JESUS TASTED SPIRITUAL DEATH FOR YOU
Tuesday – Aug 1, 2017
Welcome back to our Bible Study from the Book of Hebrews presented by Dr. Wood and The Three Minute Word publication. It is Tuesday, the day that I remind us all to pray (decree and intercede) that the will of God be done in this Covenant land. Pray for the many governments across the United States of America at every level. The picture shown is the Maine State Capitol. Look at the preamble for the Maine Constitution.
“PREAMBLE.
Objects of government. We the people of Maine, in order to establish justice, insure tranquility, provide for our mutual defense, promote our common welfare, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of liberty, acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity, so favorable to the design; and, imploring God’s aid and direction in its accomplishment, do agree to form ourselves into a free and independent State, by the style and title of the State of Maine and do ordain and establish the following Constitution for the government of the same.”
Not only were the United States established as a Christian nation in Covenant with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but so were the individual States. The healthcare debate may be over by the time this is published but let me once again remind us all that a false choice is being presented in the debate. That false choice is that the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) must be repealed and replaced. The repeal is a Godly choice but the replace is a false and unGodly choice. Healthcare is not a function of the government, read the enumerated powers of Congress in Article 1, Section 8 of The Constitution of the United States. In addition, and more importantly the mandate for government to provide healthcare exists nowhere in Scripture. This is a ruse of the devil.
God is so good. Let’s get right back into our Bible Study by looking at our primary text.
Hebrews 2:8-10 (KJV)
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.
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.
Once again as we examine Hebrews 2:9 we see the comparison of Jesus with the angels. Again, the writer by the anointing of God makes the point that for the purpose of redeeming mankind Jesus was make a little lower than Elohim. Remember that Elohim is God, the multifaceted God. Saying that Jesus was made lower than angels at any time is a mistranslation of Psalm eight where the Hebrew word Elohim is translated as angels and the error is compounded here in Hebrews. We saw in Philippians the record of Jesus emptying Himself of all that made Him God becoming like a man.
Philippians 2:6-8 (HCSB)
6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage.
7 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form,
8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.
Right now, puts your hands on the sides of your head so it does not explode. No angel at any time (whether evil or holy) nor God Himself have ever exercised authority or power over any man independent of the man’s exercise of free-will. God will see to it that our choices are honored whether they be good or bad (Hebrews 1:3). Right from the beginning God gave all authority in the earth to men and He gave them the rule book (we now have the Bible), and the power (Blessing) to do all things in accordance with the rule book (His will). When will we learn that if we do not position ourselves in thought, word, and deed in line with Him nothing gets done, nothing good at least. There is a perverse and pervasive idea promulgated by the devil that God is in control. When that becomes our paradigm, we sit back and wait, abandoning our responsibilities. When all the time He is waiting for us to direct the works of His hands. One last point before we move on.
Hebrews 2:9 (KJV)
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.
You see, God, the Word, had to become a man (flesh and blood) in order to die physically, and He had to be made sin for His Spirit to die. For redemption to occur for Him and for us all He (Jesus) had to be blameless (without sin). Jesus led a sinless life and so can we. As we have already reviewed He emptied Himself of all that made Him God and He walked the earth as other men. We have been trained right from the pulpit that sin in our lives is inevitable so we are to just deal with it and repent. Sin is a choice. Sometimes early on in our Christian walk before we become proficient at hearing the voice of the Spirit and we have not yet studied to show ourselves approved we will sin in ignorance. Sins of ignorance are still judged and there are consequences though not as severe as willful sin. However, if over time we willfully remain ignorant that in and of itself is sin and we will experience full judgment (justice). That means the devil is given some level of license to steal, kill, and destroy in our lives.
Notice the following sentence from Philippians 2:7 above: “And when He had come as a man in His external form,” Notice particularly the phrase: “His external form”. I have talked about this previously but let us review. Jesus physical body was fashioned by the Father just as He had fashioned Adam’s physical body (the Word became flesh; God’s Words through the Prophets became manifest). This body of flesh and blood is the “external form” of Jesus. The internal form was His spirit man comprised of His spirit (part which is one with God) and soul (mind, will, and emotions) accompanied by the breath of life (Holy Spirit).
As we finish with Hebrews 2:9 we see the phrase: “he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” The grace (Grace) of God is the Holy Spirit of God or as we see in the following Scripture the “eternal Spirit”.
Hebrews 9:14 (KJV)
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Looking back to Hebrews 2:9 we see that Jesus has tasted death for every man. This tasting of death is spiritual death. We do not need to experience the second death, the death of the spirit, eternal damnation (which is by our own choice). When we accept Jesus as Lord we move from tasting death to tasting life. Seems to me that tasting life, eternal life, is far superior to the horror of knowing (tasting) that eternal death is the result of our choice all too late. Do you want any part of the following passage?
Revelation 20:10-15 (KJV)
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Until our next publication, I speak blessing into your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV)
24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
CONTACT E-MAIL: pastordavidwood@gmail.com
MAILING ADDRESS: 3 Rosswood Green Lane, Unit Two, Oakland, Maine 04963
