◄ What Does Hebrews 2:6 Mean? ►

It was king David in Psalm 8 that testified: "What is man, that You are mindful of him? And the son of man, that You should care for him?" I am sure that both as a young shepherd boy and Israel's greatest king, the psalmist often looked into the starry heavens and meditated on the astonishing reality that God created man in His own image and likeness; that God entrusted the dominion of the whole earth into the hands of man.

Man received both honour and glory from the hands of His Maker and was endowed with a nature like unto God's own nature, and a spirit, a life and a freewill to make his own free choices under the gracious direction of His all-wise Creator. No surprise that David rejoiced as he reflected that God should remember him, and the son of man that God should care for him.

The destiny of man was glorious in the beginning, and many privileges were bestowed onto this special race who were made in the image and likeness of God. However, after a careful reading of David's exultant psalm of praise we realise that it was not the first fallen Adam and paradise lost about which David rejoiced, but the second and last Adam and paradise regained, and the even greater splendour that is to come through Christ.

This song of praise points to the future destiny of humanity and the Man, Christ Jesus, to Whom has been granted even greater universal dominion, eternal joy and heavenly privileges. And all who have trusted in Him for salvation will not only be reconciled back to God but also endowed with the same eternal privileges.

The ruined destiny of man which was brought about by the federal head of the first creation is redeemed, restored and returned to Christ the federal head of the new creation of man. Those who have been placed in union with Christ by faith as mankind's kinsman Redeemer, are also to participate in His universal dominion, His heavenly throne, and His eternal life as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.

Christ is both the root and the offspring of David, and although David may have been reflecting on the first man, the earthly man Adam, when he cried out by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in the night sky: "What is man that You should think about him, and the son of man that You care for him?" But by the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit, the writer to the Hebrews was prompted to take this exultant proclamation of praise from the lips of David and assigns it to the second Man, the last Adam Who is the spiritual Man from heaven.

God's plans and purposes for man were not to be thwarted by the sinful rebellion and foolish action of the first man Adam, for God had a greater plan and an eternal purpose for the Son of Man, the last Adam: That through Him all who are made a new creation in Christ will bear God's likeness and receive God's nature, as day by day, by grace through faith in Him, we are being conformed into the image and likeness of Christ our Saviour, the Man from heaven.

Heavenly Father, thank You that the Son of Man is my Kinsman-Redeemer and that in Him I have been made a new creation in Christ. Thank You that by faith, I have been born into Your family and have received His nature and His name. And thank You that I am being conformed into His image and likeness. In Jesus' name, AMEN.