(Bringing Many Sons Unto Glory) 

JESUS IS NOT ONLY OUR SAVIOR, BUT HE IS TO BE OUR LORD….  

CHAPTER 2 VERSES 5-18… We are carrying on with the thought and warning of there being no escape (Hebrews 2:1-3) from loss and punishment for the believing Christ follower who then carelessly does not heed the commands of Christ and thereby “drifts” past this “great” salvation. The greater salvation being a reference to privilege and responsibility from that wrought through Moses; where Angels spoke in authoritative representation unto Moses. (Read Hebrews 2:2, Acts 7:35-38, Exodus 3:2, Deuteronomy 33:2, Psalm 68:17) Which should be comparatively seen, as Paul’s argument goes, in accordance with its inherent inferiority. For this greater salvation is superior in Deliverance, Message and Messenger. It being directly intermediated by The Lord Himself and His Apostles “…spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.…” (Hebrews 1:2, 2:3) 

Hebrews 2:4 “….God also  (referring back to Moses) bearing them (Christ & His Apostles) witness, both with signs and wonders, and different miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit.…” God validated the word given to Moses through Angels with marvelous signs and wonders accompanying that salvation (Acts 7:36). Paul continues to add to his overall argument of the superiority of this great salvation, by bringing to the Hebrew Christians’ attention that here too, as in the past, God did likewise validate it. Nothing is lacking in confirmation of this New Covenant greater salvation. And because of the greater Messenger and Message, there is therefore the much greater consequence of shunning the Word now being spoken.  

Scriptures attest to the involvement of Angels in man’s salvation plan throughout all Dispensations, starting with the failure of Man to take his appointed dominion (Genesis 1:28, 3:24). The points Paul now makes are: 1) that Angels, although superior and with authority now, will have no inheritance, nor have dominion in the world to come. (See Revelation 4:10 where the 24 elders/angels lay down their crowns/authority.) 2) For God, since before Man’s making, intended that Man would rule over all His Creation.   

THE COMING WORLD 

VERSE 5 …“For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.”  The word “For….” here refers back to the last verse of chapter one and is the general sense of  2:1-4 “Are they [angels] not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?” [Hebrews 1:14]  What salvation? The “great salvation” in the world to come… That is to say resurrection inheritance as priests of God and of Christ in the future 1000 year reign of the Son of Man at His Return in His future heavenly Kingdom associated with this World. (Revelation 20:4-6) This is when the words of verse 8 will be fulfilled: “Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet.”  Man shall rule and administer then in the world to come. Unlike how it is presently, (as shown in verse 8b: “But now we see not yet all things put under him….”) as Satan and his angels now rule, and where now un–fallen Angels continue to be God’s appointed governors to carry out His Will.  

So it is in this present World’s state, essentially unchanged since the Gospel Message, that the Father lovingly calls for a glorious heavenly people to join the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, in His future heavenly Kingdom. He will take His rightful place as King in this, His rightful Dominion, after having completely satisfied the Father’s Will in the obtaining of eternal glory–filled sons.  And so it is now that Angels shall maintain their position of ministering spirits to facilitate that holy call, until it is complete. Then the sons of God, the joint heirs with Christ, shall be caught up and resurrected out from Hades, the intermediate place of all dead, and join Jesus in the heavenly realm associated with this World. They will rule as priests and kings in the beginning of the World to come, the Angels then being no longer in authority. (In this present world, Christians are to SERVE, NOT RULE as opposed to as in the world to come. Furthermore, it seems even Angels will be subject to these resurrected worthies. Read 1st Corinthians 6:3: “Know ye not that we shall judge angels?”) That the Angel Elders confess the superiority of Jesus is seen clearly in Revelation 5:8-10, where the Angels joyously declare His propitiating death as warrant for Him to be raised above them. And therefore they willingly and worshipfully bow down and worship before Him, as He was slain, and redeemed, by His Blood, a people and madest them kings and priests unto God. That is to say, the “bringing (in of) many sons unto glory.…” 

And they shall now reign with the Son, the Seed of King David, over the earth, from its heaven, wherein all angelic forces, both good Angels who facilitate God’s justice, mercy and grace and bad angels who now yet rule this World since the fall of Adam. And that being until the end of this appointed dispensation of “mercy and grace” in the calling out of a people worthy of His great Name (Acts 15:14). A “Calling Out” from out of the World in the Gospel of the Victorious Son of Man/Son of God, from whom He shall further call out a people from those believers now eternally saved. By the power of the Holy Spirit and the washing of the Word, they are being prepared to be Christ’s Bride who will co-rule with Him in His heavenly Kingdom. This Gospel calling lasts as long as Christ keeps His present place in Heaven as High Priest. He will be returning here, to a new World based upon a completely different principal, that of Justice. That Justice to be administered by these called and worthy sons of glory, with the King of kings. That is effectively when the present Curse of the Garden‘s sin is relieved. “…in the World to come, whereof we speak.”  

THE TWO ADAMS: FAILURE AND FITNESS 

VERSES 6-8 “But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man… (there is no article / “the” before son of man here. Paul is alluding to Adam; yet he will contrast in a moment to The Son of Man) ….that thou visitest him? Thou madest him (Man/Adam) a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him (Man).”  The First Adam/son of man did not succeed in coming into God’s appointed dominion, but failed in that he was defeated by satan, and lost his glory and honor and authority. VERSE 9 “But we see Jesus who was…..” the Second Adam Who prevailed. Read Psalm 8 where the article is used, “the” Son of Man; who is being declared here as Jesus in the fulfillment of the prophetic word of Psalm 8.  

THE CALLING AND RELATIONSHIP OF SUFFERING WITH OUR SAVIOR  Christ was “…made a little lower than the angels for the sufffering of death (as angels being spirits could not suffer death), and He was crowned with glory and honour; (encompassing and surpassing that which the first Man lost); that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” We see Jesus, the Son of Man, having taken on flesh and blood.…that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil…”  Yet He tarries and does not take the fullness of Dominion that His great salvation Victory warrants in this present world. “Man’s” dominion is still then in abeyance (temporary cessation or suspension), as long as Jesus Christ the Son sits at the right hand of the Father. It is His presence there where VERSES 10-18 give us critical understanding of His ascension and essential continued presence there in the 3rd Heaven, as opposed to being here, now, in this World as its rightful King.  

Having established in the first chapter seven marvelous statements and seven Old Covenant quotes to the superiority of the victorious Son’s Ministry over that of the Prophets and the Angels, in the 2nd chapter (starting in verse 10) Paul amplifies his argument on the continued Work of the Son in His glorious inheritance. “For it became Him, for Whose sake are all things, and by Whom are all things, in leading many sons unto glory, to perfect the Captain of their salvation by means of suffering.” So the great stumbling block of offense of accepting Jesus as their Messiah was that the Jews were un-accepting of His Word of sufferings and of loving servitude, even unto death. The answer of Scripture to their objection is that His suffering Atonement answered to God’s righteous wrath, to fall on the lost or the Substitute. In that until that Wrath is appeased, there could be no greater salvation beyond that of Moses, and nothing could answer to His righteous wrath, save the righteous death of His Son. “Ought not the Christ suffer these things, and to enter into His Glory?” [Luke 24:26]  We can also ask ourselves: ‘Ought not WE suffer these things, and to enter into His Glory?’ Let us not refuse to be led into suffering. For we are to give, lay down, and pour out in this life, just as He did. 

He has endured the thrust of the sword to enter into the Garden and restore the way back unto the Tree of Life. The righteous sufferings of the Savior have won the Name and was the platform off which He ascended above the Angels, in position above all others, and has provided the New Covenant means unto holiness; which is oneness (verses 11-13). This has the Holy Spirit’s inward work on the believer in view, by yielding to the leading of being sanctified in the Power of His Spirit; that necessary means (Hebrews 12:14) by which many sons may be effected unto God in glory above those nobles of creation that never fell. (God not being satisfied by merely rescuing from eternal death, but in His loving wisdom, the perfecting of the enabled soul, and that being led by Spirit through willful sufferings themselves, the calling into His Kingdom and Glory above. The fullness of His great salvation plan will be realized in their being sanctified; and in nature, one: “…for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.”   

The heavenly calling of sons is unto “the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2nd Thessalonians 2:14) in the First Resurrection.  “….then shall the righteous shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matthew 13:43,16:27 19:28) The “leading” or being led, consummates in the First Resurrection glory (1st Corinthians 15). “As many as received Him (The Son), to them (God) gave He power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: who were begotten, not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” [John 1:12–13] Children they are; and first born sons out from among the dead they shall become. For the work of the Spirit is not complete at regeneration but when the soul is sanctified and glorified, they shall be known by the Father as sons. “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. [Romans 8:17] (Read Romans 8:12-18) Having at resurrection become one in nature (John 17:23 Revelation 21:7)…and then being adopted sons…truly they are then Christ’s brethren. “Behold, I and the children whom God hath given Me.” 

So it is there, while Jesus the Son of God and Son of Man is in Heaven (verse 17) that “… he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to (achieving qualified sons unto) God, to make reconciliation (ongoing intercession as Priest) for the sins of the people…” (the people here referring to the sanctified whom Jesus is sanctifying (verse 11) not the unsaved, but to those already redeemed). The High Priest making Atonement is essential in the express purpose of God “…in bringing many sons unto glory.” In that Jesus, having suffered temptation, “… is able to succour them that are tempted.”  Using His present powerful position in interceding and communicating overcoming power on their behalf, in that, they yet are in great peril, in the midst of temptation, and possessors of a treacherous nature/flesh. He is our great Agent, the Captain of our salvation, wherein is the promise of the Father discovered, which could not proceed until the Son took this, His appointed position in Heaven (John 16:7).  

That is to say, the Power of the Holy Spirit appropriation is in answer to His Victory (as the Son of Man) over the flesh, death and satan. Unto success in the ongoing battle of qualifying some in the heavenly calling as overcoming sons. This is determined while they are in this present world, through faithfulness, until God, (while Israel is yet in darkness under His displeasure) satisfies the fullness of the Gentiles come in. He will fulfill His desired will of “…bringing many sons unto glory…” Heavenly sons of man; those judged overcomers, tested and tried within this current World. This is going on much as it was before and since the “great salvation” message, where satan, the god and lord of death yet reigns. Thus the Book of Hebrews so beautifully exhibits both the current spiritual conditions of this World, and the heavenly Kingdom calling where worthies will rule, as well as the temporary suspension of that Kingdom until its King’s 2nd Coming is to be comprehended. And where satan and his angels shall be cast into the Pit, and on the Earth Israel shall own Him, the animal’s nature shall be changed, “the wolf and the lamb shall feed together”, and death shall lose much of its power in that men shall be considered but a child at 100 years old. (Isaiah 65:20-25) Paul says that is…. “…the world to come whereof we speak.”  

OVERVIEW:  

The Son of God became a subject and a servant to God, that we, now subjects and servants might become sons to God, through the event of regeneration and the process of adoption. Paul has magnified the Sonship of Jesus Christ above all beings, and disclosed God’s great salvation plan to make Christians His fellow sons of God in His Glory. The Prophets and Angels being servants; He being Son. They being created; He being the express image emanating from God. He came forth as the incarnate Son of Man, He took on blood and flesh, therefore capable of suffering pain and sorrow, hunger and thirst, and death, which was necessary for the deliverance of the lost. Who then lived on the earth 33 years, being tempted and tested to sin in all its various forms as a Man, yet was found without sin. He willingly then offered His pure undefiled Blood for Atonement; for the penalty of man’s sin (9:22). He thereby effectively defeated satan, the author and the master of sin and death (Colossians 2:15), who had deceptively brought the Curse of death upon Adam and his seed forever (1st John 3:8).  

Christ, the seed of Abraham, willingly offered Himself as the spotless Lamb unto God unto the death on the Cross. Jesus being thereby declared the holy and just propitiation for the Wrath of God. Triumphantly, He was resurrected out from among the dead of Hades and rewarded by the Father that Name above all names, the Son worthy of His entire inheritance, the world to come, wherein many sons will come into the Son’s Glory. He is exalted to sit at His right hand, as the High Priest. His Blood offered fully paid for man’s just penalty; God’s forewarned Wrath of death for Adam’s sin. Death being the loss of unity in his spirit, soul and body, who was thereby sentenced and forever imprisoned in the inescapable death chambers of Hades. But man was redeemed by Him, the Kinsman Redeemer; (Leviticus 25:25,48 Ruth 2:1 3:13), now and forever. By simply receiving Him by faith as Redeemer, man may be eternally assured of being saved from the otherwise inevitable and inescapable fate of all un-forgiven and condemned under the Wrath of God. Whose fate will be made known at the future general resurrection of the dead (Revelation 20:11-15), where some will be cast into the presently unpopulated Lake of Fire.