PSALM 8 (part 3) - The Restoration of all Things (Psalm 8:4-9)
We see how Psalm 8 is fulfilled by Messiah & His people from Hebrews 1-2, an exposition of Ps 8. Heb 1 proves Christ is exalted above the angels, not just from the standpoint of His Deity, but also from His exalted human nature, as a resurrected, glorified Man, the first begotten from the dead, seated on God's Throne above all angels. Then in Heb 2:5-11, it expounds Ps 8, declaring how God is fulfilling it through Jesus. In 2:7, it follows the Septuagint in translating Ps 8:5 as: "You have made him a little lower than the angels", rather than: "a little lower than God." Whereas the latter correctly reflects God's original plan for man, the former correctly describes the situation resulting from the Fall, when the 1st Adam submitted himself & the human race to a fallen angel, so it came under the dominion of darkness (Luke 4:6). Thus both translations are valid in their own way. To rescue us from sin & satan and restore us to our ordained exalted state, Jesus, for a little while, was made a little lower than the angels, by taking a human nature on Himself, to identify with us for the suffering of death (Heb 2:9), to bear our sins & death in our place, so we might be redeemed. Then in His resurrection & ascension, as the 2nd Adam, He was crowned with glory & honour, so now God has exalted Him to the highest place and given Him the Name above every name (Phil 2:9-11), and has put all things under His feet (Eph 1:19-22, 1Cor 15:27), in fulfilment of Ps 8:6. Thus Heb 2:9 shows how Ps 8:4-6 has now been fulfilled in the 2nd Adam. As a glorified Man He is now exalted above the angels. Heb 2 also points out He did all this as the Pioneer of our Salvation, to bring many sons to glory with Him (v10). Those who receive Christ as Lord and Saviour are put in Him, and thru this union, they become born again sons of God, His brethren, from the same womb (v11-18), so He is the firstborn among many brethren (Rom 8:29), and their spirits are raised & exalted with Him (Eph 1:19-23, 2:5-6). So in Him, our representative Head, redeemed man is already positionally above the angels (also Heb 1:14). Thus He's already accomplished the 1st stage of the fulfilment of Ps 8.
But the complete fulfilment requires all things in creation, including angels, to be put under the feet of redeemed man in Christ as Heb 2:5-8 points out, which concludes by saying: "But now we do not yet see all things put under him (man). But we see Jesus..." Thus although Jesus our Pioneer & Head has received the full manifestation of glory & honour, the whole creation still eagerly awaits the full manifestation of the sons of God at the 2nd Coming (Rom 8:18-19), when all saints of every age will be crowned with glory & honour in their new bodies, and will rule & reign with Christ forever. Then Christ, having brought many sons to a state of glory, with all redeemed men crowned with glory, with all things under our feet, will have brought Ps 8 to fulfilment. No wonder it ends as it starts: "O Lord, our Lord, How excellent (majestic) is Your Name in all the earth!" (v1,9). This expresses its main theme. God began by manifesting His majestic Name (His nature & glory) in the earth thru His Creation, and then by Christ's Coming to earth to redeem us, before being exalted above the heavens in glory, and then finally by returning to manifest His Name to the whole earth. His glory will also shine thru us, His brethren, the manifested sons of God, made in His image to glorify Him by reflecting His glory. So although the 1st Adam fell, bringing the initial Theocratic Kingdom to an end (God ruling the world thru man), through Christ, the 2nd Adam, at His 2nd Coming, God will again establish His Theocratic Kingdom on earth for 1000 years, fulfilling His original plan. The earth will be regenerated to what it was like before the Fall (Matt 19:28). At this time, the Kingdom will be restored to Israel, as chief nation (Acts 1:6), and her Land made like the original Eden, with the Mount of the Lord towering above all others, from which Christ will reign over all the earth. These are the Times of Restoration of all things - restoration to what it was like before the Fall (Acts 3:21). The animal kingdom will come into peace under man's dominion (Isa 11:6, 65:25), and curse (sickness) will be removed. He will reign over a Kingdom of righteousness, peace, joy and abundance. The knowledge of His glory will cover the earth (Hab 2:14), and God will be glorified among the nations. Thus Ps 8 does not just describe God's original plan in Genesis to establish His Kingdom on earth through man (spoilt by the Fall), but it also declares God will ultimately accomplish His plan for man to reign on earth, through Messiah, the 2nd Adam, in the Millennium (Rev 20). At this time, He will reign as King of kings, and under Him, redeemed & glorified humanity will reign with Him as His kings, ruling over the people of the earth, who will still be living in their natural bodies.
But the complete fulfilment requires all things in creation, including angels, to be put under the feet of redeemed man in Christ as Heb 2:5-8 points out, which concludes by saying: "But now we do not yet see all things put under him (man). But we see Jesus..." Thus although Jesus our Pioneer & Head has received the full manifestation of glory & honour, the whole creation still eagerly awaits the full manifestation of the sons of God at the 2nd Coming (Rom 8:18-19), when all saints of every age will be crowned with glory & honour in their new bodies, and will rule & reign with Christ forever. Then Christ, having brought many sons to a state of glory, with all redeemed men crowned with glory, with all things under our feet, will have brought Ps 8 to fulfilment. No wonder it ends as it starts: "O Lord, our Lord, How excellent (majestic) is Your Name in all the earth!" (v1,9). This expresses its main theme. God began by manifesting His majestic Name (His nature & glory) in the earth thru His Creation, and then by Christ's Coming to earth to redeem us, before being exalted above the heavens in glory, and then finally by returning to manifest His Name to the whole earth. His glory will also shine thru us, His brethren, the manifested sons of God, made in His image to glorify Him by reflecting His glory. So although the 1st Adam fell, bringing the initial Theocratic Kingdom to an end (God ruling the world thru man), through Christ, the 2nd Adam, at His 2nd Coming, God will again establish His Theocratic Kingdom on earth for 1000 years, fulfilling His original plan. The earth will be regenerated to what it was like before the Fall (Matt 19:28). At this time, the Kingdom will be restored to Israel, as chief nation (Acts 1:6), and her Land made like the original Eden, with the Mount of the Lord towering above all others, from which Christ will reign over all the earth. These are the Times of Restoration of all things - restoration to what it was like before the Fall (Acts 3:21). The animal kingdom will come into peace under man's dominion (Isa 11:6, 65:25), and curse (sickness) will be removed. He will reign over a Kingdom of righteousness, peace, joy and abundance. The knowledge of His glory will cover the earth (Hab 2:14), and God will be glorified among the nations. Thus Ps 8 does not just describe God's original plan in Genesis to establish His Kingdom on earth through man (spoilt by the Fall), but it also declares God will ultimately accomplish His plan for man to reign on earth, through Messiah, the 2nd Adam, in the Millennium (Rev 20). At this time, He will reign as King of kings, and under Him, redeemed & glorified humanity will reign with Him as His kings, ruling over the people of the earth, who will still be living in their natural bodies.