JESUS TOOK ON OUR NATURE

HEBREWS 2:17-18 NKJ 
17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. 

OBSERVATION: 

This chapter two talks of what Jesus did in becoming man. How He was able to take on death for us.   

In our passage for today, Jesus took on flesh and blood, like us, that by His death, He might destroy him who had the power of death, Satan. Notice Satan had the power of death, but that is past tense. Because of what Jesus has done, we are free from the fear of death. It was the fear of death that subjected us to bondage, but we are no longer bound.   

Jesus did not come as an angel with angelic nature. He came as a man so that He could help man.   

These next two verses are so powerful. We see that Jesus was made like us in all things so that He might be our merciful and faithful High Priest. And, so He might make reconciliation for our sins.   

Even though He was sinless and spotless, He still had our nature so that He could restore us to God, taking on Himself the punishment for our sins. No one ever said that the book of Hebrews was light reading.   

But don't get bogged down by what you don't understand. Just grasp the fact that Jesus was and is God, became a man, and brought us back to God by His death and resurrection. And because He took on our nature, He understands our nature.   

He was tempted and tested because of HIs humanity, so He can help us when we are tempted.  

This last point is so big. Jesus does not reject us when we face temptation and tests. Instead, because He understands, He can help us when we are tempted.   

APPLICATION: 

How can we apply some of the deeper truths that we find in the book of Hebrews?   

The best way is to simply accept and believe what Jesus did for us and is doing now. That He defeated Satan and released us from death and the fear of death. Believe that.   

That He is a merciful and faithful High Priest for us now and has reconciled us to God. Believe that.   

That He is not angry with us when we are tempted but is able to help us because He understands. Believe that. 

PRAYER: 

Thank You, Lord, for what You have done for me. I believe and accept all Your wonderful freedom and Your help.