An Astonishing Scripture

Back to By David C. Pack

The book of Hebrews reveals God’s awesome purpose with crystal clarity. The context begins in chapter 1. Watch the picture of salvation unfold.

First, understand that God created angels to be “ministering spirits” to assist the “heirs of salvation” (Heb 1:14). This is their role within God’s Plan. Angels are not offered membership in the Family of God. This is why Satan (as a fallen angel) so hates the idea that puny, little, fleshly man can receive what he has never been offered nor can achieve.

Paul quotes two places in the Psalms: “For unto which of the angels said He at any time, You are My Son, this day have I begotten you? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?…” (Heb 1:5). God has never said this to any angel!

Paul quotes another Psalm, explaining what has always been God’s purpose: “Your THRONE, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Your KINGDOM…” (Heb 1:8). A sceptre is a rod or staff used as a symbol of rulership or authority—and in His kingdom it is God who has all power.

Finally, Paul re-frames the same question about angels: “But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit on My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Heb 1:13-14).

This sets the stage for what we must understand! Let’s really comprehend the incredible future that God has prepared for all those who serve Him.

An amazing series of verses continues in chapter 2. Paul quoted David (from Psalm 8:4-6) when he asked the all-important question, “What is man, that You are mindful of him?” (Heb. 2:6). Since God is eternal, and sits over the entire universe and has all power under His control, it is no wonder David asked, and Paul repeated, this most central question of life.

The astounding answer begins in the next verse: “You made him [man] a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honour, and did set him over the works of Your hands.”

God will eventually share rulership of His entire creation with His Sons. Again, Christ is merely the first of many Sons. The birth of a firstborn son does not preclude the birth of additional sons (and daughters) to that same family. I have two sons and am a firstborn son with a younger brother. My father was a second born son, having an elder brother and so on. You see the point.

Paul goes on to explain that God plans to give enormous power and authority to His Sons: “You have 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” (Heb 2:8). This has not yet happened—but it will soon.

When God says that “all things” will be put under the feet of man, that is what He means. The vast universe, with all of its quadrillions of stars and one trillion galaxies, will be put under the authority of men who have been born into the Family of God. In fact, the Moffatt translation renders the Greek word for “all things” as “THE UNIVERSE.”

This is truly staggering knowledge! Take time to grasp it! Savour what can be YOUR future!

Before continuing, consider a fascinating verse about another related aspect of salvation not understood before. We have seen that Christians await a truly awesome salvation. But, the entirety of creation is also intensely awaiting the appearing of those new sons to be added to God’s Family. Carefully read the following verses from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible:

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation[all things in the known universe] was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the CHILDREN OF GOD. We know that the whole creation[everything] has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves [Christians], who have the firstfruits of the Spirit [the FEW now called], groan inwardly as we wait for [birth] as sons” (Rom. 8:19-23).

All future “sons of God” will be liberators of a creation now in bondage, and foretold to grow much worse. A decayed and wounded earth, sun, moon and stars—the universe!—will soon be renewed and returned to a state of beauty, harmony and tranquility under the leadership of Christ and the resurrected saints.

“Bringing Many Sons Unto Glory”

Now we can continue the all-important account in Hebrews 2:1:18 “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. 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” (Heb 2:9-10).

This passage reveals the staggering potential planned for all Christians. When Christ returns, Paul reveals that it will be “MANY SONS” who are brought “unto glory” through the “Captain of our salvation” (Heb 2:10).

Heb 2:11 states that Christ “is not ashamed to call them [the other many sons—us] brethren.” These are all those of whom Christ is called the “first born.” Truly, the begotten person has been called to “glory” and to be one of “many sons.” It is Christ’s suffering and sacrifice that allows Him to be the “Captain of their salvation”—and potentially yours!

What an incredible future for those whom Christ “calls…brethren.” Now notice this final verse: “For both He that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb 2:11). Christ and the saints share the same salvation.

This verse shows that Christians are “sanctified” (set apart). How? John stated, “Sanctify them [begotten Christians] through Your truth: YOUR WORD IS TRUTH” (John 17:17).

The cherished traditions and fables of men, about life after death or anything else, collapse under scrutiny. Christians, having come out of a deceived, confused world, are set apart from the world by the TRUTH!

If Christ is “not ashamed to call them (us) brethren,” then we, God’s begotten sons, must not be ashamed to defend the very truth that sanctifies us—and the truth of the gospel (Phil. 1:17). We must “grow up” unto Christ (Eph. 4:13) and hold to the true doctrines of God. We must QUALIFY to one day stand beside Christ over “all things.”

Do you see what is described here? The incredible goal of a Christian is to be born into the kingdom of God—to become a spirit being RULING under Christ, as a very Son of God. What could be more wonderful—more GLORIOUS!—for a Christian to look forward to?

Christ Returns

Matthew 24:27 states that when Christ returns, His Coming will be like lightning shining from the east to the west. This will be an earth-shattering event, impossible to miss.

Daniel spoke of Christ coming in the “clouds of heaven” (Dan 7:13). Before His Return, God officially grants Him AUTHORITY to rule the world. The saints cannot be given authority with Christ until He is given authority first. Only then can He give power to others. Notice: “And there was GIVEN Him [Christ] dominion, and glory, and a KINGDOM, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His KINGDOM that which shall not be destroyed” (Dan 7:14).

No wonder Christ stated, “And he that overcomes, and keeps My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron…even as I received of My Father” (Rev. 2:26-27) and a few verses later, “To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne…” (Rev 3:21). When Christ returns, the saints will rule with Him! But the Christian’s responsibility in this life is to QUALIFY to be part of God’s kingdom. Will that include you?

Your Awesome Future

The following is Herbert W. Armstrong’s conclusion to his booklet YOUR AWESOME FUTURE – How Religion Deceives You:

“At His return to earth in power and glory those who have been converted and received God’s Holy Spirit shall be born into the God Family by a resurrection. Then the entire universe will be put into subjection UNDER them!

“Then, from Romans 8:1-39, if we have and are led by the Holy Spirit of God, we shall be raised to Spirit composition and immortality in the God Family even as Christ was in A.D. 31 upon His resurrection.

“Now once again from Rom 8:19, ‘for the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God’ (RSV). This shall happen at the time of the resurrection, when those who are human actually become—by resurrection or instantaneous change from mortal flesh to Spirit immortality—sons of God.

“Now understand please. Why should the whole universe—the creation—be waiting with eager longing for the actual birth and appearing of all these sons of God, to be born into the Family of God? The following verses portray a universe filled with planets in decay and futility—yet as if subjected now to this dead state in hope! ‘Because the creation itself [the universe not now capable of sustaining life] will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God…

“This passage indicates precisely what all astronomers and scientific evidence indicate—the suns are as balls of fire, giving out light and heat; but the planets, except for this earth, are in a state of death, decay and futility—but not forever—waiting until converted humans are BORN the children of God; born into the very Divine Family of God, forming the Kingdom of God.

“Jesus’ gospel was the Kingdom of God. Christ’s gospel of the Kingdom actually includes all this knowledge here revealed—even the whole universe is to be ruled by us, who, with God the Father and Christ, become the Kingdom of God.

“God is first of all Creator, but God is also Ruler. And He is Educator, who reveals knowledge beyond and outside the scope of the human mind of itself to comprehend!

“Put together all these scriptures in this booklet, and you begin to grasp the incredible human potential. Our potential is to be born into the God Family, receiving total power! We are to be given jurisdiction over the entire universe!

“What are we going to do then? These scriptures indicate we shall impart life to billions of dead planets, as life has been imparted to this earth. We shall create, as God directs and instructs. We shall rule through all eternity! Revelation 21:1-27 and 22:1-21 show there will then be no pain, no suffering, no evil, because we shall have learned to choose God’s way of good. It will be an eternal life of accomplishment, constantly looking forward in super-joyous anticipation to new creative projects, and still looking back also on accomplishments with happiness and joy over what shall have been already accomplished.

“We shall never grow tired and weary. Always alive—full of joyous energy, vitality, exuberant life and strength and power!

“What a potential!”