Danger of neglecting so Great Salvation, first spoken by Christ—To whom, not to Angels, the New Dispensation was subjected. Heb. 2:5-8
“The state in which the church is at present, nor that more completely restored state at which it shall arrive when the prince of this world is cast out and the kingdoms of the earth shall become the kingdom of Christ, is left to the government of the angels; but Jesus Christ will take to him his great power and will reign. He does not make that use of the ministration of angels to give the gospel as he did to give the law, which was the state of the old or antiquated world. This new world is committed to Christ, and put in absolute subjection to him only, in all spiritual and eternal concerns. Christ has the administration of the gospel church, which at once bespeaks Christ’s honour and the church’s happiness and safety. It is certain that neither the first creation of the gospel church, nor its after-edification or administration, nor its final judgment and perfection, is committed to the angels, but to Christ. God would not put so great a trust in his holy ones; his angels were too weak for such a charge.” M. Henry
- “The world to come. The word here rendered world—means properly the inhabited, or inhabitable world; see Matt. 24:14; Luke 2:1; 4:5; 21:26. (Gr.) Acts 11:28; 17:6, 31; 19:27; 24:5; Rom. 10:18; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 3:10; 12:9; 16:14—in all which places, but one, it is rendered world. It occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The proper meaning is the world or earth considered as inhabitable—and here the jurisdiction refers to the control over man, or the dwellers on the earth. The phrase “the world to come,” occurs not unfrequently in the New Testament; comp. Eph. 2:7; 1 Cor. 10:11; Heb. 6:5. The world under the Messiah—the world, age, or dispensation which was to succeed the Jewish, and which was familiarly known to them as “the world to come;” and the idea is, that that world, or age, was placed under the jurisdiction of the Christ, and not of the angels. Whereof we speak. “Of which I am writing;” that is, of the Christian religion, or the reign of the Messiah” Bernes, Albert, Frew, Robert
- It is called Inter alia. The dispensation of the fullness of times Eph. 1:10. The regeneration Matt. 19:28 The times of the restitution (restoration) of all things Act. 3:20-21 The world (age) to come Matt. 12:23, Mk. 10:30, Eph. 1:21; 2:7; 3:21, Heb. 6:5 The consolation of Israel Lk. 2:25 The redemption of Jerusalem Lk. 2:38 The kingdom of His dear son Col. 1:13, 2Pet. 1:11 The kingdom of Christ and of God Rev. 11:15, 2Tim. 4:1
- Dominion over the earth.
- Dominion over creation was given to Adam Gen. 1:26, it was lost to Satan through the fall Matt. 4:8-10, Jn. 14:30
- Theocracy came to Israel through the call of Abraham Gen. 12:1-3, with the intent of establishing a universal kingdom.
- The choice of David and the covenant with David is a means of restoring man’s dominion through Christ 2Sam. 7:8-16, Ps. 89:3-4, 20-21.
- The work of redemption by Jesus Christ is the climax of the restoration of man’s dominion Heb. 2:5-15
- Dominion in the world to come.
- David (Christ) will rule under God. Dan. 7:13-14, Lk. 1:32-33., Ez. 37:24-28, Hos. 3:4-5.
- The Apostles will rule over one tribe each matt. 19:28, Lk. 22:30. All saints will have part in ruling as kings and priests Rev. 1:5-6; 5:9-10; 20:4, Dan. 7:27, Matt. 25:14-30.