Angels - the Greek word for angels means literally "messenger." Angels were created by God for certain purposes - but because of their nature men in the past have actually worshipped them and placed more emphasis on angels than they ought.
Among some first century churches angels were the object of worship - especially in the proto-Gnosticism that was rampant in Colossae, Ephesus, and Crete. You’d be impressed if you met one face to face. Accounts in the Bible tell us that most of the time people fell down like dead men when confronting such a being. In fact, usually the angels have to tell the people they meet not to be afraid.
Angels are powerful and awesome to behold. One angel alone killed 185,000 men in one night when the Assyrians attacked Jerusalem (2 Kings 19).
1. Angels are spiritual beings created by God and are under his authority (Col 1:16).
2. Help carry out God’s work on earth by bringing God’s messages to people (Luke 1:26; Rev 14:6-12),
3. Protect God’s people (Dan 6:22 Lion’s Den; Matt 18:10 protects kids),
4. Offer encouragement (Gen 16:7 ff. Hagar in the desert),
5. Give guidance (Ex 14:19 At the Red Sea - confusing Egypt army),
6. Carry out punishment (2 Sam 24:16 plague on Israel after census by David),
7. Patrol the earth (Zech 1:9-14 "go about the whole earth"), and
8. Fight the forces of evil (2 Kings 6:16-18 Dothan - Elisha - angels surrounded army; Rev 20:1-2 Angel seizes the dragon and hurls into abyss for 1,000 years).
Fallen angels are known as demons - and yes, they too are powerful beings you don’t want to mess with. But as impressive as angels are there are some things they are not:
Angels are not omniscient - they can’t read your mind
Omnipresent - they aren’t everywhere at once - even though they are fast
Omnipotent - their powers are limited
Can only do what God allows them to do (even the demons)
Cannot create or sustain anything
Cannot have faith or be saved
Always point to God’s glory - not their own
Even so - many even to this day worship angels. And Christians in the first century were tempted to give them a higher place than they ought.
Jehovah witnesses teach that Jesus was Michael the Archangel. Jesus is not an elevated angelic being. Mormons believe that Jesus was a cherub, the brother of Lucifer. When God wanted to redeem the world he asked both to give their plans of redemption. God chose Jesus’ plan and it made Lucifer angry so he came to earth to frustrate Jesus’ plan through sibling rivalry. Jesus is not the brother to Lucifer. He is not the opposite of God - they are in totally different categories.
There are five ways in verses 5-14 that the author uses to show that Jesus is superior - by how angels are different than Jesus.
Different in Name
4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
Names gave the essence of a person. Here Jesus is given the name "son" while the angels are given the name "messenger."
Jesus’ name is "superior" - not just the name Yeshua - Joshua - but the title of "Son of God" that the Father gave Jesus as a permanent possession.
Different in Nature
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"?
The angels are not part of the Trinity. God could never say that of Michael or Lucifer.
Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"?
This comes from 2 Samuel 7 - God said it to David when David told God he wanted to build a house for Him. Nathan the prophet had to tell him that he couldn’t. But God wanted David to know that He would build David a house - his seed would sit on God’s throne - and he would be God’s Son.
The angels have God as creator, not Father.
6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God’s angels worship him."
The Septuagint (70 scholars) is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. This is where this quote comes from. In fact, the writer of Hebrews quotes only from the Septuagint even when it differs from the original Hebrew.
Here God has emphatically stated that angels are to worship the "firstborn." Who is that? Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Different in Purpose
7 In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire."
Psalm 104:4 speaks both of the temporary nature of angels - they were created and are not a part of the eternal nature of God - and of their purpose, which is to bring about God’s message (the wind) and His judgment (the fire.).
8 But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."
Psalm 45:6-7 This is where God calls Jesus God. John calls him God in his gospel, Paul called him God, Thomas called Him God - now God calls Him God.
Jesus is not temporary - He is here to stay and He will be King forever. The Psalm was sung at weddings and at coronations of kings. Jesus was prophet, priest, and King. The anointing here would be that of a King. Angels are not kings - they do not rule, they merely carry out orders - that is their purpose.
Different in Permanence
10 He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 11 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end."
Psalm 102. Jesus is eternal. The universe is growing old - it is winding down - entropy. And angels can be created and destroyed at God’s whim. But Jesus will never change and cannot be destroyed.
Different in Position
13 To which of the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? 14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Psalm 110:1 (Messianic Psalm) The most powerful of archangels are allowed to stand before God (Luke 1:19, Rev 8:2) but only Jesus can sit at His God’s right hand - which tells us of His exalted position - equal with God.
Stephen, in Acts 7:55 saw a vision of Jesus at God’s right hand - but standing.
Angels on the other hand are not equal to God, nor are they the ultimate victors - they are "ministering spirits" sent to help us. Wow. The angels purpose is to serve, Christ’s purpose is to reign.
So - Angels are different in name (’son’ vs ’messenger’), different in nature (God’s son vs God’s creation), different in purpose (rule forever vs come & serve forever), different in permanence (cannot be destroyed vs created or destroyed at God’s will), and different in position (equal with God vs servants of God).
Conclusions
So why do we need to know this - no one worships angels today, do they?
Worshipping anything other than Jesus does the same thing - worshipping the creation rather than the Creator. It is both idolatrous and ineffective in accomplishing anything.
Today people worship themselves, nature, systems of thought, and even supernatural beings, whether they be other supposed gods or fallen angels.
This chapter tells us that Jesus is superior to the greatest creatures God ever made.
Did you know God sends angels to help you?
Psalms 91:9-13
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling - even the LORD, who is my refuge - 10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
God sends His angels to help us - those going to heaven. How many times you have been averted from disaster you won’t know until God tells you in heaven. Pray to God for angelic protection - and rest that it is there. It doesn’t mean you are presumptuous and test God like Satan wanted Jesus to do in Matthew 4.
Next time we see that not only is Jesus greater than angels - but that God’s purposes do not involve angels - but His salvation and work is focused on us. And we’ll see the dangers of ignoring that work.
For more Bible studies including an audio version of this study, go to: www.CalvaryChapelNewberg.org
