The Royal Son | Hebrews 1:7-9

The TV animated special A Charlie Brown Christmas first debuted in 1965. Since then it has become a Christmas tradition in many homes, including my own. 

In the opening dialogue, Charlie Brown laments to Linus, “I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming, but I'm not happy. I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel. I just don't understand Christmas, I guess. I like getting presents and sending Christmas cards, and decorating trees and all that, but I'm still not happy. I always end up feeling depressed.”

To which Linus replies, “Charlie Brown, you're the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem. Maybe Lucy's right. Of all the Charlie Browns in the world, you’re the Charlie Browniest.”

Do you ever feel like Charlie Brown? “I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel.” 

You know Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and wonder and awe, especially for you as a Christian. But do you ever feel like you’re faking it? Does your affection for God ever wane? Does your zeal grow cold? Does your faith waver?

The book of Hebrews is addressed to Christians who were wavering in their faith. Many were weary, stagnant, and burnt out. The author warns not to “drift away” from the gospel (2:1), not to “neglect” the gospel (2:3). He often urges them to “hold fast” to their confidence and hope (4:14, 10:23), not to “shrink back” (10:39). He encourages them not to grow weary or lose heart (12:3). Those are things you say to those whose grip is slipping.

Some in the original audience were even in serious danger of hard-hearted unbelief (3:12) and high-handed disobedience, willfully walking away from the faith.

What do such Christians need to hear—Christians who are weary, discouraged, persecuted and tempted to give up? What would you say to encourage them?

Where do you direct your own heart when your soul is dry, your faith is weak, and your joy is depleted? Buddy the Elf says, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”

The author of Hebrews offers even better counsel. He intends to increase joy in Jesus by convincing his audience that there is no one and nothing in the universe better than Jesus. This is instructive to us: the way to preserve joy and persevere in faith is to see (again and again) that Jesus is unrivaled. Enduring joy in Jesus comes from seeing Jesus as the unrivaled King.

And how to prove the superiority of something? You put it up against the best. That’s how champions are crowned. The World Cup final is happening right now. The College Football Playoffs start New Year’s Eve. The NFL Playoffs will begin in January. After all the pundits have voiced their opinions and ranked the contenders, there’s only one way to determine the best: beat the rest.

Likewise, the author of Hebrews proves the supremacy of Jesus by comparing him first to angels, then to Moses, then to the Old Covenant priesthood, temple, and sacrificial system. The author of Hebrews uses the word “better” twelve times. He speaks of a better hope (7:19), a better covenant (7:22, 8:6) enacted on better promises (8:6), better sacrifices (9:23), better and eternal possessions (10:34), a better and heavenly home (11:16), resurrection to a better life (11:35), and the blood of Jesus that speaks a better word (12:24). Jesus is “worthy of more glory than Moses” (3:3). He is our “great high priest” (4:14, cf. 10:21) and our “great shepherd” (13:20).

In Hebrews 1, the author begins by proving that Jesus is superior to angels: “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 1:3–4).

The supremacy and excellency of Jesus, the Son of God is the theme of Hebrews 1. And that sets the stage for our text this morning. For the sake of our joy in Jesus this Advent and forever, let’s give our attention to Hebrews 1:7–9.

“Of the angels he says, ‘He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.’ But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’”

My aim is to help you linger over this revelation of the supremacy of Jesus, the Royal Son of God, so that your confidence and joy in Jesus will be strengthened and sustained. We’re going to look at four aspects of Jesus’s unrivaled glory revealed here: his divine nature, his eternal reign, his righteous rule, and his universal supremacy.

His Divine Nature: Jesus is unrivaled because he is God.

Verse 8 says, “But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.’” God the Father is the one doing the talking to the Son. That’s who “he” is. And the Father says to the Son, “Your throne, O God, is forever.” God the Father addresses the Son as God!

Now, Hebrews 1:8–9 is a direct quotation from Psalm 45:6–7. And Psalm 45 was originally written to celebrate the wedding of a majestic king from the line of David. What’s perplexing about Psalm 45 is how the psalmist could say to a human king, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever” (Ps. 45:6). It’s so perplexing that some translations avoid that wording altogether and instead say things like, “Your throne is of God” or “God is your throne.” But in the end, none of those attempts do justice to the grammar and language.

The best explanation is that, in that original context, the psalmist spoke to the king in this way because the king represented God and received his authority from God. It’s a lot like Exodus 7:1, where God said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet” (Exodus 7:1). Moses, of course, was not God. But Moses really did represent God to Pharaoh. He spoke God’s very words with God’s very authority. So God could say figuratively, “I have made you like God to Pharaoh.” Adam was made in the image of God to represent God and rule the world under God, the king was meant to represent God’s rule and reign over God’s people. 

However, when the author of Hebrews cites Psalm 45:6, it is clear that the text takes on a fuller and richer meaning. Hebrews says that Psalm 45 is ultimately about Jesus. And when Psalm 45 comes true in Jesus, it is more real than anyone ever imagined. Jesus is not simply like God figuratively—a representative of God. Jesus is God—truly, actually, literally God.

The author of Hebrews leaves no doubt about this. He says in the opening verses (1:2–3) that Jesus is the one through whom God created the world, the very radiance of the glory of God, the exact imprint of his nature, and the one who upholds the universe by the word of his power.

He quotes Old Testament passages that speak of Yahweh and applies them to Jesus: “And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him’” (Hebrews 1:6). That comes from Deuteronomy 32:43, a passage that describes the LORD (all caps, i.e., Yahweh) rescuing his people. In v. 10, he cites Psalm 102:25: “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands.” And he says this is talking about the Son!

The fact that Jesus is God should give you unwavering confidence and joy in Jesus. How many times have you been let down by someone in a position of power and influence? From athletes and actors to pastors and politicians, humans let us down. Just think how often you hear people appeal to their human nature as an excuse for their sin: “I’m only human!” 

What does that mean? It means what did you expect? Cut me some slack. We all make mistakes. I can’t be held responsible since this is a weakness common to humans.

But the fact that Jesus is God means that he will never fail. His promises will never turn out to be empty campaign slogans. His kingdom will never be ruined by scandal. His reputation will never be tarnished by moral failure.

Jesus is unrivaled because he is God, and when you trust him as God, your joy will be strengthened and sustained.

His Eternal Reign: Jesus is unrivaled because he reigns forever.

Look at verse 8 again: “But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.’”

“Throne” is a shorthand way of referring to the entirety of the king’s authority, power, and dominion, the king’s rule and reign. This is similar to the way we commonly refer to the U.S. President and his Administration by speaking of “The Oval Office” or “The White House.”

A recent news article stated, “​​The White House says the U.S. is strong enough to avoid a recession.” Of course, the building itself said no such thing. Rather, the President (or those speaking on his behalf) said this. 

Likewise, the point here is not the permanence of the ceremonial chair itself, but the permanence of the Son’s rule and reign. His authority will last … forever. And that makes him the unrivaled source of joy and security.

You know what dampens our joy like a wet blanket? The thought that the source of our joy will come to an end. Students are entering Christmas Break right now. Remember how great that felt when you were a kid? And remember that sinking feeling in your gut every time you did the math in your head and counted up how many days of break you had left?

Longevity, on the other hand—enduring greatness—is awesome and impressive. Names like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Nick Saban, Nolan Ryan, Gordie Howe, and Wayne Gretzky are synonymous with long-term greatness. 

As a kid, I lived in Chicago for the first three NBA Championships the Bulls won. I remember the celebrations in the streets, the parades, the party at Grant Park. In 1992, all the shirts and hats said “Back to Back.” In 1993 they said “3-Peat.” Far more impressive than being the best once is being the best over and over and over.

Nobody wants fleeting joy. We want joy that lasts forever. And that is what we have in Jesus, whose throne is forever and ever. In Isaiah 9, that famous Christmas passage that declares, “To us a child is born, to us a son is given,” it goes on to say, “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore” (Isaiah 9:7). The eternal duration of the Son’s rule and reign is one of the defining characteristics of his Kingship.

Think about the things that end a king’s dominion. A king could die with no heir. Or a king could be assassinated by traitors in a coup. A king could be captured or killed by a more powerful foreign king. Jesus is not vulnerable to any of those threats. He has already defeated death and conquered the grave. 

And—don’t miss this—the Son’s eternal reign has already begun. It is inaccurate to think Jesus’ eternal reign is going to start in the future. What we celebrate at Christmas is that the long-awaited Royal Son came to this world in history and began to rule and reign … and there will be no end. He sits on his throne now, and that throne, that dominion endures forever.

What has yet to happen is the consummation of his kingdom when every last enemy has been destroyed. But he is conquering those enemies now by his royal authority. 1 Corinthians 15:24–26 says, “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” 

Jesus is unrivaled because he reigns forever, and when you are convinced of that, your joy is strengthened and sustained.

His Righteous Rule: Jesus is unrivaled because he rules in perfect righteousness. 

In verses 8 and 9, the Father says to the Son, “The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.” (Hebrews 1:8–9). A kingdom that lasts forever would be bad news if the monarch is wicked. But Hebrews 1 speaks of the duration of the Son’s dominion, as well as its nature. How long he rules is one thing. How he rules is another.

Just like a throne is the seat of royal power that refers to the king’s authority, a scepter is a symbol of the king’s royal action. A king doesn’t just sit on a throne; he acts in his kingdom. He is the executive. He puts the law into effect by administrating and judging. The king wields a scepter as a symbolic tool; it represents his power to act as judge and ruler and defender of his people.

The Son of God holds a royal scepter, and his scepter is called “the scepter of uprightness.” This defines the moral quality of his administration. He rules … rightly. His judgments … are just. By his scepter of up-right-ness, he makes right what has been made wrong by evil.

Inspired by the Spirit of God, King David used his final words to speak of this very thing: “The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth” (2 Samuel 23:3–4). A righteous king is a source of sweet joy to his subjects.

But the righteousness of the Royal Son goes deeper than his actions. Not only does he do what’s right; he loves what’s right: “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness” (Hebrews 1:9).

Not only does he keep and enforce the standard; he loves the standard. He delights in righteousness; he abhors evil.

And this makes Jesus the unrivaled source of security and joy forever. Because he reigns in righteousness, you need not fret over evildoers in the world. No one will get away with anything; there will be no cold cases, no unsolved crimes. King Jesus limits all the evil in this world, and King Jesus will right every wrong.

There is a day coming when God will judge the secrets of men by Christ Jesus (Romans 12:16). Paul comforted persecuted Christians with this reality in 2 Thessalonians 1:6–10: “Indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction … when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed.”

And as the only perfectly righteous one, he offered himself in your place to satisfy the law’s just demands against you. Because of the death of Jesus, the sinless Son of God, God can pardon you and show you favor forever without perverting justice. 

Jesus is unrivaled because he rules in perfect righteousness, and when you know that, your joy is strengthened and sustained.

His Universal Supremacy: Jesus is unrivaled because he is exalted above all.

Verse 9 says, “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

The phrase “oil of gladness” appears in one other place in Scripture. In Isaiah 61:3, the Messiah, the Lord’s Anointed, says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me … to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit” (Isaiah 61:1, 3).

Here, “the oil of gladness” is parallel to a beautifying headdress and a garment of praise, all of which is set in contrast to ashes, mourning, and weariness. To be anointed by God with the oil of gladness is to be exalted by God to unsurpassed joy and happiness.

To be anointed beyond his companions means that the Royal Son is exalted above every power and all authority in heaven or on earth. Originally in Psalm 45, “companions” may have referred to the wedding guests, or other princes from the royal family, or other kings from neighboring nations. But in Hebrews 1, when the text is applied to Jesus, “companions” seems to take on broader and deeper meaning. Now it includes spiritual powers like angels, since the author’s main point is that Jesus is superior to angels.

One commentator puts it like this: “God has poured forth upon him … a superabundant joy, both outwardly and in his spirit, such as He has bestowed upon no other king upon the face of the earth.” The point is that God the Father has exalted Jesus, his Royal Son, far above all others. 

This was always God’s promise to the True King from David’s line. “And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth” (Psalm 89:27). 

Jesus himself began the Great Commission by declaring, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). 

And Paul says in Philippians 2:9–11, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11).

It would seem that many people are comfortable with the claim that Jesus’ power and authority is spiritual, but less comfortable with his earthly dominion. So long as Jesus keeps his authority “up there” in the spiritual realm, far removed from earthly realities, no one minds. This is an area of frequent misunderstanding. People say things like, “The kingdom of God is spiritual,” or more explicitly, “Jesus is neither republican nor democrat!” And that’s true enough. Jesus is not a registered voter in America. His kingdom is not an earthly kingdom in the sense that he does not derive his authority from earthly powers. He didn’t win any election. He doesn’t have to in order to legitimize his authority.

But Jesus is the ruler over all earthly powers. That’s why Revelation 1:5 calls him “the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.” And Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as in heaven.” His authority is from heaven; this world is his dominion. And every human—every man, woman, and child—is commanded to honor Jesus as King. He deserves all worship and obedience. To reject him is disobedient and evil, and God will repay all who rebel. But to those who acknowledge Jesus as the unrivaled King of heaven and earth, there will be blessing and life and joy forever. 

Jesus is unrivaled because he is exalted above all, and when you treasure him as the highest King, your joy is strengthened and sustained.

Conclusion

From the beginning, Charlie Brown knew his own problem. “I just don't understand Christmas, I guess,” he told Linus. Do you remember what Linus told Charlie Brown about the true meaning of Christmas? He cited Luke 2: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11, KJV). 

To the degree that you see Jesus as the glorious King—divine, eternal, righteous, and supreme—your faith will be strengthened and your joy will be full.