A MORE EXCELLENT NAME

 A MORE EXCELLENT NAME

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 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; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Hebrews 1:1-4. Jesus Christ is superior to the angels because he is the Son of God. In human form, he came to earth so that we might behold the nature of God. In human form, he died on the cross so that in that sacrifice he might purge our sins. In his resurrection and ascension to heaven, he was appointed the heir of all things as he was set on the right hand of the Father. In his prayer to the Father in the garden of Gethsemane, he prayed, “Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that the Son may also glorify thee: as thou hast given him power over all flesh; that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” John 17:1-4. In the work of human redemption, Christ glorified the Father, and thus, by inheritance obtained a name that is to be honored and cherished by the whole of mankind. God “set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” Ephesians 1:20-21. The name of Christ is more excellent in that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11. The more excellent name of Christ is seen in that he is the begotten of the Father and is the Son of the Father. The excellency of Jesus Christ is witnessed in the truth that “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Hebrews 1:8.