God Speaks Through His Son: The Finality of Revelation in Christ
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute
Abstract
The Epistle to the Hebrews affirms the supremacy and finality of divine revelation in Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:1–2 establishes that while God once communicated through the prophets, His ultimate and decisive Word has come through His Son. This theological declaration directly challenges later claims of revelation through Muhammad, the Qur’an, or any other religious authority. This article argues that Jesus Christ is the seal of revelation, the sole Savior of humanity, and the definitive way to God.
Introduction
The question of divine revelation stands at the heart of theological inquiry. Who speaks for God, and how does God communicate His will to humanity? Hebrews 1:1–2 provides a definitive answer:
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 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.” (Hebrews 1:1–2, KJV)
This passage establishes the eschatological finality of Christ’s revelation. God once spoke in fragments and shadows through the prophets, but in these last days, His speech is singular, ultimate, and complete in the person of His Son. Any claim to new or subsequent revelation—whether through Muhammad or the Qur’an—stands in contradiction to this apostolic testimony.
The Finality of Christ’s Revelation
The New Testament consistently portrays Jesus as the climactic and definitive revelation of God. The Johannine prologue affirms, “No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has made Him known” (John 1:18). Similarly, Colossians 1:15–17 declares that Christ is the “image of the invisible God,” through whom all things were created.
The author of Hebrews emphasizes that Jesus is not simply another prophet in succession but the Son—heir of all things, Creator of the worlds, and sustainer of the universe (Heb. 1:3). The prophets delivered God’s Word; Jesus is God’s Word made flesh (John 1:14). The distinction is absolute: Christ does not merely point to revelation—He is the revelation.
The early Church understood this clearly. Irenaeus of Lyons (2nd century) wrote, “In Christ, God has recapitulated all things… for He is Himself the Word of God made flesh” (Against Heresies, III.16.6). This means that nothing beyond Christ is needed, for all revelation converges in Him.
Jesus as the Seal of Revelation
Islam asserts that Muhammad is the “seal of the prophets” (Qur’an 33:40). Yet Scripture testifies that Jesus Himself is the true seal of divine revelation. Unlike Muhammad, who neither performed miracles to confirm his message nor fulfilled biblical prophecy, Jesus validated His authority through works of divine power: healing the sick, raising the dead, forgiving sins, and ultimately rising from the grave.
Athanasius argued in the On the Incarnation that the resurrection of Christ is the ultimate proof of divine truth: “The Word of God took flesh so that He might offer it for all and by rising again abolish death for all.” This victory over death marks Jesus, not Muhammad, as God’s final and decisive messenger.
The resurrection is God’s seal upon Christ’s revelation. As Augustine declared, “In the resurrection of our Lord, the faith of the gospel has received its sure foundation” (Sermon 229N). The empty tomb testifies that Christ, not Muhammad, is the living voice of God.
Jesus as the Only Savior
The apostolic kerygma is uncompromising: salvation is found in Christ alone. Acts 4:12 proclaims, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Jesus Himself declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
This exclusivity is not arrogance but divine necessity. Only the incarnate Son, who is both God and man, can reconcile humanity to the Father. No prophet, angel, or religious leader can accomplish redemption apart from Christ’s atoning death and resurrection.
Cyril of Alexandria emphasized this in his Christological writings: “It was not possible that through another, but only through the Son Himself, reconciliation with the Father should be made.”
Jesus as the True Religion
Islam defines itself as dīn (the way, the religion). Yet Christianity proclaims that Jesus Himself is “the Way.” Religion is not found in a system of laws or rituals but in the person of Christ. As Origen observed, “We may call Him our religion, for whatever we do in the service of God is through Him” (Contra Celsum, II.9).
Therefore, to follow Jesus is not to follow one religion among many but to embrace the fullness of divine truth. To substitute Muhammad or the Qur’an in His place is to abandon the very revelation of God in these last days.
Conclusion
Hebrews 1:1–2 compels the world to recognize that God has spoken definitively through His Son. Jesus Christ is the final Word, the true seal of revelation, the only Savior, and the living way to the Father. Muhammad, the Qur’an, and Islam offer no new truth but stand in contradiction to God’s completed revelation.
The testimony of Scripture and the witness of the Church Fathers are united: listen to Jesus. He is God’s last Word to the world, and in Him alone is eternal life.
References
Athanasius. On the Incarnation.
Augustine. Sermons.
Cyril of Alexandria. On the Unity of Christ.
Irenaeus of Lyons. Against Heresies.
Origen. Contra Celsum.
The Holy Bible, King James Version.
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