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What redeemed Israel will be in relation to the other nations, those who partake of the
"great salvation" will be to the remnant of Israel. Further teaching concerning this word
oikoumene will be brought forward when we consider chapter 3:
There is, possibly, a glance backward in Heb. 2: 5. If we put a little stress on the
"world to come", the question will at once arise whether angels ruled over the world in
any period of the past? Satan is called in Scripture "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 Psa. 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 fulfillment.