A Greater Message {Hebrews 2}
12:00 AM
Before Jesus, angels delivered messages from God and participated in the giving of the Law. (Deuteronomy 33:2-3; Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19). To the Jewish people, these messages were highly esteemed, regarded as authority, and “proved unalterable.” (v. 2) In Hebrews chapter 2, we’re told that if the angels messages were considered great, how much greater is the message of Jesus! A greater message, “first spoken through the Lord, confirmed to us by those who heard. God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.” (vs. 3-4) A greater message of salvation, and a greater message that we must anchor ourselves firmly to. Because if we aren’t careful, we risk getting caught in the current of worldly living, and drifting away from the Lord.
In order to offer us the gift of eternal life, Christ willingly left His glorious throne in heaven and became human. He did this because He loves us so much; He wants to save us. And to save us, He had to become one of us. As God’s Son, Jesus is heir to everything. (Heb.1:2) Yet in Psalm 8:4-5, we’re told that God has put all things in subjection under man’s feet. So in a perfect display of humility and obedience, Jesus became a man, fulfilling scripture and for a little while becoming, “lower than the angels.” (vs. 9); and who is now, “because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” (vs. 9) The consequence of sin is death. But Christ in His beautiful love, became our substitute paying the sin debt we owe and giving His sinless life for our sin filled ones.
And even more wonderful, this awesome Savior of ours calls us family! He isn’t ashamed to claim us as His brothers and sisters, “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father.” (vs. 11) Because of His sanctification, we are joined to Him forever. And like us, His family, He became flesh and blood, “that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” (vs. 14) Jesus conquered death with His work on the Cross, crushing Satan’s hold. Because of His victory, no longer do we need to fear death. Thanks to Him, we know it is merely a stepping stone to glory.
Verse 17 tells us that Jesus had to be made, “like His brethren in all things so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest.” He became human in every way so that could relate to us in all areas of our lives. He knows our feelings of love, pain, joy, suffering, and sadness. There is nothing we can face that He Himself didn’t face. He is always there waiting to minister to us, help us, and love us through the ups and downs of life. “For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham.” (vs. 16) No matter the circumstance, Jesus understands. And it’s because He understands, that He is our perfect advocate, and who is at the right hand of God, interceding on our behalf. (Rom. 8:34) He was made flesh to suffer and die for us. There isn’t a greater delegate we could have, nor a greater message we can receive than the message of Jesus and of His love and grace.
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