FREED FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH

PROCLAMATION

“Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death, that is the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.  For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham’s descendants.”  Hebrews 2:14-16 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by an unknown human author to the Hebrew believers, and indirectly to all believers.  The Bible Book of Hebrews was not written by one of the apostles, but by someone who heard The Word of God spoken by the apostles. (Hebrews 2:3)  The “children” referred to here are the children of God (Hebrews 2:13) whom Jesus, The Christ, calls His brothers and sisters. (Hebrews 2:11-12)  Jesus took on humanity and shared our human experiences so that He might be merciful unto us. (Hebrews 2:17-18)  Then He conquered death for our benefit in order to free us from the fear of it.  Again the author quotes the Old Testament to make his point. (Hebrews 2:6-8 is Psalm 8:4-6; Hebrews 2:12-13 is Psalm 22:22; and Hebrews 2:13 is taken from Isaiah 8:18)

 

APPLICATION

When we as believers pray, we pray to God, The Father, in the name of His Son, Jesus, The Christ, because it was Jesus who put on human flesh and was tempted and suffered.  He is able to relate to and help those of us who are suffering, being tempted, and in need of His help. (Hebrews 2:18)  Jesus said, whatever we ask for in His name would be granted to us if it gave glory to God. (John 14:13)  What He did by His death and resurrection was to free us from the penalty of sin (Roman 6:23) and to free us from the fear of death knowing that we have the victory. (1 Corinthians 15:57 and Romans 8:37)  With our physical death, we just pass from labor to reward, and from an earthly struggle to a joyous eternal life.