“And furthermore, it is not angels who will control the future world we are talking about. For in one place the Scriptures say,
‘What are mere mortals that you should think about them,
or a son of man that you should care for him?
Yet for a little while you made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them authority over all things.’
Now when it says ‘all things,’ it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position ‘a little lower than the angels’; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.”
The author of Hebrews continues the written argument about Jesus’ position among God and the angels. It is clear that the angels do not have a position of authority over creation nor over God’s kingdom. The Scripture referenced in this passage is Psalm 8:4-6, in which the songwriter there is reflecting on the paradox of God’s choice to elevate mankind and give them authority despite our lowliness. (In other words, we can get dirty… Ewww….). Why should God elevate us? And why should he have lowered Jesus, making him “lower” than the angels while he was on earth? Why could Jesus get dirty too?
God knew what he was getting into with you. Romans 5:8 says that Jesus came to die for us “while we were still sinners.” God’s choice to elevate us and give us authority reveals far more about him than it does about us. Genesis 1:27 gives us one clue about God’s heart — he made human beings in his image. Angels do not hold that same place in God’s heart. They are not called God’s children. Jesus came as a child to join us as children so that we all together could rule and reign with him in God’s kingdom. It’s mind boggling. God didn’t wait until we fixed ourselves — we couldn’t do it. God chose to love us in the mud, and sent Jesus right into the mud with us. God’s not afraid of your mess — he’s ready to get his hands and feet in it to lift you up.