Full Transcript

Welcome to Share the Word. Today’s podcast begins chapter one of the book of Hebrews. Margie, as always, lays the groundwork in an informative and colorful way. Now, I love hearing about angels, but Margie goes well beyond as she shows how Jesus is God’s ultimate revelation, superior to the prophets and the angels. Let’s get started. Thank you, Pastor Tony.

Scotsman John G. Paton was a missionary in the South Pacific Isles in the 19th century. He and his wife experienced a period when their mission was frequently under attack by the indigenous Barbary cannibals. One night, when they were surrounded, Paton and his wife prayed for deliverance. Shortly thereafter, their attackers left. One year later, the chief of the tribe converted to Christianity.

When Paton asked him why they had retreated that night, the chief explained that they had seen hundreds of big men in shining clothes with swords in their hands standing guard around their hut. The Patons realized that God had dispatched His angels to protect them. Today, we will be talking much more about angels. And though that story is powerful, wonderful, and amazing, the author of our next book would say Jesus is more powerful, more wonderful, and more amazing. So what is our next book? Well, I will introduce it by way of a joke.

A newly married wife teasingly informed her husband that according to the Bible, making coffee is his job in the marriage. The husband skeptically asked her to prove it, so she showed him the book of Hebrews. The big idea of Hebrews: Jesus is the best, better than all the rest. I asked AI for a definition of good, better, better, or best. This was the response. In English grammar, better is the comparative form of good.

It is used to compare two items, while best is the superlative form used to compare one item to all other items, indicating the highest quality overall. Well, that is what the author of Hebrews is preaching. Jesus is the highest quality overall. He is the best. Since we are in the beginning of a new book, let’s look at the history of Hebrews. It was most likely written before 70 A.D.

We make that assumption because the author made several references to the temple and sacrifices in the temple. History tells us that the temple was completely destroyed between 70 and 73 A.D., so it had to be written before then. Hebrews is named after the recipients of this letter, the first-century Jewish believers. To this day, the author is unknown. Many scholars speculate that it may have been written by Luke, Barnabas, the Apostle Paul, or even Priscilla. This book is filled with exhortations and encouragements for the early Hebrew church to carry on despite the hardships.

Remember, as soon as a Jew accepted Jesus as their Messiah, they were most likely put out of the synagogue, out of their community, and frequently out of their families and out of business. So, relationally, religiously, socially, financially, culturally, they were ostracized and rejected. Adding to the angst, from a historical perspective, we know that the Roman government also persecuted them. Despite all of that, the author insisted that they not rely on their old religious ways, their old customs and old laws. So basically, everything they knew had been taken away by putting their faith in Jesus. It must have been a hard, scary, lonely, and anxious time for those new Jewish believers.

It must have been so difficult, so tempting to revert back to what was comfortable, known, accepted, and understood, to be what was considered good. But was it the best? This author would say no. The old way is not the best. The new way with Jesus is the best. Jesus is better than the old covenant.

He is the fulfillment of the old covenant. He is the new covenant. Jesus is better than the prophets. The author states in verse 1, In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. See, Jesus is the perfect prophet.

The prophets gave God’s message, but Jesus is the message. The prophets spoke God’s word, but Jesus is the Word, the powerful Word. Jesus is better than the patriarchs. He’s before Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David. Jesus is better than the religious leaders. He is the perfect and forever high priest.

Jesus is better than the sacrificial system. He is the unblemished Lamb of God. He is the perfect one-and-done sacrifice. Jesus is better than the tabernacle or the temple. His people are now the temple. They are the living church.

Jesus is better than anything. He is the best. As the author of Hebrews did, we will cover each of these truths separately as the big ideas of each chapter. But for now, it’s back to the big idea found in chapter one, that Jesus is better than the angels. The author says in verses three and four that after Jesus had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven, so he became superior to the angels, as the name he inherited is superior to theirs. Though the Old Testament has many references to angelic interactions and encounters, clearly some wrong doctrine had taken root in the early Christian church regarding the importance and the roles of angels that needed to be addressed and corrected.

There seem to be two distinct heresies being perpetuated. Angelic beings had either become elevated or devalued to the new Jewish Christian. So, just like the author of Hebrews did, we will attempt to define the truth about these supernatural beings. John Calvin said, Angels are the descent administrators of the divine beneficence towards us. They regard our safety, undertake our defense, direct our ways, and exercise continual solicitude that no evil befall us. Angels are mentioned 14 times in the book of Hebrews, 12 times in chapters one and two.

The writer quoted repeatedly from the Old Testament to prove Jesus’s superiority to angels. For example, when the author rhetorically referenced Psalm 2. Saying, For which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my Son, and today I become your Father’? That answer would be none. Or again, ‘I will be his Father and he will be my Son.’ But to the Son God says, ‘Your throne will last forever.

I have set you above your companions.’ See, Jesus is better than the angels. He is the Son of God, a title never given to an angel. Again, the writer quoted the psalmist, and speaking of angels, God says, ‘He makes his angels spirits, and his servants.’ Adding, When God brings his firstborn into the world, he’ll say, ‘Let all the angels worship him.’ Angels were created to serve and worship Jesus.

Again, ironically quoting the Psalms, the author said, ‘To which of the angels did God ever say, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’?’ None, because Jesus is the King who reigns forever. Angels are the subjects in his kingdom. Again, quoting the psalmist, ‘Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?’ meaning Jesus’ followers. The author clearly and forcefully repeated, ‘Do not be deceived.

Do not settle for less than the best.’ Sadly, some of these distortions and false teachings remain today, that angels are somehow equal with Jesus. Some even teach that Lucifer and Jesus were equal angelic beings, which is heresy. To be clear, Jesus and Lucifer have never been equals. Jesus is co-creator with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Lucifer is a creation, not a creator.

Because of the confusion that prevails even today, I will quickly elaborate on additional doctrine of angels. The doctrine of angels, or angelology, is just a theological term for the study of ethereal beings. The Greek word angelos means messengers and is mentioned in the New Testament more than the words sin or agape love. Angelology includes both holy angels and fallen angels. Some sources estimate that there could be close to 2,000 verses in the Bible referring to angels. In some cases, angelic beings are not mentioned specifically, but instead alluded to, like in the book of Zechariah.

So, let’s review some specifics regarding angels, beginning with their nature. Again, angels are created beings. They are not spirits of the dead or ghosts, but they are a unique order of created beings. They are supernatural beings who are greater than man but lesser than God. Because angels are spiritual beings, they are typically invisible. Their substance is solid.

They are less dense than fleshy human beings. However, angels can appear in human form. In this very book, the author cautioned the reader that people have occasionally shown hospitality towards angels without even knowing it. A story featured in Billy Graham’s book, Angels, told of a doctor who encountered an angel in the form of a child. As the story goes, the doctor had been pursued by the child, who explained that her mother was very sick. The doctor was so impressed with this young girl that he complimented her intelligence and persistence to the mother, who looked at him quite strangely and replied that her daughter had died a month ago.

With that, the mother motioned towards the closet. There the doctor found the clothes the angel had been wearing while disguised as the child. Angels are individuals who possess intellect, emotion, and will. They demonstrate their personalities through communication with one another, human beings, and God. Angels are powerful and wise. They possess great but not unlimited power.

They also have extensive wisdom, but not complete wisdom. Only the Godhead has complete power and wisdom, and they are not God. They are servants of God. Unlike humans, angels do not die. Also, angels do not marry. Many speculate that angels are only of the male gender or genderless.

Angels are numerous. We are not given an exact number, therefore, but in several places in the Bible, it states that there are thousands upon thousands, or ten thousands upon ten thousands, or myriads of angels. Angels have distinct functions. Some angels are divine messengers, communicating on behalf of God. The angel Gabriel is considered the main angelic messenger. He announced the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus the Messiah.

An angel spoke to Joseph twice in dreams. Angels brought glad tidings to the shepherds about Jesus’ birth. Angels proclaimed Jesus’ resurrection and predicted his return. Evidently, some angels accompany believers to heaven at their time of death. Some angels are ministering angels sent to serve, guide, and protect believers. For example, Peter’s angelic jailbreak in the book of Acts.

Even now, many people have had supernatural encounters with divine angelic forces. One such case was recounted by R. C. Sproul involving an incident that took place in his hometown of Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania. An underground coal mine caved in, trapping two men for more than two weeks. Their names were Felon and Throin.

He joked about remembering that because it sounds like one fell in and one was thrown in. When rescued, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the miners were in fine condition and that they had experienced the miracle of being ministered to by an angel. We also know that angels ministered to Jesus after his wilderness temptation and strengthened him in the Garden of Gethsemane. Angels are able to go into God’s immediate presence. Some angels are designed to eternally worship and praise the Triune God as part of the heavenly court. Two such angelic beings are cherubim and seraphim.

Cherubim are not sad, innocent-looking, defenseless children, but fierce, winged creatures, tending to the Lord faithfully and forever. They stand guard over the holiness of God. They are described as beings with four faces: an ox, a lion, an eagle, and a man, representing strength, royal power, loftiness, and humanity. In the book of Isaiah, we get a picture of another terrifying angel, the seraphim. They proclaim God’s glory and holiness as part of the heavenly choir, constantly singing the repeated praise and phrase, Holy, holy, holy, celebrating God’s transcendental majesty and perfection. These angels are associated with light, passion, and purity.

The Hebrew word seraphim means to burn with fire or destruction by fire. They are sinless creatures used as agents of purification. Seraphim are uniquely created for their environment. These frightening creatures have six wings: two cover their eyes to protect them from God’s glory, which is so dazzling it’s blinding; two to hover; two to cover their feet, as a sign of humility, acknowledging their status in the presence of God. Angels will execute God’s final judgment. They will separate the righteous from the unrighteous.

Some angels are warriors, fighting the Lord’s adversaries, the fallen angels, who actively oppose God’s will, tempt believers, or attempt to corrupt mankind in general. Speaking of fallen angels, that theological study is called demonology. C. S. Lewis wrote, There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall in regards to devils. One is to disbelieve their existence; the other is to believe, but to have an excessive or unhealthy interest in them.

As in ancient times, some contemporary cults and cultures overemphasize the importance and the power of fallen angels. They seem rather obsessed with wickedness and the diabolical impulses in the unseen realm, while others take the opposite extreme, denying any and all presence of the supernatural realm or evil. Rudolf Pultmann fell into that camp. He was a German Lutheran pastor who argued that 20th century modern Christianity should be based on science, not on the three-tier supernatural universe made up of heaven, earth, and hell. Unfortunately, that blasphemy still infiltrates some Christian circles today. So let’s quickly cover some highlights of demonology.

First, Lucifer is the primary demonic leader. Again, he is not divine. He is not omnipresent, omniscient, or omnipotent. He is a created being under God’s authority. Lucifer means the son of morning, the morning star, or the light bearer. Apparently, he was the most beautiful angel ever created.

Lucifer is also called Satan, the devil, the great dragon, the ancient serpent, Beelzebub, the accuser, the tempter, the deceiver, the prince of this world, a liar, and the father of lies. Each of those titles describe an aspect of his unholy character. The apostle Paul warned us that Satan is metamorphic. He can disguise himself as an angel of light, which is much more sinister and deceptive than showing up in a red outfit with a pointy tail, horns, and a pitchfork. By the way, that caricature was created by believers in the Middle Ages, designed to mock Lucifer and his bride. And we know from Scripture that his pride was the cause of his expulsion from heaven.

And when he was cast out of God’s presence, he brought a third of the angelic beings with him. As a result of his rebellion, he and they became the enemies of the Godhead and all of humanity. Again, despite being powerful, demons are still under God’s authority. Their rule and influence are temporary. Their ultimate defeat is assured. Evil will be finished at the last judgment.

So those who follow Jesus have nothing to fear, because Jesus is better. Jesus defeated the devil through his death and resurrection. Hallelujah! Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was a World War I hero and a decorated pilot. He, along with seven crew members, survived after their B-17 plane went down in the Pacific Ocean. The men were stranded on a life raft for days, fighting hunger, thirst, the sun, and shark attacks.

They were hundreds of miles from land, and no one knew of their location. Together they prayed, and they asked the Lord for a miracle. Suddenly, a seagull appeared and landed on Rickenbacker’s head. He recognized this as a providential intervention. After catching the bird, the men used its entrails for bait to catch fish, which allowed them to survive until their eventual rescue. Later, when interviewed, Rickenbacker said that he regarded that event as a miracle of angelic care, orchestrated by his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the one who is better than the angels, the one who is better than anything.

This is Share the Word. I’m Margie, and may God surround you with His angels as you seek His face. Margie, once again, awesome as always. Well, we hope you enjoyed this podcast with Margie Biasado and found it informative and insightful. This podcast marks 242 episodes, which means if you’re just joining us, you have 241 episodes to catch up with. It’s all free.

It’s free for you to listen, download, and to share. So go to sharetheword.org and check out all we have to offer. From all of us at Share the Word, our blessings and prayers go out to all of you.