CHAPTER 2
VS 1
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we
have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

(An old man was trying to see if his wife had hearing problems.
He stood behind her and said, "Honey can you hear me?"
No answer.
He moved closer, "Honey can you hear me?"
No answer.
He moved right behind her ear, and asked again.
She turned to look at him and said, "For the THIRD time! YES!")

Sometimes, I believe God has to YELL at us so WE can hear HIM!

Hebrews, chapter 2, begins with "Therefore."
I believe that refers to the whole of chapter 1.
The Scripture, in Chapter 1, had been speaking to the DIETY of Jesus!

After "therefore," the writer goes on to say, "give the more
earnest heed..."
Or PAY ATTENTION!

The difference between uninterested and indifference is
LISTENING!

Pay attention to what?
To what we have heard in Chapter 1!
"Therefore...."
When we pay attention to the truths of the Bible, then we LEARN
them, and can restate them.

We don't need to run around like leaking vessels.
We need to LEARN and REMEMBER: Jesus IS Lord!

VS 2
2 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every
transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

Jewish people KNEW that the WORD was GIVEN by God!
But they BELIEVED He USED angels to CARRY the Word.
(Gal. 3:19, Acts 7:38)

Nevertheless, the "Word" (written), was "stedfast" or
SURE!
The laws of God were not safe to disregard or violate!
There were consequences for that!

VS 3
3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the
first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by
them that heard him;

If we neglect, then, the PROCESS of salvation, will it be SAFE?

When kayaking down a fast rock-filled river, if you fail to use your
OAR, you will face hazardous times!
CHRISTIANS, WE are kayaking down life's river!

Salvation is great because the Author is great!
DON'T neglect the teachings of salvation's process!
HEAR God's voice when He calls with CONVICTION!
ACT upon His call to SURRENDER your life to Him!
RECEIVE the sealing of His Holy Spirit.
Then LIVE like you really listen to and belong to JESUS!

This was "at first" taught by Jesus, and later "confirmed"
by the apostles!

VS 4
4 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?

God was "bearing them witness" (apostles) when He gave
"signs and wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost!"

The "word," or teaching/preaching of the apostles was
confirmed by supernatural acts: Speaking in different languages,
healing the lame, raising the dead.

God performed those things THROUGH them to "confirm"
His WORD of salvation!

VS 5
5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come,
whereof we speak.

((I remember once, telling my doctor that I wake up each morning
at 4am. Then, he told me some body facts that are actually
SPIRITUAL!
He said the body releases a harmone to make us sleepy.
Then, in the morning, it decreases the harmone to awaken us!
I got a good spiritual lesson that day from my Christian doctor.
The human body is a mystery and miracle that ONLY God could
perform!))

You, me, and the world are SUBJECT to JESUS!
Angels are ministering spirits used by Jesus to aid us.

AND, the "world to come" is ALSO subject to Jesus!

VSS 6-8
6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art
mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?
7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him
with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
8 Thou hast 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 see not yet all things put under him.

The above Scripture (vss 6-8) are almost a direct quote from
Ps. 8:4-6.

Man was made a little lower than the angels.
Yet, at the same time God has CROWNED man with "glory and
honor!"

EVERYTHING in earth is "under his (man's) feet"!
And, WE are the CAUSE of diseases, accidents, war, turmoil!

WHY?
Because we are SINNERS against GOD!
We are not TAKING the dominion given to us!
In fact, we have GIVEN it away to the devil!

But, GLORY TO GOD!
The "SON of man" is JESUS!!
Jesus came to TAKE BACK DOMINION!!

Yes, we STILL have sin, and the natural consequences of it.
SO, we see that "not yet all things are put under Him (Jesus)."

If we live our lives for Jesus, we can take back the order in our
own lives!

AND, GLORY TO GOD!
One day, our RULER (Jesus) will appear and FIX it all!!
SEE the NEXT VERSES!

Vs 9-10
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels
for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He
by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all
things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of
their salvation perfect through sufferings.

The "Captain" of our salvation is JESUS!
Lowly He came, humbly He lived, vicariously He died, and
VICTORIOUSLY He AROSE!!

Jesus "tasted death for every man!"
And, NOW, Jesus is "crowned with glory and honour,"

BECAUSE he defeated sin, hell and the grave, and Satan

He is now seated at the "right hand" of God, and is
RULER over THIS creation, and the one TO COME!!

And, THAT is why WE must render to Jesus ALL authority
over ourselves in order to be saved!!
ONLY Jesus can heal, save and raise from spiriitual deadness,
those who are trespassers through sin!

"Princes, to His Imperial Name
Bend their bright scepters DOWN;
Dominions, thrones, and powers rejoice
When they see Him wearing their crown."

VS 10
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all
of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Remember Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Vs 3 of John, Chapter 17, Jesus said, "And THIS is life
eternal, that they may know Thee the only true God, and Jesus
Christ, Whom Thou hast sent!"

Then in vs 11 of that same Chapter, Jesus prayed, "And now
I am no more in theworld, but these are in the world, and I come
to Thee. Holy Father, KEEP through Thine own Name those whom
Thou has given me, that they may be ONE, as WE are!"

((Shortly after their first baby, Mom went to the store.
She left dad in charge of the baby.
She had not long gone and the baby started crying.
INSISTANTLY, PERSISTANTLY he cried!
After a few moments, dad gathered the baby and took him
to the doctor.
The doctor started examing: ears, eyes, chest, and finally
down to the bottom.
The doctor winked, smiled and daid, "Here's the problem.
The diaper is FULL!"
Dad protested!
He said, "The box those diapers came in said it was good
up to TEN POUNDS!"))

TRUTH is: NONE of us are GOOD!
(See Ps. 14:2-3)

AND, all through life, we aren't good!
(See Rom. 3:23)

But PRAISE JESUS!!
Through surrender to Him, we are MADE good!

Jesus is the One Who washes, sanctifies, and justifies
US! And, when THAT happens, we are ONE with Jesus!
AIN'T GOD GOOD!?!

VS 12
12 Saying, I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren, in the midst
of the church will I sing praise unto Thee.

Jesus sang praises to God in church with His disciples.
He also sang praises to God at the conclusion of His last
supper with them. (Matt. 26:30)

This tells us Jesus counted them as "brethren"as He
praised God!

13 And again, I will put my trust in Him. And again, Behold I and the
children which God hath given me.

Jesus expressed himself as "son of man."
He states ultimate, total and eternal trust in God!

Then, He entrusted ALL that God gave Him BACK to God!

Shall we not do the same with OUR children?

VS 14
14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death
He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Jesus, Who was WITH God, and WAS God (John 1:1-4), took on
a fleshly body!
While in that position, AS god FOR man, He DESTROYED the ole
devil who had the power of death given to him by man's sin!

We are born spiritual people, born in vessels of clay.
We have used our being to sin and dishonor God.

Jesus was born a vessel of clay, housing the eternal God!
He used His body to fulfill Gen. 3:15!
He CRUSHED the head of the serpent who brought sin and
death into the world by deceiving Eve!

VS 15
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage.

Jesus destroyed the devil!
He also BOUGHT us off the SLAVERY block by OFFERING
FORGIVENESS, and ETERNAL LIFE!

He is the CREATOR, the SAVIOR and the DELIVERER!

We all fear death to some extent.
But when we surrender (genuinely) to Jesus as Lord of our lives,
we are RELEASED from that fear, because He has promised
to "receive" us to Himself! (John 14:3)
((See also Rom. 14:8))

VSS 16-17
16 For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on
Him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His
brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Jesus took ON the nature of human flesh.
But let us never forget, He came as "CAPTAIN of the hos of the
LORD!" (Josh. 5:14)

As such, then, He became "High Priest...to make reconciliation
for the sins of the people!"

The High Priest of Israel made offerings for the people.
He prayed for them.
Through him belivers could be absolved of sin for awhile.

The people had to COME TO the priest OFTEN.
And, He had to offer "a lamb" for them, then, enter the
HOLY OF HOLIES for them EVERY year!

But Jesus did ALL that ONCE for ALL who will come to Him!

Jesus is not a lamb,
He is THE LAMB!

((Debra had come to the final plateau.
If she answered the next question correctly, she would win
$1,000,000!!!
The question was:
Which of the following species of birds does NOT build it's own
nest, but instead, lays it's eggs in the nest of other birds?
The following were her choices:
CONDOR, BUZZARD, CUCKOO, VULTURE
Debra had the chance to "call a friend."
She knew all her friend would be working except the funny
one that lived next door.
So, she called.
The announcer repeated the question and the choices.
The answer came quickly -- "The CUCKOO!"
Debra went with the answer.
Later, she asked her funny neighbor, how she knew the answer.
Again, the answer came quickly.
"Oh, silly. Everyone knows Cuckoos don't build their own
CLOCKS!"))

Though He were GOD, Jesus built His "nest" in humanity!
And it is HE, and ONLY He, that can bring consolation,
reconciliation, and restoration to the human soul!