Lower Still!

Some food for your thought life!!

I discovered a little insight that I thought I would share with you today. I had just started in chapter 1 of Hebrews and had read verse nine. "Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." "Well, what about Chapter two and verse nine?" "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." It is something to think about, how could Jesus at the same time be made a little lower yet at the same time be made so much better. In Chapter 2 and verse nine the greek word for "made a little lower" is the greek word, Elatoo which means to be made of lesser rank. In Chapter 1 and verse four the greek word for "made so much better" is ginomai which literally means, to become or to be made or finished. Jesus who is described in verse 2 as, "being the brightness of (Gods) glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power.." was made a little lower, but through careful study, we find he became so much better. God knew that he could not come in a heavenly or angelic nature, but he had to, "come in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh." Romans 8:3 So the very fact that he partook in the flesh and blood of man's nature, he also "suffered, being tempted." It says this so clearly in Chapter 2 and verse 10, "to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings" God understands things that we do not and he knows that though humanity in many ways is an inferior creation, it has a better opportunity to enjoy the richness of life. When he created humanity, he created a system of positive and negative feedback. He built in us a system that would reward us for doing the things God wanted us to do, and would bring pressure on us if we did not. Look at all of our natural desires, thirst, hunger, understanding and even rest. These are natural desires that God gave us, and if we obey them in God's prescribed methods, we experience a very high level of joy. However, we see a picture of what happens when one of these, hunger, is satisfied in a way that is not ordained by God. Adam and Eve partook of a fruit that was good for food and would make one wise, however, when they overruled God's purpose for food and getting of wisdom, this illegal fulfillment brought with it a negative reaction, immediately and eventually. Some would say, "Why did God even put the tree there?" "If he really loved, why allow difficulty and decisions to be close at hand?" The answer is that God understands that ease does not equal quality of experience. "If you were born in a palace, never got sick, never had problems, never experienced stress, and died at an old age, would this be living?" I will go further and ask you how would you know the joys of victory if you never experienced the depths of defeat? How would you know the miracle of healing if you never enjoyed the pains of sickness? How, tell me, how would you know God as all that he has demonstrated that he can be a provider if you never experienced need? It is our difficulty that provides a perfect setting to see and appreciate all that God provides for us. Even God when he manifested himself, wrapped himself in the folds of flesh knew that he could not redeem mankind coming the easy way. So he picked two poor Israelites. Born in the dire circumstances of a place for livestock, placed in the trough for food and all his life labored in obscurity. Even God himself did not come full-grown but came in the helpless form of a baby that had to be tended and protected. As the child grew, he grew in grace, favour and wisdom. He waited until his time had come and he stepped on the scene and began to initiate the foundation of God's reconciliation program for mankind. He was made lower, but he became so much better. God knows we become better with use. The Lord in heaven understands that the virtues or vice of the flesh is exposed in the kiln of temptation. And knowing this, he submitted himself and did not feel wronged when he walked the low road of humanity to bring about a highway of holiness. "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor (help) them that are tempted." We cannot appreciate what we are becoming because we allow it to be overshadowed by what we and what we are in the present. Without a doubt, we also were made a little lower than the angels. However, the Lord has provided a better thing for us, a plan for elevation that comes through revelation and will end in glorification. It is described for us throughout scripture when it says that the "Angels" desire to look into this experience. What that means is what we are experiencing every day is beyond their comprehension. They don't have the prerogative to choose, in the very act of choosing they express rebellion. However we are defined and refined in the choices we make every day. We also see that in our understanding of eternity there can be found is a musical and poetic quality to our experience that in the now and eternity we have a "song that the angels cannot sing." We can appreciate the Divine Nature of Christ In the New Testament in Jesus we see a revelation of the Name, Number and Nature of Jehovah as he was revealed in the Old Covenant. Jesus is the glorious revelation of God that was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. We can also appreciate the Human condition in Christ A man that was despised. Rejected. Shamed. Tempted. Betrayed. Suffered. Wronged. Falsely accused. He experienced the full range of emotions. He battled the same battle you and I fight. He did not cheat, in that he was God, but he humbled himself to experience even a more severe and harsh experience. To overcome sin, he became sin. To overcome death, he died. To overcome, he humbled himself that he became the preeminent example of Humanity. In this, he became our Faithful and Merciful High Priest. Just as he is the highest form of the revelation of God, he also is the greatest example of humanity. Not because of his possessions, titles or worldly fame, but because he understood the process of glorification. We would do well to learn this process of glorification is not found in ease, but it is found in fullness when we allow the power of Christ to be demonstrated in our weakness. When we allow the Glory of God to be enjoyed in the dire circumstances of this human experience. We see the Apostles show they learned this lesson from Christ. John was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day in the middle of what many would term the harshest of difficulties. Paul found precious glory in his physical and spiritual difficulties. In a day when the false prophets promise new cars and easy lives, remember the revelation of God. Should we curse our circumstances? Do we miss the riches of our personal experience by missing the opportunities of the present? Just as Jesus came a little lower, he left so much better. Just as Jesus took on the cross fleshly weakness and suffered, we will one day take on the divine nature in fullness and truly enjoy the riches of his rest when we can compare that to the Glory that we will one day partake in. The struggles in all of their dire difficulty are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected [the same] in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only [they], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, [to wit], the redemption of our body." Romans 8:18-24 We also were made a little lower, but are becoming and will become so much better that one day we will even judge Angels. Your struggle and challenge is the very place where God is trying to create within your life the setting for his glorious purpose. Don't curse your "Lower" circumstances, be thankful in them. Embrace your difficulty that they would work out of you the traits and weakness of the flesh. "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in the earth, and [things] under the earth; And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.