Lesson 3 – Our responsibility because of this revelation
Read Hebrews 2 www.bible.com/bible/59/heb.2.esv

Hebrews chapter 2 begins with a warning that since what we’ve learned in chapter 1 is true, we must pay closer attention to that information. In verse 3 we read, “How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.” This is written to people who are religious and think they know the right way – but the way they are following is something other than the way Jesus has given. Jesus said He is the only way (John 14:6).

Every religion on earth says there is one way to salvation –we must do or be certain things to obtain it. But Jesus is the only source of salvation that comes only through a relationship – with Himself. And there are three very important reasons given in these verses why we must seek that relationship:


*Because of who He is – we’ve just studied these in the previous 2 lessons.
*Because we cannot escape the consequences of choosing to neglect Him.
*Because God has confirmed His truth with signs and wonders, with miracles, and with gifts of the Holy Spirit.

One more very important reason for not neglecting this great salvation is God’s plan for man. Beginning in verse 5 we find that God wants us to rule over the world that is yet to come. He didn’t design angels for this purpose – He wants us who follow Him to have that privilege. Then we truly do ask God, “who am I that You would want me to reign beside You forever?” The answer He gives us, “You are someone I love!”

Just as Jesus was for a “little while lower than the angels” so we also are not now as powerful as the angels. But this is not our final destiny in God’s plan – He wants us to rule with Him (2 Timothy 2:12). Just as Jesus, in His resurrected body, became greater than the angels, so we will be too, when we receive our new bodies (1 John 3:2).

Though angels are higher than us for now, God never meant us to worship them (Revelation 22:9) – even the angels know they are not to be worshipped. They are God’s messengers to help us. We may not even recognize them most of the time (Hebrews 13:2). But when we do recognize them, we should give all the glory for what they have done for us to God who sent them. And we need to also remember there are angels who want the glory for themselves, and they can appear to us seeking that glory (2 Corinthians 11:14). That kind of angel we should run away from as fast as we are able, calling to God for His help and protection as we run, for they are evil.

God’s planned destiny for us was interrupted by our sin, but God knew this would be the case, so He prepared a way to rescue us from sin before He even created us. That rescue plan is Jesus, and we will look at that more in our next lesson.