For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
God made human beings in His own image only a little below the angels in nature and crowned them with glory and honor as the noblest of His created works. Adam stood in that rank in Eden, perfect and upright in body and mind, with mental powers greater than every other creature and able to learn from God, commune with Him, and rule over the works of His hands. Jesus as the Son of man is the fullest expression of this crowned humanity, made lower than the angels and given rule over all things, entering fallen human nature where Adam fell and overcoming to lift humanity up into oneness with the Father. The dominion Adam forfeited by disobedience is given to Christ, and at His coming the righteous dead will be raised and the righteous crowned with glory and honor, so that even those degraded by sin may through His merits rise again to a place just below the angels and, when purified, be more privileged than they. Therefore each person is to develop the powers God has given to the fullest in His service, rising toward angelic purity in intelligence and character by governing appetite and passion rather than surrendering the higher faculties to them.
Created Rank and Honor
Psalm 8:5 declares that God has given humanity a place just below the angels, crowning human beings with glory and honor. David's reflection on God's works in the earth and His love for humanity leads to marvel that God is mindful of people and visits them. To be a little lower than the angels means human nature is inferior to angelic nature, yet only a little lower. Angels are superior to men in nature, with humanity made lower though only slightly so.
Made in God's image, humanity holds a place of great dignity among His created works, next to the angels. Formed in God's image, people are the noblest of His created works. Adam in Eden was created in the perfection of manhood, in God's image and only a little lower than the angels, with human nature so ranked. God has given each person powers, possibilities, capacities and attributes, and intends them to be developed fully, made the best use of, and employed to the fullest in His service and purpose. Human life is sacred as a manifestation of God the source of all life, and its opportunities should be used earnestly.
Humanity is God's crowning work of creation and therefore a being to be prized. Even true science, in all its achievements, belongs in service to God. God intended the earth to be populated by intelligent beings made in His likeness and free from sin, created only a little lower than the angels. Adam and Eve were made in God's image, free from sin and with well-developed organs, of this elevated standing. Their elevated rank and place did not exempt them from God's test of obedience.
Adam in Eden
Adam was created in the perfection of manhood, in God's image and only a little lower than the angels, perfect and upright, pure and free from sin. He was the noblest of the Creator's work, with well-developed organs and a physical form in which every faculty of mind and soul reflected the Creator's glory. His elevated rank as an intelligent being made to populate the earth did not exempt him from God's test of obedience.
His mental powers were only a little lower than those of the angels and greater than those of any other creature. He was endowed with high mental and spiritual gifts and great vigor and capacity, with a mind capable of understanding the greatness of nature, discerning the wonders of the visible universe, learning the character of his Creator through creation, and understanding moral responsibilities and obligations. His mind was open to learning from God, the angels, and the created world.
God was his teacher and angels were his companions, and he was permitted personal communion with God in love to his Creator. His mind was open to continual cultivation and elevation, and he could understand and appreciate God's works in nature. At his creation he stood full of light and knowledge, in purity and perfection of character and bearing God's signature upon him, while the heavenly family shouted for joy at the display of God's power and goodness and glory. He was crowned with honor and given dominion over the living creatures God had made and over the works of God's hands. By revolt and disobedience Adam and Eve fell from that high state, and Adam's disobedience brought sin upon his descendants.
Christ the Son of Man
The Son of man is the fullest expression of the pattern of humanity made just below the angels and crowned with glory and honor, with dominion over the works of God's hands given in the next line. In Christ the Word became flesh, and through Him human beings are brought into oneness and fellowship with the Father. Jesus, spoken of as the Son of man, was made lower than the angels and crowned with glory and honor. All things are subjected under His rule over the works of God's hands, although that complete subjection is not yet seen.
Adam in his original purity and strength was made in God's image and ranked just below the angels, but his disobedience brought sin upon his descendants. Christ took human nature and entered the fallen human condition to face temptation where Adam fell. He overcame where Adam had failed, winning victory in order to reach humanity in its degradation, lift it up, and place humanity on vantage ground with God.
Man was created lower than the angels, made perfect and upright, but after the fall humanity could not offer an acceptable sacrifice for sin. Fallen man was imperfect, and his life was of less value than Adam's before the fall. Even humanity in its original perfection was of insufficient value, so an acceptable offering had to be greater than man.
Future Glory Restored
The dominion over creation once placed under Adam and forfeited through sin is given to Jesus, and the creation once under Adam's dominion will be subdued to Him when He comes in glory. Under His rule the animal kingdom is subdued to Him and changes its nature, the groaning and sorrow of creation cease, and universal peace and praise prevail.
The righteous will be crowned with glory and honor at the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven attended by the angelic host. At that coming He gives life to the righteous dead and ransoms them from their graves through the sacrifice and atonement of the Son of God, answering the question of life beyond the grave and the dust shared by righteous and wicked. At that same coming a boastful rebellious generation that denies God and Christ and tramples Christ's blood will be separated from the presence of the Lord and consumed with fire. Even people fallen and degraded by sin can through the merits of Christ rise to a dignity just below the angels, and when purified and translated to heaven they will be more privileged than the angels.
Living Worthy of Honor
Human beings hold a place of great dignity among created works, next to the angels and noblest of them as made in God's image, and human life is sacred as a manifestation of God the source of all life whose opportunities are to be used earnestly. God has given each person powers and possibilities and attributes that when rightly used can bless the world and reflect His glory, and He intends them to be developed fully, made the best use of, and employed to the fullest in His service and purpose. Being made in His image carries responsibility, for misuse of those powers through intemperance violates physical and moral law and weakens mind and moral strength.
People can rise to high intelligence and purity little lower than angelic perfection, continually advancing in mental and moral dignity. With truth enlightening the mind and God's love in the heart they become enlightened by truth and science and ennobled by virtue, able to attain great development and do great work. Those bought by Christ are to use their God-given talents well, grow in knowledge of God's will, and continually improve in intellect and morals until character is nearly as perfect as that of the angels.
God made humanity only a little lower than the angels and provided for people to keep rising toward perfection while carrying out their earthly duties, reflecting His power and glory and recognizing His dignity and capacity to serve Him. Their work on earth is nevertheless important, for this life is a time of testing and preparation for duty, while the lofty work of heaven belongs to the life to come.
Human faculties were created capable of the highest cultivation and development, and the higher powers of mind are meant to govern animal appetites and passions. Through intemperance of any kind the higher faculties are brought into subjection to appetite and passion so that animal appetites and passions rule them, perception is dulled, the mind is weakened, and eternal things lose their proper value. By thus yielding and surrendering their powers people violate physical and moral law, sacrifice physical, mental, and moral power, surrender themselves to be controlled by Satan and become subject to him, giving him easy access through bondage to appetite.
Youth were made in God's image just below the angels, pure and not corrupt, bearing His impress and fitted for usefulness in this life and for companionship with holy angels in His presence in the next life. Corrupt appetites, debasing vice, and moral wreckage are not what God made, but appetite, vice, and failed parental training distorted their character until they no longer bore God's impress and were unfit for the company of the pure in heaven and must be separated from Him. This change comes when parents transmit perverted appetites and passions to children and neglect to train their characters according to God's pattern, for which neglect they must answer at the final reckoning.
God made human beings in His own image only a little below the angels in nature and crowned them with glory and honor as the noblest of His created works. Adam stood in that rank in Eden, perfect and upright in body and mind, with mental powers greater than every other creature and able to learn from God, commune with Him, and rule over the works of His hands. Jesus as the Son of man is the fullest expression of this crowned humanity, made lower than the angels and given rule over all things, entering fallen human nature where Adam fell and overcoming to lift humanity up into oneness with the Father. The dominion Adam forfeited by disobedience is given to Christ, and at His coming the righteous dead will be raised and the righteous crowned with glory and honor, so that even those degraded by sin may through His merits rise again to a place just below the angels and, when purified, be more privileged than they. Therefore each person is to develop the powers God has given to the fullest in His service, rising toward angelic purity in intelligence and character by governing appetite and passion rather than surrendering the higher faculties to them.
Created Rank and Honor
Psalm 8:5 declares that God has given humanity a place just below the angels, crowning human beings with glory and honor. David's reflection on God's works in the earth and His love for humanity leads to marvel that God is mindful of people and visits them. To be a little lower than the angels means human nature is inferior to angelic nature, yet only a little lower. Angels are superior to men in nature, with humanity made lower though only slightly so.
Made in God's image, humanity holds a place of great dignity among His created works, next to the angels. Formed in God's image, people are the noblest of His created works. Adam in Eden was created in the perfection of manhood, in God's image and only a little lower than the angels, with human nature so ranked. God has given each person powers, possibilities, capacities and attributes, and intends them to be developed fully, made the best use of, and employed to the fullest in His service and purpose. Human life is sacred as a manifestation of God the source of all life, and its opportunities should be used earnestly.
Humanity is God's crowning work of creation and therefore a being to be prized. Even true science, in all its achievements, belongs in service to God. God intended the earth to be populated by intelligent beings made in His likeness and free from sin, created only a little lower than the angels. Adam and Eve were made in God's image, free from sin and with well-developed organs, of this elevated standing. Their elevated rank and place did not exempt them from God's test of obedience.
Adam in Eden
Adam was created in the perfection of manhood, in God's image and only a little lower than the angels, perfect and upright, pure and free from sin. He was the noblest of the Creator's work, with well-developed organs and a physical form in which every faculty of mind and soul reflected the Creator's glory. His elevated rank as an intelligent being made to populate the earth did not exempt him from God's test of obedience.
His mental powers were only a little lower than those of the angels and greater than those of any other creature. He was endowed with high mental and spiritual gifts and great vigor and capacity, with a mind capable of understanding the greatness of nature, discerning the wonders of the visible universe, learning the character of his Creator through creation, and understanding moral responsibilities and obligations. His mind was open to learning from God, the angels, and the created world.
God was his teacher and angels were his companions, and he was permitted personal communion with God in love to his Creator. His mind was open to continual cultivation and elevation, and he could understand and appreciate God's works in nature. At his creation he stood full of light and knowledge, in purity and perfection of character and bearing God's signature upon him, while the heavenly family shouted for joy at the display of God's power and goodness and glory. He was crowned with honor and given dominion over the living creatures God had made and over the works of God's hands. By revolt and disobedience Adam and Eve fell from that high state, and Adam's disobedience brought sin upon his descendants.
Christ the Son of Man
The Son of man is the fullest expression of the pattern of humanity made just below the angels and crowned with glory and honor, with dominion over the works of God's hands given in the next line. In Christ the Word became flesh, and through Him human beings are brought into oneness and fellowship with the Father. Jesus, spoken of as the Son of man, was made lower than the angels and crowned with glory and honor. All things are subjected under His rule over the works of God's hands, although that complete subjection is not yet seen.
Adam in his original purity and strength was made in God's image and ranked just below the angels, but his disobedience brought sin upon his descendants. Christ took human nature and entered the fallen human condition to face temptation where Adam fell. He overcame where Adam had failed, winning victory in order to reach humanity in its degradation, lift it up, and place humanity on vantage ground with God.
Man was created lower than the angels, made perfect and upright, but after the fall humanity could not offer an acceptable sacrifice for sin. Fallen man was imperfect, and his life was of less value than Adam's before the fall. Even humanity in its original perfection was of insufficient value, so an acceptable offering had to be greater than man.
Future Glory Restored
The dominion over creation once placed under Adam and forfeited through sin is given to Jesus, and the creation once under Adam's dominion will be subdued to Him when He comes in glory. Under His rule the animal kingdom is subdued to Him and changes its nature, the groaning and sorrow of creation cease, and universal peace and praise prevail.
The righteous will be crowned with glory and honor at the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven attended by the angelic host. At that coming He gives life to the righteous dead and ransoms them from their graves through the sacrifice and atonement of the Son of God, answering the question of life beyond the grave and the dust shared by righteous and wicked. At that same coming a boastful rebellious generation that denies God and Christ and tramples Christ's blood will be separated from the presence of the Lord and consumed with fire. Even people fallen and degraded by sin can through the merits of Christ rise to a dignity just below the angels, and when purified and translated to heaven they will be more privileged than the angels.
Living Worthy of Honor
Human beings hold a place of great dignity among created works, next to the angels and noblest of them as made in God's image, and human life is sacred as a manifestation of God the source of all life whose opportunities are to be used earnestly. God has given each person powers and possibilities and attributes that when rightly used can bless the world and reflect His glory, and He intends them to be developed fully, made the best use of, and employed to the fullest in His service and purpose. Being made in His image carries responsibility, for misuse of those powers through intemperance violates physical and moral law and weakens mind and moral strength.
People can rise to high intelligence and purity little lower than angelic perfection, continually advancing in mental and moral dignity. With truth enlightening the mind and God's love in the heart they become enlightened by truth and science and ennobled by virtue, able to attain great development and do great work. Those bought by Christ are to use their God-given talents well, grow in knowledge of God's will, and continually improve in intellect and morals until character is nearly as perfect as that of the angels.
God made humanity only a little lower than the angels and provided for people to keep rising toward perfection while carrying out their earthly duties, reflecting His power and glory and recognizing His dignity and capacity to serve Him. Their work on earth is nevertheless important, for this life is a time of testing and preparation for duty, while the lofty work of heaven belongs to the life to come.
Human faculties were created capable of the highest cultivation and development, and the higher powers of mind are meant to govern animal appetites and passions. Through intemperance of any kind the higher faculties are brought into subjection to appetite and passion so that animal appetites and passions rule them, perception is dulled, the mind is weakened, and eternal things lose their proper value. By thus yielding and surrendering their powers people violate physical and moral law, sacrifice physical, mental, and moral power, surrender themselves to be controlled by Satan and become subject to him, giving him easy access through bondage to appetite.
Youth were made in God's image just below the angels, pure and not corrupt, bearing His impress and fitted for usefulness in this life and for companionship with holy angels in His presence in the next life. Corrupt appetites, debasing vice, and moral wreckage are not what God made, but appetite, vice, and failed parental training distorted their character until they no longer bore God's impress and were unfit for the company of the pure in heaven and must be separated from Him. This change comes when parents transmit perverted appetites and passions to children and neglect to train their characters according to God's pattern, for which neglect they must answer at the final reckoning.