COVENANTS AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES
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`the prince of this world', `the prince of the power of the air', and `the god of this age'. There are also others who
are called `the world rulers of this darkness' (Eph. 6:12). Michael the Archangel stands for Israel, and angels carry
out Divine commissions from the time of Abraham right through the Scriptures, except during the dispensation of
the Mystery. There is evidence of an inductive character which makes one feel that angels had much to do with this
world before Adam and the creation associated with him. Be this as it may, angels are not the appointed rulers of
the world to come:
`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?' (Heb. 2:6).
There is a strangeness in the manner of the apostle's reference. Why did he not say `DAVID, in the eighth
Psalm', or `as it is written in the eighth Psalm', or `as it is written in the book of the Psalms', or even `as the
Scripture testifieth'? If we turn back to chapter 1 we shall find similar vagueness; verse 5 simply says `for unto
which of the angels', etc.; verses 6 and 7 simply have `He saith'. Right through these verses, which are composed
mainly of quotations, there is not a single reference to chapter, verse or book. In chapter 2:12 the only word used is
`saying', and in verse 13 `and again'. At last in chapter 3:7 we have a reference to Scripture, and the speaker is
mentioned by name. Quoting from Psalm 95 the writer says `Wherefore AS THE HOLY GHOST saith'. When this
Psalm is quoted again (in 4:7) then the apostle says `saying by David'. The reason is that by then his special object
has been attained. `GOD hath spoken' (1:1), `the LORD hath spoken' (2:3); all other names, such as David and
Moses, or Psalms and Law, are but the agents in `sundry times and divers manners'. The important thing is that
these quotations are from the Word of God.
In the second place, of course, the apostle was writing to those who were very familiar with the Scriptures, and
who would not need continual reference to chapter and verse for their guidance. Had he been writing to Gentiles
only recently brought to the knowledge of the Word, he would doubtless have followed the mode of reference found
in Romans. But here he says:
`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: Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet' (Heb. 2:7,8).
The writer does not refer to every particular in his quotation, but centres his exposition upon one or two essential
features. His first item is the subjection of all things under the feet of the Son of man, namely:
(a)
As to its universality.
(b)
As to its fulfilment.
(a) Its universality:
`For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him' (2:8).
How similar this mode of reasoning is to that in 1 Corinthians 15:27:
`But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him'.
Its universality in the one case is proved by the word `all', which leaves `nothing' that is not put under Him; its
universality in the other case is proved by one obvious exception - God Himself. All, whether principality, or
power, heavenly, earthly or subterranean, must be subjected unto Him.
In 1 Corinthians 15 the `all' includes enemies, which are to be `destroyed'. This fact will prevent us from
reasoning that since all are to be subject beneath His feet, all must necessarily be saved. In 1 Corinthians 15 death
as the last enemy is to be destroyed; in Hebrews 2, the devil, the holder of the power of death, is to be destroyed, so
the parallel is completed. Before passing to the second feature of this Psalm, the apostle makes another observation
upon the subjection of all things:
`But now we see not yet all things put under Him' (2:8).
This constituted a real difficulty at the time. The Messiah had come, but the long promised kingdom had not yet
been set up. Peter confesses that the subject was accompanied by difficulties, but he certainly did not endorse the
words of the scoffers who said, `Where is the promise of His coming?' The Lord was not slack concerning His