Pastor’s Pen Pulpit Series: Angels

July 9, 2006

A STUDY OF ANGELS IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS

Part Two

Last week we learned of the DESCRIPTION as well as NATURE of Angels and now we look at -

THE CHARACTERISTCS OF ANGELS - The characteristics of angels are revealed in a number of ways in this epistle.

Angels Have Titles - This characteristic reflects the differing aspects of their person and work (Hebrews 1:4, 7, 14).

Angels Are Intelligent Personalities - This feature is revealed in a variety of ways, such as their capacity to understand (1:5, 13); their ability to minister (1:7, 14); and the fact that they communicate intelligently (2:2; 13:2).

THE RELATIONSHIP OF ANGELS - Angels sustain a variety of relationships.

Their Relationship to God - Angels are said to be creatures belonging to God (1:7; 4:13; 12:9). They are called His ministers (1:6, 7, 14).

Their Relationship to Christ - The angels’ relationship to Christ is quite significant. Their inferiority to Christ is reflected in their inferior name

(He [Christ] by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they [angels] 1.4). This is also seen in the fact that angels do not have a unique Son relationship with the Father (1:5). It is also clearly stated that angels worship Christ as God (1:6). They are only ministers while He is the Eternal Son (1:7, 8). Angels do not have an exalted position at the Father’s right hand as does the Son (1:3). Angels are not given dominion over the world to come (2:5). Angels do not receive redemption help from Christ (2:16). Evidently angels do not participate in Christ’s salvation. However, angels were temporarily higher in position than Jesus when He became identified with Adam’s fallen race, which culminated in His death on Calvary (2:9).

Their Relationship to Man - The angels’ relationship to man is seen in the fact that angels are temporarily higher in position to man (2:7). They are servants to believers (1:7, 14). They minister to believers in connection with Christ’s salvation (1:9, 14). They appeared to man in various forms in the Old Testament (13:2).

The following applications are borrowed from Dr. John Bechtle.

What is the job description for an angel? The unnamed angels who appear most often in Scripture carry out a variety of tasks – all designed to serve God.

• Providing - God has used angels to provide physical needs such as food for Hagar (Genesis 21:17-20), Elijah (I Kings 19:6), and Christ after His temptation (Matthew 4:11).

• Protecting - Keeping God’s people out of physical danger, as in the cases of Daniel and the lions, and the three friends in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3 and 6).

• Delivering - Getting God’s people out of physical danger once they’re in it. Angels released the apostles from prison in Acts 5, and repeated the process for Peter in Acts 12.

- - - and they are doing the same for us today! God bless until next time,