The Divine Council - Part 7
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The Covenant, The Gospel, and The Kingdom to Come
The Covenant, The Gospel, and The Kingdom to Come
Shabbat shalom once again, everybody. Welcome to all our regulars as well as guests, physically and online.
The past 6 weeks we’ve talking about The Divine Council, this concept of there being other spiritual entities. People understand the Bible talks about angels and demons, but things often get muddled between those categories.
For example, the common belief is that there is one class of supernatural beings, angels. The belief is that there are cherubim, and seraphim, and other sorts, but all of these are angels. Demons are merely fallen angels. But this is incorrect.
Angel is more of a job description than it is a description of the supernatural beings. There are cherubim, which resemble creatures with wings and multiple faces. There are seraphim, which are serpent-like creatures. When the Bible describes angels, more often than not, they are described with a human-like appearance.
Demons, on the other hand, are not fallen angels. Rather, they are the spirits of dead Nephilim, great beings who were half human and half supernatural. They were not an authorized creation, and as such when they die, their spirits wander and, from what we see in the New Testament, attempt to possess a body.
We have spent a lot of time thus far combing through our Bibles, looking at many references to various supernatural beings. We looked at Deuteronomy, Daniel, Genesis, Psalms, and various other passages in depth.
We looked at events that shaped our world and our relationship to Adonai. The rebellion in the garden, the rebellion of the Watchers, the rebellion at the Tower of Babel. How God split up the nations and apportioned them among the members of Hid divine council, and how for Himself, He chose Abraham. The covenant that resulted from that is what will start us off today.
In short, we have been trying not to construct our own worldview of the supernatural, but rather, to rediscover the worldview that is described in Scripture.
So today we will be looking at the Covenant - in particular the covenant with Abraham - and the Gospel. Since that’s going to be our starting point, let’s first go to Genesis 15 and read it.
Genesis 15
Genesis 15
1 After these things the word of Adonai came to Abram in a vision saying,
“Do not fear, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2 But Abram said, “My Lord Adonai, what will You give me, since I am living without children, and the heir of my household is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look! You have given me no seed, so a house-born servant is my heir.”
4 Then behold, the word of Adonai came to him saying, “This one will not be your heir, but in fact, one who will come from your own body will be your heir. 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up now, at the sky, and count the stars—if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “So shall your seed be.”
6 Then he believed in Adonai and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
7 Then He said to him, “I am Adonai who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans, in order to give you this land to inherit it.”
8 So he said, “My Lord Adonai, how will I know that I will inherit it?”
9 Then He said to him, “Bring Me a three year old young cow, a three year old she-goat, a three year old ram, a turtle-dove and a young bird.”
10 So he brought all these to Him and cut them in half, and put each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. 11 Then birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. 12 When the sun was about to set and a deep sleep fell on Abram, behold, terror of great darkness was falling upon him! 13 Then He said to Abram, “Know for certain that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved and oppressed 400 years. 14 But I am going to judge the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will go out with many possessions. 15 But you, you will come to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age. 16 Then in the fourth generation they will return here—for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” 17 When the sun set and it became dark, behold, there was a smoking oven and a fiery torch that passed between these pieces.
18 On that day Adonai cut a covenant with Abram, saying, “I give this land to your seed, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River: 19 the Kenite, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Raphaites, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
We’ve reviewed some of these verses before when talking about God’s decision to choose Abraham and to take his descendants as His people. But now I want to connect this covenant, the one with Abraham, to the Gospel.
Now Jeff spoke a couple months back about the Gospel, specifically the Gospel of the Kingdom. At its core, the Gospel is about our allegiance to the King, and the establishment of His Kingdom. Yeshua’s Kingdom is the ultimate vision for what humanity has always been designed to achieve: dwelling with God. This was the Edenic vision, but man fell. The Tabernacle and Temple - which we looked at last week - were designed to imitate this, to re-create the conditions of God and man, heaven and earth, together. That’s why Yeshua refers to Himself as the Temple, He is the place of convergence of Heaven and Earth.
Yeshua’s Kingdom, by its very nature, is transformative and restorative. The Holy Spirit’s work in us as believers accomplishes this very task. Acts 3:21 tells us Yeshua will bring the restoration of all things.
19 Repent, therefore, and return—so your sins might be blotted out, 20 so times of relief might come from the presence of Adonai and He might send Yeshua, the Messiah appointed for you. 21 Heaven must receive Him, until the time of the restoration of all the things that God spoke about long ago through the mouth of His holy prophets.
And here’s a sampling of passages from Paul’s own letters about the very same topic, that of restoration and renewal.
1 I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service. 2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Notice the intentional Temple language there. Living sacrifices; holy and acceptable to God. The offering of which is spiritual “service” he says. This word “service” (Greek latreia) is used in the LXX as a reference to the offering of sacrifices and is even related to the Passover service in particular. Paul uses this idea of service and worship, and relates it to the next verse: being transformed by the renewing of our minds. This renewing is the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
12 So death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 13 But we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, and therefore I spoke.” So we also believe, and therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that the One who raised the Lord Yeshua will raise us also with Yeshua, and will bring us with you into His presence. 15 For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace that is spreading through more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow—to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.
The contrast here of life and death is common in Paul’s letters, as is how he parallels this with the flesh (death) and the spirit (life). Again, the “inner person, inward man” is being renewed day by day.
20 However, you did not learn Messiah in this way— 21 if indeed you have heard Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Yeshua. 22 With respect to your former lifestyle, you are to lay aside the old self corrupted by its deceitful desires, 23 be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self—created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Laying aside the former life, the old self. Be renewed by the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self. The restorative language again. We find very similar language in Colossians 3:8-11.
Now quick side-note: if you’ve never done this before, I suggest you study Colossians and Ephesians in parallel. They bear a lot of the same language and concepts.
8 But now, set them all aside—anger, rage, malice, slander, and foul language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another. After all, you have taken off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self that is being renewed in knowledge, according to the image of the One who created him. 11 Here there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, savage, slave and free; but Messiah is all, and in all.
And one more, this time from the Pastoral epistle of Titus.
Titus 3:3–8
3 For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deluded, enslaved to various desires and pleasures, spending our lives in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared— 5 not by deeds of righteousness which we had done ourselves, but because of His mercy— He saved us through the baptism of rebirth and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He abundantly poured out on us through Messiah Yeshua our Savior, 7 so that being set right by His grace, we might become heirs with the confident hope of eternal life! 8 Trustworthy is the saying, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have put their trust in God may be careful to devote themselves to good deeds. These things are good and beneficial for people.
Verses 4 and 5 especially: God’s kindness and love appeared because of His mercy, to save us through rebirth and renewing by the Holy Spirit. Once again, we have this sort of language, this language of restoration and renewal. The Kingdom, when we finally get to it, is a Kingdom of restoration. That’s why John’s description of it in Revelation sounds so much like Eden. Gold, rivers, the tree of life, light, and God welling in the midst of His people. This is a restoration.
This restoration all started with the covenant with Abraham. This covenant was not simply to take Abraham and reject everyone else, however. We see time and again that foreigners are also accepted into God’s people when they cling to Him.
A mixed multitude came out of Egypt in the Exodus; Ruth was a Moabite, and Rahab was a Canaanite. Uriah was made a commander of Israel’s army, and he was a Hittite. Caleb, one of only two of the first generation - along with Joshua - who got to enter the land, was a Kenizzite, not an Israelite.
But by and large, God dealt with - and fulfilled His covenant promises through - Israel. Just as we read a few moments ago in Genesis, however, God would use His people, the descendants of Abraham, to bless all nations. As the Biblical story unfolds, we discover that not only would He bless all the nations through the seed of Abraham, but He would reconcile the people to Himself.
And this brings us to something is pretty simple, but has become a point of contention and controversy in this movement. That is: the covenant model on which the New Covenant comes into being, is based not on the Mosaic or Sinaitic covenant, but on the Abrahamic. This is why there are more references in the NT to the covenant with Abraham as a comparison to our relationship with Adonai, than there are the covenant at Sinai.
Paul mentions this in both Romans and Galatians. The author of Hebrews mentions it. James mentions it.
Now it is not the Abrahamic covenant to the exclusion of the Sinaitic covenant, but rather, they work together.
The Gospel is about the Kingdom, and the Kingdom is the ultimate reality of the covenant. I mentioned last week that Yeshua’s life and work gave us a glimpse of the Kingdom. He raised the dead; He banished evil spirits; He healed the sick; He was a restorer of life. That’s what the Kingdom will be like: restoration and life.
Now let’s look at some of this in action. We’ve been studying the Book of Acts in our Tuesday Bible studies. If you can make it, please do. We have had some great discussions. As long as we can keep Brian from trying to bait Jeff and I into debating election and free will. ;)
Go ahead and turn to Acts 2, and I’ll set us up for our study and how it relates to our current series. Now obviously, at this point, we can see a connection to our study by focusing on Abraham being’s Adonai’s portion, right? We’ve looked at that a couple times. But specifically, we’re going to look at how the Gospel works to undo the damage of the fall, and how this restorative action is taking place.
So in Acts 2, we have Shavuot, or Pentecost it is more commonly called. The Holy Spirit is poured out on the apostles. Let’s read.
1 When the day of Shavuot had come, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And tongues like fire spreading out appeared to them and settled on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh and began to speak in other tongues as the Ruach enabled them to speak out.
5 Now Jewish people were staying in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound came, the crowd gathered. They were bewildered, because each was hearing them speaking in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “All these who are speaking—aren’t they Galileans? 8 How is it that we each hear our own birth language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those living in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and parts of Libya toward Cyrene, and visitors from Rome 11 (both Jewish people and proselytes), Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring in our own tongues the mighty deeds of God!” 12 And they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other, “What does this mean?”
13 Others, poking fun, were saying, “They are full of sweet new wine!”
Recall from the incident at Babel, that God divided the nations, and confused their languages. That was the characteristic aftermath of the event. And here, Luke in writing this, uses very intentional language to cause the reader to not only understand the events he’s describing, but to also make a connection to Babel.
Look at verse 3 again, which says the “tongues like fire” were spreading out among them. In Greek this is diamerizo. Meaning to divide or spread.
Next of course we have the word “tongue” (glossa) as in “tongues of fire.” It’s fascinating to me, that this is the same word used in both the description of the flame as well as the languages they were speaking in. So we have the words for division and tongues. Is this starting to make sense yet? We’ve got one more.
In verse 6, it says the people watching were “bewildered.” This is syncheo, which means to be confounded or confused.
Here’s our list:
Divided (διαμερίζω): Deut. 32:8
Tongue (γλῶσσα): Gen. 11:1-7
Bewildered | confused (συγχέω): Gen. 11:7-9
So here’s what I’m getting at: the words Luke uses in Acts 2, specifically when describing the event at Shavuot | Pentecost when the Ruach was poured out on them, are intentionally and inextricably linked by his vocabulary to Babel. Dividing tongues, confused people. Further, in the verses that follow his description of the event, we have the various nations of the world. It is not by accident that Luke describes these nations the way he does.
[Map]
In his list, he describes nations across the known world, surrounding Jerusalem in all directions. Egypt and Arabia to the south, Libya and Cyrene to the west, Media and Parthia to the east, Phrygia and Cappadocia to the north…you get the picture.
So what would Luke be doing by intentionally calling the reader’s attention to Babel?
He’s relating the restoration of all things. Whereas man’s rebellion against God caused a breach in his relationship to His creator, the Gospel of the Kingdom is one of restoration. The Holy Spirit empowers us to fulfill the Great Commission, to expand Yeshua’s Kingdom to the ends of the earth. Just as God split the nations up at Babel, so now the work of the Ruach is empowering believers to go and reclaim these nations. Luke’s listing of the nations represented here is to make a practical as well as theological point.
It encompassed virtually the whole known world.
The restorative power of the Gospel undoes the damage caused by the Fall.
As the nations were divided by their languages, they could now be unified by a common understanding. And in this instance here in Acts 2, that’s the picture we see. A united Kingdom was pictured as destroyed because the languages were confused; now Yeshua’s Kingdom would be taken from scattered peoples - all the nations of the earth - and restored. But this narrative goes even further.
While Rome is shown here as the furthest West - and indeed, the furthest west that is described in Acts 2 - it doesn’t end there. Paul writes some years after this event, that he would travel to Spain. Turn to Romans 15 if you will.
22 For this reason I was often hindered from coming to you. 23 But now with no place in these regions, and since I have had a desire for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you while traveling through when I go to Spain—and to be helped on my journey there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a bit.
25 But now I am going to Jerusalem, bringing aid to the kedoshim. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are under obligation to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings, they also ought to serve them in material blessings. 28 So when I have finished delivering the collection safely to them, I will head for Spain by way of you.
Paul was headed for Spain. Church tradition - the best we have to go on, since the NT authors don’t record it - says that Paul was released from prison and went to Spain, before being arrested by the Romans once again and, after being brought back to Rome, executed for his witness. Now, why go to Spain? Because Spain was Tarshish, it was the “end of the world.” The furthest West anyone could go. That’s why Jonah wanted to flee to Tarshish, because Nineveh was far northeast, and Tarshish was just about as far west as you could get, the opposite direction.
Paul knew there was an urgency to go to Spain. I believe, not only is it because he knew the Gospel was the power of Messiah unto salvation for Jew and Gentile (he said as much, right?). But rather, he knew the importance of taking the Gospel to the furthest reaches of the world, to bring the Kingdom’s restorative power to all the disinherited nations.
Turn with me to Galatians 3. Honestly, Galatians is a book many of us tend to avoid. It’s one that’s easy to get tripped up by, especially because our English translations and Church traditions have made it seem so antinomian, so contrary to Torah. It’s not, mind you, but it can feel that way. We have to understand Paul’s terminology and how he uses the word “law” in his writings. We have to understand his rhetorical and literary devices. Perhaps we’ll do a series just on Galatians at some point.
At any rate, Galatians 3 is our next stop, beginning at verse 6.
6 Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” 7 know then that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 The Scriptures, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the Good News to Abraham in advance, saying, “All the nations shall be blessed through you.” 9 So then, the faithful are blessed along with Abraham, the faithful one.
And now Galatians 3:26-29
26 For you are all sons of God through trusting in Messiah Yeshua. 27 For all of you who were immersed in Messiah have clothed yourselves with Messiah. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua. 29 And if you belong to Messiah, then you are Abraham’s seed—heirs according to the promise.
The NT uses the phrasing of adoption, children, heir, inheritance, etc. quite often. All of these familial terms. They all relate to family and kinship. Which goes back to what we said a few weeks ago. Why did Adonai create mankind to be His representatives? Because He wanted an earthly family, in addition to the heavenly family of supernatural beings.
This language of sonship speaks of us believers. This is part of why so many people object to understanding the “sons of God” in the Tanakh (OT) as being angelic beings, since the NT uses the term to refer to believers in Yeshua. But see, that’s actually backwards.
The NT authors - especially Paul - are taking this terminology of sonship, and applying it to believers who have been redeemed by Yeshua, because of the precedent of the usage of this language in reference to the heavenly hosts.
See, Hebraically speaking, to be a “son of” something, implies that you bear those characteristics. For example.
17 Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for evil is determined against our master and against all his household. But he is such a worthless fellow that no one can speak to him.”
1 Sam. 25:17 is most often translated as “worthless man” or “worthless fellow” as here in the TLV. Yet in Hebrew the phrase is ben beliya’al, “a son of worthlessness.”
In Nehemiah 3:31 the phrase ben hats’orphi is translated as “artisan” or “goldsmith” but literally means “son of the refiner.”
In 2 Kings we find the phrase b’nei han’vi’im, or “sons of the prophets.” They were, themselves, prophets.
So when Yeshua is called “son of man” it means He met the qualifications to be called a human being. That’s why some newer translations translate “son of Man” as “human one” or “human being.” He bore the qualities of a human. But He is also called Son of God, because He bore Divine characteristics.
So, too, do these angelic beings, the heavenly hosts, bear heavenly characteristics, and so they are called “sons of God.” Believers are similarly called such because we become partakers of the Divine Nature.
Another word we previously saw used was “holy ones.” Remember from Daniel, how Nebuchadnezzar’s dream included seeing a “Watcher, a holy one”? This is a word applied to both angelic beings, as well as faithful Israelites.
And this, too, is a term we find applied to believers in the NT, “holy ones.” Now most of your English Bibles somewhat obscure this term, too, in favor of Church tradition. It is most commonly rendered as “saint” or more often, the plural “saints.”
Go ahead and turn to Ephesians 1. Here Paul talks about the Body, he talks about our adoption into the family of Adonai through Yeshua. Start at verse 11.
11 In Him we also were chosen, predestined according to His plan. He keeps working out all things according to the purpose of His will— 12 so that we, who were first to put our hope in Messiah, might be for His glorious praise.
13 After you heard the message of truth—the Good News of your salvation—and when you put your trust in Him, you were sealed with the promised Ruach ha-Kodesh. 14 He is the guarantee of our inheritance, until the redemption of His possession—to His glorious praise!
15 Therefore, ever since I heard of your trust in the Lord Yeshua and of your love for all the kedoshim, 16 I never stop giving thanks for you as I mention you in my prayers— 17 that the God of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, our glorious Father, may give you spiritual wisdom and revelation in knowing Him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what is the richness of His glorious inheritance in the kedoshim, 19 and what is His exceedingly great power toward us who keep trusting Him—in keeping with the working of His mighty strength.
See in verse 15, the TLV translates it as kedoshim, which is Hebrew for “holy ones.” In Greek this is hagioi, but it means the same thing. We have an inheritance among the kedoshim, among the holy ones, through Messiah Yeshua! Amein?
We just read from Ephesians, and we will once again turn to Colossians. See, like I said a little bit ago, they should be studied in parallel.
9 For this reason also, ever since we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We keep asking God that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding— 10 to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God. 11 We pray that you may be strengthened with all the power that comes from His glorious might, for you to have all kinds of patience and steadfastness. With joy 12 we give thanks to the Father, who qualified you to share in the inheritance of the kedoshim in the light.
Verse 12 again, “we give thanks to the Father, who qualified you to share in the inheritance of the kedoshim, the holy ones or saints, in the light.” Two more passages and I think this will start becoming clearer. Also, Katy, this will address your question that you’ve been asking for a month and half now. So…spoiler alert. Now let’s turn to a book that makes me personally more nervous than Galatians hahah. Revelation 2.
25 Nevertheless what you have, hold firmly until I come. 26 The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are shattered, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.
Who is speaking here in this passage? John is writing down what he hears, but who is the speaker? It’s Yeshua. Yeshua, here alluding to Psalm 2, says that His followers who are loyal, obedient, will be given authority to rule over the nations.
Psalm 2:1-7 shows us the fascinating context here. Get ready for the goosebumps.
Psalm 2:1–7 (TLV)
1 Why are the nations in an uproar, and the peoples mutter vanity? 2 The kings of earth set themselves up and rulers conspire together against Adonai and against His Anointed One: 3 “Let’s rip their chains apart, and throw their ropes off us!” 4 He who sits in heaven laughs! Adonai mocks them. 5 So He will speak to them in His anger, and terrify them in His fury: 6 “I have set up My king upon Zion, My holy mountain.” 7 I will declare the decree of Adonai. He said to me: You are My Son— today I have become Your Father.
The nations and the rulers and kings (notice that: kings and rulers, right?) have conspired against Adonai and His what? His…somebody say it. His Mashiach! His Anointed One, His Messiah! The kings and rulers (this human and other) of the nations conspire against Yeshua. If you were at Bible study this past Tuesday, you’ll remember, we mentioned it was more than just humans that conspired against Yeshua. Last Shabbat I mentioned Paul’s words, that the power and rulers of this refers to human and supernatural beings.
And what is Adonai’s response to this? He says, “I have set My king upon Zion, My holy mountain.” Amein! The very next verse establishes this prophetic sonship language the Father uses of the Son.
So John, in writing Revelation, uses this Psalm to refer to what? Not the Father installing the Son as King (which is equally as true), but using it of the Son, Yeshua, installing BELIEVERS as rulers over the nations WITH HIM.
We see this language continue in Revelation. Chapter 3:21 says, “The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit down with me on my throne.” And Chapter 20 again describes thrones and they that sat on them were given the power to judge.
As we are being refined and restored, we are being adopted into God’s family. His children, His heirs. And yes, as kings and rulers and, as 2 Peter 1:4 says, “sharers in the divine nature”, we will judge angels.
3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels? How much more the matters of this life!
This is what the legacy of the covenant with Abraham leads to. This is what the reign of the Gospel culminates in. This is what we await, as we are continually sanctified in our lives now, when His Kingdom full comes at His return.
Now before we get to the Q&A portion, I want to read from Hebrews. Hebrews is a special case, in that it is the only epistle of the NT that we don’t have an author’s name attached to it. It was believed to be Pauline for a while. I personally don’t think Paul wrote it. Some have asserted it was written by Priscilla, and there’s a case to be made for that. Others have asserted that it was written by Luke, and this seems to have the backing of Church Father Origen. Luther proposed Apollos as the author. I kind of lean towards Luke, myself.
But regardless of that, we don’t have a firm case for who wrote it. What we do know, however, was that the author was very well-versed in Greek, an adept teacher, and learned in the Torah, given the author’s understanding of the Levitical and sacrificial systems.
At any rate, this person also apparent had quite a supernatural worldview. So let’s read some of Hebrews chapter 2.
1 For this reason it is necessary for us to pay especially close attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved to be firm, and every violation and disobedience received a just payback, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was first spoken through the Lord and confirmed to us by those who heard. 4 At the same time, God was testifying by signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Ruach ha-Kodesh, according to His will.
The author here describes the giving of the Torah, describing a system of justice wherein “every violation and disobedience received a just payback.” The author is here using a common ancient rhetorical device to make their point. We even still employ it at times today. It’s called a fortiori, which is Latin for “from the stronger.” The author of Hebrews uses this form of argument and reasoning multiple times in this letter. You may recall the famous “warning passage” of Hebrews 10:28-29 for example, right? “Anyone who rejects the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”
See you start with a premise you know your reader will affirm (that those who disregard the Law are condemned), and then you argue since that is true, the greater thing is just as true, but more so. In that case, the rejection not of the Torah, but of the Son of God.
So back now to Hebrews 2. The author uses this as a point of comparison, saying if the giving of the Torah and the Word spoken by God proved to be true, how much more so the giving of the gift of the Ruach | Spirit, accompanied by miracles and gifts as mentioned in verse 4.
Now the next 4 verses.
Hebrews 2:5–8 (TLV)
5 For it is not to angels that God has subjected the olam ha-ba—about which we speak. 6 But somewhere someone has testified, saying, “What is man, that You are mindful of him, or the son of man, that You care for him? 7 For a little while, You made him lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor. 8 You put all things in subjection underneath his feet.” For when He put all things in subjection to him, He left nothing outside his control. But for now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.
Verse 5 again: it is NOT to angels that God has subjected the olam ha-ba, world to come. This is precisely because this present world was subjected to the heavenly beings. Because that was the original plan, earth was created to be under the care of humanity, not the heavenly beings. That didn’t come about until after the Fall.
Verse 6 is actually a quote from Psalm 8:4-6, which does not actually say “a little lower than the angels” but specifically, a “little lower than the elohim.” Now the author of Hebrews, like most of their contemporaries, likely understood “angel” in a looser way than the OT uses the word. But nevertheless, we have a similar understanding presented here: man was made a little lower than the heavenly beings. While man was created a little lower, he was nevertheless to be elevated, which is what the Psalmist says next: You crowned him with glory and honor.
Verse 8 says we do not yet see all things subjected to man. Then to what else are they subjected? Right? Is this making sense?
Now verse 9.
9 But we see One who was made for a little while lower than the angels—namely, Yeshua. He is now crowned with glory and honor, because of the death He suffered so that, by the grace of God, He might taste death for everyone.
This follows on the heels of Hebrews 1, which has already proclaimed Yeshua’s Divine Nature and glory.
Hebrews 2:10–15 (NASB 2020)
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the originator of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12 saying, “I will proclaim Your name to My brothers, In the midst of the assembly I will sing Your praise.” 13 And again, “I will put My trust in Him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.” 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
Yeshua, co-creator, through whom are all things, has brought “many sons to glory, to perfect the originator of their salvation through sufferings.” We get to come in through His work, as children of God.
16 For surely He is not concerned about angels, but about the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in all things, so He might become a merciful and faithful Kohen Gadol in matters relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because He Himself suffered when put to the test, He is able to help those being tested.
In all of this, we can re-read a passage I mentioned last week, from 1 John. 1 John 3:1-3 speaks of this future hope and glory as well.
1 See how glorious a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children—and so we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. 2 Loved ones, now we are God’s children; and it has not yet been revealed what we will be. But we do know that when it’s revealed, we shall be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
We look forward to the fullness of the coming of His Kingdom. We look forward to joining with Him in it, to being glorified and made into His likeness once again. We don’t know yet what that will be like, but we have the assurance that we can look forward to it.
Q&A
Q&A
So now I’ll take some questions. This brings us near the end of this series, but not entirely. I think I’ll be wrapping it up next week. So just in case, once again, if a question pertains to a specific issue or passage that I plan to address next week, I’ll defer it to then.
Aaronic Benediction (Num. 6)
Yeve-re-kakha Adonai
Va-yeesh-merekha
Yair Adonai panav ei-lekha
Vee-chu-nekha
Yeesa Adonai panav ei-lekha
Vaya-sim-lekha, Shalom
Aaronic Benediction (Num. 6)
May Adonai bless you and keep you
May Adonai make His face shine
upon you, and be gracious to you
May Adonai lift up His countenance
upon you and give you peace