This is the last in a five-part series of articles under the above words, “at the right hand” but the complete phrase would read: “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high!” The subject of these words is the “Son of God,” as in God “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” (Heb. 1:2-3). What a text to consider? It is the elevation of the Son of God, from his sojourn upon this earth, as the eleven apostles witnessed: “while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9).
Let us now behold this through the words of the Old Testament prophet: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:13-14). Here is a place where the word of God sheds light upon itself. In Hebrews we have the Son of God taking his seat at the right hand the Majesty on high “while Daniel wrote, that he saw “one like the Son of man” who “came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days.” The “Ancient of days” is equal to “the Majesty on high.” The one “like the Son of man” is equal to the one through whom God spoke, as written in Hebrews, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, … sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” So, just what happened next? Daniel wrote: “there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed,” while in Hebrews we have, he “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Clearly, we should be able to see the present location of the Son of God, he is “at the right hand of the Majesty on high!” He is there that we should serve under his “dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
So, when did “the Son of God” take his place “at the right hand of the Majesty on high?” The writer of Hebrews will answer: “when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Here is an interesting point! Some teach that the Son of God came to earth to set up his physical kingdom, but his death is the means of God by which he is allowed by his nature to forgive us of our sins, as in “when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Did you get it? Two things to be noted: 1) it required the blood of Jesus, which is equal to his death, so God could forgive us our sins; and 2) only after he “himself purged our sins” did he take his seat “at the right hand of the Majesty on high!” If the death of Jesus, as the Jews rejected him and put him to death, required God to change his plan about establishing the kingdom of Christ; therefore, there is no kingdom of Christ! But his death was required so God could forgive us of our sins and after “purging our sins” only then was he worthy of taking his seat “at the right hand of the Majesty on high!” Friends, the Jews by rejecting Jesus as the Son of God did not force God to change his plans but in fact fulfilled his plan!
Here is good place to call your attention to the words of Paul: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col. 1:13). The words, ‘the power of darkness” is equal to saying “who hath delivered us from our sins,” and “hath translated un into the kingdom of his dear Son.” Did Jesus have a kingdom at the time Paul wrote or not? YES, Jesus had a kingdom and the saved in Colosse were in it and so was Paul!
Finally, what a joy it is to study the word of God and to see how it all fits together like and hand and a good pair of gloves, only more perfectly!
Frank R. Williams