Every year thousands of people are seen lining up at Ebisu Shrines throughout Japan in early January, trusting that their prayers for prosperity and good fortune will be heard. They clap and knock—as Ebisu is said to be hard of hearing—in case their request might be missed. Deep down, we all want someone to bless our life and secure our future.

We live between two instincts. Looking up to the supernatural for blessing and looking within for restorative power. But, the problem is not just what we do, it’s what we trust. We trust what we see in this world, rather than what God says.

Hebrews 1:1-8

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.

Because I trust what I see, I must see Jesus’ magnificence.

Hebrews shows us three ways this plays out in humanity:
1. People trust the supernatural
2. People trust personal power
3. People trust what we see

When we trust these things, instead of Jesus, we miss out on the favor God has already revealed to us in his Son. Jesus suffered to show us he is the captain of salvation—offering ultimate blessing and eternal security. True love is costly. Jesus suffered so we could see his magnificence!

1. People Trust the Supernatural

People around the world trust the supremacy of the supernatural. Many cultures worship spirits, pray to the dead or worship the universe and its perceived energy. People trust the law of attraction that supposedly attracts good things to our lives by aligning with “universal energy”.

People trust visions of the supernatural that proclaim a different message than the gospel of Jesus Christ.  According to the Bible, misunderstood supernatural angel worship was even attempted by the apostle John in the book of Revelation before the angel redirected John’s worship to God. No doubt angels must appear powerful and even frightening.

In Hebrews chapter one verses four through seven the author points out that God’s angels worship the Son of God, Jesus Christ because he is much superior and more excellent than they. Comparing verses seven and eight we see God makes his angels winds and his ministers a flame of fire, but of the Son, it is said, “Your throne, O God is forever and ever.” Therefore, angels are created by God and serve his purposes. But Jesus—the Son of God—created by no one—rules forever.

The Curse of the Colonel

Although Colonel Sanders was not an angel, there’s an urban legend in Osaka that ties him to the Hanshin Tigers baseball team. After winning the 1985 central league pennant, Hanshin Tigers fans threw this statue of Colonel Sanders into the Dotonburi river. Fans claimed the team was cursed with losses until the statue was recovered. A burial/disposal ceremony was performed in 2024.

Superstitions & the Supernatural

Superstitions and the supernatural are extremely attractive because you get to act upon them. Your actions bend what is above to your benefit. Buy a charm, get good luck. Buy bamboo, bless your business. Say a prayer, give an offering; you are bettering your position. But is that really true?

If supernatural forces are all powerful, than there is no one above them and they can’t be controlled to do our bidding, especially by what we give them.

Before time began, God set a created order where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is ultimate. His majesty extends beyond any supernatural power. He created the world, was appointed heir of all things and holds up the universe by his word. That isn’t someone we can manipulate for our betterment, but the Son of God is worthy of everyones’ worship.

2. People Trust in Personal Power

We trust in our power to subject creation and created beings to ourselves. There’s an embedded desire, deep in the soul of humans, to subject creation and others to our bidding. To organize things, including people, as we want them. We seek to set creation in order under us—to rule over it and others. Why is that?

We see God mindful of the people he created in Hebrews chapter two and verse six, which actually refers back to Psalm 8 where the psalmist spoke about creation. Created in God’s image, mankind was in God’s mind when he created the world. God originally subjected his creation to humans because we are made in his image. And then we fell into sin. The birds of the air, the fish of the sea and livestock were under our control before this fall. We were commanded to be fruitful and multiply—to cultivate the earth—to oversee it.

We lost that power when the first man, Adam, sinned and sin entered our world. We can’t restore that power, but we have been trying to ever since. Mankind pollutes creation, we dominate others through war, we consume, control and expand for our own sake. All because we trust in our own power. 

Jesus was the only one who was mindful of God’s ordained mandate to rule over creation. God put everything in subjection under Jesus’ feet. One day every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord because he is magnificent.

False Papers

In one Osaka case reported in 2026, two men were accused of using false papers to try to take ownership of a property on paper. A court later canceled the registration, and the criminal case was still being investigated at the time of the report.

Subjected to Controlling Behaviors

Subjecting others to controlling behaviors is one way we trust in our power. That could mean a lot of different things, but three areas where we subject others to our controlling behaviors are: through fear, manipulation and overprotection.

Controlling Others Through Fear

Imagine a young child acting up and an exhausted parent or teacher saying “If you _____ _____ ____ one more time, I’m going to ____.” That is actually a fear based threat. Rather than teaching them the logical consequences of their actions, we can easily withdraw attention or show excessive disapproval. 

Controlling Others Through Manipulation

Or a spouse that won’t speak to you because they have never forgiven you for something you did many years ago. You’ve asked and received God’s forgiveness through Christ, turned from that sin and toward God, but they are still giving you the silent treatment or reminding you of how guilty you should feel, rather than forgiving you of your sin. We usually don’t forget the wrongs done against us, but God both forgives and forgets our sin because Jesus purified believers of their sins.

Controlling Others Through Overprotection

Finally, parents who overprotect their children by rescuing them from the consequences of not preparing or trying their best because they want to “protect” their feelings. How will they obey God freely, relying on him as their single source of sanctification, if we don’t give them the space to learn from their mistakes?

Releasing Control

Remembering God who sovereignly subjected all things to his Son, Jesus can practically help us release the need to control others in these situations. What areas of control can we release to him in prayer?

3. People Trust What We See

We trust in what we see. Because we don’t yet see everything in subjection to Jesus according to Hebrews chapter two and verse eight. It’s so easy to trust what is right in front of us. We see men and women passionately subjecting themselves to suffering for a self made crown. Through heroic efforts they subject themselves to whatever it takes to get ahead.

From the sacrificial effort of the salary man rising through the ranks at work by seeking the next promotion or position, to the parents set on raising respectful, moral children at all costs, or religious leaders climbing the self righteous spiritual ladder of self improvement, all grab our attention as glorious. But our collective brilliance as humans fails because our focus is off. Our brilliance is ultimately about us.

Yet, ultimate brilliance radiates through selfless suffering. The kind of suffering that is not aiming for personal glory. Jesus was subjected to this suffering.

Selfless Suffering

Hebrews chapter two verses 9-11 show us that suffering.

“But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.”

He tasted death for everyone by the grace of God on a cross. That includes those of us who were his enemies, living for ourselves.

He purified us from sins, sitting down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. To think that the Son—the one seated on an eternal throne—ruling his kingdom rightly—the one set to inherit all things—the very radiance of God—subjected himself to this kind of suffering and death?

Magnificently tragic!

He willingly subjected himself to the shame of it all—paving the way for everlasting glory and honor—for those he brings with him to glory. The glory God bestowed upon the captain of our salvation who stepped through suffering forever crowned with glory and honor, ruling rightly. 

Behold Jesus’Magnificence

To see Jesus is to behold magnificence. Spurgeon said,

“Faith is the eye of the soul. It is the act of looking unto Jesus.”  

To benefit from anyone’s suffering seems so barbaric. Why should we benefit from someone else’s sacrifice, let alone the majestic Son of God’s suffering? Yet, God extended grace to everyone through Jesus Christ’s death. Jesus founded the salvation we so desperately need—crushed on a cross—raised to life—ascended to heaven. We can now follow him to glory!  

See the one who perfected our salvation through suffering. True love is indeed costly. See and turn from trusting in the supernatural, our own power or even what we see with our natural eyes. See the one enthroned above the highest heights where angels dwell. Crowned with glory and honor through suffering and death, he captained our salvation.

So we could see Jesus’ magnificence.