above all the angels

“Above All the Angels”, Pt 2

Hebrews 1:4-14

Superiority of Jesus to Angels…•Last week we looked at the superior nature of Christ to that of the Angels, in that loosing Himself of His Deity led Him to “become” greater, by achieving perfection even as a man•This morning we look at the Father calling the Son, God. His supremacy by the fact of His own Father’s proclamation

Superiority of Jesus…•To have an effective fighting force, a military must have an hierarchy, and clear organization of command chain•US fighters organize in fire teams, squads, platoons, companies, battalions, brigades, divisions, etc.•Angels have this kind of organization as well, according to Scripture; and they know their commander, Jesus Christ

“…4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.5 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”? 6 And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.” 7 And of the angels He says, “WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.” 8 But of the Son He says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. 9 “YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.

“10 And, “YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; 11 THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT, 12 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.” 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”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?”

Hebrews 1:4-14 (NASB)

A. Becoming Better than Angels…•Vs 4-6, I want you to underline some things in your Bibles…

“…4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU’? ‘I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME’? 6 And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, ‘AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.’ ”


“…4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a (1)more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU’? ‘I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME’? 6 And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, ‘AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.’ ”


“…4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a (1)more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY (2)I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU’? ‘I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME’? 6 And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, ‘AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.’ ”


“…4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a (1)more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY (2)I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU’? ‘I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME’? 6 And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, ‘AND (3)LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.’ ”


A. Becoming Better than Angels…•Vs 4-6, I want you to underline some things in your Bibles…•Before I get into the 3 things– I had a problem with the word ‘becoming’•I looked at other translations including the Greek•“ginomai”– means ‘become, to be made’•Then I remembered– Let Scripture interpret Scripture…

“…6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”

Philippians 2:6-7 (NASB)

“Yet You have made him a little lower than God,And You crown him with glory and majesty!”

Psalm 8:5 (NASB)

A. Becoming Better than Angels…•When Jesus became a man, He became lower than the angels•But when He resurrected Himself from the dead, He became so much better than the angels, actually back to being God the Creator with Final Authority•The OT covenant came through their ancestor Moses, but the New Covenant through a far superior person– Jesus!

The underlined…1. “More excellent Name”; What Name

you ask? My Son!

“I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.”

Psalm 2:7 (NASB)


you ask? My Son!2. “I have begotten you”, quoting Ps 2:7,

Paul explained it in Acts 13…

“…33 that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘YOU ARE MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.’ ”

Acts 13:33 (NASB)


you ask? My Son!2. “I have begotten you”, quoting Ps 2:7,

Paul explained it in Acts 13…•The Greek word is ‘gennao’– ‘genetic’ comes from this root; it speaks of the equality of substance and essential nature between the Father and the Son

The underlined…1. “More excellent Name”; What Name you

ask? My Son!2. “I have begotten you”, quoting Ps 2:7,

Paul explained it in Acts 13…3. “Let all the angels of God worship

Him.”– no one worships their equal•JWs think Jesus was Michael, Mormons say he’s Lucifer’s brother– contrary-he never was one of them, they belong to Him!

B. Who created the Angels, & When?•V7 tells us…

“7 And of the angels He says,“WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS,AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.” ”

Hebrews 1:7 (NASB)

B. Who created the Angels, & When?•V7 God did of course, but when exactly…•There are not a whole lot of biblical references regarding the timing of creation of the angels•I’m sure, however, that God did create them, and that the have not existed for eternity past like He has– Col 1:16-17

“16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

Colossians 1:16-17 (NASB)

B. Who created the Angels, & When?•V7 God did of course, but when exactly…•There are not a whole lot of biblical references regarding the timing of creation of the angels•I’m sure, however, that God did create them, and that the have not existed for eternity past like He has– Col 1:16-17•So the exact time is not specified

B. Who created the Angels, & When?•Most likely, He created them in connection with the creation of the heavens in Genesis 1:1•It may be that God created the angels immediately after He had created the heavens and before He created the earth•How do we know? Job 38:4-7

“4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, 5 Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? 6 “On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone,7 When the morning stars sang togetherAnd all the sons of God shouted for joy?.”

Job 38:4-7 (NASB)

B. Who created the Angels, & When?•Most likely, He created them in connection with the creation of the heavens in Genesis 1:1•It may be that God created the angels immediately after He had created the heavens and before He created the earth•How do we know? Job 38:4-7•Now you’re thinking, “Wait a minute; God did all that the first day and there was enough time for the angel rebellion and everything??”

“8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.”

2 Peter 3:8 (NASB)

C. Father calls the Son, God •Vs 8-12…

“8 But of the Son He says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER,AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. 9 “YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.” 10 And, “YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; 11 THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT, 12 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.”


C. Father calls the Son, God •Vs 8-12 have 2 O.T. Refs in there•The Author is showing them that the ancient text was describing Jesus of Nazareth!•The Author understood that they had a great familiarity with that particular passage, and this shows that Jesus was also their Messiah and God

C. Father calls the Son, God •Vs 8-9 V8-9 quote Psalm 45:6-7, God the Father is speaking to God the Son•This is very powerful evidence of the deity of Jesus Christ. If God the Father calls Jesus “God,” then how can anyone else call Jesus anything else?•In the second half of v9, we see the relationship and actions of the Trinity: “Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions”

C. Father calls the Son, God •Vs 11, “God, Your God” speaks of the Father and His position of authority over the Second Person of the Trinity-- “You” refers to the Son•“Anointed” has in mind the ministry and presence of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity•Again, in v10, the Father affirms Jesus as the Creator of the universe by saying: “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth”•Whenever you see the all capital letters ‘LORD’ in the Bible, it refers to “ Yahweh,” a.k.a. “YHWH.”

C. Father calls the Son, God •Vs 11-12, all the created beings could be finished and/or extinguished, but Jesus the Lord God is self-existent and does not change

“11 THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT, 12 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.”


D. Jesus on throne, Angels serving•Vs 13-14,

“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”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? ”


D. Jesus on throne, Angels serving•Vs 13-14; 13 quotes Psalm 110:1– no angel ever sits on the throne

“12 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations!13 “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ ”

Isaiah 14:12-14 (NASB)

D. Jesus on throne, Angels serving•Vs 13-14; V13 quotes Psalm 110:1– no angel ever sits on the throne• Now you ask yourself, “Why does the author go to such lengths to explain Jesus above the angels?”•It is because there was a lot of angel worship among the first century Jews•Angels have two major job descriptions: ministry to us, and judgement delivery

D. Jesus on throne, Angels serving1. To the Believer– not only are they

around us to protect us, but they minister to us through the promise and power of the Holy Spirit, Ps 91:12

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most HighWill abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’ ”

Psalm 91:1-2 (NASB)

D. Jesus on throne, Angels serving1. To the Believer– not only are they

around us to protect us, but they minister to us through the promises & power of the Holy Spirit, Ps 91:12

2. To the Un-believers:•Revelation 8-9, 7 blow their trumpets•Revelation16, 7 more dump bowls•God’s judgement against unbelief

Take Home!! •Do not be deceived into any false theology of angel worship•They are our fellow servants to worship and to serve the Lord•Colossians 2:18 says, “Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels...”

above all the angels

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