“Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”
Hebrews 1:4
Every year new animal species are discovered and new mysteries of the biological world come to the fore. The variety of living things on earth appears to be almost limitless. Even so, the incredible beauty and complexity we see in the animal kingdom is really just the “tip of the iceberg;” there is a whole other realm of incredible creatures whose home is not the earth. The Bible is replete with references to celestial, heavenly creatures commonly referred to as angels. Like man, these creatures are personal agents who think, are self aware, who communicate and make plans. Unlike man, however, these beings are spiritual in nature; they are without permanent physical bodies (though they can appear in physical form in order to interact with man (Genesis 18-19; Matthew 28:1-7). Angels Don’t have parents as we do, rather, they were all created suddenly, supernaturally, instantaneously at the beginning of the world. These creatures minister to God directly in the Third Heaven (Isaiah 6) and they are dispatched to do His will (Psalm 103:20). Angels are impressive to behold (Matthew 28:2-3; Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9) and are vastly more powerful than we (2 Kings 19:35). In almost every measurable characteristic, man was made lower than the angels (Psalm 8:4-5). Nevertheless, for God’s good purposes, man is the special object of His redemptive love. He has chosen to save fallen men from eternal punishment for sins, but not fallen angels (Hebrews 2:16). To do this, God Himself in the Person of His beloved Son entered the human family (Philippians 2:5-8); He too became a little lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:9) in order to perform is redemptive work for us (Hebrews 2:14-15). Having fulfilled His mission perfectly, the Lord sits glorified in the heavens at the right hand of the majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3). All authority in heaven and earth is His (Matthew 29:18). Jesus is the forerunner (Hebrews 6:10) and the first fruits of them that slept (1 Corinthians 15:23). His is the progenitor and federal head of a new kind of humanity—a restored and redeemed humanity who is greater in power and authority than even the angels. “For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come” says the Scripture of the coming kingdom age (Hebrews 2:5). We too will sing with the redeemed in heaven, “Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10). May this glimpse of our glorious future cause greater love and appreciation for the Savior today.
God bless,
Pastor John
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