1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 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. 3 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, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?
6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
7 Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire.”
8 But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
10 And,
“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment,
12 like a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will have no end.”
He handed me a cigar. I don’t smoke but I took it anyway. His face was beaming. His wife had just given birth to their first child, a beautiful little girl who is old enough to be in college now. Giving out cigars is strange old tradition which he kept. Fathers want to celebrate the birth of a child. Our heavenly Father celebrated the birth of His firstborn as well. Did you catch that in verse 6, right in the middle of this passage we consider today? When He brought His first born into the world, He says, “Let all the angels worship Him.” God doesn’t hand out cigars. He commissions angelic arias.
We remember those angels. A handful of shepherds heard that song on the first Christmas Eve. They must have told Mary and Joseph about that and somehow Luke heard the story. Through Luke’s words, we all remember that night in Judea when shepherds and angels marveled. We stand in awe as well. For this Son who is born and lies in Mary’s lap has a name which is far superior to the angels. His name is the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth, and now also the redeemer of that creation, including you and me.
His throne does stand forever, and God has anointed him with the oil of gladness beyond all others. Join the Father, all you who worship Him today, in that holy gladness. Jesus is born.