Angels are all the rage today. You see angel pins, angel necklaces and angel bumper stickers. Books on angels abound. One commentator said he looked in the “angel section” at a non-religious book store and found 85 titles on angels including, “Know Your Angels, Ask Your Angels, Angelic Healing, Angelic Voices, Angels: An Endangered Species, Meditating with the Angels, (and the commentators personal favorite) Big George: The Autobiography of an Angel.”
People are willing to trust angels and look to them for answers and submit themselves to their authority but are not willing to listen to the God of the Scripture, the God over the angels and submit to Him.
Remember that about 1/3 of the angels followed Satan and became demons. So beware if you get the urge to follow an angel. A righteous angel would never want you to follow him and a demonic angel would never willingly tell you he is a demon. Don’t be deceived.
But what is the key idea of the passage at hand? As important as angels are in God’s economy they are overshadowed by the authority and nature of Jesus, God’s Son.
Introduction:
A. The role of angels (vv. 7, 14)
Before we look at the outline proper let’s consider two introductory matters. The first introductory matter is the role of angels. The author discusses their role in this passage. And really the role of angels can be reduced down to two main responsibilities. The first responsibility of angels is seen in verse 7. It notes, “And of the angels he says, ‘Who makes His angels winds, and His ministers a flame of fire.’” He calls them God’s ministers. The first responsibility of angels is as servants of God. Angels were created as God’s servants. They are to do His bidding. As a great king has an entourage of those who serve him so does God. The passage says God made them His ministers. They were designed to serve God. And they find their joy in doing what God says. Their fulfillment is found in following His every command. They would not rather do anything else. That is, those angels who chose not to follow Satan. We’ll not discuss those angels today but suffice it to say that those angels will never be happy. God made the angels to be His servants.
The second responsibility of angels is noted in verse 14. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” This responsibility is that they are the servants of people. Now by servants of people I don’t mean at all that we command angels, “Angel make my bed; angel fix my coffee.” These angels are still under the control of God. But He has sent them out to render service to those who will inherit salvation. God uses angels to protect and sustain people who have not yet come to Christ as Savior but who will.
Perhaps some of you are not as clumsy as I am but I know that there were times before I came to Christ I should have died and yet God protected me from death until the time I came to trust Jesus Christ as my Savior. I can remember the time I fell backwards about 20 feet off a rock face. And though I could have easily cracked my head on a rock I landed in a clear area. Another time I slipped down an embankment only to be caught by my neck on a felled limb. Now I could mention many others but the truth is that God had sent His angels to render service to this boy until I would put my trust in Christ. You see Satan would love to have his way with us. Because he and his demons hate everyone, they would like to kill everyone before they could be saved and have them go to hell. And yet they are not allowed to do this. They are prevented from it because God has sent His angels to be servant spirits to render service for those who will inherit salvation.
Angels are servants of God and servants of people.
B. The meaning of Sonship
The second introductory matter is the meaning of Sonship. What does it mean that Jesus is called God’s Son? Does it refer to Jesus being created? Does it mean that Jesus is only one of God’s creations and not the Creator Himself? It doesn’t mean this at all. The ancient world used this “Father/Son” terminology to refer to the induction of an individual into a royal position as king. As it was described in Psalm 2 and 2 Samuel 7, it is referring to God’s decree to set up a king over the nation of Israel. In referring to the Messiah, God the Father is making this declaration concerning Jesus. He is announcing that Jesus is the ruler to whom He has handed over all authority to reign. Jesus refers to this authority when He is speaking in John 5. There He says, “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father.” God the Father is conferring the honor of all authority upon Jesus.
In verse 6 we see Jesus being referred to as the “firstborn.” What does this name convey about Jesus? It is His title as heir of everything. It doesn’t always refer to the physical firstborn of a family. It refers to whoever has the right of inheritance. This term is used later in Hebrews to describe Esau who sold his firstborn right of inheritance to Jacob his brother. So Jacob received the honor of being the “firstborn” in inheritance though he was not the firstborn physically. So though Jesus is called firstborn it doesn’t in any way imply that He was the first created being. It simply means that He owns the entire universe.
Now let’s look into the body of this section and in it we see Jesus’ authority expressed in two ways.
I. Jesus Christ Has Authority as Ruler
First, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has authority as ruler. There are three truths that demonstrate His authority as ruler.
A. The pronouncement of His rulership (v.5)
The first truth that demonstrates His authority as ruler is seen in the pronouncement of His rulership. This is found in verse 5. There the author says, “For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You’? And again, ‘I will be a Father to Him and He shall be a Son to Me.’”? We’ve looked at this briefly already but the author makes the point that the Father made this decree to Jesus alone. None of the angels ever received any kind of pronouncement as this. His rhetorical question, “To which of the angels did He ever say” calls for the obvious answer, “none!” Jesus is that much greater than the angels. There was a special decree for Him but not for any angels. No one else has this special kind of relationship with the Father. This special relationship was made by royal decree. Who can overturn God’s pronouncement? Jesus has authority as the ruler of all there is.
B. The nature of His rulership (v. 8)
The second truth that demonstrates His authority as ruler is seen in the nature of His rulership. That is what will characterize His reign? What will He be like as a ruler? There are two descriptions of the nature of His rule in verse 8. There the author writes, “But of the Son He says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.’”
1. Everlasting
The first description of Jesus’ rule is that it is everlasting. “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.” Jesus’ rule will never end. Even when this creation is destroyed and a new heaven and new earth is created His reign over ever person will continue. He will never cease from being king. What this means is there will never be a time anyone can escape from His rule. Oh people have tried and still try to remove themselves from under His authority but they cannot succeed. He still rules over them even in their rebellion. How much more so when He finally crushes all rebellion. This is what Psalm 2 describes, “Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Christ, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us.’” Try as they might, those who would seek to loose themselves from God’s hand will only find themselves struggling to their own peril. His rule is everlasting.
2. Righteous
The second description of Jesus’ rule is that it is righteous. “The righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.” Jesus is not a tyrant. He will not oppress people. He will not mistreat people nor hurt them. He will rule them with righteousness. Those who seek to do wrong and rebel against their king will be judged by that righteous standard in equity. Those who seek to obey their king will be protected and cared for. Isaiah describes what it will be like when Jesus comes to reign in all His glory. He says, “They will not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain.” And again he says, “Violence will not be heard again in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders.” The world will know peace like it has never known peace before because only true righteousness can produce true peace.
C. The exaltation of His rulership (v. 13)
The third truth that demonstrates His authority as ruler is seen in the exaltation of His rulership. We note this in verse 13. “But to which of the angels has He ever said, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet’”? Jesus is waiting for the appropriate time, the time set by the Father, to directly begin His rule over the earth. And it is at that time He will be exalted higher than any monarch has ever been exalted. All His enemies will be put down. Those who have sought to live out from under His rule will be destroyed. Psalm 2 ends this way, “Pay homage to the Son (or literally, “Kiss the Son”) that He not become angry, and you perish in your way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”
Look at the promise to those who come to Him. They will be blessed. Yes those who refuse Him will perish but all those who take refuge in Him will be safe.
II. Jesus Christ Has Authority as God
Next, we see Jesus has authority as God. Again, the author of Hebrews wants to leave us without doubt as to the very nature of Jesus. And in this passage he shows us three different confirmations of the truth that Jesus is God.
A. He is worshipped (v. 6)
The first confirmation of Jesus’ deity is He is worshipped. This is found in verse 6. There it notes, “And (again) when He brings the firstborn into the world, He says, ‘And let all the angels of God worship Him.” In this verse God the Father Himself calls for all the angels to worship Jesus. What does the fact that the Father calls for Jesus’ worship mean? What else does Scripture say about worship? Who is to be venerated or worshipped? In Colossians 2:18, the apostle Paul says those who call others to worship angels have a fleshly mind and are not part of Christ’s body. And he says those who follow along with that are swindled from receiving their reward. So the Scripture says angels are not to be worshipped. The Scripture also shows us people are not to be worshipped no matter who they are. In Acts 10 Peter is sent by the Holy Spirit to the home of a man Cornelius. Cornelius had been told by an angel to send for Peter so that Peter could tell him how to have eternal life. When Peter arrives at Cornelius’ home the Scripture says, “Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter raised him up, saying, ‘Stand up; I too am just a man.’” Why did Peter prevent this man from worshipping him? God commands us to only worship Him. Jesus summed up this command clearly when Satan sought to have Jesus fall down and worship him. Jesus said, “You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.” God alone is to be worshipped. Any who would call for us to venerate another individual is usurping God’s rightful place to be worshipped. And so what does it mean that the Father calls for the angels to worship Jesus? It means that Jesus is equal with God. It is not usurping God’s rightful worship because Jesus is God.
B. He is titled (vv. 8, 10)
The second confirmation of Jesus’ deity is that He is titled. The author mentions this in verses 8 & 10. In verse 8 he notes, “But of the Son He says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.’” This is a very audacious statement for the author to make. He titles Jesus as God. In Psalm 45, from which the author quotes we see the title he uses for Jesus comes from the generic name for God. Now if I were skeptical about Jesus’ deity I might be able to push this aside saying, “well this name was used of pagan idols. It could mean Jesus was some kind of lesser god. We might even give in to the Jehovah’s Witnesses poor translation and proclaim it says, “Your throne is God” as if Jesus wasn’t God but only used Him as His throne. But let me ask you a question. Could that translation be accurate? Which is greater, the throne or the person who sits upon the throne? If Jesus used God as His throne He would be greater than God. Not very likely. Well if this verse doesn’t convince you of Jesus’ deity then look at verse 10. Here the author quotes from Psalm 102. And here he draws from the Psalm in verse 22 where God’s covenant name, “Yahweh” is used. This is God’s special name. It distinguishes Him from any other false god. Yahweh is the true and living God. Look how he uses it here in Hebrews 1:10. In referring to the Son He says, “You, Lord (Yahweh) in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth.” He calls Jesus Yahweh leaving out any room for doubt that he knows Jesus to be God.
He is titled. He is called God. We cannot have it any other way. We cannot reject Jesus’ deity and be rescued from His wrath.
C. He is eternal (vv. 8, 10-12)
The final confirmation of Jesus; deity is that He is eternal. The author says this in verses 8, 10-12. We have looked at verse 8 previously. There he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.” But let’s concentrate on verses 10-12 because not only does it have a lot to say about God’s eternality it has a lot to say about His work in the creation. “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands; They will perish, but You remain; and they all will become old like a garment, and like a mantle You will roll them up; like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end.”
First, we understand Jesus was there in the beginning. You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of Your hands.” God has never had a beginning. He is the One who brought all things into being. He is the ultimate first cause.
God has never had a beginning. He will never have an end. In verse 11 the author says, “They (the heavens and the earth) will perish but You remain.” And in verse 12 he says, “You are the same, Your years will not come to an end.” The greatest news we can hear from all this is God never changes. He does not change with the seasons of time. He is the same. He always has the same standard. He has told us what it is so we might know how to have eternal life and the burden of sin removed from our backs. He will not change therefore we are not consumed.
But look at His creation. Of the creation the author says, “They all will become old like a garment, and like a mantle You will roll them up.” Since the fall of Adam, the Scripture says the creation has been subject to decay. And we see this in both in the realm of physical science and in the realm of living organisms.
In physical science we have the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics that says that everything tends toward chaos. Energy is used up. You always put more energy into a system than you receive back from it. You can even see this working in your children’s rooms. You clean it up and within a half hour, chaos. This shows us that matter cannot be eternal. It is continuously losing energy. We cannot go back into an infinite number of big bangs to somehow cover up the fact of the decreasing energy in the universe.
Also in the realm of the living we see the decay of our bodies, not the evolution of our bodies getting better. Science and the Scripture seem to indicate we used to be able to live longer. There are processes we use to have that are no longer effective for us: The re-enameling of our teeth for longer life of our choppers; there is indication that our saliva had restorative and germ fighting properties. Don’t be fooled that the average life span moved from the 20-30’s in the 1700’s up to its present value in the 70’s. The reason for the change was a high infant mortality rate and diseases, like small pox, that ravaged communities. Medical advances are causing the BULK of the population to live longer not advances in our genetic makeup.
This is what the passage says. God remains the same. He does not change but the creation, because it was subjected to the sin of Adam, is growing old and decaying.
Jesus is superior to the angels because He is their ruler and because He is God. Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ the great ruler and God? Has he become your Lord and Savior? Let me ask you very bluntly, have you been saved from your sin to receive eternal life from Him? Last week we saw Jesus made purification for sins. Will you receive that purification? If you have not received Him as your Savior and you die, you will receive eternal punishment from the hand of a just God. Righteousness is scepter of His kingdom and the Father has given all authority to the Son. Will He be your Judge or will He be your Savior?
What about you who claim that you have made Jesus your Lord and Savior? Are you living as if He was God or are you living as a practical atheist? Your possession should match your profession. Jesus told those who were following Him, “Do not call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say.” Let us follow our ruler and our God by the grace that He has abundantly provided for life and godliness. Don’t follow angels. Follow Jesus the King of angels and the King of the universe.