No one has ever seen God, but the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared Him.

— John 1:18

15 Who [God’s Son Of Love] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

16 For in Him 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.

17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

— Colossians 1:15-17

10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like precious stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.

— Revelation 21:10-11

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

— Hebrews 1:3

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

Jesus, before all things, the first born of God, the Creator of all creation, and holding all things together, is fully God Himself and is the radiance of His Father’s glory. He is the image of the invisible God. He declared God and made God and God’s plan known to the world. In John’s vision of the Holy City, God, through His Son Jesus, fulfills many rich promises given to His people.

We will witness that whatever God creates reflects His character. God, who is light, created light. He formed mankind in His own image. God’s greatest revelation of Himself — His eternal Son, who was not created but has eternally existed —perfectly represents Him. The exalted final home God prepares for those He loves also mirrors His brilliant, indescribable beauty. The eternal city and the glorious future of God’s people reflect the brilliant perfection of God Himself.