Great is the Mystery of Godliness Part 6
Seen by Angels Part 2
Remember: We have seen the cherubim (cherubim plus cherub, occurs 92 times in the OT, only once in NT, not counting the references to “living creatures as in Ezekiel 1) appear to be in continual positions of gazing upon the Remarkable Redeemer Who will restore all creation, the creation they protect. We might call them the anticipatory Glory of God in all creation, that anticipation being fulfilled in that incredible worship service of Revelation 4 where the “living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him Who sits on te throne, the Lord and Restorer of all Creation. They are ever attached to the visible manifestation of the Glory of the Invisible God!
I. Next: Occurrences of “angels” (plural) in scripture.
The occurrence of “angel” and “angels fill almost five columns in Strong’s Concordance. So our study this morning is but a sampling of “angel texts” in scripture. This is not just some trivial subject in scripture.
Genesis 28:10-22 Jacob’s ladder–God extends Abraham’s covenant to Jacob. Note vs 12, he dreams of a ladder set up on the earth, and te top of it reached into heaven: and Behold, the angels of God ascending & descending on it.” In vs 17, Jacob concludes, “this is none other but the House of God (Hebrews 3:1-16) and the gate of heaven”. In John 1:49-51, after Nathaniel’s proclamation of Jesus being the son of God, Jesus says “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon Son of Mod.” In Jesus’ Words, Nathaniel”s “Son of God” becomes the “Son of Man”, and clearly shows, in the words of Jacob’s dream, the angels of God ascending & descending, that the Glorious Incarnate Son of God, wedded inseparably to created man, this is the Gate of Heaven!!!
Genesis 32:1-2 After Jacob left Laban and in fear will soon see Esau, we read “So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, ‘this is God’s host’ (KJV, others say camp, which is legitimate, but masks the angelic hosts as at least a part of God’s most frequent name in the OT, LORD of Hosts.) The context seems to determine who is referred to, as this word means hosts, encampment, armies, etc. II Kings 6:15-17 God opens the eyes of Elisha’s servant, “then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man and he saw. And Behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” May God open our eyes!!!
Psalm 68:17 “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands; The LORD is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.” Acts 7:51-53 In Stephen’s incredible “defense”, in vs 53 he says, (the murderers) “who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” KJV says “disposition” which means “instrumentality”.
Combining the meaning of these passages, we see that the Angels are the Armies of God, His Hosts, that manifest as the Cherubim, as God’s chariots (I Chronicles 28:18), the fiery chariots of II Kings 6:15-17, ever in fiery Glory proclaiming the Righteousness and Holiness of the Law Giver as in their descending upon Mount Sinai in such fearsome presence and God “rode upon them as He “descended upon it in fire”. (Ex. 19:16-18) Such is Stephen’s inspired interpretation!!!
Exodus 24:12-18 At the second giving of the law, the glory of the LORD rested on Sinai as a cloud for six days and vs 17 says, “the sight of the glory of the LORD waws like a consuming fire.” PS. 104:4/Heb. 1:7 “and of the angels He says: Who makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire.” In Heb 12:18-22, we see a glorious contrast between the Old Covenant ministry of the Angels of God and the New Covenant ministry. Sinai, and its fiery angels of glory was scary! (18-21), but note Mount Zion, the city of the LIVING GOD, the heavenly Jerusalem (the House of God in Genesis 28), and notice, and to an innumerable company of (welcoming!!!) angels!
Matthew 4:11 Here, Satan seeks to pervert the ministry of angels as stated in Psalm 91:11, “For He shall give His angels charge over you.” It is significant that Jesus, the Son of Man, did not rise to Satan’s bait. He is vindicated in His standing fast to the Word of God against Satan’s onslot. Satan threw everything he had at this Man, and in the end, “the devil left Him”. Now notice, then, and only then, “Behold, (pay attention) angels came and ministered to Him.” Our Man withstood Satan, the Ultimate Evil, Face to face, Alone–and prevailed. Therefore, He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than the angels–many of whom fell in the presence of Lucifer, the former angel.
Matthew 13:36-43 In Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the tares we find that the angels are the reapers, His messengers of judgment. It is His angels that he sends out to gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness.” Vs 41 Not just people, but the messes that man has made that are not according to the law and design of creation! This is a part of what Ephesians 1:9-10 is speaking of–the gathering together in on all things. This is integral to Christ’s restoration of all things. Psalm 78:49 speaks of angels being God’s messengers of judgment upon the Egyptians in the Exodus. Evil angels doesn’t mean demons, but those that brought judgment and destruction.
II. Hebrews 1&2 In The Eyes of the Angels!
Optomai-#3700 & 3708 Out of at least 7 Greek words for saw, seen etc, this is the word chosen by the Holy Spirit in I Timothy 3:16. The form used in our text means, “to gaze with wide open eyes, as at something remarkable.” Hebrews 1&2 expresses this “something remarkable”.
1:1-3 lays out the historical work of the Son of God, the One they “surround” in all the Old Testament figures. They were there with the prophets and were manifestations of His Glory, even in the shadows of OT revelation.
1:4 states what the Son of God, in His Incarnation as the Son of Man became, by inheritance, better than the angels.
1:5-14 declares plainly that the Son of God is greater than the angels by stating the very declarations of God and making plain the ministry of the angels as the worshipers of the Son of God.
All of this was necessary because humans have always been tempted to worship angels, not recognizing their God given roles. Paul warns of this in Colossians 2:18. (A rabbinical interpretation of the plural pronoun “us” & “our” in Genesis 1:26, was that God was speaking to His angels. This creates more difficulties as to the nature of God than it supposedly solves!)
2:2 Notice that this verse acknowledges the angels role in giving the law at Sinai, in keeping with Ps. 68:17 & Acts 7:51-53.
2:5 This verse set me to “pondering” years ago. “For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.” This is the preface to the “restoration project” described in the following verses! There is a world to come, and it is not anything like this fallen world, where man in his sin is at the mercy of creation, no longer the care taking steward of it. God dosn’t replace this failed man with angels. What follows is God’s incredible plan to restore man and the world through the incarnation, sacrifice, eternal ministry of the Son of God! This “world to come” is that of which Peter speaks in II Peter 3:10-13. It is gloriously described in Revelation 21:1-22:5. The “heaven” most people find here is actually the “world to come” of Heb. 1:5. It is the New Jerusalem (the people of God) on the new earth. John saw “a new heaven and a new earth.” Granted, it appears that the division between heaven and earth is somewhat blurred, but note that it is the New Jerusalem that has streets of gold.
2:1-8 introduces a key element to the remarkable object of the angelic gaze–the creation of man (vs7) “a little lower than the angels.” That phrase, “little lower” makes me consider why, in the OT,we have this transition between angel/angels to man/men and back again as in the Lot story. Perhaps the similarity is striking! Remember Hebrews 13:2?
And of course vs 8 introduces man’s fall, his failure in the stewardship of all creation, “but we do not yet see all things put under him.”
2:9 And here is the glorious fulfillment of all the angelic ministry of the OT, “But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower that the angels (just like created man!) for the suffering of death!
2:14 Now consider that this Jesus that shares in the same flesh and blood, nature of man, through death has destroyed “him who had the power of death, that is the devil”. And who is the devil? He is that old serpent, that old dragon, that death angel who once was the angel’s commander in glorifying the Most High God! (Ezekiel 28)
No more guarding the east gate of Eden! No more shadowy ministrations of the Glory of God because “the God Who commanded light to shine out of darkness has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST!! I Cor 4:6
Now in triumph, their role fulfilled, they are leading the praise and worship of humanity to this Eternal Lord God Almighty, Who Alone is worthy to receive honor and power. Why? “Because You created all things and by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:1-11 The whole of restored/renovated creation, including redeemed man to his proper place in it, a creation where “Righteousness dwells” (II Peter 3:13), this is the glorious theme of the worship and praise of the angelic hosts for all of Eternity!
Seen by Angels Part 2
Remember: We have seen the cherubim (cherubim plus cherub, occurs 92 times in the OT, only once in NT, not counting the references to “living creatures as in Ezekiel 1) appear to be in continual positions of gazing upon the Remarkable Redeemer Who will restore all creation, the creation they protect. We might call them the anticipatory Glory of God in all creation, that anticipation being fulfilled in that incredible worship service of Revelation 4 where the “living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him Who sits on te throne, the Lord and Restorer of all Creation. They are ever attached to the visible manifestation of the Glory of the Invisible God!
I. Next: Occurrences of “angels” (plural) in scripture.
The occurrence of “angel” and “angels fill almost five columns in Strong’s Concordance. So our study this morning is but a sampling of “angel texts” in scripture. This is not just some trivial subject in scripture.
Genesis 28:10-22 Jacob’s ladder–God extends Abraham’s covenant to Jacob. Note vs 12, he dreams of a ladder set up on the earth, and te top of it reached into heaven: and Behold, the angels of God ascending & descending on it.” In vs 17, Jacob concludes, “this is none other but the House of God (Hebrews 3:1-16) and the gate of heaven”. In John 1:49-51, after Nathaniel’s proclamation of Jesus being the son of God, Jesus says “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon Son of Mod.” In Jesus’ Words, Nathaniel”s “Son of God” becomes the “Son of Man”, and clearly shows, in the words of Jacob’s dream, the angels of God ascending & descending, that the Glorious Incarnate Son of God, wedded inseparably to created man, this is the Gate of Heaven!!!
Genesis 32:1-2 After Jacob left Laban and in fear will soon see Esau, we read “So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, ‘this is God’s host’ (KJV, others say camp, which is legitimate, but masks the angelic hosts as at least a part of God’s most frequent name in the OT, LORD of Hosts.) The context seems to determine who is referred to, as this word means hosts, encampment, armies, etc. II Kings 6:15-17 God opens the eyes of Elisha’s servant, “then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man and he saw. And Behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” May God open our eyes!!!
Psalm 68:17 “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands; The LORD is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.” Acts 7:51-53 In Stephen’s incredible “defense”, in vs 53 he says, (the murderers) “who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” KJV says “disposition” which means “instrumentality”.
Combining the meaning of these passages, we see that the Angels are the Armies of God, His Hosts, that manifest as the Cherubim, as God’s chariots (I Chronicles 28:18), the fiery chariots of II Kings 6:15-17, ever in fiery Glory proclaiming the Righteousness and Holiness of the Law Giver as in their descending upon Mount Sinai in such fearsome presence and God “rode upon them as He “descended upon it in fire”. (Ex. 19:16-18) Such is Stephen’s inspired interpretation!!!
Exodus 24:12-18 At the second giving of the law, the glory of the LORD rested on Sinai as a cloud for six days and vs 17 says, “the sight of the glory of the LORD waws like a consuming fire.” PS. 104:4/Heb. 1:7 “and of the angels He says: Who makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire.” In Heb 12:18-22, we see a glorious contrast between the Old Covenant ministry of the Angels of God and the New Covenant ministry. Sinai, and its fiery angels of glory was scary! (18-21), but note Mount Zion, the city of the LIVING GOD, the heavenly Jerusalem (the House of God in Genesis 28), and notice, and to an innumerable company of (welcoming!!!) angels!
Matthew 4:11 Here, Satan seeks to pervert the ministry of angels as stated in Psalm 91:11, “For He shall give His angels charge over you.” It is significant that Jesus, the Son of Man, did not rise to Satan’s bait. He is vindicated in His standing fast to the Word of God against Satan’s onslot. Satan threw everything he had at this Man, and in the end, “the devil left Him”. Now notice, then, and only then, “Behold, (pay attention) angels came and ministered to Him.” Our Man withstood Satan, the Ultimate Evil, Face to face, Alone–and prevailed. Therefore, He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than the angels–many of whom fell in the presence of Lucifer, the former angel.
Matthew 13:36-43 In Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the tares we find that the angels are the reapers, His messengers of judgment. It is His angels that he sends out to gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness.” Vs 41 Not just people, but the messes that man has made that are not according to the law and design of creation! This is a part of what Ephesians 1:9-10 is speaking of–the gathering together in on all things. This is integral to Christ’s restoration of all things. Psalm 78:49 speaks of angels being God’s messengers of judgment upon the Egyptians in the Exodus. Evil angels doesn’t mean demons, but those that brought judgment and destruction.
II. Hebrews 1&2 In The Eyes of the Angels!
Optomai-#3700 & 3708 Out of at least 7 Greek words for saw, seen etc, this is the word chosen by the Holy Spirit in I Timothy 3:16. The form used in our text means, “to gaze with wide open eyes, as at something remarkable.” Hebrews 1&2 expresses this “something remarkable”.
1:1-3 lays out the historical work of the Son of God, the One they “surround” in all the Old Testament figures. They were there with the prophets and were manifestations of His Glory, even in the shadows of OT revelation.
1:4 states what the Son of God, in His Incarnation as the Son of Man became, by inheritance, better than the angels.
1:5-14 declares plainly that the Son of God is greater than the angels by stating the very declarations of God and making plain the ministry of the angels as the worshipers of the Son of God.
All of this was necessary because humans have always been tempted to worship angels, not recognizing their God given roles. Paul warns of this in Colossians 2:18. (A rabbinical interpretation of the plural pronoun “us” & “our” in Genesis 1:26, was that God was speaking to His angels. This creates more difficulties as to the nature of God than it supposedly solves!)
2:2 Notice that this verse acknowledges the angels role in giving the law at Sinai, in keeping with Ps. 68:17 & Acts 7:51-53.
2:5 This verse set me to “pondering” years ago. “For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.” This is the preface to the “restoration project” described in the following verses! There is a world to come, and it is not anything like this fallen world, where man in his sin is at the mercy of creation, no longer the care taking steward of it. God dosn’t replace this failed man with angels. What follows is God’s incredible plan to restore man and the world through the incarnation, sacrifice, eternal ministry of the Son of God! This “world to come” is that of which Peter speaks in II Peter 3:10-13. It is gloriously described in Revelation 21:1-22:5. The “heaven” most people find here is actually the “world to come” of Heb. 1:5. It is the New Jerusalem (the people of God) on the new earth. John saw “a new heaven and a new earth.” Granted, it appears that the division between heaven and earth is somewhat blurred, but note that it is the New Jerusalem that has streets of gold.
2:1-8 introduces a key element to the remarkable object of the angelic gaze–the creation of man (vs7) “a little lower than the angels.” That phrase, “little lower” makes me consider why, in the OT,we have this transition between angel/angels to man/men and back again as in the Lot story. Perhaps the similarity is striking! Remember Hebrews 13:2?
And of course vs 8 introduces man’s fall, his failure in the stewardship of all creation, “but we do not yet see all things put under him.”
2:9 And here is the glorious fulfillment of all the angelic ministry of the OT, “But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower that the angels (just like created man!) for the suffering of death!
2:14 Now consider that this Jesus that shares in the same flesh and blood, nature of man, through death has destroyed “him who had the power of death, that is the devil”. And who is the devil? He is that old serpent, that old dragon, that death angel who once was the angel’s commander in glorifying the Most High God! (Ezekiel 28)
No more guarding the east gate of Eden! No more shadowy ministrations of the Glory of God because “the God Who commanded light to shine out of darkness has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST!! I Cor 4:6
Now in triumph, their role fulfilled, they are leading the praise and worship of humanity to this Eternal Lord God Almighty, Who Alone is worthy to receive honor and power. Why? “Because You created all things and by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:1-11 The whole of restored/renovated creation, including redeemed man to his proper place in it, a creation where “Righteousness dwells” (II Peter 3:13), this is the glorious theme of the worship and praise of the angelic hosts for all of Eternity!