Little lower than the angels-- for a little while

Heb 2:6  But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Heb 2:7  Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands

(ERV)  For a short time you made him lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor.

(ESV)  You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor

(GNB)  You made them for a little while lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor

'The judgment must begin where and over what sin began. Sin began at the Throne of God and over the creation of man.

The creation plan intended man to be only "a little while inferior to the angels." (Heb. 2:7 margin) But in sin man fell even LOWER than the "inferior" position.

Now can God bring an end to sin, and carry out His original plan and none of the angelic host become jealous as did Lucifer?

The judgment is set in the presence of that assembled host. (Dan. 7:10) Jesus coming with His sacrifice asks not only pardon full and complete for His covenant people, but a seat upon His throne. Was His sacrifice sufficient to grant this request?'

Wwn 1989 Special 3

'The redemption that is in Christ Jesus reveals further the objective of God for man. Jesus, too, was "made a little while lower than the angels for the suffering of death" (Heb. 2:9). In His victory, He was "crowned with glory and honor," and "highly exalted" being given "a name which is above every name" (Phil. 2:9). That which God did "when He raised Him from the dead" (Eph. 1:20) not only reveals God's INTENT for man in creation, but also His objective in redemption (Eph. 2:6-7)

Let us, first, observe what the Bible states in regard to God's original placement of man whom He created in His own "likeness." David sang:     What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou hast visited him? For thou madest him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet. (Ps. 8:4-6)

The "sanctuary" book of the New Testament, in its preface to the consideration of Jesus Christ as High Priest of our profession, gives a unique interpretation to these verses from Psalms 8. It reads - "Thou madest him a little while inferior to the angels" (Heb. 2:7 margin). The Greek bracu ti - when used of time signifies, "A SHORT TIME, OR FOR A LITTLE WHILE" (Thayer; see also, Arndt & Gingrich.) Then, in comment on "dominion," Paul wrote - "For 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. But we see Jesus who was made a little while inferior ( bracu ti ) to the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour (vs. 8-9; emphasis supplied).

As Jesus was for ONLY A LITTLE WHILE inferior to angels, so likewise "the many sons" whom He, the captain of their salvation, will bring to glory shall be for only a little while lower than the angels. IN CHRIST, THE "DIVINE LIKENESS" WAS ONCE MORE REVEALED IN HUMANITY, and through Him as High Priest, the "divine likeness" is to be RESTORED TO MAN. The "first dominion," lost by the first Adam, is regained by the second Adam as He stands at the head of the human race. (Micah 4:8).'

2003 Jul XXXVI 7(03)

When we talk of being made 'new' in Christ, we have to realize that this newness extends far beyond the here and now. Right now we must stay in this world and follow the example of Christ, live in the sinfilled existence totally reliant upon our Father God for all things. Yes, now we suffer, now we must endure, now we live in darkness striving to see through to the light clearly, now we WALK by FAITH. We become NEW creatures in Christ and our expectations of our future life WITH HIM is our hope, this is the goal we strive for in life right now! If we are striving for riches now, we strive in vain. If we are striving for some semblance of peace in our lives now, we strive in vain! If strive for an existence free from pain, from tiredness, from aging, from fear, from all manner of evil- we strive in vain! We are NOT to be taken OUT of this world and this world is controlled by the Prince of darkness, Satan himself! And if we aren't to be taken out of this world, then why do we imagine we can live in this world as if in a bubble that magically shields us from all things evil? Those evil things will remain until the end, we are to be KEPT from evil, not the evil kept from us. There is no barrier erected that eliminates evil surrounding us, at best we are given ARMOR, we are given a SWORD, we are given a SHIELD and this protective gear is worn in the midst of the battle. No one who isn't in battle would choose to be in full dress armor, bearing sword and shield, living that way in their idyllic world without evil. We are outfitted in armor and given weapons BECAUSE we are in BATTLE, a constant BATTLE as long as we are in this world!

For a little while we will remain lower, very inferior to our intended purpose, our intended creation. Just a little while in the realm of ETERNITY where we are made into the beings we were intended to be. Where now we are sinners, then we are sinners made NEW in CHRIST JESUS.

By the GRACE of our LORD SAVIOR we will wear the armor offered, we will seek to fall under the grace of our LORD and the prayer He prayed for us to be kept from evil, not taken out of the evil ruled world, but kept from the evil that rules it while living in the world.

All through our SAVIOR'S RIGHTEOUSNESS!  HIS GRACE and MERCY! HIS LOVE!