Jesus, the Seed of Abraham Hebrews 2:16

The writer of Hebrews declared Jesus, God's Son, was made “flesh and blood” that He might “destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil”, because He would “deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage”. In chapter two and verse sixteen of Hebrews we learn how Jesus “took on him the seed of Abraham” where we read:

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

The verse begins, “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels;” The writer began with the words, “For verily” or “because, even, indeed, no doubt, seeing then and therefore doubtless and truly” “he took not” which means “he didn't lay hold of, take possession of, overtake and attain” “on him” which refers to “on Jesus” “the nature of angels” who were “the way of messengers, envoys, ones who are sent and messengers from God”. Jesus did not come to the earth in the likeness of “an angel of God”.

The verse goes on to say, “but he took on him the seed of Abraham.” The writer continued, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated, “he took on” or “laid hold of, took possession of, overtook and attained” “him the seed” which refers to “the family, tribe and posterity” “of Abraham” whose name means “father of a multitude” and was “the son of Terah and the founder of the Jewish nation”. Rather than coming like “an angel”, Jesus came to the earth as a man who was a descendant of “Abraham”.

When we think through these words in Hebrews, we see how Jesus could have come in the likeness of “an angel” of God, but He wouldn't have been able to relate to people as well. He came as a man, a special man, who was in the lineage of Abraham. In this manner He not only fulfilled scripture which prophesied that He would descend from Abraham but would also identify with mankind as He became like us. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world who identifies with us, and as we believe in Him and His sacrificial death for our sins, we shall intimately know the salvation He offers.

Next time we see the writer share how Jesus is “a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.