What Is Man That Thou Art Mindful Of Him?

WHAT IS MAN THAT THOU ART MINDFUL OF HIM?

(by brother Tarran Dookie)

MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN ANGELS

Heb 2:6-8 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

The Hebrews writer was quoting the psalmist David (Ps 8:4-6) who asked, 'What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?' How does God view man? Why was man created?

We learn from Ezekiel 28:11-15 and Isaiah 14:12-15 of the fall of Lucifer. We are told that he was perfect in beauty and full of wisdom and was in the mountain of God. He was perfect from the day he was created until iniquity was found in him. He wanted to be like the Most High God and led a large number of angels in rebellion against God. As a consequence he and his angels were cast out from the presence of God.

However, God in His counsel chose not to finish off Satan. God was desirous of using an instrument lower than Satan to conquer Satan. This being would not be perfect in beauty from the day he was created. Instead he would be formed out of dust. And so Adam was created, made a little lower than the angels.

Although man was made from the dust of the earth, he was made in the image and likeness of God. When God breathed the breath of life into Adam he became a living soul. Man is a triune being, comprising spirit, soul and body. Man before the fall had a spirit that was untarnished and capable of communing with God. This being, God put upon the earth to carry out His purpose.

MADE TO HAVE DOMINION

Gen 1:26-28 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Adam was created on the sixth day. When Adam was created everything was in place. There were all types of animals and plant life. Adam was told to subdue the earth and have dominion over all other creatures. Though there were great whales and beasts man had dominion. This he was able to do by his fellowship with God.

God allowed the presence of Satan on earth in order to prove and test Adam. God wanted to perfect man. Adam failed the test and Satan gained control of the earth. Notice his words when he tempted Jesus: 'And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it' (Luke 4:6). He is called the god of this world.

Sin resulted in spiritual death, whereby man became separate from God and lost communion and fellowship with Him. Adam's sin also brought about physical death to mankind. Genesis chapter 5 tells us that Adam lived for 930 years, Methuselah for 969 years and according to Gen 9:29 Noah lived for 950 years. In Noah's time sin reached to a place where God was grieved. And God reduced man's days to 120 years (Gen 6:3). After the flood sin still abounded and God further reduced man's days to 70 years (Ps 90:10). Let us understand that man is of the dust (Gen 2:7). We have no wings with which to fly, our body is fragile, we are limited by space and time. 'For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away' (James 4:14).

God wanted man, living in the Spirit, to rule the earth and conquer Satan. He wanted mere man, made from the dust of the earth, to have dominion. The man in a body of flesh but living in the Spirit would conquer. God's desire was not fulfilled in Adam as, yielding to the desires of the flesh, he fell.