A Prince and a Savior

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour." -Hebrews 2:9 [KJV]

Mark, my soul, the very sweet and peculiar manner in which God the Holy Ghost here speaks of Jesus. He was "made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death." Yes! a body, such as ours, was given Him, for the express purpose of suffering. Our nature, by reason of sin, required a sacrifice for sin. It behoved Him, therefore, to be in all things like unto His brethren. But when He had made His soul an offering for sin, He for ever sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. To none of the angels was it ever said, "Sit Thou on My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." Now ponder these blessed things, and then say, whether thou hast so seen Jesus? If so, thou hast seen thy nature, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, not only exalted above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; but thou hast seen Him "crowned with glory and honour," as the head of His body the church.  

I charge it upon thee, my soul, that in all thy views of the Lord Jesus, as a risen and exalted Saviour, thou for ever connect with it, and never lose sight of it, that it is Jesus, as Jesus in His human nature, that is so exalted, so honoured, and glorified. It would be no honour, but rather a degradation of the Son of God, as God, to say such things of Him, as being made, or receiving a throne, or having glory given to Him. All power, sovereignty, and might, were His before. But when we behold Jesus as "made a little lower than the angels," and becoming Mediator, He stands forth the servant of Jehovah, redeeming His church and people; and, as such, "for the suffering of death," is "crowned with glory and honour." And Oh! how blessed the view! For if He was thus crowned in our nature, then surely He will have respect to our nature in all the wants of His people. If He be exalted in our nature, surely He is exalted in that nature "as a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins." And if it be the same Lord Jesus, whose head is now crowned with glory, that was once crowned with thorns: Oh! with what humble confidence may a poor sinner, such as I am, look up, and tell Him of the glories of His cross, now shining with tenfold lustre in the glories of His crown! Shall I not hope, dear Lord! by the sweet influences of Thy blessed Spirit, to make every day a coronation day, when by faith I crown Thee my true and lawful Sovereign, desiring to bring every thought and affection of my poor heart into obedience to Thee, to bow the knee of my heart before Thee, and with holy joy "confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father?" Amen. 

-Robert Hawker (1753-1827 A.D.)   


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