[God]… in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… (Hebrews 1:2–3)

Analogies abound in Scripture, comparing spiritual truth to common things of life to help us understand God. A simile is when a writer says, “God is like a father who has appointed His son as an heir.” A metaphor is when a writer says, “God has appointed His Son as an heir.” Both are essentially analogies, comparing one thing with another. How else can God describe Himself to human beings? The apostle Paul, when he was “caught up into Paradise … heard inexpressible words” (2 Cor 12:4). The description of the New Jerusalem stretches our imagination, with each of the city gates described as a single pearl (Rev 21:21)—how is that? I can imagine God saying, “I know this doesn’t make complete sense now, but that is the best way to explain it. When you see it you will then understand why I described it that way.”

So Jesus has been appointed by the Father as the heir of all things. The analogy is based on our understanding of inheritance of a father to a son. What makes this interesting is that Christ is the originator of everything, yet He is also the one “through whom [God] made the world.” Or as Paul wrote:

For by [Christ] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Col 1:16–17)

So God the Son was involved in the creation of everything, and everything was made for Him. Think of an earthly father who owns a construction company and who desires to build a house for himself. So he engages his son to be the project manager to do the actual building. The son, in honor and respect for the father, does in fact build the house for his father, according to the father’s specifications, knowing that the father has written in his will that the son will inherit the house. Can you imagine how well that house would be built? God the Father appointed the Son of God to create all things, and then bequeathed it all to the Son.

So all creation is Jesus’ inheritance. It all stays in the family, and we have become part of the family of God by adoption as sons (Eph 1:5, 3:1).

Lord, thank You for making me a fellow heir with Christ Jesus (Rom 8:17).