Thoughts From Hebrews - Day 5

It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. ⁶ But there is a place where someone has testified:

“What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    a son of man that you care for him?
⁷ You made them a little lower than the angels;
    you crowned them with glory and honor
⁸     and put everything under their feet.”

In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. ⁹ But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

¹⁰ In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. ¹¹ Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.¹² He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
    in the assembly I will sing your praises.”

¹³ And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again he says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”


         Once again the author is making his points by using the Old Testament and this time he is attributing, in verses 12 and 13, the words of David in Psalms 22:22 and Isaiah in Isa. 8:17,18, to Jesus as if Jesus said them. He did the same thing in the previous passage only he attributed those verses to God the Father. That tells me 2 things. Number 1, the Old Testament is  inspired by God - the writers are writing God's words. Secondly, that Jesus and the Father are interchangeable - that they are one. The author says God sometimes and he says Jesus sometimes and doesn't see that as a problem because God and Jesus are one.

       So what is Hebrews saying to me this morning? There is very little about Heaven in the Bible probably because we couldn't handle it. We just know it is going to be amazing. Here in Hebrews, the author equates salvation with the world to come - the New Heaven and the New Earth. I am hesitant to do that too much because of the misuse of that. It seems, here in the Bible Belt, everyone gets saved to get their ticket to Heaven. It's like they get their Monopoly card - "Get out of Hell Free, Do not Pass Go"

                       

 

It is so hard to tell people that salvation is a restored relationship with God. When we talk to the people in our classes about the importance of leading their kids to salvation, they actually have said, when their kids got saved and baptized, "Well, that's one, two to go" as if that is it - they are saved and going to Heaven and their job is done with that one. I even know 2 families this summer whose kids got saved and baptized and they haven't been back in Church since.

 

Nonetheless, the author, when referring to salvation tells us about the world to come and it seems we will have positions of leadership or authority where angels and everything else(???) in Heaven will be subject to us. I'm not sure what that means but it does imply that we won't be playing harps and just be singing at Jesus' feet for all eternity but we will have jobs.

 

Secondly, it says we will be made perfect. We were just studying in Exodus 15, the name Jehovah Rapha - the healer who restores us back to the condition we were meant to be. We, in Heaven, will finally be free of the flesh and not want to sin nor be capable of it.

 

Lastly, Jesus will present us to God the Father, as His bride, His Children, His family. He will say, "Here they are - here are my kids - aren't they amazing." It's like our kids bringing their future spouse to meet us and the excitement and love on their faces - Or posing for family pictures to show off what a great family they have. The thing is, we are already children of God and we need to show off for our proud Father. I regret now the sour faces I made or anger at being dressed up to meet people as my parents paraded us to company's or relative's houses. Why wasn't I humble and proud to represent my parents well and give glory to them? What a jerk I was! Well, I can make up for it by giving glory now and representing my Heavenly Father and my firstborn brother as best I can. Let's start showing off today.