Like begets like in the spirit realm as well as in the natural realm. While other creatures may be referred to as "sons of God," the term is used only in the sense that they have been created by the Lord. The difference with Jesus is that He is the "begotten" Son, meaning He has proceeded from God's Person rather than merely having been created by the Father.

Sometimes creative people refer to their works as their "children." While it may be true that a work of art has been born from the travail of an individual's talent as he or she has wrestled to bring forth from his inner vision, it is not the same as that individual giving birth to a child. For a creation or work of art, no matter how much a "part" of its creator, can never be of the being and nature of its creator.

There is a difference between what is created and what is born.

So it is true that no creature of God can approach the glory and majesty the Father has bestowed on the Lord Jesus, because Jesus is the begotten Son of God.

And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. (Hebrews 1:6)

In verse five we have the expression, "this day have I begotten thee." And in verse six, "when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world."

There is a mystery here.

The mystery has to do with what Jesus was before He was born of Mary, what He was while He walked on the earth, and what He is now.

We understand that Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

We understand also that He is the "eternal life, which was with the Father" (I John 1:2).

We know that all the works of God were performed by the living Word—who Jesus Is (John 1:3).

We know that all personages, whether angelic or human or of any other kind, were created by the living Word:

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (Colossians 1:15-19)

We know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He is from eternity, and that all things were created by Him and for Him. Other than this we know virtually nothing of the state of Christ prior to His birth in Bethlehem.

But we do understand that His birth as a human being represented an enormous and eternal change of state in the Personality of Christ. For Christ now is what never had been true before Bethlehem. Christ, while still the Son and Word of God, is now a man. There is a Man seated on the highest throne of the universe.

To be continued.