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2nd Corinthians and chapter 2 The last verse. Second Corinthians 217 for we are not as many.
Which corrupt or the margin says deal deceitfully with?
The word of God.
But as of sincerity, but as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ chapter 4 verse one. Therefore, seeing we have this ministry.
As we have received mercy, we think not, but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
And now First Thessalonians chapter 2.
And verse 13.
1St Thessalonians 2.
13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when he received the word of God, which he heard of us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth.
The word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. Now shall we pray?
Chapter 2. Therefore we ought to give the more honesty to the things which we have heard.
Unless at any time we should let them slip, or if the words spoken by angels was steadfast.
And every transgression and disobedience receive a just recompense of reward. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and that was confirmed unto us by then? The herdies, God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders.
And with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost.
According to his own will, for under the angels, that he not put in subjection in the world to come, where off we speak.
But while in a certain place testified, say, what is man, the dark minds will be, or the Son of Man, that Thou visited him, thou reached him a little lower than the angels, thou foundest him with glory man, and this sitting over the works of thy hands.
Thou must put all things in subjection under his feet.
Friend 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.
Those made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death frowned with glory and honor that he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man.
For became Him for whom were all things, and by whom are all things, and bringing many sons under glory, that makes the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
For both he that sacrifice, and they who are sanctified are all one. For which 'cause he's not a shame to call them brethren, say, I will declare thy name unto my brethren. In the midst of the Church will I sing praise under thee, and again.
I will put my trust in him, and again, behold I and the children which God hath given me.
First much then, as the children are particulars of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same the truth, that He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to *******.
For there he took not on him the nature of angels.
Took on him the seed of Abraham.
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Wherefore in all things have been moved him to be made like unto his friends, that he might be merciful and faithful high priest, and things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Or in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to suffer them that often.
The expression therefore no doubt refers to what we have in the first chapter. The 2nd chapter that we are reading brings before us the Lord Jesus as a man.
And whom is found? All the counsels of God, the one who completes the work, the one who brings glory to God.
And in the following chapters we notice the offices that he takes.
But it all depends on the glory of the first chapter. That's his personal glory.
Now in the first chapter, just to get the connection, we have the Lord Jesus seen as the sun.
That is, he's the Son of God, but he's the full expression of all that God is as man.
Beside, he's the heir, and in this first chapter he's seen in different ways as superior to angels because the Jew to whom this was originally written revered Angel. They thought of angels as being in that superior place and bringing to them the law.
And the various appearances of angels like to Abraham and so on, Naturally they thought a great deal of angels.
But the Spirit of God now is bringing before us.
Regardless of who or by whom He spoke before, He is now speaking in his Son, and we have the glories of Christ as the heir and also.
As God Himself.
In the first chapter.
Who has an eternal throne and also as the the Messiah of Israel or the Jehovah?
That was a known relationship to his people.
But.
Now that God has spoken in his Son.
We have the 1St.
First Verse. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard less than anytime we should let them slip. Now that, I suppose, would suggest apostasy, or the giving up of the truth completely of those who had made a outward profession. And so he contrasts now with the words spoken by angels.
And.
It was steadfast disobedience received his just reward.
Now how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?
I know that most of you are safe, but still the word here has a an edge on it for the conscience, I believe, of each one of us.
And we find that the Spirit of God has confirmed this word, not only the word spoken.
By the Lord in the third verse, but also by them that heard Him, and then with all the signs and the wonders.
That we have the glory of the person of Christ before us in the book of Hebrews, and then we have the.
Necessity, the absolute necessity of our giving ear to what God has to say as He speaks in and through His Son. The Scripture says, unto whom much is given, of the same shall much be required. And so they were very responsible, as having the oracles of God, and the judgment of God upon them as a nation was much more severe than on any of the other nations around about them.
But now, as you remarked, God had spoken in Son, and all that One who not only created all things, but upholds all things by the word of His power, had become a man and walked here upon earth. And what a great responsibility to reject him.
If it was serious to break the law, how much more serious to reject the Lord Jesus?
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And then to that the Holy Spirit of God had come down saw that those who had testified about Christ in the early part of the Acts, it had been by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, who was here upon earth as a divine person.
So to depart from the truth of God in this present time is far, far more serious. In fact, in Acts Chapter 11 in Paul's speaking there to the Athenians said.
The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. And Speaking of this in a practical way, brethren, how much more for ourselves, because having been gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus, and having known so much precious truth.
We're much more responsible than even those who have not known these things and entered into them.
As we have. So what a responsibility. I might just mention here that in the new translation, in the last part of this second verse, it's where it says at anytime we should let them slip, and it says at anytime we should slip away. It's really not just letting the truth of God go about ourselves, slipping away from a place of privilege into which we have been brought. And as our brother remarked, that is.
That's what we see happening in Christendom. They're slipping away, but not only giving up the truth, but they themselves are slipping away from all that wonderful place of being under the sound of the Word and knowing the truth of God, and we see it being set aside and laughed at.
On every hand well may it speak to us, because the judgment of Christendom. It will be the most severe judgment of all when the Tribulation comes, as reported to us in Revelation. The most serious part of the judgment falls upon the two especially privileged parts of the earth, that is, the Jews, who to whom Christ was presented as their Messiah, and also.
Christendom, who have had all the privileges of an open Bible of the truth of God, proclaimed God, is going to bring the most awful judgments upon those two privileged parts of the earth. Well, this surely has a voice to us, and yet also sets before us an object for our souls, that one who is up there crowned with glory and honor.
That one was able to fill and satisfy our hearts no matter what the world has to offer.
He's far above it all.
It seems to me that.
Part of the slipping away from the truth is seen in the desire in Christendom to have different translation.
And in translating watering down the word of God.
And using what they say. Simpler expressions, simpler words. But in many cases when they do that, they change the meaning of it altogether.
And this is a solemn thing to be doing, and then to be addressing God and the Lord Jesus Christ with familiar terms, as though they like to bring God down on the same level as they are.
Well, this is part of this slipping away, and it's a subtle thing.
And we have to be careful how we handle the Word of God. I remember in in Africa when I was translating the scriptures into the language of the Bayaka tribe.
I was impressed with that, that it wasn't enough just to translate word for word. I must seek to get God's mind what was in that portion of Scripture. And so when it came to a a verse like John 316.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that who shall believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That word love was difficult to find and I didn't find it right away because they were not used to using it.
It was not a common word.
They used other expressions for want and desire, but I couldn't use the word like that in that verse of Scripture. I had to find a word that had a deeper meaning that really set forth what was in the heart of God.
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So I thought of an illustration, just making up a story and giving it to those two that were helping me in the translation work.
I said to them, there was a woman that was down by the Riverside with her little boy. She'd gone down there to wash her clothes in the in the river.
And the little boy was playing around on the sand there by the water on the beach.
And while she was washing her clothes.
There was a there was a crocodile that came up and grabbed the little boy and pulled him of course back into the water and and ducked him under. And then I said, the mother seeing that she dashed into the water after that crocodile.
Well, she knew all the dangers because there were other crocodiles around, but she was oblivious to all the dangers.
What made her do that to save her boy?
Thought of why once the boy wouldn't be enough. To desire the boy wouldn't be enough.
They they came up with this other word that I was looking for.
Love, they said. She loved that book. There was something inside of her that yearned for that boy.
So I used that word. It was a word they were not used to, but they learned it. They found out that God's love was a deeper love than just simply desire and wanting them. But God had such addiction, movement of soul.
Love them so much He gave his only begotten Son.
See what would have been lost if we hadn't found that better word? All we need to leave the Word of God like it has been translated. And we believe that those men that translated the scriptures into the English language way back there in 1611.
They were really guided by God in translating, and it's so hard to improve upon the translation that when you're sitting here.
Within our hands. But I believe all of this desire for something new, something different, is slipping away from the truth of God.
So important to have the person.
Before us, and especially here in this chapter.
The Person of the Christ.
There it great. Helps a great deal too. And the understanding of the translations you say.
With the person that's before us, and also his work, but chiefly the person that the Spirit of God brings before us 1St and that in connection with all his glory.
Now, in the first chapter of John, we won't turn to it, but.
We find the Spirit of God speaks of His greater glory as the Son of man.
We have the Son of Man here in this second chapter.
And in this chapter, all that, all that the Jew rested upon.
In connection with His worship, He had the law given by angels.
We learned in the 7th of Acts otherwise.
All that they rested upon.
The ordinances.
Everything is set aside, the angels are set aside in this second chapter, and from now on we have just one person before us. And what he is to the heart, not only of the Jew, but to all who believe.
Find us. We go on through Hebrews, that the Lord Jesus replaces everything that before was used in a religious way to guide the Jew in connection with his worship. The ordinances are gone. Moses is gone, the one who gave them the mind of God.
The Aaron is gone, the priest, the sanctuary.
That's Christ, the altar. The apostle says we have an altar. That's the 13th chapter. It's Christ. And so everything disappears in Hebrews.
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And Christ is the one that takes over, and he becomes the object of the heart. Now we may know a lot of doctrine, brethren, but if we don't have Christ as an object of the heart, it isn't going to do us any good. And so here we have in this epistle.
Here, the person of Christ we see Jesus.
All important. This is for us. Today we see Jesus.
There are verses in the 12Th chapter that seemed to bring out these same truths and perhaps help explain these primary verses in the chapter two. I thought of them in connection with the person in the 12Th chapter.
Toward the close, you have what we are brought to or the, it says.
But ye are come in verse 22 and let's a few things that were come to and in verse 24 it says and to Jesus.
We are come to that person, the mediator of the New covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of evil. And then this 25th verse seems to me to connect back with our second chapter. It says, See that ye refuse, not him that speaketh.
Or if they escape not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape now notice the words if we turn away from.
In our chapter it's let them slip or slip away or give up, but here it's turning away from a person.
If we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven, what's going to be the result? He's going to be the judge. He's going to shake this scene, not heaven as well. So that that certainly brings in an exceeding great warning as to the Word and the person of Jesus. It's important in that connection to see that verse in Hebrews 12.
It's he who speaks from heaven.
And this is brought before them in the end of the 5th chapter of Hebrews, and the first part of the sixth. He says, leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on under perfection, that when the Lord Jesus was here upon earth, he said, the Pharisees sit in Moses seat. All therefore, that they bid you observe that observe and do. In other words, when the Lord Jesus was here, he did not lead them out of the sheep.
Judaism encourage them to go on with that which God had established until the work was accomplished. And that glorious work that we've been speaking about, that one who is the true sacrifice, that one who is the altar, that one who has done it all, has now completed the work. All the types and shadows of Judaism have been fulfilled.
And that's why it's so important to recognize.
That that which is brought before us in the Epistles is the voice of a glorified Christ speaking from heaven.
Let's remember that I believe that there are many who don't enter into the blessedness of Christianity because they hear what the Lord said on earth. Blessed and precious truth it is, but it isn't until He is up there glorified.
Remember that verse? I believe it's in the 16th of John. I have many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now.
I'll be it when He, the Spirit of truth is coming. He will guide you into all truth. And brethren, that's hearing the voice of a glorified Christ speaking from heaven. That brings us into the fruit of that work, the position that we are brought into as justified from all things.
Members of the body of Christ, a united to Christ as the head in heaven and waiting for him to return. All this is that which we learn from the one who speaks from heaven, those precious revelations given to Paul that he speaks of as my gospel.
And so that there is what the Lord spoke upon earth here, and how many precious things He did bring out, but there is also the fullness of what has been revealed by that same blessed person glorified at the right hand of God.
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Would you not say that the gifts of the Holy Ghost referred to the ministry of Paul particularly? It all began with Christ ministry and confirmed by those that heard him. But then the gifts of the Holy Ghost after he'd gone on high brings in the new ministry. The heavenly line of truth, is that it?
Well, I'm sure that's true, although of course there were many signs that were wrought to confirm the Word by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It isn't until we have the ministry that was given to Paul that we have the completing of the Word of God.
I think there's rather important to see that those signs were given to confirm the word as it says signs and wonders. Now the word has been confirmed, we don't have the promise of the continuance of those signs, do we?
I was speaking with a man over in Ghana who was connected with a group that were looking for signs and wonders speaking in tongues.
And I referred you to this scripture.
And pointed out that the reason for the signs and the wonders there in the beginning was, as her brother said, to confirm the word of God, to confirm the scripture.
And I said, now that the scriptures have been confirmed, why are you still looking for signs and wonders as though you have to have a word confirmed again? Does it mean that you doubt that it's the word of God? When Moses went up on the mountain to receive the Law, that was accompanied by science and wonders too. But why was that?
To confirm to the people that God was speaking to Moses and the word that Moses brought to them.
Was the word of God.
And when it was once confirmed, they didn't look for more signs and wonders. And it's true that leaving Jews.
They put their trust in the Old Testament. They believe it is the word of God. I know much of much of it is just dead orthodoxy, but still they believe that that is the word of God. Now these that we're reading about here, they were the ones who had professed, made a profession under Christianity, and now they were leaving it. They were tempted to slip away.
And so they have to be reminded of Israel. God has confirmed the Word concerning His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you give him up, well, there's nothing else for you. It's complete apostasy.
Him that speaketh from heaven to would make very, very important the accepting of the ministry that we have in the New Testament through the servants of the Lord, Paul, Peter, John, and so on.
It's very, very disturbing, is it not, to hear people speak slightingly of what Paul wrote? They're really speaking slightly of what an ascended Christ speaks from heaven. And the warning against it there in Hebrews 12 is very solemn, is it not? I was thinking to hear in the first verse.
We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard.
It is almost humbling to read that exhortation.
Because when we think of what a wonderful revelation of the person of Christ and the truth of God has been presented to us, and then we need to be reminded that we should give them more earnest heed to this. When we read in first Peter one of the various hints of this given to us in the Old Testament, we read that.
The authors themselves search their own writings with a real interest.
What are these things that we are writing about? And even the angels desired to look into it.
And now that it has been made known to us, now that the person of the Lord Jesus Christ has been revealed to us and our wonderful heritage of truth in Him, it's almost humbling to think that we should need to be reminded to give more earnest heat.
I feel this sometimes when I picture the Old Testament authors searching their writings, the Angel desiring to look into it, and then we discover why this has now been communicated to us.
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How wonderful it is and how humbling to think that we should be told.
That we should give them more earnest heed to it.
My brother Lundy was speaking about.
That it pointed to the person of Christ being occupied with him, that makes me think of Mary Magdalene.
He was not the two of the Lord, but she wasn't very intelligent about that, but her heart was set upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
She was occupied with him.
And she just spoke of him with that. So now him, if thou has borne him and tell me, where's our slave in? There wasn't anybody else. Because she was concerned. Well, it was all without intelligence, but it led to intelligence.
That's the point.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the key to the scripture. Someone came around one time selling a big book.
And they called it the key to the scriptures.
Well, I learned that that wasn't what the key to the scriptures is. The key to the scriptures is the Lord itself.
We find them all the way through the Bible, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation. It's the story that we, if we call it that, the story about him is a hidden book.
It's about him, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke, Luke puts it that way. He said you have set aside the key of knowledge. That was Christ, wasn't it? They stood in the way so the people couldn't believe on Christ. But here I believe as we come to this next verse, we we find the beginning.
This person, Jesus the man Christ Jesus.
The beginning of He's the Heir. It's the full revelation of all of the purposes and councils, the glory of God, they're all found in this person. But He has come to reveal all this as a man first on earth and then ascended into the heavens.
And so everything that demonstrates the power.
Purpose and glory of God is found in Jesus.
They were looking for the Messiah to come. That was their hope, and for the Kingdom to be established. All this they knew and were looking for, but they didn't see His coming in humiliation. And yet that was equally as plain in the Old Testament scriptures as the ones that spoke of His coming and glory.
And so he has to bring before them how their scriptures had told them so often.
About his humiliation, then his exaltation, and so these Jews who profess to believe in him, to realize that now it was a question of going on to him without the camp bearing his reproach, was being identified with one whom they couldn't see.
That is what characterizes Christianity, that, if I could use the expression, it's a religion of faith. It's not like that in the Old Testament. There was much that they could see that there was that wonderful Tabernacle, there was the temple, there was the appearance of angels. There was all so much associated with what they could see. But now Christ had come. He had accomplished the work. He had gone up on high.
And now the signs have confirmed that he was there. But now it was a question of faith, of just resting upon what God had said, and to know that that one who was up there is in a coming day going to be displayed as the one who will have all things under him. But we don't see that yet.
Now it's a question of recognizing that He's there, having our eyes upon Him as the object walking in the truth that has been revealed to us by that voice from heaven. But it's it's a time when we walk by faith, not by sight.
The book of Hebrews brings before us.
Somewhat the Kingdom line of things as well.
And that which has to do with the coming public glory of the Lord Jesus and of the Kingdom on the earth. And so he tells us that all this is not in the hands of the angels.
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It's going to be in the hands of man, the man Christ Jesus.
Now that's according to the 8th Psalm I believe.
Everything, even the fishes of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field.
Everything will be under the dominion of man as it was originally intended.
Only in a much fuller and perfect and permanent way.
That is the millennial day and what follows. So the angels here are set aside completely and now everything falls into the hands of man. We learn here that that the Lord Jesus took a place lower than angels for the suffering of death.
These this is one of the marbles, one of the things that we.
So, so marvel at that. That Jesus would come down so low.
For the suffering of death and why? Because that's where we were. We learned that in this chapter later, that's where we were down at the very bottom. So he's not only going to, not only has he done the work that would bring us back to golf and we've been brought back to God.
But also that he would associate man with himself by first becoming man to complete all of these things that are mentioned in this chapter.
I believe four things when he died so that we might be associated with Him in all the glory connected with His person as the Son of Man.
All that's coming.
There's an expression here used as the world to come.
This word world means the earth.
And it's referring to that time when the Lord Christ will reign. The whole sea will be put into subjection under Him. That's the world to come.
Millennia, 1000 years reign of Christ, when the Lord Jesus Christ will have his rightful place here where he was rejected. Are we lying for that?
To see that time that you have his rightful place here where he was rejected, oh, what a joy will be for him to be given that place. And so it's brought before us that we should anticipate that together with him.
That the word is going to be subjected to him, not to anyone else, but to Him, the Son, the Son of Man.
In the Genesis chapter one we find in Genesis chapter 2 we see man was created and there's no mention there of the angels. It's the man man Adam placed him headship over the whole scene and then sin came in and spoiled it.
And then through the Old Testament over and over again we have about the angels and what an important place they played in Israel's history and in the giving of the law. But then when the Lord Jesus came, he's the 2nd man and last Adam. And so in that millennial Kingdom, why it's going to be man again who will be at the head of everything. And we see this brought before us.
In the way the scene opens up in Revelation.
And there we find the Lord Jesus as the Lamb upon the throne there the Lamb that had been slain. And nearest to the throne are the four and 20 elders, which picture to us the redeemed around the throne, praising. Perhaps we might say that I believe the reason there are 4 and 20 is that in the temple there were 24 courses of priests who praised in the temple. And so every.
Will enter into and enjoy His full place as a worshiping priest in that day. Every heart will be tuned, it says, having a golden harps and vials full of odors. What a wonderful time it will be when all the Saints enter into and enjoy now that which has been brought to us through that glorious work of Christ. But I just call attention to the fact that we have the Lord in the midst, and we have the four and 20 elders.
We have after that the angels, and that is really what is referred to in that 12Th of Hebrews that was mentioned and you just turn over to it. And I'd like to call attention to the way it reads in the new translation. Hebrews chapter 12 But ye are come unto the Mount Zion under the verse 22 of Hebrews 12. But but you are coming to the Mount Zion and unto the city of the living God.
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Heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. The universal gathering. The comma should be after the word assembly there and then the Church of the first born, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all that is, the angels are doubted in and.
He's contrasting sin, the eye where there were periods of angels, but now he sees the angels gathered in and those who occupy the important place are the Church of the first Moart and the spirits of just man made perfect.
So that it's very precious in Hebrews to see that this blessed one whose glory is set before us in the first chapter, becomes the man at the head of this whole new creation scene. And what a place to think that we.
Who have been guilty of rejecting and crucifying the Son of God are brought into association with that second man and last Adam to share that place of glory that he will take in headship. And this is what is particularly brought before us. Must have been a wonderful.
Thought to those Jews who believe to see that God had planned to bring man into such a wonderful place of association with His man, the man of his counsels who was going to do all his will.
In Luke's gospel, there's an expression.
That when the largest.
About to enter Jerusalem.
Coming from the Mount of Olives.
It says peace in heaven.
What you've been Speaking of, there will be complete peace in heaven before any peace can be established on earth. That is there. There will be a change in the heavens, We learn in both Matthew and Mark and other places.
That change will be the angels being set aside their present place and work, and everything will be placed in the hands of the Lord Jesus.
But his Saints.
Now there can never be peace anywhere until the Lord Jesus has everything in control, and it'll start in heaven, peace in heaven, and then he goes and marches into Jerusalem and takes over his earthly Kingdom. As we have expressed in Luke's Gospel. These truths have been illustrated in this way.
In the world, amongst the nations, we have sometimes a change of administration.
For instance, when our nation changed from a Republican to a Democratic administration, the ambassadors were recalled and new and sent out. Well, that's what's going to take place. When the Son of Man comes to reign, the angels will be called in. Now, we're thankful for the angels and we believe in them, and they're here.
And they're serving us, ministering servants and forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation.
They are here and God controls the earth now during this dispensation with angelic care. We see it all through the Old Testament we might say, and this will go on until we are called home 1St and then the Lord begins to deal with the earth and has cleansed it.
And comes forth to rain. He will fall in the angels. And I believe that's the reason that that it says in this verse.
Our brother just read in the 12Th of Hebrews to an innumerable company of angels.
Which verse is that?
22nd to an innumerable company of angels. Those angels have been called from the earth to heaven. We're up there too. They're there waiting for the son of Man to come forth and to reign. And then the.
He must reign until.
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His enemies are made his footstool, and he takes the earth.
And he uses the church, he he takes it in association with the church. And so our part then will be to reign with Christ. That man, the one who came as man, The word was made flesh. He became a man. He died as a man. He rose as a man. He's the first born.
He is the ascended man, the exalted man, and the coming man to reign as the Son of man. So God is not defeated by the failure of the first man, is it? No, the 2nd man brings all the glory to God as man.
You have 6 verses, a quotation from this, the 8th Psalm I believe, is it not?
Refers to the.
To the Lord in that position as Son of man.
And then we have before us the.
The purpose of his coming in this chapter.
And the purpose of his death?
In four ways.
He is the one and the only one.
Who can complete and fulfill all of the councils of God?
They will be fulfilled in a man, the man Christ Jesus.
And all to the glory of God.
But by way by means.
Of his death and resurrection.
Now there's something for our consciences here.
Because.
In the first place, as our brother referred to Genesis, man was placed in the position of authority here in this world.
In connection with glorifying God and also over all of the creation.
And man failed. And so the Lord Jesus comes.
And he restores that which he took not away. He adds to it, but he restores that which he took not away.
We took it away.
But God will never be frustrated in His purpose. Purpose is to man have man over it all. And so when the Lord Jesus comes, he not only restores, that is heaven and earth, but He adds something to it which makes it richer. That is, we won't be like Adam in a garden surrounded by earthly temporal things with the possibility of failing again.
But now we have been given an entirely new life, and God is now our Father.
Now that's a tremendous change that's taken place for man so that we're associated with the Son himself, the Lord Jesus.
And actually, according to Pauls ministry accepted in the Beloved One, what a marvelous change has taken place because of the work of Christ. And that reminds us of the fact that when when the Lord Jesus undertakes to do something where man has failed.
And this is true in our failure day by day, that He always brings in something richer for us.
We may have to suffer for our failure, but he always brings in something richer.
Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound than to think that the whole human race was fallen. And then God should not lay hold upon the angels who have not, that is, the elect angels who had not fallen, but instead to reach out to fallen man.
To pick out from man who was of a lower order in creation, the thought in that expression, he was made a little lower than the angels. There are two groups of created intelligences, angels and men. Angels are of a higher order in God's creation than mankind tells us in another place. They're greater in power and might. And Satan, who is the greatest of all angels.
Tells us that he was full of wisdom, perfect in beauty. It was the most marvelous of all God's creation. But God passed the angels by, and his Son became a man took a place and identification with man in that a law order in creation. And then till we see that blessed One at the baptism of John identifying himself.
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Though perfect and holy with that remnant who were confessing their sins.
And taking his place with them, because that was the only right place to acknowledge their true position. But he had come. He was baptized of John and Jordan. But the Spirit of God marks him out as one who was a delight of his Father's heart.
And then he goes on to Calvary. He not only identified himself with that godly remnant, confessing their sins, but wonder of all wonders, He was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. So he took the place lower than the angels.
Deemed man then goes above and takes a place higher than the angels because of who he is. He's God and he's perfect God and perfect man. So now he's taken the place higher than the angels and to bring us into association with himself in that higher place.
And that's why, as it brings before us here, What is man that thou art mindful of him. Spirit of God speaking through the psalmist would say, Why would God find delight in man? He might think of him finding delight in unfallen elect angels, but in man it always be better and said this is the wonder of all wonders. And then to think that.
To prove his delight in man, he goes to the cross.
And as soon as he rises again, he says to Barry, I ascend unto my father. Go tell my brethren, I ascend them to my father, and your father, and to my God, and your God. Oh, and we start to think of these things, brethren, just overwhelms us, that God should have such delight in man, and that all man's sin.
Would not turn away those purposes of love and grace. And so the cost was that his own son should become a man.
To identify us with him in the fruit of the victory that he has won.
It's in the sense of companions in Hebrews, not the bride. I think that's very precious.
Both are precious, of course.
But when you think of one, who?
It caused his people out as his companions.
Those that would be associated with him.
It's marvelous to think of this.
Place of enjoyment with Him, just as we see the disciples here on earth walking with Him.
In his ministry now we're going to be associated with him in this close way.
In connection with all the administration of his government, which of course is involved in this book when he goes forth over the whole inheritance will be associated with him as his companions, his bride. It's true, and all the affections, but think of of that place that we have is his companions. I believe that's one of the reasons it says Jesus here.
It doesn't say the Lord or God.
Although God is before us all through the book but.
He's seen here as Jesus, the one his personal name made known to man.
At the very beginning, when he is born in this world, his name shall be called Jesus.
Is that thought of companions? What is meant in the 11Th 1St brother? For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one, one in kind.
Yes, it's F1.
Yes, I believe we have oneness brought before us in three different ways. We have oneness in John's ministry, that is in the family.
That is, we possess the very life and nature of God Himself. Christ is that eternal life. And so we have been brought into the family, possessing the life and nature of the family. But then there's more than this. We are also one as members of the body of Christ.
That is another thing. You might be one in a family. The relationship of husband and wife being one is a still nearer and more wonderful relationship. But then there is also what we have here, as you mentioned, one in kind. That is, we're not united to an Angel, we're united to a man, the man Christ Jesus, and that's what he brings out here.
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So that he has taken this place as a man. I can't understand the thoughts and feelings of an Angel. But I can't understand the thoughts and feelings of a man.
Because I am one myself and God himself became a man, and the person of Christ enters into all that we have to pass through here and all that we feel as part of mankind. Oh, it's so marvelous when we think of this.
And in this 7th and 8th verse two. And it says it sent him over the works of thine hand house put all in subjection under his feet. We know that when Adam was created, he was put in headship over the whole creation. He could call any animal to himself and give it its name, and did, and he was the head over the whole creation. But when Adam fell, the whole creation suffered the results of his fall.
And so every sick beast, every sick bird, everything that's suffering in the whole creation, not merely mankind, is all the result of the fall of the head of creation, the whole Lord creation, as we are told, need Chapter Romans, the whole creation grown up and traveleth and pained together until now. But when it says in the end of this.
Ninth verse should taste death for every man. It's really for everything.
So that his going into death and rising triumphant has brought in a blessing not only to bring man into place of association with him, but since Adam was created, created and placed in headship over the whole long creation.
Christ, as we have at the 8th Psalm, is the one who is head of creation. He shows that Himself, when here upon earth, He could ride upon the back of that little ***. Even though Lord had never been broken in. All is in control. He could send Peter and have control over the fish and Peter could cast in a hook and there was the money to pay the tax. He was the one who was in headship overall.
And now wonderful fact, He has gone up there, He tasted death for everything, and the Lord of creation, as well as we who are intelligently in the enjoyment of this, are waiting for the liberty of the glory of the children of God always should enter into more Foy this so great salvation. What a marvelous work it was. It was wrought to undo the works of the devil.
To bring man into a place higher than if he had never fallen.
In association with the 2nd man and last Adam and the whole Lord creation blessed through it. What a place. And when we think of this, why it's surely humbling to us, but it also ought to encourage us as we living in a day when we see so much increasing sickness.
Man incapable to govern himself or the world, just everything going to pieces to know that what we're talking about is true. And we look up and we see the one as a man like Steven. He saw the Lord Jesus there. We can look up by faith and see him. We don't see everything yet, but under him. But we're not looking to some earthly man, some new.
Governor, Prime Minister, President to set things right.
We see the one who's going to do it is already laid the foundation for it. And this really, brethren, is what lifts us above this world and all its great system. And this is what the Spirit of God brings before us here, to encourage us to look above these things and to be occupied with this glorious Person who's now crowned with glory and honor.
The 8th of Romans gives us the complete deliverance, doesn't it?
In fact, the 5th, 6th and 7th and 8th chapters take up the subject of deliverance, but the 8th chapter gives us the full deliverance and there we have the whole creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.
As I think next to the verse you quoted in the in the eighth of Romans. That is until Christ comes forth.
With his pride or companions if you wish.
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Until He takes that place publicly, there won't be any relief for the creation. But the moment that takes place, then everything else will fall into its place under Christ and the Church. And you know, brethren.
We better look up for our redemptions drawing nigh.
There's every indication today rather than we may not finish this meeting.
They may be caught away.
I say that because there's a tendency of our hearts.
To settle down into this world as though we were going to stay here, but we're not going to stay here. The prophet says it's polluted. We know it. If we look around, we know it's polluted. We're not going to stay here. We won't be here much longer.
I think it might be helpful just to mention here in passing that we can see the significance of the signs that were given when we speak of what we're talking about right now.
Now that is the gift of tongues that was given. Where did tongues come in?
Certainly not in the Garden of Eden. It came in as the result of man's pride and self exaltation at the Tower of Babel. And so we find that one who could remove those barriers to communication and all could understand the wonderful works of God in their own language, because in having all aligned in heaven is one. And God was showing that He was reaching out beyond the bounds of Israel.
Right out to the nations and that he is going to gather together in one all things in Christ.
Them to where did sickness come in? Was that there before sin ended? Not at all. Well, here's this one who has triumphed over the power of Satan, has gone into death and risen triumphant. How significant that these two signs should be given to show who this person was.
And what is going to be accomplished through him now, we don't see the full fruit of that now, but there's going to be when he takes the place of headship. But the sign given to confirm the word that announced this was very important and significant and related, I say, to the very place that he has taken as the head of all where it's not going to be, as I say.
Just Israel that will be blessed, but all the nations will be blessed in association with Christ.
So I think it's very lovely to just see this, and I think it simplifies the whole thought of why those signs were given. And now there's no necessity that they should continue because they're going to be, shall I say, introduced when perfect communication is brought about in all nations of the earth. Come up to Jerusalem and worship at the Feast of Tabernacles. The inhabitants shall not say in that day, I'm sick people.
The land will be forgiven their iniquity, what Scripture says, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who heal us all light is diseases will be fully displayed when the Kingdom is established. And I think to see this and to see the purpose to show to that nation, because it was particularly assigned to Israel, who are the center of the earthly glory.
That all this was going to be accomplished through the one who has gone up and is exalted there now at the right hand of God.
It's important for us to remember, though, as we think of Israel and their portion, that the church will be already in the glory with Christ. And what we're waiting for is to hear that shout that calls us away, and then everything else will take its place, but not until then. So our hope, We have one hope. We learn in Ephesians 4.
That one hope is Christ coming for us to take us home.
Now this we should have clearly in our minds before we ever think of that which is going to take place on the earth.
Sometimes in the present day we hear, well, this is a sign of the Lord's coming. That is a sign of the Lord's coming. Well, there isn't any sign to be given of His coming for us. We're caught up to be with Him in the air. There is no sign that we can find.
That points to that. That's why the Lord has told us to wait and to watch and expect him any moment because the brother said he may come before the meeting finishes. But if there are signs and people do think of signs, they're pointing to what's coming after work and we see events moving in that direction.
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Like toward establishing, reviving the old Roman Empire.
Well, they're talking about unifying the money now over Europe. That's another step in that direction. Well, those are the signs of what's coming after the Lord has come to take us home. So we don't want to get confused by science because there is no sign to be looked for now.
The only thing is the Lord's own word. I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. When we think of the removal of all the evidences of sin, and the hushing of every groan, we think of how very pleasant it would be to us to see all this. But I suppose it's even more wonderful to think of how it will reflect to the honor and glory of.
The Lord Jesus, when someone whom you love very much has been falsely accused and maligned and utterly rejected, it's something to look forward to, to think that there is a day coming when that one will be honored and vindicated. And so in connection with what has been said, the setting right of those things that now are in such disorder.
What a wonderful thing it will be to actually see it with our own eyes, but to realize that this is to the honor and glory.
Of the Lord Jesus. He will be vindicated. He will be honored. He will be the head and center of the whole thing.
Now Joe Job says, oh, that there were a man.
And there is a man if they're not.
A man who and his own person.
Is filled with all glory, all power, all authority, every gift.
Grace.
Whatever you might name that would be desired in connection with man, Job is going to have his answer, and it's found in Christ. And you know, brethren, that man will be the Sinner of our attention and glory and the glory through all eternity of man. And the subject that will occupy us will be the subject we have here of his going down, down, down.
Into death.
Raise us up and to take us to be with Him in connection with all that glory, and this is to the glory of God the Father.
Little ham we sing, says Christ of God. Our souls confess the King and sovereign even now. So although we don't see him in that place of headship openly displayed, our own hearts ought to acknowledge his authority in every way now. So that our whole life ought to be the display before the world that we acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that he's the one who has authority over our life.
Every detail, he's going to have supreme authority in that coming day when he reigns as universal Lord from sea to sea and from pole to pole. And if we really acknowledge that, then we are to seek to acknowledge that now in a practical way in our lives.
In fact, it's associated with salvation itself. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shall believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. And so unsolved Tarsus was saved on the roads of Damascus. Who art thou, Lord? So we speak of this time. We love to look forward to it when He is acknowledged in every place in this earth.
Blessing that will flow out when He has that place. Are we seeking to acknowledge it now? We see not yet all those things, but under Him. But we see Jesus, who has made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor.
Always say that you need a great deal of help to do this, and the chapter goes on to show us that this person who has taken that place is there to supply all the help we need. Is the pathway difficult? There's one who's trodden it before, is one who knows every problem, every difficulty, and as the great high Priest and advocate now is there for us.
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It's so beautifully brought out, not only the future place that he will occupy.
But the place that he's occupying now on our behalf in this chapter.
In the 10th verse, these words in bringing, I think it's just a wonderful to look at them and to think of what Jesus has undertaken to do.
To bring many sons to glory.
Isn't that a wonderful thing? Can he fail in that? No, he can't fail in that. And so we're on the way. But it says it became him for whom are all things is becoming to God that he would have that man Christ Jesus, just as he is one who is the captain?
Of our salvation, He's a perfect man.
To make the captain of their salvation perfect through something. Our Savior knows what sufferings are, He feels with us in them. And he has made a contract, you might say, to bring many sons to glory. And we're on the way, and we could be there very shortly, as we've heard. But in connection with these words in bringing, I like to look at the 1St chapter.
In the sixth verse where you have.
It says bringing in.
The first chapter in the sixth verse, and I think it's what's just been spoken of.
When the Lord is brought into this world in a future day.
Says again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he said, Let all the angels of God worship him. Oh, the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. Those angels will be there just to worship.
It doesn't say Sir, they are servants now, but then they'll just be standing back in worship. He will be supreme that day of manifestation, and He is all and shown to be so. First born and our first begotten is really the thought of the place that He has the title to everything.
And then Speaking of the sorrow and his death here.
There was only one who could say, Is there any sorrow like my sorrow?
No one else could utter those words with Jesus. He took upon him all the sorrow of these many sons.
I think it's there's a distinction here between verses 9 and 10 that are very solemn. The end of verse nine it says that the Lord Jesus by the grace of God should taste death for every man, but it says in verse 10 in the middle, by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory.
For all creation.
But unfortunately, not all will come to glory, because I do not accept the Lord Jesus as their Savior. So he dies for all, but solemnly, not all except that wondrous salvation. And we see and hear the perfection of God's Word, and it makes that distinction. So if there any here who have not yet put their trust in the Lord Jesus, it's very clear that there is salvation.
For you.
But you have to accept Christ to be one of the men.
There's a fluff Dr.
I'll just book the second verse.
It says, Looking unto Jesus, the offered and finisher, our faith.
Look at Under Jesus, the author. Well, it seems that this word captain is a is a similar word. That's the same word the captain or the leader.
After here the Lord has seen then as a leader, the author, the one who goes before.
And of a whole company of sons.
And surely in that day when the Lord looks at us, what's going to be his feeling? What's he going to say? Well, surely he'll say, look at all of these that God has given me.
All here you've rejoiced in that day to have us all around himself associated with him in that glory.
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In that coming scene, when he will be the head, when he will be the center, when he will be the object of attraction.
We read in Second Thessalonians when he comes to be admired in all them that believe that he's in the midst of us. He'll be like a diamond in a in a ring. The diamond is put together in the ring, but it has pearls all around it. Why are the pearls there?
Well, the pearls are there not to attract attention to themselves, but to display the diamond. Why are we going to be there to display Him? You've got us around himself to display himself. But it's all in God's purpose. It became him.
That he just became God, That it should be this way.