Join us as we reflect on personal Bible reading experiences and how staying in the Word strengthens our relationship with God. Through faith and understanding, we examine Jesus’ sacrificial journey, his role as the merciful high priest, and our identity as his family. Discover the depth of God’s love and how we can apply these teachings to our daily lives, as shared from years of personal Bible study.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. Allen J. Huth shares a Bible passage with comments from over 35 years of his personal Bible reading journals and applies the Word of God to our daily lives.
SPEAKER 02 :
Today in Hebrews chapter 2, we’re born not to neglect an offer of salvation. Let’s listen in to Faith Comes By Hearing’s reading of Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews 2
SPEAKER 05 :
Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord and it was attested to us by those who heard while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. Now it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere
SPEAKER 03 :
What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels. You have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.
SPEAKER 05 :
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present we do not yet see everything in subjection to him, but we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,
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I will tell of your name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation, I will sing your praise. And again? I will put my trust in Him. And again? Behold, I and the children God has given me.
SPEAKER 05 :
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore, he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
SPEAKER 02 :
In 1993, after reading Hebrews chapter 2, I wrote in my personal Bible reading journal, Jesus becomes man to be our Savior, man given authority over the earth, not earth or mother nature over man. Jesus and man are one, according to verse 11. We are his family. He conquered the thing man could not control, death. and renders the devil powerless. Praise God! In 2005, from Thailand, I wrote concerning Hebrews chapter 2, And we are drifting away, because we do not give earnest heed to the things we have heard. How can we escape death if we neglect or reject so great a salvation? And then I wrote the definition of salvation. Jesus’ death on the cross for my sins. Where else do we go? Then I wrote, you crowned a man with glory and honor because you made us in your image. Jesus came from heaven to earth to take on the form of a man, his creation. To be tempted by the enemy like man, withstand temptation and sin to redeem us. The best way to do so was to be transformed into one of us. Live victoriously where we fail and show us the right way. And he did. In my prayer that day in my journal, I wrote, Thank you, Jesus, for lowering yourself, becoming human, subjecting yourself to temptation, human suffering, feelings, just to redeem us, so great a salvation. I accept your great gift of salvation personally. Praise be to God. In 2013, after reading Hebrews chapter 2, I wrote in my journal, pay close attention to what we have heard or we drift away. That’s why we need to be in his word daily. Then I wrote, thank you that you care and love mankind. There is nothing outside of your control. Then I wrote, Jesus came from heaven for a little while, was made lower than the angels. We are brothers, family with Jesus. And then I wrote, Jesus came to destroy death. Why Jesus became a man. That year I also make a note of my prayer. Thank you for lowering yourself to become human, to overcome death and provide a way for us to have eternal life. That ends my personal Bible reading journals. Let’s take a look at Hebrews chapter 2, a powerful description of salvation. Verse 1 reminds us, “…therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” And I mentioned in one of my journals, that’s why we need to stay in God’s Word each and every day. Pay close attention to what we’ve heard, lest we drift away. How has your own personal experience been? When you’re in the word, you probably feel close to the Lord. When you drift away from the word, you probably drift away in your relationship to Jesus. And then the author asks us this question in verse 3. How should we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was referred to back in chapter 1. Verse 3. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. that he is Jesus, the Son of God. The next verses are a little bit confusing, and scholars disagree on what it actually says. Verse 7 says, The question is, who is him? Is him mankind, or is him Jesus? On these kind of passages, I like to turn to my English Standard Version Study Bible footnotes. Here’s what it says on this verse. Some interpreters think the author of Hebrews, quoting Psalm 8, is talking only about man in general, the human race. Others think he is already talking about Jesus, the true Son of Man. for a little while lower. If this refers to mankind in general, then it means that during this earthly life, believers are lower in status and authority than angels. But that situation is temporary, lasting for this life only. If, however, the writer is already referring to Jesus, it means that in his earthly suffering, Jesus’ glorious divine nature was temporarily obscured. I think in my journal passages, I generally believe that it was talking about man, not Jesus. Take a look at verse 6. Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. He gave Adam the authority over earth. That’s why I said man has authority over the earth, not Mother Nature. Verse 9 says, So now we know we’re speaking of Jesus in verse 9 and following. Verses 11 and 12 remind us that we are the family of God. He is not ashamed to call us brothers. Hallelujah! Verse 14 reminds us that Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us. The verse says, “…since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” So Jesus took on bodily form, humanity, so that he could do what? He could destroy the devil. And do what else? The next verse says, “…and deliver all those who fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” We were hopeless without Jesus. We were stuck in the slavery of sin. And he reminds us in verse 16 again, who he came to help. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. And that is each one of us. Again, hallelujah. Verse 17 also describes why he came. so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Thank you, Jesus, for coming as a merciful and faithful high priest to make atonement for my sins. As we close out Hebrews chapter 2, let’s go back to the question asked at the beginning of the chapter. How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? That salvation is in Jesus, the Son of God, who became man to suffer and die for our sins. There is no other way. Jesus himself declared it in John 14, 6. I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. What is our application of Hebrews chapter 2? It is to ask ourselves the question, have we received this great salvation or have we neglected it? I accepted that great salvation at the tender age of 15 years old. I remember the event. I remember the day. How about you? Have you accepted this great salvation from our Savior, Jesus Christ? Do you remember the event? Do you remember the day? If not, do it today. Accept the propitiation from Jesus for your sins. From Him, a merciful and faithful High Priest. Father, for any of those who need to do that today, we pray that they would. We pray that you would burn in their heart right now to say yes to this great salvation provided by Jesus, your only begotten Son. As I wrote in one of my journals, if not, where else do we go? Thank you for this great gift of salvation. Thank you for destroying the one who had power and that was the devil. Thank you for rendering him powerless to those who accept this great salvation. Holy Spirit, open the hearts of anyone who needs to make this decision today. Guide them to do so and we’ll give you the praise, the glory, and the honor. Amen. All of the Ad Bible radio programs are available to you in writing. We transcribed all of Ad Bible into an 11-book series called Day by Day Through the Bible, and we did it in a unique way by authors of the Bible. You can get the complete set or a book at a time at our website, EzraProject.net. For example, there are the writings of Moses, the writings of Solomon, the writings of the minor prophets, and the writings of the major prophets, the writings of the Old Testament historical books, and the writings of Old Testament leaders. Covering the New Testament, we have the writings of Matthew and Luke, the writings of John, the writings of Paul, and the writings of Mark, Peter, James, Jude, and Hebrews. So this 11-book series covers all 66 books of the Bible, chapter by chapter. So if the radio program was on 1 Samuel, you would find the written version in day by day through the Bible, the writings of Old Testament historical books. If the radio program is covering Daniel or Jonah, you would find all the minor prophets in the writings of the minor prophets. But say you’re studying the Gospel of John in your own personal quiet times. You can find our coverage of John’s gospel in the writings of John, which includes not just his gospel, but other writings like 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John and Revelation. Or you are going to be reading one of Paul’s epistles. You could find them all in the writings of Paul. Our Day by Day through the Bible series is a tremendous resource as you read and study any book of the Bible. It will deepen your understanding of God’s Word and enhance your personal quiet time because each book breaks down the passage with comments from my personal Bible reading journals, offers life applications, and prayers related to the passage. If you want more from your time in God’s Word, visit EzraProject.net and try one of our day-by-day through the Bible devotional books. Any of the 11 books are a great place to start or get the full set to use wherever you are in the Bible today or wherever you are heading in your Bible reading.
SPEAKER 01 :
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