Click here to open the Video Devotional
Hebrews 2:5-9
In this passage of Hebrews 2:5-9 the author tells of how God put all things under the authority of man when He created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:26-31). But the author also tells that this does not seem to be so as sin has broken the plan of God for man. The place of focus is on Jesus, who came to make all things right again as He is the fulfillment of God’s plan for man (Matthew 5:17).
In further exemplifying Jesus over the angels the author states Psalm 8:4-6; a testimony that can be viewed of the authority of Jesus and of how man is so insignificant to God and yet God cares for man. He sent Jesus to become in the form of man, “a little lower than the angels” and “crowned him with glory and honor” (Hebrews 2:7a-b as quoted from Psalm 8:5). In His fulfillment of the work in which He was sent to earth to accomplish, Jesus has been set at the right hand of God with all things in subjection to Him (Hebrews 2:7c-8b as quoted from Psalm 8:6).
Hebrews 8c (NKJV), “But now we do not yet see all things put under him” is so important for us to understand as if all things have been put in subjection to Him, then why do we continue to see pain and suffering in this world? The answer is that God is patient with man/humanity as He has been since the beginning of creation. God was patient in the Old Testament times as He desired to give humanity time to learn that He is the One and only true God through the example that He showed through the miracles and guidance that He gave to His chosen people Israel – that all humanity would learn of their need for Him. The Law showed man his sin and that he is incapable of overcoming sin on his own; there was left a need for a Savior. God sent that Savior in His one and only Son Jesus to save the world from sin (John 3:16-17). He placed Him on earth, “a little lower than the angels” (Hebrews 2:7a) and gave Him to bear the sins of all humanity; past, present, and future for all who would believe in Him – the fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17). Since that time (the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus) being the actual fulfillment of the Law, which occurred after His teaching about it, God is patient as He desires all of humanity to come to Him in repentance from sin to an eternal life in Christ Jesus. The Apostle Peter states in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
This is a testimony of the authority of Jesus.
A time will come when this suffering world will end (Matthew 24:36-44; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 17:20-37, 21:34-36). God alone knows the date. But until that time we are left in this sinful world with the knowledge of Jesus – that He was sent by Almighty God to save us from this sinful world if we will put our trust and faith in Him. But it doesn’t end there: we are to live lives of repentance from the sinful nature in which Jesus saved us. That means to seek God’s will for our lives each day in submission to Him for saving us from the sin of death that we all deserve but were saved from – in Christ. Salvation is not an outward action or one-time declaration of Jesus as our Savior and then returning to a life of sin. Salvation is giving of one’s life to God through the sacrifice that His one and only Son gave for us on the cross in paying our debt to sin once for all that we may live through Him. Salvation in Christ Jesus is a daily giving of ourselves to Him in seeking His guidance for our lives while we remain in this sinful world, that when we depart this sinful world we would have lived according to the teaching of Jesus in putting God first and loving our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). That requires a dedication to God that can only be found in Christ Jesus; as Jesus Himself prayed to His Father God in Luke 22:42, “…not My will, but Yours, be done.”
Dear LORD,
In this study of the letter/book of Hebrews we are learning of the magnificent splendor and glory of our Savior Jesus in being above all in authority – that You have put all things under His feet. Yet in His humility He gave Himself willingly to pay for our sins that we may have the right to life – in Him by putting our faith in Him; and through His guidance in Your Word and the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit given to all who believe in Him that as He submitted Himself for us, we would submit ourselves to Him – to You LORD – in Christ our Savior. In Jesus name I pray, amen.