October 6 – Hebrews 2:10-18. Lower Than the Angels

October 6 – Hebrews 2:10-18. Lower Than the Angels

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. 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.  He says,

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

        And again, “I will put my trust in him.”

       And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

The first chapter of Hebrews was all about angels and that Jesus was superior to them.  In the beginning of Chapter 2, we were reminded of the Psalm which declares that humanity is a little lower than the angels.

That’s true right now with creatures of the heavenly realm versus creatures of the earthly realm, but there is a verse in today’s passage that really does something for me.

“For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants …”

As great as angels are, as much responsibility as they are given by God to act as messengers and guardians, and in Hebrews 1:14 we read that they are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation; they will never know the joy of salvation or the glory of transformation that comes from leaving death behind and finding new life in Jesus.

There is great truth to the notion that if knowing what rain is brings a greater appreciation for sunshine, that living through winter brings a love of spring.  Angels will never understand the peace that comes from leaving a pit of despair.  There will never be an emotional attachment to Jesus such as we have.

Jesus became like us so that He would experience a life like ours.  This was a life filled with temptation, sorrow, pain and suffering.  He did this so that He could act as the atonement for eons of sin and for the sin that one person commits.  His life was for the salvation of the world.

We might be made a little lower than the angels, but it seems to me that is the best place to be.