God Has Spoken Through His Son
Throughout history, philosophers have asked again and again: “Where did humanity come from? Why do we live? Where are we going?” Yet the writer of Hebrews, in the face of all these questions, proclaims one defining truth.
“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.” (Heb. 1:2)
God has spoken through His Son. And He appointed that Son as the heir of all things. Within this declaration lies God’s redemptive plan for fallen humanity, and the secret of the wondrous inheritance given to those who believe.
Humanity, Fallen Below the Level of Cattle
To truly understand the significance of the Son whom God sent, we must first honestly face our own condition. Isaiah lamented with these words:
“The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” (Isa. 1:3)
What a staggering word. The people whom God personally chose, nurtured, and spoke to had fallen below the level of oxen and donkeys. Animals at least know their master. But fallen humanity does not know its Creator, and does not even wish to.
Sin is not merely moral failure. Sin destroys our very capacity for spiritual perception. Human beings, created in the image of God, had been reduced to a state where only the blood of animals could bring them before God — the sacrificial system of the Old Testament was the institutionalization of this tragic reality. The blood of bulls and goats had to be poured out on the altar in our place. This is the consequence of sin.
The Son Came and Settled It Once and for All
It was into this very condition that the Son of God came. Hebrews introduces Him this way:
“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.” (Heb. 1:3)
He crushed the power of darkness and saved those who groaned under the weight of sin. The problem of sin — which even the blood of animals could never fully resolve — He settled once and for all through His own blood. “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” (Heb. 9:12) Christ “offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins” and “sat down at the right hand of God.” (Heb. 10:12) The sins of every age — past, present, and future — were completely covered by that one sacrifice.
Humanity, once fallen below the level of oxen and donkeys, can now approach God with boldness. This is the heart of the gospel.
What It Means to Be an Heir
Yet Hebrews chapter one does not stop there. God appointed the Son as “the heir of all things,” and this inheritance extends to all who believe — this is the most astonishing dimension of the gospel.
“And if children, then heirs — heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” (Rom. 8:17)
All who believe in Jesus Christ become children of God. And the children of God are heirs. God has passed down to us the name of His children and the authority that comes with it. This is not vague comfort. It is not an insurance policy for the afterlife. It is a present reality — a call to live here, now, on this earth, carrying that authority.
When Jesus sent out His disciples, He said:
“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” (Luke 10:19)
This is the authority of the heir.
We Must Live Out That Authority
Living as heirs is not passive observation. It is active engagement in battle. “Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated.” We must know the devil and Satan. Everything about the work of evil spirits and spiritual warfare is found within Scripture. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12) The battlefield on which we fight is not the visible world.
We must rescue those who are bound by Satan. There are people trapped in addiction, fear, despair, and broken relationships. They cannot free themselves. We, as heirs, must fight for them in the authority of the name of Christ. Preaching the gospel is itself the act of breaking chains. “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) The heir must carry this light of truth into the darkness.
But above all, we ourselves must first live within that authority. An heir dominated by fear, an heir crushed by guilt, an heir who is ashamed of the gospel for fear of what others think — such a person has received authority but is not walking in it. Hebrews calls us to boldness:
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16)
This confidence is the posture of the heir.
Live Like an Heir
Even an ox knows its master. But we know far more than an ox. We know who that Master is, what He has done for us, and what He has given us.
The Son of God came. He bore our sins. He crushed the power of darkness. And He made us heirs. This is a privilege beyond words.
Now is the time to make that authority known. Go into the darkness. Fight for those who are bound. Live like an heir. Christ, the heir of all things, is with us.
