More Than An Angel?

Part 2 of 7

"They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies..." (Ps 62:4).

Over and over this Psalm is proven true! Satan's whole desire is to downplay the glorious significance of the Son of God's ministry in the earth, and thus turn men from complete devotion and adoration. If Jesus is thrust from His rightful place of excellency, He cannot receive the glory due His name. Thus explaining the continual present war taking place over His divinity and eternal significance: They only consult to cast him down from his excellency. How sad.

Even when presented with blatant truth, there will always be those with defiant doubts and angry aversion. Have you ever met anyone like that? We've seen the writer to the Hebrews readily rebuke one opposition of the Jews in the last post (The Superior Son), but that apparently was not enough. They still question His divinity!
Even when proven from the Jew's own sacred writings, there was yet opposition to the divinity of Jesus! Amazing!

Though Jesus was proven to be MORE than a mere prophet, does that automatically accredit His divinity as a SON? The natural Jew would not think so.

I imagine they said something like, "Well, Jesus may have been more than an ordinary prophet, but was he God? Never! He must have been some sort of angel..."

Ironically, the Hebrews actually used the very power spoken of by the writer to agree He was a heavenly being, but not the Son of God. In their minds, He was nothing more than an angel used of God.

Of course this also is a contradiction of thought. What angel sent by God would actually claim to be God? Lucifer is the only being that comes to mind! Would God so powerfully accredit an angel who was perpetually blaspheming during his ministry on earth? I don't think so. The Hebrews should have known better: "I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images" (Isa 42:8). It's said of Jesus that His Sonship was accredited by the power that was displayed (Rom 1:4).

Thankfully, the writer to the Hebrews skillfully debunks and discredits this heresy as well. He says,

"Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they" (Heb 1:4).

The writer to the Hebrews explains that Jesus differs from the angels in a very significant way: Inheritance! The word “better” here does not refer to moral character, but to exaltation of rank. As Mediator, and as the Son of God in human form, He is exalted far above the angels, and has a far superior inheritance (Phil 2:5-11). Because of Who Jesus is (the Son of God), He possesses the greatest prize, even the saints of God (Eph 5:25-27). Any mere angel does not possess such great glories. He continues to say,

"For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?" (Heb 1:5).

A further disassociation that Jesus has with angels is that of Sonship. Angels cannot be sons. These words are quoted from Psalm 2:7, a psalm that seems to refer only to the Messiah; and they are quoted by Paul in Acts 13:33, as referring to the resurrection of Christ. The association then, is plainly obvious: Christ is the Son!

Furthermore, the writer shows that the Sonship of the Messiah was always foreshadowed in Scripture, and not some new and radical doctrine. As the Jews have ever blasphemed against the Sonship of Christ, it was necessary that the apostle should adduce and make strong all his proofs of such, and show that this was not a new revelation at all; rather, it was that which was primarily intended in several Scriptures of the Old Testament, but were blinded to the Pharisees. This verse, which is quoted from 2 Samuel 7:14, shows us that the seed which God promised to David, and who was to sit upon his throne, and whose throne should be established for ever, was not Solomon, but Jesus Christ.

The writer continues to say,

"And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. " (Heb 1:6-7).

Why would angels worship mere angels (Ps 97:7)? The very fact that Jesus of Nazareth was continually worshipped by man and angels is proof enough that He possessed a glory and rank so far above all others (Ps 103:20; Lk 2:9-14; 1 Pet 3:22; Rev 5:9-12). His angels minister to Him, they are not His equals (Heb 1:7, 14; Dan 7:10; Zech 6:5).

So far greater is the creator than the creation; so far greater is the Son than the angels. The angels worship Him, and they minister to Him. He is superior! He is Divine!

The writer closes and says,

"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb 1:8-14).

The infinitely glorious contrast is here finally presented! The Son outshines a mere angel even as a star's brightness humiliates the radiance of a small candle. It is foolishness to even compare the two!

“But unto the Son he saith…” The Son has an everlasting throne (Ps 11:4). The Son has a sceptre of righteousness (Isa 11:4). The Son has a kingdom (Matt 16:28; Daniel 4:3). The Son is anointed above His fellows (Jn 3:34). The Son is called “Lord” (Acts 2:36; Ps 110:1). Creation is attributed to Him – He has laid the foundations of the earth (Col 1:15-18; Prov 30:4)! He has made the heavens (Heb 1:2)! The Son is eternal (Deut 33:27; Ps 90:1-2). The Son is immutable (Heb 13:8; Mal 3:6). The Son is seated at the right hand of His Father (Rom 8:34; Col 3:1). What a sharp contrast these attributes are to those of angels! Such language can only be used for Him who is of absolute Deity!

To Be Continued...