“So he became as much superior to the angels…”

When anyone talks about spiritual things, there is hardly anything more spiritual than an angel.

Angels, after all, are spirit beings created to do what God tells them to do.  It seems most, if not all, of them regularly serve God in heaven.  Occasionally some intersect human history to fulfill God’s commands.  When three visitors came to visit Abraham (Genesis18), two of them were angels (19:1) accompanying the Lord (18:10).

Jewish history is dotted with angel visits.  Angels appeared not only to Abraham, but also to his grandson Jacob (Gen. 28 & 31), the parents of Samson (Judges 16), Israel during David’s reign (2 Samuel 24), Elijah on the run (1 Kings 19:5), Daniel in the lions den (Dan. 6:22), frequently to the prophet Zechariah, and John the Baptist’s father when he offered incense in the temple (Luke 1:11).  In this last instance it was the angel Gabriel (1:19).  Even Michael the archangel disputed about Moses’ body (Jude 9).  So Jews were quite familiar with angelic appearances.  In fact the sect at Qumran believed that Michael’s authority was at least equal to that of the coming Messiah.  Was there a reason for this belief?  Yes.  Psalm 91 is a song of protection and deliverance.  In verses 11-12 say, “For [God] will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”  Similarly the New Testament says, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”  Moreover, angels helped “put into effect” God’s law (Galatians 3:19).  To the Jews angels looked like the next best thing to God.

So when the writer to the Hebrews began his letter, he starts with the purest and most spiritual beings to contrast to — not compare with — the Savior.  And it is no contest!  Did God ever say to an angel, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father” (Heb. 1:5)?  No.   Were angels ever worshipped (v. 6)?  No again.  Did they ever rule in heaven (v. 8)?  Not for a second, although one thought about it enough to try … once, but he never got close.  Did they ever sit down in God’s presence (v. 13)?  Hardly.  In fact, one kind of angels — seraphs — used 4 of their 6 wings to show humility while worshipping the Lord (Isaiah 6:2).

According to Paul worshipping angels is strictly a losing proposition (Colossians 2:18).  Those who do “disqualify [themselves] for the prize” and “have lost connection with the Head [Christ]” (v. 19) in a practical way for spiritual growth and sanctification (v. 22).  True, Jesus was “made a little lower than the angels” (Heb. 2:9) in his humanity, but he never lost his rank and identity as the second person of the godhead.  That is why God crowned him “with glory and honor.”  When he died, he died “not [for] angels … but Abraham’s descendants” (2:16).

The book of Hebrews addresses Jews who were wavering in their faith, and those who had not yet put their faith in Christ.  The intent of the book is to demonstrate to the readers how Christ is better or superior to everything the Old Testament could offer.  It was to encourage new, foggy or weak faith.  One of the things having a proper perspective will do is keep us on track.  Psalm 106 is one of those history lessons from Israel’s past.  “At Horeb they made a calf and worshipped an idol cast from metal” (v. 19).  While this was bad enough, the next verse tells us the principle it violated:  “They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass.”  What had been their Glory before Horeb?  God himself!  What did they replace him with?  An animal — a bull!  Typically we become what we set our sights on.  If we focus on Christ, we’ll begin to reflect him.  If angels, then them.  If bulls, them too.  That is why God wants us not to focus on anything less than his Son.  He is infinitely better than anything this life has to offer.  He is the only one worthy to be our focus, on which to fix our gaze.  Why would we be content to focus on angels when they already worship him (Heb. 1:6)?  Without personally knowing the joy of salvation, angels praised God when Jesus was born (Luke 2:13-14) because of what would be accomplished through him.  They “long to look into these things” (1 Peter 1:12).

What are you worshipping these days?  Have you substituted something less than him whom the angels worshiped?  How much do you long to look into these things?