New Creation

The writer to the Hebrews expounds on the superiority of the Son in a series of seven quotations mainly from the Psalms. Seven words certainly piques one’s interest, no?

Day 1: Light, and the beginning of creation. Hebrews 1:5a: the Son is begotten “today,” likely the day of resurrection, as in Acts 13.

Day 2: Firmament. Hebrews 1:5b quotes from 2 Samuel 7, where the Davidic king is set up as the son of Yahweh, the “firmament” between the heavenly king and the earthly people.

Day 3: Separation of waters and earth, plants. Hebrews 1:6 exhorts the angels to worship the Son, drawing from Psalm 97. No obvious connection.

Day 4: Lights as rulers in the sky. Hebrews 1:7 quotes from Psalm 104 about the angels as flames of fire. Perhaps an angel/star connection?

Day 5: Birds and things teeming in the seas. Hebrews 1:8-9 quotes from Psalm 45 describing the authority of the Son and his anointing with the “oil of gladness.” In the tabernacle texts, the oil of anointing is linked with Day 4, since the anointed priest becomes a “light-bearer” in the firmament of the tabernacle. The Day 5 section of Exodus (30:34-38) is the recipe for the incense.

Day 6: Man and land animals. Hebrews 1:10-12 describes the imperishable stability of the Son, the Lord Yahweh. Creation changes its garments, but not the Son. One might tease out a vague reference to Adam, but it would be vague.

Day 7: Sabbath. Hebrews 1:13 fits – the Son’s enthronement in rest after purification for sins ( inclusio back to the session of v. 3).

Some of these fit, particularly Day 7. Most don’t, at least not in obvious ways. Still, the numerological hint is suggestive. The Son’s superiority is spoken in seven words of the Lord; He personifies the new creation.