What Can We Learn From Angels?

A. ANGELS PREPARE IN ETERNITY PAST:

HEBREWS 1:4-14

1. The key word for Hebrews is better, i.e., Christ is better than all Old Testament symbols and people.

2. The theme for chapter one, Christ is better than the angels.

3. “God’s son is much better than the angels, just as the name Jesus is far greater than the angel’s names. The Father never said to any angel what He said to Jesus: ‘You are my Son, today I am your Father . . . when the Father presented His honored son to the world, He said, ‘let all the angels worship Him. The Father said to the Son, your throne will endure forever.’ The Father called His angels, ‘Messengers swift as the wind, they are servants who judge with fire.’ The Father never said to an angel, what He said to His Son, ‘Sit in honor at my right hand, until I make your enemies footstools at your feet.’ But angels serve (litegaeo) God in worship and serve (dikaneo) those who will receive salvation” (Heb. 1:4-8, 13-14, ELT).

4. The name Jesus is best. God’s Son is far greater than the angels, and His name Jesus is better than their names (Heb. 1:4).

• Jesus means Jehovah saves. “You shall call His name Jesus” (Luke 1:31).

• Gabriel means Man of God.

• Michael means who is like the Lord.

• Lucifer means bearer of light.

B. ETERNITY PAST

1. Jesus’ better relationship. “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, ‘Thou art my Son’” (Heb. 1:5).

2. Jesus’ better glory. “Let all the angels of God worship Him” (Heb. 1:6).

3. Jesus’ better position. “Maketh (created) his angels spirits . . . but unto His Son He saith, ‘Thy throne O God is forever’” (Heb. 1:7-8).

4. Jesus’ better exaltation. “To which of His angels said he . . . sit on My right hand” (Heb. 1:13).

5. Jesus in humiliation. “Thou (Father) madeth Him a little lower than the angels” (Heb. 1:7, 9). “What is man . . . ? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels” (Ps. 8:4).

6. We should study the human life of Jesus diligently because, “The Holy Spirit spoke to the prophets to predict the coming of Christ, and the angels study their writings to know more about Him” (1 Peter 1: 11-12, ELT).

C. WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM ANGELS

1. Our primary task is worship. “Holy, holy, holy” (Isa. 6:3).

• Because Christ came lower than the angels.

• Because Christ gave up His glory, position, and exaltation.

• Because Christ is our Savior.

2. Because Jesus is lower than angels in His humiliation, they do not “Lord” it over Him. They praised God at His coming, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will to men” (Luke 2:13-14).

3. If the angels searched the Old Testament to learn about Jesus – and they knew Him in Heaven – how much more should we study diligently to know Jesus?

4. We must be like the angels who are willing and obedient to serve God.

5. We should be careful as messengers of God to correctly communicate God’s good news to everyone.

6. We are more limited, not as intelligent, and not as strong as the angels, so let’s worship from our lower position.

7. We have a free will that angels don’t have, so we can do more for God than angels.

• We can be creative – they have no independence.

• We can pray – they have no free will.

• We can build up believers spiritually – they minister physically.

• We can voluntarily give our time, talent, and treasure.

• We can preach the gospel and win souls.

8. We should be extremely careful if we ignore studying the Bible. If we overlook His commands, and reject His standards, we could be judged. “We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (Heb. 2:1, KJV).

9. Ours is greater punishment. “If the message God delivered by angels has always been proved true, and the people were punished for every violation of the law . . . what makes us think we can escape if we are indifferent” (Heb. 2:2-3, LB)?

10. Are angels all about us at Christmas? Angels only appear in history when God re-directs His program on earth. The birth of Christ was the greatest epoch change in history, so it had the greatest display of angels. Maybe they still return to see what we do with Christmas.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart: