But this morning here, if you have your Bibles, go ahead and turn to Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2. We're going to consider verses 5 through 9 today. 5 through 9. The next few verses here from where we left off last time in chapter 2. There are some wonderful things here. that we see and learn about Jesus. So Hebrews chapter 2 beginning in verse 5 is going to be our text. We're going to back up to the beginning of the chapter just for context. Let's go ahead and open in prayer. Gracious God and Heavenly Father, Lord we do thank you for gathering us here today on this wonderful Lord's Day. Indeed, to learn more about you from your word, to worship and to praise and to exalt you, Lord, to praise your holy name, to have wonderful fellowship with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ by your spirit. Lord, we thank you for all of these things. We do pray that you would be with us now as we consider your word, this wonderful and glorious word that you have given to us. And we pray that you would open our hearts and our minds, that you would reveal to us indeed the truth that is there. And we thank you and praise you. And we pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Well, last time we were in Hebrews, we considered the writer's warning against drifting. Our need to take all the more careful attention to the doctrines and teachings that we have heard. We must not neglect the great salvation revealed through the Son, Jesus Christ, we learned. And this gospel message of salvation was also confirmed to us by those who heard Jesus, as well as by God himself bearing witness with signs, miracles, and gifts according to his will. And so as we begin considering our text this morning, let's go ahead and begin reading in chapter two, verse one. Somebody could read that for us, please. David, could you read it? Go through verse 9. Amen. Thank you. So this morning we're going to be studying this ongoing comparison that we've been making note of and discussing in the first chapter here and now into chapter two, that the writer makes between Jesus and the angels. Particularly here, dominion lost in Adam, the first Adam, and dominion restored in Christ. And God's consideration of man and the son of man who was made, as we see in the text here, a little lower than the angels. What does this mean? What do these words about subjection mean? We're gonna consider all of this this morning. So in verse five, you see there that he says, for he has not put the world to come of which we speak in subjection to angels. So, what does God not put under subjection to angels? This world to come. Literally, the root word in Greek, the hupotasso, means to be subordinate to or to be submissive to. The angels aren't given sovereign rule by God. Therefore, this world, nor the world to come, are or will be under their rule. Notice also, he says, for he is not put. And this is obviously a verb here, the Greek verb. It's in an aorist form, which is interesting in that it communicates punctiliar action in the past that has present application or effects. So the sovereign rule and subjection was already appointed and established. And then we are seeing here the present effects. So God speaks much in the scriptures of this world to come. And when we talk about the world to come, and you see that language in scripture, what types of things do you think about? What types of things is God speaking of there? Well, I would suggest that he's speaking about the new heavens and the new earth. We often think of that and a future state when God is sitting on a throne and all wrong things have been made right. But the Bible here tells us that this here specifically in this world to come, it's a twofold kingdom. We are citizens of the kingdom now, as Matthew Henry calls it, the gospel church. that heavenly kingdom will then also exist throughout all eternity with Christ as its head. John Calvin says this, he said, it now appears that here the world to come is not that which we hope for after the resurrection, but that which began at the beginning of Christ's kingdom. But it will no doubt have its full accomplishment in our final redemption. So it is the kingdom now. Christ is seated. He is ruling and reigning now. But this is also speaking of the world to come in a very eschatological sense. The new heavens and the new earth. The Old Testament indeed is filled with promises of the day when God would establish his kingdom on the earth, a kingdom that would never be destroyed and which would itself overcome all other kingdoms. Well, how do we know that that's true? Let's turn to Daniel chapter 2, and there are lots of scriptures that we could consider, but let's look at Daniel chapter 2. And in Daniel chapter two, we see the interpretation here of the image dream, right? Or this image vision rather, a great image. In verse 31, it says, you O king, this was Daniel talking to Nebuchadnezzar. This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you and its form was awesome. Now this image had multiple parts, multiple pieces that were made out of different metals and substances. And each of those pieces, which I'll clarify what those were in just a moment, but each of those pieces represented different, even subsequent, conquering kingdoms. And so when we get down to verse 44, though, we see here, indeed, the prophecy of a unique kingdom, a kingdom that was going to shatter all the, it was gonna shatter and break the feet of this statue, bringing it down to the ground. It was a kingdom that will have no end. In verse 44, we see there it says, and in the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever." And then he goes on in verse 45, "...and as much as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold. The great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain and its interpretation is sure. So we see here this prophecy of this kingdom of stone. And of these kingdoms that are represented in this statue, the head was Babylon. And then we see the Medo-Persian Empire, Greece, and Rome. But the kingdom of stone belongs to Christ. Notice in a few chapters later in Daniel, in Daniel chapter 7, verses 13 and 14 and Daniel chapter 7 verses 13 and 14 says there, I was watching in the night visions and behold one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven he came to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him than to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom, the one which shall not be destroyed." You know, all human kingdoms, all kingdoms on this earth, they have a beginning and they have an end, right? And that is true of every kingdom. Every kingdom will end, all except for one, and that is the kingdom of Christ. So, when we see the dominion of the earth that was to be given to the one like the Son of Man in Daniel 7, Keep note that when God created the first man, he told him to rule the earth and to exercise dominion over that. We see that in Genesis 1.28. But man lost that dominion when he rebelled against God and fell into sin. One of the reasons that Jesus came to die, beloved, was to regain that lost dominion. That dominion was won and restored in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. The dominion of the kingdom was never promised to angels, the writer tells us in our text today in Hebrews 2. The dominion of the kingdom was never promised to angels, but it has been promised to the Son of Man. Jesus Christ. So here again, we see yet another piece of the supremacy of Christ revealed in this verse. Jesus ought to be obeyed because the father has given him sovereignty over the whole world, sovereignty as king, while the angels have no such honor. So none of the angels should stand in the way of his preeminence, because he alone has supremacy. But notice what it says also in verse six. But one testified in a certain place saying, what is man that you are mindful of him or the son of man that you care of 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. Now take note here of God's mindfulness toward man. It's an incredible thing if you think about it. Adam deserved none of his kindness. We deserve none of his kindness. But yet God bountifully extends it to us. And so here we find God's consideration for the Son of Man. Who is the Son of Man? What do you think about that? What's your understanding of this verse? Who is the Son of Man? Well, let's consider an Old Testament passage here as we discuss that. And this is actually the passage that the writer to the Hebrews was quoting when he said this. And this is Psalm 8, verses 4 through 6. Psalm eight verses four through six. Could somebody read that? Robert, could you read it? Psalm eight verses four through six. Okay, thank you. So, you know, we could spend a lot of time, days, years, Studying what the Bible has to say about Jesus as the Son of Man. And why was Jesus called the Son of Man? If we think about the different titles of God, the titles of Christ, one that may readily come to our minds is the Son of God. But scripture here time and time again also refers to Jesus and gives the title to Jesus of the Son of Man. Well, I think there are two reasons for this. Number one, the description son of man is a messianic title. As we know, Jesus is the one who was given dominion and glory and a kingdom. And when Jesus used this phrase, he was assigning the son of man prophecy to himself. We see that in the New Testament scriptures. The Jews of that era would have been intimately familiar with the phrase and to whom it referred. Jesus was proclaiming himself as Messiah, but Jesus was also human. He was truly a human being. He took on flesh, John 1.14. well-known verse, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." So Jesus is the Son of Man, but is there anywhere else in Scripture or anyone else in Scripture that has had that reference? Not in a capital S sense, but in a lowercase s sense. Does anybody know who that was? Well in specific I'm thinking about Ezekiel. In Ezekiel chapter 11, if you turn with me there briefly. In Ezekiel chapter 11, And we do see, definitely in the scriptures, we see a lot of references to the sons of men. But as far as son of man, in verse two, for example, let's back up to verse one. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the Lord's house, which faces eastward. And there at the door of the gate there were twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jazaniah, the son of Azur. and Pelataia, the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. And he said to me, son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and give wicked counsel in this city, who say, the time is not near to build houses. This city is the cauldron and we are the meat. Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, oh son of man. And this was just one of the many references even to Ezekiel in regards to the title of son of man. Now, just a trivia question. How many times, does anybody know how many times Ezekiel was referred to as the son of man in the book of Ezekiel? Does anybody know? 93 times in one book, 93 times he was referred to as Son of Man. How many times is Jesus referred to as the Son of Man in the entire New Testament? 88 times. 88 times Jesus is referred to as the Son of Man. Son of Man is Christ's third most used title in all of the Bible. So how should we understand this reference to Ezekiel as son of man, and with a small s, and Christ as the son of man? In part, I will suggest that we can understand one aspect, that Jesus is revealing himself here as prophet. And we know that Jesus has a threefold office, right? Prophet, priest, and king. However, there is more to the son of man title for Christ. It's not just about a reality that he's our true and perfect prophet, but it tells us of his heavenly origin and communicates that he is the king who will reign forevermore. So it's interesting as we go back here to Hebrews 2, that as the writer here has quoted David in Psalm 8, we see here though that there are four things that God, the Father, did and has given His Son. And the theme of these things, if you noticed, is sovereignty and dominion. If you look first, number one, he made him a little lower than the angels. He crowned him with honor and glory. He set him over the works of his hands and he put all things in subjection under his feet. Well, so what does it mean that Jesus was made a little lower than the angels? Again, this is one of those verses and statements that cultists would like to jump on and to say, ah, see, he was created. He's a created being. He was made a little lower than the angels. No, that's not what is being said here, and that's not what is being taught here. This specifically speaks of Christ's humiliation in Jesus setting aside his glory and becoming man. Remember, in his incarnation, he was 100% God and 100% man. And so likely here also, I think, that the writer had already proven the point that Jesus was superior to angels quite well in a lot of different areas that we considered in chapter 1 and even in the beginning verses of chapter 2, and now we see here that he's going on to even more, but that point and that argument I think has been well proven. Seven Old Testament scriptures have been quoted to prove this point, but instead I would like to suggest that the writer is now anticipating obvious objections to the teaching that Jesus is superior to the angels. The objections may go something like this. How can Jesus be better than the angels if he had a mortal body? Well, they have always been immortal, they meaning angels. How could Jesus be better than the angels if he suffered the humility of the cross? How can Jesus be better than the angels if he died while no angel has suffered death? Yet we see the writer in essence responds to these objections in these verses. That's exactly what he does. What has Jesus been crowned with? He's been crowned with glory and honor. What does it mean that the Father put all things in subjection under His feet? Remember what Matthew 28.18 says? It says that all authority has been given to him in heaven and on earth." And if you turn with me to Ephesians chapter 1 verse 15, we also find this to be true. Could somebody read verses 15 to the end of the chapter? Yes, thank you. I did not. Yeah, that's a wonderful, very full and rich and extensive description of what is true about the rule and the reign of Christ. And we do see in verse 22 there, that, "...and He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church." Etc. And so, We see also that it says here, for in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not see all things put under him. There's an observation that we need to make here. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. This is what we don't see yet. If someone were to make the argument, I think the writer answers this well and says well, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit here, that if somebody were to say, ah, yeah, it says all things were put under subjection under his feet, but we don't see that yet. Are you lying? No. I think the writer is right and appropriate that God gives us that piece of information. We don't see that yet. Some scholars have commented that it seems like the writer may have been responding to an objection such as, where is this great dominion and rule? In Adam, man was given dominion over the entire earth. creation was placed under him. He was the Lord of creation, small l, but something happened. Man lost the dominion that God gave him. Pre-fall, it was a wonderful, wonderful world. It was perfect. It was very good, God said. Indeed, he had blessed Adam with much. Adam enjoyed much, even very close communion and fellowship with God in the garden. But then everything changed in Adam's sin. He no longer had dominion. Indeed, the dominion that was a gift from the Almighty. So man lost his dominion over creation when he fell, and before that time he was lord over all that the Lord had created, but now he would have to fight with creation in order to sustain a living. Creation would no longer comply with him and cooperate with him and even flourish with him. It would resist. So on the day that Adam sinned, the Lord pronounced a curse upon the earth and all that lived upon it. So, though there was dominion lost, the sovereignty and dominion of Christ is total and final. Again, going back to Daniel, His kingdom shall have no end. His kingdom cannot be destroyed. Praise the Lord. It cannot be destroyed. Christ being the second Adam, as Paul so wonderfully and extensively has taught us in the Scriptures, came to succeed where Adam failed. Amongst other things, Christ came to restore dominion. John Calvin said this, though universal subjection does not as yet appear to us, let us be satisfied that he has passed through death and has been exalted to the highest state of honor. For that which is as yet wanting will in its time be completed. So there's a contentment. There's a satisfaction that we need to have right now, right here. We don't need to have some discontentment over the subjection that we do not see. But we need to be satisfied indeed in the great person and work of Christ. Indeed, that he died, that he rose from the dead, and indeed that he ascended into heaven, that he has passed through death. Death could not hold him. Indeed, Christ is in every way different than the angels, superior to the angels. He is exalted to the highest state of honor. But what we also need to keep in mind here is hope, right? Is hopeful expectation, trusting in the promises of God, trusting in what he's declared to us in his word, that these things will happen. All things being brought under subjection to the feet of Christ and the rule of Christ, it will happen. He is victorious even now. If you turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, we'll read a couple of verses here in verses 25 through 27. Will, could you read that for us? Go ahead and read verse 28 also, please. Amen. So here we find a great piece of evidence here of Scripture interpreting Scripture, of God providing us more information about what this bringing all things into subjection and putting all things under his feet here, what that means. Notice then what the writer to the Hebrews also says in verse 9. In verse 9 there again he says, 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. So the answer to the objection is really that this is already fulfilled in Jesus Christ our head who was for a time for our sakes lower than the angels, and that he put aside his glory and he took on human flesh, he became man, but now is exalted to most high glory." What did Christ taste for everyone, this verse says? Death. The Holy One of God. the Son of God, the Son of Man. He tasted death for us. He tasted death for His people. Again, this everyone here, I think we have to clarify that this is everyone in terms of man without distinction, but not without exception. But He tasted death for His people, for His elect, for His church. And he did so out of such great love, out of such great kindness and grace to us. He could have left us after Adam did what he did. And after he fell, he could have left us where we were. As I've said before, he could have smote Adam off the face of the earth immediately. But he didn't. He sent Jesus. And so we see this wonderful picture here, not only of this comparison of Christ and his supremacy over angels, but also as that is seen and worked out even in redemption. We see that in redemption and rule and dominion. And this communicates death as a sacrifice. making satisfaction of divine justice. Making satisfaction of divine justice. And I do wanna pause and go back for a second and think about this. That if you look at the verses that were quoted from Psalm 8, if you look at what has been communicated from verses five through eight, this is about kingship, this is about dominion, This is about sovereign authority and sovereign rule. And what king would do what Jesus did? A sacrificial death of himself to pay for the sins of others, to pay for our sins, not his sins, to make payment for us. In some sense, you see verse 9, and you have to pause and consider and say, wait a minute. This breaks the flow of authority. Clearly a king would have sent somebody else to die. He's the king. But yet, no, the king came, stepped in our place, and was in our place. Indeed, He made an atoning sacrifice. He was the propitiation for our sin. He made an atoning sacrifice that we would again be at one with God, that we would be reconciled to Him. And indeed, He was our propitiation and atoning for our sins, but He also was involved in expiation. And expiation is a good word to remember to write down if you don't know what that is. It's the taking away of our sins. Taking them away. Removing them. The writer goes on in the remaining chapters and even in the remaining verses in chapter 3 to tell us much more indeed. Let's read for a second verse 10 just as we see where the transition is going. But it says there, for it was fitting for him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. Now that's a loaded verse that we don't have time to take apart and to examine in its fullness here this morning. But notice what it says here, and I think it brings a nice conclusion to what's been discussed in the verses we've looked at today. And that for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God might taste death for everyone, for it was fitting for him. It was fitting for him. But then notice again, the writer goes back to the bigger picture. For whom are all things and by whom are all things? in bringing many sons to glory. We are Christ. We belong to him. He brought us to glory by his blood, by his death, by his resurrection. And indeed, as he is seated at the right hand of the father, remember, But Paul told the church in Ephesus that we are also co-seated with him. We died with him, we were raised with him in our union with Christ. We are co-seated with him in the heavenly places. But for our Lord, it was fitting for him. And I would encourage you maybe even to think about this verse, memorize it, for it was fitting for Him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Well, I'll leave you with this as we close today. Consider your Lord. Consider the son of man who indeed has purchased our redemption. He has done what the second Adam cannot do, could not do. He indeed obeyed the law perfectly. He led a sinless life. and he died that we might live. He died not only that we might live, but that we would be a part of his family. And that as a part of his family, that we would live with him for all eternity. He tasted death, that though we may die once, we will never die again. We may die physically, if he doesn't return sooner. but we will never die again in him. And it was fitting for him. The one who owns all things, the one who made all things, it's for him, it's by him, it's to him. It's a wonderful collage and combination and just wonderful, immense reality. that the one who made all things, this earth, this tiny little earth, and we are just dust in that, in the scope of the universe, galaxies upon galaxies, immense, but he rules, and he reigns, and he is our God, and he suffered for us. Christianity 101, my friends, I know, but again, it's exciting stuff. Because Jesus is better than the angels. They don't have a kingdom. He has the greatest kingdom. And we're a part of that. We're in that. Praise God. Let us pray. Almighty God and Heavenly Father, Lord, we do indeed thank you that we belong to King Jesus. We thank you, Lord. Lord Jesus, for all that you are. for your kindness, for your grace, for your condescension, for your love. Indeed, that you would stoop down to do what no one else could do for us. That by your sufferings, even by your stripes, Lord, we are healed. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Lord, and we praise you for that. We praise you that we don't have to worry about your kingdom coming to an end and somebody else taking control. For that never will happen. We thank you and praise you, and we do pray that you would be with us and bless us now as we worship you in the next moments. To you be all the glory and the dominion and power and honor, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.