“How shall we escape?”

Hebrews 2:2-4

If those who heard and neglected the law of God, given by Moses through the mediation of mere angels, perished under the wrath of God, how much more surely shall they perish who neglect, take lightly the gospel of Christ, which is the proclamation of “so great salvation?”

The salvation we preach is here called “so great salvation” with good reason. The Lord Jesus Christ is the great Author of it, “the author and finisher of our faith.” “Being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation.”

Salvation by Christ is great because it reveals the great wisdom of God. Only by the obedience of Christ as our Substitute, only by blood atonement, by which justice is satisfied and righteousness established, is it possible for God to be just and the justifier (Rom. 3:24-26). In infinite wisdom, God found a way to be both “a just God and a Savior.”

The objects of God’s saving mercy and grace in Christ display the greatness of his salvation. It is called “so great salvation” because it is salvation for great sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).

The Apostle Peter declares the greatness of God’s salvation (1 Pet. 1:18-20), when he asserts the great cost of it. The price of our redemption is “the precious blood of Christ.” Let us often meditate upon this fact and remember that, since we have been bought with the price of Christ’s own blood, we belong to him exclusively. We are not our own. Let us therefore glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits, which are God’s.

The Holy Spirit describes God’s salvation as “so great salvation” because of the great power by which he performs it. The gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace, flowing to helpless, needy sinners through the merits of the crucified Son of God, is “the power (dynamite) of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16-17).

This gospel was spoken and preached by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. It was confirmed by the apostles who gave us the Epistles of the New Testament. Their authority as God’s messengers was established and endorsed by God the Father who gave them great, supernatural gifts and marvelous manifestations of the Holy Spirit. These were credentials that they spoke for God and spoke the truth. They spoke in other languages, healed the sick, cast out demons, and even raised the dead (Mark 16:17, 18).

In light of all this, how shall we escape the judgment and wrath of God if we are indifferent to this gospel? The answer is as clear as the noon day sun -- We shall not (Matt. 10:20; Heb. 10:38-39; 12:1-4; 1 Cor. 15:1-3).

“WHAT IS MAN?” Hebrews 2:5-9

Angels were highly venerated by the ancient Jews, almost to the point of worship, just as they are by many today. Because so many would put the angels of God in the place of God, making them the objects of adoration and worship (Many even pray to the angels!), superstitions abound concerning those heavenly creatures. Therefore, the Holy Spirit gave us these first two chapters of the Book of Hebrews to show us Christ’s greatness and superiority over the angels. He is the Creator. They are, like us, his creatures.

The angels are, as we read in verse 14 of chapter one, -- “Ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be the heirs of salvation.” It never was God’s intention or purpose to put his people in subjection to, under the rule of, angels or to make them in any way inferior to the angels, neither in this world, nor in the world to come (v. 5).

The Question

Then, in verses 6-9, the inspired writer quotes from Psalm 8, raising the question, “What is man?” “What is man” – That God should be so gracious to him? “What is man” – That the angels of God should serve him? “What is man” – That the world to come should be put in subjection to him?

Whenever we read about, hear about, or think about God’s goodness, mercy, love, and grace toward fallen, sinful man, we ought to be utterly astonished. We ought to ask, “What is man?” (Job 7:17-18; Ps. 144:3-4).

The Backdrop

Be sure you do not miss the backdrop against which this question is asked. Both the Psalmist (Ps. 8:1-3) and the writer of the Book of Hebrews (Heb. 1:1-3) raised this question (“What is man?) against the backdrop of the glorious greatness of God. We cannot form a right and proper view of anything in God’s creation if we fail to see the greatness and glory of God.

The root of all sin, the cause of all unbelief, and the source of all heresy in the world can be found in this one thing -- All men by nature have low views of God. Satan could not persuade Eve to sin until he convinced her that God was not as great as she thought he was. We would never doubt his Word if we did not question his greatness. Men would never pervert the gospel, if they did not have very low views of God. Therefore, the first message of every prophet, apostle, and preacher sent of God is, “Behold your God!” (Isa. 40:10). Only when we see the greatness of God will we worship him, love him, trust him, and honor him as God.