(Heb 2:17) Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren.

In yesterday's blog we looked at the translation of Psalm 8 in Hebrews 2. We asked the question as to why it is important that Christ was made lower than the angels when He took humanity. That we will discuss after this short recap.

Some render the text "lower than God." But we need only look at Hebrews 2 to see the Old Testament text quoted by the inspired writer as "lower than the angels". We also see that the writer refers the point to Jesus who took a made or created nature that was lower than the angels, and yet will be set above all principalities and powers. In other words Psalm 8 was looking forward to the unfolding of the mystery of the gospel in Christ. What is man? What was God's intent in making him? The old testament writer sees a glimpse. He made us lower than the angels but in the end we are exalted and seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus who attains a name for mankind, in Himself, above every name. We are called by His name, counted as His line, included in His royalty. This is the great love of God. The first shall be last and the last first... forever establishing that it is God who works the majesty and not the creature. If the highest creature attained that glory then we might praise his creature attributes. But when God accomplishes it in the lowly earthen vessel of Adam our illusions can be forever banished...."for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do His good pleasure."..."not of works that man should boast"....and God rested from all His works because He saw that they were perfect. The Sabbath has encapsulated this truth for millennia. God rested...Jesus bids us to enter this rest. It cannot be added to by the creature because it has perfection in it working out perfection in us.

This answers the former question and all its derivatives...Why translate the text.."lower than the angels?" But it opens up an even greater revelation of the gospel of God. God had in the beginning made man to be perfected in the image of God. He was made to be a sanctuary for the glory of God. His beginning was to be lower..Adam...of the clay and his ending Higher....celestial glory in Christ....one with Christ.
But this means the unfolding of a great mystery. How would God effect this? The fall did not defeat the plan of God, it simply showed that God would not be defeated in His perfection of love. But how?. Ah!..here the story grabs our hearts. God, was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself. Hebrews states (Heb 2:17)  "Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren..."
"Jesus did not make believe take humanity. He really did "unite the offending nature of man with his own sinless nature, because by this act of condescension he would be enabled to pour out his blessings in behalf of the fallen race. Thus he has made it possible for us to partake of his nature. By making himself an offering for sin, he opened a way whereby human beings might be made one with him. He placed himself in man's position, becoming capable of suffering. The whole of his earthly life was a preparation for the altar.  {RH, July 17, 1900 par. 8}  More on this taking of our nature next time for the truth stands amid two great errors which we must overcome.