Jim McDonald

The Hebrew writer, having shown that God, who in times past, spoke to the fathers in the prophets by different portions and measures, has in these last days, spoken to us through His Son. One of the means through God spoke to His people was through angels; it was through angels that the law was given to Israel (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19). Since Jesus is higher than angels, the writer’s question to his readers is, “If the word spoke through angels proved steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:1-4).

The “great salvation” was confirmed to men by eyewitnesses to whom God bore witness of the genuineness of their words by giving them signs, wonders, and mighty works, along with gifts of the Holy Spirit. God exalted His Son to the highest level when He said, “Sit thou at my right hand till I make all thy enemies the footstool of thy feet” (Psalm 110:1). It was to the Son (not angels) which God subjected the worlds to come to His glory and honor. The writer said, “But one hath somewhere testified, saying What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet.”

The passage which the writer cites is found in Psalm 8. The writer applied it to Christ, and rightly so. God did make Jesus (for a little while) lower than angels. God did crown Him with glory and honor. He did set Him over the works of His hands. He did put all things in subjection under his feet. Yes, God made man in His image (Genesis 1:26), and said to man and woman after He created them, “… replenish the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Without question man is in an eminent place in this world. But Jesus, as the model God purposed man to be, was given an exalted position that is unattainable by man. Truly, God set Him at His right hand, and ultimately everything will be subjected to Him.

The writer continued, “For in that he subjected all things unto him he left nothing that is not subject to him, but now we see not yet all things subjected to him” (Hebrews 2:8). The point the writer made is evident: all things are not yet subject to him. The evidence is on every hand — wars rage in various corners of our globe; every day murders are committed; God’s laws of morality and honestly are ignored. It shall not always be this way, however. There will come a day in which every soul who lives or has lived will stand before God and give an account of the things they did in the body, and then punishment shall be meted out to every lawless one. There will exist eternity in the place to which no one wants to go, but which the overwhelming majority will go.

While the writer states that everything will be subjected to Jesus, there is one exception. Paul wrote, “But when he saith all things is put in subjection it is evident that He is excepted who did subject all things unto him” (1 Corinthians 15:27).

While we do not yet see all things in subjection to Him “we behold him who hath been made a little lower than angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God, he should taste of death for every man” (Hebrews 2:8-10).

All men are subject to Jesus Christ, and while most of the world rebels at His law, even death will not save them from that submission to Jesus’ authority. On the last day when all stand before Him, He will say to those on His left hand, “Depart from me, ye cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). No one will be able to resist Jesus’ final words.

There is an escape from eternal punishment, but it is now. It is through the “great salvation” Jesus made possible for us by dying on Calvary. Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.