If you would please turn with me to Hebrews chapter 2. Our text this morning is verses 5 through 8, but I'm going to read down through verse 9. So, Hebrews chapter 2, beginning in verse 5, let us hear the word of God. For he has not put the world to come of which we speak in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place saying, what is man that you are mindful of him? Or the son of man that you take care of him. You have made him a little lower than the angels and have crowned him with glory and honor. and set him over the works of your hands, you have 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 do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor that he, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. May God bless this, the reading of his word. Let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, Almighty God, Holy, Holy, Holy One, who provided salvation for sinners. We come and beseech you now. Having sung your praises, having declared our need for your grace, having sought you in prayer, we come now to the proclamation of your word and we ask that you would make yourself evident that you would pour out your Holy Spirit upon this place and that you would work in the hearts of men, in the hearts of people, men, women and children who sit under the proclamation of your truth, that you would labor through this means, the foolishness of preaching, the weakness of a human servant to make yourself evident and hide your servant behind the cross so that all glory, all praise, all honor would be given to you, and to you alone. For you alone are worthy. These things we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. One of the things that I really have missed, I don't really live in the city anymore per se, but in the years that I've lived not in the country, One of the things that I miss most is the ability to go out and actually see the stars. I lived for four years in Phoenix. I lived for three years in Southern California, where you can never see a star. And when you go out into the country, and you go out at night, and you look up at the glory of the heavens, there's magnificence in that, and there's a feeling of utter and absolute insignificance. The bulk of the text that we're dealing with this morning in Hebrews chapter 2 is actually a quotation from Psalm 8. That's why I rather read that this morning. And tradition holds that Psalm 8 was written by David before he ever became king, while he was still a shepherd over his father's flocks. And so according to this tradition, which is, it very well may be true, and I believe there's a great deal of validity to it, is that David went out into the fields, watching over the flocks at night, and as he is out there, watching over the sheep, he looks up at the glory and the majesty of heaven, feels that utter and absolute insignificance, and under that inspiration writes Psalm 8. You've ever been out camping in the middle of nowhere where you're just, it's just you and the countryside and you look up at the glory of the heavens. You know that feeling. And that's an undercurrent that's running through the entirety of this passage of Hebrews chapter two, verses five through eight. And I want to deal with the text this morning in five points. The first is not to angels. The second is fallen man. The third is Christ. The fourth is saints. And the fifth is already not yet. So we have not to angels, fallen man, Christ, saints, and already not yet. So our first point deals with verse five. For he has not put the world to come of which we speak in subjection to angels. So we see that from Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse 8, we see where, depending on whether or not you go with the Septuagint or not, the Greek Many people render this where the angels are given dominion over the world, where the nations are divided up according to the angels that are there. And certainly in Daniel, we actually see where specific angels are set in places of authority and watch and care over specific nations, where they rule over those places. And certainly in terms of the Mosaic economy, the angels were there and were present and ruling. So when we look at the nature of this fallen world, we see that dominion of angels. But the author of Hebrews says we're dealing with something that is entirely different. He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. What really matters And that which is impending is not going to be ruled over by angels. And with this stated negative, there's an implied positive. It's not given to angels because it's given to Christ. And when all the nations are ruled over by angels, Christ rules over those angels. They're his messengers, they're his intermediaries. But what he's talking about is the kingdom, the world to come, of which we speak, Christ rules over. Not through mediation, but directly and immediately. In an extraordinary way. Only Christ, in an unmediated way, is given the world to come. And when we talk about the world to come, the word here is interesting because there's a number of different words that are rendered world. And forgive me this morning, I'm going to be spending a lot of time talking about the original language. It's unavoidable today. So forgive me for that and bear with me. But when we see this word world, the word in the original language means the habitable earth. And especially when it's put with this other word that we render, which is to come. or intending. It's a phrase that the Jews would have immediately recognized. They often talked about this world to come. It was a phrase that they used to talk about the world or the nature of the world after the Messiah had conquered all things and all things were in subjection to him and he reigned and their expectation was that this was going to be an earthly ruler that was going to come and conquer the other nations And Israel was going to reign as sovereign as a nation over these other nations. They were going to be in a season of great peace, greater than what had been seen in Solomon, but comparable to. And so now the author of Hebrews uses this phrase to talk about the glory of the church, which is already and not yet. We're talking about the church which is here present, but hasn't reached its height of fulfillment in the consummation of Christ's return and the glory of eternity when God's people will dwell with Him forever, without mediation. And in that glory of eternity, and even in the here and now for Christ's church, it will not be through a number of intermediaries, but Christ will reign directly in the hearts of His people. He will be the one who establishes that law. And God's people will have a personal relationship. Individually owning their role as part of the bride of Christ. Having that relationship with Christ. So this is the world to come of which we speak. And verse Six starts out with an interesting statement, but one testified in a certain place saying, or some translations will render this more along the lines of someone somewhere said. And many of you have heard me reference this and joke about this, saying that this is scriptural proof that I don't need footnotes and I don't actually have to know where something is in order to properly cite it. But all joking aside, when we read this statement, but one testified in a certain place saying this is not because the author of Hebrews does not know where it is. He's not grasping for straw under the inspirational experience. He certainly knew the location of this next quote. What this actually shows. is that not only did he know it so well, but he knew his audience knew it so well, that it needed no citation. And this is a great credit to the people who he wrote to, and of a great accusation against us. Now, if we had not already mentioned where these verses come from a number of times, Had it not been read earlier with the citation involved, had I not mentioned it a number of times in the beginning of the sermon, if I came up to you and said, where is this found? What is man that you are mindful of him or the son of man that you care for him? How many of you would immediately, don't raise your hand, we don't need to do that, but how many of you would immediately know, ah, I remember where that comes from. Some of you right now, even with all of those previous references, may be going, I'm not entirely certain where that comes from. But the audience knew their scriptures. They meditated on these scriptures. They dwelt on these scriptures so often that these things immediately came to mind. When they heard those words, they knew that it was a psalm of David. and could call that to mind. They knew where it was and they could bring that to mind. And this is a great exhortation to us to be saturated in the Word of God. I often have said that one of my main goals in life is to be able to have it said of me as it was said of John Bunyan. that he was so saturated in the Word of God that he could hardly open his mouth without quoting Scripture. It's a wonderful thing to be said of. There are many things that have been said of me, but none so wonderful as that. But this is the testimony that is provided from Psalm 8. And now I'm going to do something a little bit different than how I normally preach, and so bear with me. Because of the nature of this passage, I want to read through these same verses in three different views. The quote from Psalm 8 is read in three different ways. It's actually translated in two different ways, and that's why. So please bear with me on this. But first we're going to look at the immediate which is fallen man, the way in which David would have certainly have written these words. When we look at these verses, it says, what is man that you are mindful of him? Or the son of man that you care for him? You have made him a little lower than the angels. You have crowned him with glory and honor. and set him over the works of your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet." So what does this mean as far as the fallen man is concerned? The first word here for a man means frail man, the brute, the base creature. And the second word for man that's here is Adam, when it says son of man. calling to mind the origins of mankind, the one who is created out of the dust of the earth. What is frail man? What is the son of dust that he would be remembered and that he would be cared for after the fall? After man has sinned, after man has rebelled against his Creator, what is the significance of this frail son of dust that he would be remembered and cared for by God? That God would continue to provide for him. That God would continue to be long-suffering with him. That God would continue to provide for him in common grace. That the rain would still fall on the unjust. just as it fell on the just. What is this frail son of dust? That you would make him a little lower than the angels, only a little lower. That he would be considered with honor, that he would be treated with dignity, that he would be presented with opportunity for repentance, and would be only significantly lower than the angels and that He is restricted in death. He would not be immortal any longer. And that glory, honor would be given to Him. Men would receive great praise in this world. They would rise to great heights. They would accomplish great things. And that they would and that all of the works of God's hand would be in subjection under Him. That He would still have this dominion over creation. And granted, it's not an absolute dominion, there's still that qualification that has to be made, but there's a dominion that man has over creation that nothing else has, despite what scientists may claim about the fact that man is purely an animal. and stand in awe of the fact that monkeys with opposable thumbs can use a stick for a tool. I have yet to see anything on National Geographic regarding these same animals going through and taking that stick and fashioning it with a rock and then mining some ore out of the earth and then melting that down and casting it and then making tools in order to be able to better accomplish their task. let alone take those tools and begin building complex machinery in order to be able to further their race. It doesn't happen. It simply doesn't happen. The vast chasm between man and the rest of creation is staggering. When we really think about it, I don't care if you can teach sign language to monkeys. It has not greatly advanced them. to where they are comparable to mankind. It doesn't happen. And even if they learn sign language, it is because man has taught them sign language. The chasm is vast. So the author looks at the glory of the heavens, seeing the stars, Even with that limited understanding of how vast the universe is, now we can look back and see with greater clarity, thanks to science, the insignificance of our own little planet. It's funny to think about how much I complained about the distance that I drove from South Carolina to California, driving so vast a distance to travel in a car. And then to think about how small that is in comparison to the size of the world. And when you think that the size of the world, if you were to take our, if the sun were the size of a bowling ball, the earth would be approximately the size of a grain of rice. And if you take a look at the size of the sun in comparison to other stars that are out there in the universe, it actually becomes almost impossible to show them the same picture, because to fit one of these stars into a picture means that the sun is approximately the size of one pixel on your computer screen. So when you think of that star in comparison to our sun, and then our sun in comparison to our earth, and then our earth in comparison to our nation, and our state, and our city, and you, that tiny speck of dust floating through the universe. It gives us a real grasp of why the psalmist looks at the heavens and says, what is this frail son of dust? That you remember him, that you consider him. But now let's read these same verses with a slightly different translation. And please know, the translations that you have in front of you are extraordinary. And the translators that have labored on those things have done everything that they can without writing in multiple translations at the same time. What you have there is true. But I want to read this in a little different light. What is man that you are mindful of him? Or the son of man that you care for him? You have demoted or decreased or diminished Him to below the angels for a little while. And you have crowned Him with honor and glory and sent Him over the works of your hands and have put all things in subjection under His feet. This is talking about Christ made flesh. God come and taking on flesh in order to provide salvation for sinners. The God-man who called himself the Son of Man, that is minded of God, that God declares that this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And he is decreased or diminished for a little while to below the angels, humbled and subject to his father, submitting even to the point of death in order to accomplish salvation for sinners. But now he is crowned with glory and honor and putting all things in subjection under his feet and all his enemies being made footstools. And then we see the same set of verses reading again as saints. For we are remembered. We are cared for. Though we are sinners, though we are but dust. Rebellious, sinful dust. We are remembered by God. We are visited upon by God. We are cared for and granted salvation and preservation through Christ. And we are only a little while made lower than the angels. In Luke chapter 20, verse 36, Christ speaks and says, actually I'm going to start in verse but those who are counted worthy to attain that age. And the resurrection from the dead, neither marrying nor are given in marriage, nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. Nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels in this next age. are for a little while made lower than the angels." In Hebrews, Chapter 12, verses 22-24, The author writes with this glimpse of the future where he says, but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and the church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of the sprinkling that speaks better things, than that of Abel, where all of these things are joined together in glory and in exaltation of our Savior Jesus Christ. And we will be crowned in glory as inheritors of salvation. In Revelation, chapter 21, verses 6 through 7, And he said to me, it is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son. And another passage in Daniel chapter 7 reads for us. In Daniel chapter 7 verse 27 it says, Then the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. There will be a time when God's people will rule over creation and we will always be in subjection under Christ. We will never ascend. to that. But we will be co-heirs of eternity with Christ, and we will be set in authority over that creation. As I was going through this over and over again this week, I kept thinking about when I would go occasionally and work for Shorty, and he would come by on whatever task it was that I was miserably failing at, and he would ask me, Chris, are you winning? And I kept thinking about that, those words echoing through my head as I went through this, because there's so often in this life that even against inanimate objects, we are not witnessing. But the day will come when we will truly reign as we were meant to, in dominion over that creation, where we will be crowned in glory as inheritors of salvation. But there is still a concept of already and not yet that is present here in our passage in Hebrews chapter two. In verse eight, it says, You have 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 do not yet see all things put under him. And this is an interesting little qualification, and it's It's something that's worth our time to meditate on. First, we are assured that nothing is going to be outside of Christ's control. When it says you have put all things in subjection under his feet, that really means all things. Not most things, not the immediate things, but all things are in subjection under the feet of Christ. But there's this qualification that's made at the end. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. First, this means that the kingdom of God, the world to come, is inaugurated, but it's not yet consummated. It's already, but it's not yet. The kingdom of God reigns in the hearts of his people. He is establishing his kingdom. He is gathering in those whom he has ordained to be citizens of this glory. He is saving sinners and drawing them as a brand out of the fire, snatching them as that burning branch out of the fire to save them. And out of all of these pieces of rebellious, sinful dust, he is building for himself a kingdom. But it is not yet consummated. The fullness of this glory has not yet arrived. And the words of God through the prophet Isaiah, which would be quoted in Philippians, have not yet reached their fulfillment. Where God says, I have sworn by myself the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return. That to me, every knee shall bow. and every tongue shall take an oath or every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. This has not yet arrived, but there's another aspect of Hebrews 2 verse 8 that is much more encouraging to see that at present we don't see that Christ is sovereign overall. Christ proclaimed in John chapter 16 verse 33 to his disciples, take heart for I have overcome the world. His conquest is established. His victory is already acquired. The rest is just the fallout. And while we look at a world that is in open rebellion against God, He is still orchestrating every aspect, every molecule and every action to His glory and for the good of those that love and serve Him. So when the author of Hebrews says, at present we don't see Christ, rating overall when he says, but now we do not yet see all things put under him. The real thing that's waiting for us is for us to see what Christ is already doing. To perceive the victory that he's already accomplished. In closing, one of the things that has come back to my mind time and again, as I've gone over this text, is thinking about that famous speech of Carl Sagan's. Some of you will remember that, wherein he makes the famous declaration, the sentence, as some people have called it, races, we are made of star stuff. That bizarre little quote of Carl Sagan. And as I thought about that, I thought, you know, he's not that far off. Because even a stock cloth is right twice a day. But it sounds much more poetic when you say, we are made of star stuff than in the kind of wording that Shorty and I tend to use of, we are walking dirt cloths. We are dust. Without the animating breath of God that He breathed into us, into our first ancestor, we are but dust. It's the only difference between you and that which you walk upon, in terms of your superiority. And as we heard in the Sunday School lesson this morning, there's a great deal to be said for dirt over and above man, because that dirt has not rebelled against God. That dirt has not failed in its obligation to glorify its Creator. That dirt has not sinned against that which is holy and sovereign and requires of it absolute, perfect obedience. So when we look at the heavens, we know we are but dust. And when we look at God in His glorious perfection, And in the requirements that He places upon man, we know that we are sinners that would be condemned. But when we look at Christ in repentance and faith, we are clothed in His righteousness and we are saved. I encourage you, look at the stars and see your insignificance. I urge you to look at God and see your need for a Savior. But look to Christ and know that that Savior is given. Because if you only look at the stars, and then you return your gaze inward to try to muster up your own merit and your own credit and your own value, then you will be lost. And you will only know the judgments of God. But if we look to Christ, then we will be clothed in His righteousness. And if we are clothed in His righteousness, when God looks on us, He will look on us in love and in grace. Let's come before the Lord in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, we come to You and we thank You and we praise You for the truth of Your Word, for the beauty of Your Gospel, Lord, the severity of your law drives us to our knees, and the glory of your creation causes us to tremble in awe of your majesty. But we can come boldly before the throne of grace if we are clothed in your righteousness. Lord, if there are any here who do not have that, who do not love Christ above all, who do not know you as their Lord and Creator, who do not know Christ as their salvation. Lord, work in their hearts. Cause them to look to the heavens and say, what is man that you are mindful of him? And to look to the Son of Man who died for sinners and rejoice in that, cast their hope on that, and come before Him with faith and repentance to acknowledge that they need Him and to rejoice that they have Him. These things we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.