In the first chapter, the Moffatt translation of the Bible renders the
Greek word translated “all things” as “the universe.”
In other words, for those willing to believe what God says, He says that
He has decreed the entire universe—with all its galaxies, its countless suns
and planets—everything—will be put under man’s subjection.
the next words in the same eighth verse: “But now we see
not yet all things [the endless universe] put under him [man].”
Remember (verse 5), this is speaking of the “world to come”—not today’s world.
But what do we see now, today?
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels [or, “for a little
while lower”] for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour.”
Man, other than Christ, is not yet “crowned with glory and honour.”
But see how Christ is already crowned with glory and honor. Continue:
“For it became him, for whom are all things [the entire universe] and by whom
are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings … for which cause he [Christ] is not ashamed
to call them brethren” (verses 10-11).
In other words, Christians having God’s Spirit are joint-heirs with Christ
to inherit all that Christ already has inherited. He is now in glory! He has
already inherited the entire universe.
He sustains it by His power. Man, if he is converted, having God’s Holy Spirit
(Romans 8:9), is now only an heir—not yet a possessor.
crowned with glory and honor—and is already in possession—has already inherited.
Begin with Hebrews, chapter 1:
“God … hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath
appointed heir of all things [the entire universe], by whom also he made the
worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his
person, and upholding [sustaining] all things [the entire universe] by the word
of his power …” (Hebrews 1:1-3).
The living Christ already sustains the entire universe by His limitless
divine power. The passage continues to show His superiority over the angels:
He is the begotten and born Son of God—
angels are merely individually created beings. Angels are now
administering spirits (invisible to us), ministering to us—
to us who are now in lower status than angels, but who are heirs of salvation,
when we, like Christ, shall become born sons of God (Hebrews 1:4-14).
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29).
Humans having God’s Holy Spirit are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ—
who, alone of all humans, has already been born as God’s Son by a resurrection
from the dead (Romans 1:4). He is the first of the human family to be born
into the Family of God—the Kingdom of God.
We shall follow at the resurrection of the just at Christ’s return to
Earth in supreme power and glory.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God …. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we [in this life] suffer with him,
that we may be also glorified together.
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 …” (Romans 8:14-18).
“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the
sons of God; for the creation [all the suns, planets, stars, moons]
was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who
subjected it in hope;because the creation itself will be set free from its
bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation [stars, suns and moons now in decay and futility]
has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation but we ourselves
[we Spirit-begotten humans], who have the first fruits of the Spirit [the very few now
being called to salvation—the “firstfruits”] groan inwardly as we wait for the [birth] as sons”.
At His return to Earth in power and glory
those who have been converted and received God’s Holy Spirit
shall be born into the God Family by a resurrection.
Then the entire universe will be put into subjection under them!
Why should the whole universe—the creation—be waiting with eager longing
for the actual birth and appearing of all these sons of God,
to be born into the Family of God?
“Because the creation itself [the universe not now capable of
sustaining life] will be set free from its bondage to decay
and obtain the glorious liberty
“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens;
God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it,
he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited:
I am the Lord; and there is none else.”
God says that the universe—not just the Earth—was designed to be inhabited.
It wasn’t created in vain, to be simply an ornament. It was created for a purpose.
Greek word translated “all things” as “the universe.”
In other words, for those willing to believe what God says, He says that
He has decreed the entire universe—with all its galaxies, its countless suns
and planets—everything—will be put under man’s subjection.
the next words in the same eighth verse: “But now we see
not yet all things [the endless universe] put under him [man].”
Remember (verse 5), this is speaking of the “world to come”—not today’s world.
But what do we see now, today?
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels [or, “for a little
while lower”] for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour.”
Man, other than Christ, is not yet “crowned with glory and honour.”
But see how Christ is already crowned with glory and honor. Continue:
“For it became him, for whom are all things [the entire universe] and by whom
are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings … for which cause he [Christ] is not ashamed
to call them brethren” (verses 10-11).
In other words, Christians having God’s Spirit are joint-heirs with Christ
to inherit all that Christ already has inherited. He is now in glory! He has
already inherited the entire universe.
He sustains it by His power. Man, if he is converted, having God’s Holy Spirit
(Romans 8:9), is now only an heir—not yet a possessor.
crowned with glory and honor—and is already in possession—has already inherited.
Begin with Hebrews, chapter 1:
“God … hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath
appointed heir of all things [the entire universe], by whom also he made the
worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his
person, and upholding [sustaining] all things [the entire universe] by the word
of his power …” (Hebrews 1:1-3).
The living Christ already sustains the entire universe by His limitless
divine power. The passage continues to show His superiority over the angels:
He is the begotten and born Son of God—
angels are merely individually created beings. Angels are now
administering spirits (invisible to us), ministering to us—
to us who are now in lower status than angels, but who are heirs of salvation,
when we, like Christ, shall become born sons of God (Hebrews 1:4-14).
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29).
Humans having God’s Holy Spirit are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ—
who, alone of all humans, has already been born as God’s Son by a resurrection
from the dead (Romans 1:4). He is the first of the human family to be born
into the Family of God—the Kingdom of God.
We shall follow at the resurrection of the just at Christ’s return to
Earth in supreme power and glory.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God …. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we [in this life] suffer with him,
that we may be also glorified together.
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 …” (Romans 8:14-18).
“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the
sons of God; for the creation [all the suns, planets, stars, moons]
was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who
subjected it in hope;because the creation itself will be set free from its
bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation [stars, suns and moons now in decay and futility]
has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation but we ourselves
[we Spirit-begotten humans], who have the first fruits of the Spirit [the very few now
being called to salvation—the “firstfruits”] groan inwardly as we wait for the [birth] as sons”.
At His return to Earth in power and glory
those who have been converted and received God’s Holy Spirit
shall be born into the God Family by a resurrection.
Then the entire universe will be put into subjection under them!
Why should the whole universe—the creation—be waiting with eager longing
for the actual birth and appearing of all these sons of God,
to be born into the Family of God?
“Because the creation itself [the universe not now capable of
sustaining life] will be set free from its bondage to decay
and obtain the glorious liberty
“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens;
God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it,
he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited:
I am the Lord; and there is none else.”
God says that the universe—not just the Earth—was designed to be inhabited.
It wasn’t created in vain, to be simply an ornament. It was created for a purpose.
