraged by at her church. I hope you enjoy reading what she learned from the book of Hebrews. Love in Christ, Christina

The Brightness of His Glory

Heb. 1:3 KJV ~ “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

God manifested His glory to Moses (Exodus 33-34), Saul (when name changed to Paul in Acts 9), and other people. We don’t fully understand the brightness of His glory (Rom. 11:33-36). Ask Him to open the riches of His glory to us (Col. 1:15-17).

Light reveals what we wouldn’t otherwise see. We often approach God, pointing out our most obvious sins. But then the brightness of His glory comes and we see ALL the sins, darkness of our soul. We are left without excuse and need to repent of our sin, asking Him to cleanse our heart. David wrote, “Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance” (Ps. 90:8). May we pray with a broken and contrite heart as David did, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin…Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight…Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow…Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me…Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Ps. 51:1-2,4,7,10,12).

In verse 3, “brightness” means “light” or “splendor”; “image” means “character”. Christ is the express image = an exact copy, representation, of God the Father. Jesus said to Philip, “He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father” (Jn. 14:8-9).

Jesus always says who He is. Who do we say that He is? Who is Christ to you and me today? Do you and I believe He is God, or just another being? For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6).