Consider now the appropriateness of this title or appellation of Deity. The varied manner in which God refers to Himself in the Scriptures, the different titles He there assumes are not regulated by caprice, but are ordered by infinite wisdom; and we lose much if we fail to attentively weigh each one. As illustrations of this principle consider the following. In Romans 15:5, He is spoken of as "The God of patience and hope": this, in keeping with the subject of the four preceding verses. In 2 Corinthians 4:6, He is presented thus: "God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts," which is in beautiful keeping with the theme of the five preceding verses. In Hebrews 13:20, it is "The God of peace" that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus. Why? Because His holy wrath had been placated at the cross. So in Hebrews 2:10 the apostle would silence the proud and wicked reasoning of the Jews by reminding them that they were replying against the Sovereign Supreme. For Him are all things and by Him are all things: His glory is the end of everything, His will the law of the universe; therefore to quarrel with His method of bringing many sons unto glory was insubordination and blasphemy of the worst kind.*
And what are the practical bearings upon us of this title of God? First, an acknowledgement of God in this character is due from us and required by Him. To believe and affirm that "For Him are all things, and by Him are all things" is simply owning that He is God-high above all, supreme over all, directing all. Anything short of this is, really, atheism*. Second, contentment is the sure result to a heart which really lays hold of and rests upon this truth. If I really believe that "all things" are for God's glory and by His invincible and perfect will, then I shall receive submissively, yea, thankfully, whatsoever He ordains and sends me. The language of such an one must be , "It is the Lord: let Him do what seemeth Him good" (1 Sam. 3:18). Third, confidence and praise will be the outcome. God only does that which "becomes" Him; therefore whatsoever He does must be right and best. Those who truly recognize this "know that all things work together for good to them that love God" (8:28)*. True it is that our short-sighted and sin-darkened vision is often unable to see why God does certain things, yet we may be fully assured that He always has a wise and holy reason.
"For it became Him." More immediately, the opening "for" gives a reason for what has been advanced at the close of verse 9. Should it be reverently inquired why God's "grace" chose such a way for the redeeming of His elect, here is the ready answer: it "became Him" so to do. The Greek term signifies the answerableness or agreement of one thing to another. Thus, "speak thou the things that become sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1), i.e., that are agreeable thereto. So, too, the Greek term implies the comeliness of a thing. Thus, "which become women professing godliness." (1 Tim. 2:10). The adorning of Christian women with good works is a comely thing, yea, it is the beauty and glory of their profession. In like manner the grace of God which gave Christ to taste death for His people , answered to the love of His heart and agreed with the holiness of His nature.* Such an appointment was suited to God's character, consonant with His attributes, agreeable to His perfections. Never did anything more exhibit, and never will anything more redound to the glory of God than making His Son lower than the angels in order to taste death for His people. A wide field of thought is here before us. Let us, briefly, enter into a few details.
"It became" God's wisdom. His wisdom is evidenced in all His works, but nowhere so perspicuously or conspicuously as at Calvary. The cross was the masterpiece of Omniscience.* It was there that God exhibited the solution to a problem which no finite intelligence could ever have solved, namely, how justice and mercy might be harmonized. How was it possible for righteousness to uphold the claims of the law and yet for grace to be extended to its transgressors? It seemed impossible. These were the things which the angels desired to look into, but so profound were their depths they had no line with which to fathom them. But the cross supplies the solution.
*The bold type is not in the original; for emphasis only.
Is it any wonder that many professing Christians (and I am not talking of new believers!) in this sad and ever increasingly apostate age, rail against such "strong meat" (Heb. 5:12) as written above?
As time moves on, it becomes increasingly difficult to understand how mature 'teachers' never seem to learn, they would have us believe that the Great Arbiter is subject to the caprice of mans 'free will', they do stop short of actually saying this, but their teachings deny it! Rather than directly attack sound Biblical doctrine it is ever 'open season' on Calvin, and the Reformers/Reformation! Granted, there are those who are schooled in the Reformed tradition that have apostatized throughout history, and will continue to do so, nevertheless, the Truth stands, regardless.
On Hebrews 5:12, Pink writes;
"His (the apostle's) reproof was with the object of emphasizing the sad state into which their inertia had brought them. Their condition was to be deplored from three considerations. First, they had been converted long enough to be of help to others. Second, instead of being useful, they were useless, needing to be grounded afresh in the ABC's of the Truth of God. Third, so far from having the capacity to masticate strong food, their condition called for that which was suited only to a stunted babyhood."
We don't live in a theological age today, there are distractions aplenty, those who name Christ as Lord betray their words by what they say, and how they live. I was in conversation with a professing believer who told me that he has no problem with evolution, that "it can be reconciled with Scripture"! He went on to say "anyway, I have accepted Jesus", to which I answered "yes, all well and good, but, has He accepted you?"
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