Better Than Angels - Part 2

Text: Hebrews 2:1-9

Introduction

There is no doubt that there are many people who are very confused about what happens after their life is over. I’m even talking about Christians, if you asked them what the world to come will be like, some would no doubt say, “I get my wings and a harp and rest for eternity on a fluffy cloud.” There are people who think once you die, you have to earn your wings. Once again, they have subscribed to Hollywood theology.

As we follow along with the writer of Hebrews, we will understand that there is a world to come where Jesus and all believers will rule and reign in some capacity. Here is the SOBERING THOUGHT…there will be a future accounting of every Believer’s life of following Jesus that will determine what their exact experience will be like in the new earth to come.

The writer of Hebrews will present truths based upon an eschatological context (future based outcome for believers). In other words, not every Believer will receive the same rewards as others when they stand before Christ.

Quote: (Hutson Smelly) “Real life is serious business, and our Christian walk has both temporal and eternal consequences.”

We are in part 2 of the argument (2:5-18) that speaks about Jesus being head of a new humanity where they will collectively rule over a new creation. In part 1 of the same argument the writer focused on Jesus’ deity which led to His exaltation following His resurrection. That leaves the section of verses 2:1-4 that is classified as the first of five “warning passages.”

The first warning passage is where we will begin our study tonight…

1) A Warning Of Future Consequences For Believers

Verses 1-4

A. We must intentionally have an intense focus on God’s words

Notice the “Therefore.” Glance back at the last verse of chapter 1.

There is a contextual focus on the future kingdom of Jesus Christ.

As we have already notice, this writer calls these believing Jews to give a strong focus on the Word of God; “things which we have heard.”

Notice the word “slip.” It means to “leak out.”

A leak is not a process that removes something quickly, but slowly over time.

It gives us the idea of a careless drifting away.

Job 6:15 “My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, And as the stream of brooks they pass away;”

Just because you are a child of God, does not mean there are no consequences to your disobedience.

The writer presents a comparison — Hebrews 2:2 “For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;”

In the New Covenant of Grace, there are consequences of disobedience!

Think of it this way: If the earlier inferior revelation of God presented by angels had consequences, so would the far superior revelation of God (Jesus Christ) has consequences.

B. Don’t neglect the reality of a future salvation

Q — Are we as Christians always at risk of not living in light of the future?

That is exactly what the writer is warning against!

Again, we must keep in mind the context surrounding these verses of warning (a future context).

Chapter one ended with speaking about “heirs of salvation.”

Noting a future deliverance.

Hebrews 9:28 “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

2:5 speaks about the “world to come.”

So, we must understand the term “salvation” is speaking about a future salvation that is promised to every Believer.

C. God’s revelation is verified through God’s power

There were great signs and wonders performed by the Apostles that verified their message about the Son of God.

Mark 16:20 “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”

1 Thessalonians 1:5 “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”

Disclaimer…this is not the same signs that the minority of snake handlers or oil peddlers portray today!

With such validation of their message being the very words of God, the writer poses a question: “How shall we escape?”

In other words, “How shall we escape certain consequences in the world to come if we become melancholy toward the truth that was “once delivered to the saints?”

We come to this understanding because we know it can’t be referring to 1) A believer losing their justification (or) 2) The writer is speaking to unbelievers understanding their lost condition.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Romans 8:30 “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

Hebrews 3:1 “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;”

Chapters 3-4 shine more light on the fact of potential loss of blessings in the kingdom to come.

Also ref: 6:4-5

Keep in mind, as you observe all 5 warnings in this book, the writer deals with both “temporal” and “eternal” consequences that will be experienced when believers continue in disobedience to Christ.

An example of temporal loses — Hebrews 10:27 “But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”

Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

The New Testament speaks to this reality:

1 Corinthians 3:11–15 “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

Matthew 16:27 “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”

Matthew 6:19–20 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”

Q — Is everyone who is a believer in Jesus Christ guaranteed the same rewards simply because they are born again? NO!

While they are guaranteed forgiveness of guilt and eternal life with Christ, not everyone will receive the same experience when it comes to rewards.

2) A Renewing Of Authority Over All Things

Verses 5-9

A. The wonder of God gifting dominion to humanity

At this point, we are returning to the issue of Jesus being greater than angels.

The writer quotes from: Psalm 8:4–6 “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, And hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet:”

David is gazing at the galaxy above and meditating upon the greatness of the One who made it all. He then is consumed in amazement on how God deals with humanity.

There is a paradox that David contemplates. He thinks upon how God made man in such a low state, and yet, He crowns them in glory to rule over all things.

While David continues on in verses 7 and 8 with a narrow list, the Hebrew writer stops the quote at verse 6.

B. Man lost his authority but regained it through Jesus Christ

Genesis 1:26–27 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Man’s dominion is seen in — Genesis 2:15 “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”

Satan in his furry and jealousy to rule over all things, purposed to dispose of this human creation in order to rule over all creation.

Genesis 3:17–19 “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

We get a glimpse of Satan ruling over creation in — Job 1:7 “And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”

Satan offered Jesus this authority back — Matthew 4:8 “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;”

A promised ruling Redeemer — Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”