"For unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak." Heb. 2:5. Here the scene is the habitable earth that is to come—the millennial earth. Angels will serve, but not rule. God intended that man should rule, and so placed the first man on this earth in the relation of ruler to everything else here, but he soon sinned and not only fell himself but pulled down the whole scene with him. God's purposes, however, shall be fulfilled; the second Man will rule. He, the Son of man, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, is exalted far above them, crowned with glory and honor. But He will not rule alone; He will bring others into association with Himself in reigning, having opened the way for it by His atoning death.
The Apostle in writing to believers from among the Hebrews, warns them against turning back to Judaism, a religion that was only one of types and shadows. He says that if they do this it would be impossible to renew them to repentance, even though they had tasted of the "powers of the world to come" (Heb. 6:4-8). By this expression is meant the marvelous display of power that introduced Christianity—the lame were made to walk, the dead were raised, the sick were healed, and the gospel was spread in the various dialects by means of the gifts of tongues, etc. Though these signs were great, they were only a foretaste of those of the age to come. The Old Testament scriptures abound with references to the wonderful things that will take place during the Millennium.
The sin that cannot be forgiven is the one against the Holy Ghost; the Jews were attributing the Lord's acts of power, done through the Holy Spirit, to the prince of demons. This was serious, and would not be forgiven then, nor would ;t be forgiven in the age to come—in the day of the Messiah. Though the Jews will be cleansed from their sins to participate in that great and glorious time, the sins against the Holy Ghost would not be forgiven, even then. (Read Matt. 12:22-32 and Mark 3:22-30, noting v. 30 especially.)
In Mark 10:28-30 we read: "Then Peter began to say unto Him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed Thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake, and the gospel's, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." (See also Luke 18:28-30.) These disciples were not yet on Christian ground, and had Jewish hopes and aspirations, the center of all being the day of the Messiah in the age to come. Well, if they gave up things for the Messiah here, would they not be manifoldly blessed and rewarded in the age of His glorious reign? The eternal life of Mark, and everlasting life of Luke are in this connection. When we come to John's gospel we find that believers have eternal life now. Such g distinction should not confuse anyone, but should show us marks of the perfect accuracy of Scripture which keeps everything in its proper place.
5. In 1 Timothy 6:17-19 we have the rich addressed—those whom God has permitted to have earthly possessions. They were charged not to be high-minded, nor to trust in the uncertainty of riches, but in God. They were exhorted to be "rich in good works," and ready to distribute of their possessions, and so to use this world's goods in a way to lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against "the time to come." They might hoard their money, and yet lose it because it is a very uncertain thing; or they might retain it, and leave it to their posterity; but in neither case would they have gained a reward for themselves in the time that is yet to come. Not that the reward should motivate one to be liberal in giving of what God has given him; it should proceed from love to Christ, and the sense of holding all for Him; but the reward should encourage one—such giving will not be forgotten by the Lord, the righteous judge.
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