Lord of Angels (Heb 1:5-14)

Lord of Angels: Hebrews 1:5-14 [Scripture Reading = Psalm 2] (The Son’s deity and his place “above” the angels. In a chain of OT quotations… the preacher focuses in on the Son’s deity and messianic Kingship. – Based on how you live your life, whom do you look to and fear as the supreme authority? Self? Man? Shallow pleasure? Power? Or the Lord?) Read Passage & Pray: The goal of the author (with a flood of quotes) is no doubt to overwhelm you with the evidence supporting his premise so that you readily concede agreement. [Explain layout and our plan for discussing] – quotation couplings [3 pairs] and a final nail at v. 13; our plan to approach this from answering two questions, of the text and of us [in italics] I. What makes Jesus superior to angels? A. Unique Relationship – “a Son”  The first pair of quotes: Ps. 2:7 and 2 Sam. 7:14 – almost all the quotes have a clear connection to the Davidic covenant – Messiah 1. As impossible as it feels, you have to try to picture this outside of time. – Just before this quote is the statement, “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord,” a decree made in eternity, before time and space was created. 2. If “today” is meant to have a time referent, then it likely refers to the Son’s exaltation and enthronement within time. (O’Brien – quoting F.F. Bruce) “This is not to question Christ’s eternity as the divine Son; rather, he who was Son of God from everlasting ‘entered into the full exercise of all the prerogatives implied by his Sonship when, after his suffering had proved the completeness of his obedience, he was raised to the Father’s right hand’.” 3. (Steve Cole) “Like a human father and son, God the Father and Jesus the Son share the same essential nature, which is the main point. Unlike a human father and son, God the Father did not pre-date the existence of God the Son, because Jesus shares His nature as eternal God (John 1:1-3).” 4. [On to our second quote] – Are you familiar with prophetic references having initial (and partial) fulfillment and having final (and complete/ultimate) fulfillment? – David’s immediate son, Solomon, who built the temple; and David greater son, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. Luke 1:32-33 (v. 30) 5. The difference emphasized here then with relationship to the Father and compared to angels is the difference between pre-existent Son and created servants. B. Angels – Important but subordinate  2nd pair: Deut. 32:43 (Ps. 97:7) and Ps. 104:4 1. Positive, but inferior position and ministry – They worship and serve the Son!  Angels – working in secret; powerful, even destructive (but doing His bidding!) 2. Firstborn – time or status? Perhaps both, but it does NOT mean ‘created’ or ‘born’ (WE are literally born of flesh… Jesus came to be God in flesh, but that had no impact on his firstborn status as pre-existent Son, Firstborn of the Father – also in the NT, Firstborn from the dead – As a title for Christ, the emphasis is his preeminence.)  (Jesus said of himself in John 8:58) “Before Abraham was, I am.” – (God says of David, who was Jesse’s youngest son) Psalm 89:27 “And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” 3. Fascination with angels today – most of you didn’t grow up as I did, living amongst an animistic tribal people… - But in our context is still allure toward new age spirituality and eastern religion, as well as general enchantment with spirit beings and their activities. (From Touched by an Angel to magazines and websites devoted to sightings and experiences with angels.)  We can use fascination with angels and generic spirituality as an evangelistic access point (from a text like this one). 4. The Bible needs to inform how we think about and talk about angels. (Steve Cole quote) “The descriptions of angels in the Bible show that they are impressive beings. In Genesis, two angels rescued Lot and his family from Sodom and then called down fire and brimstone from heaven on the wicked cities. On another occasion, an angel struck down 70,000 in Israel on account of David’s sin (2 Sam. 24:15-17). One angel went out into the camp of Sennacherib’s army and struck down 185,000 soldiers in a night (Isa. 37:36). An angel shut the lions’ mouths so that Daniel was kept safe, and an angel revealed to Daniel the amazing prophecies of things to come. When Daniel saw the angel, it wiped out his strength and took his breath away (Dan. 6:22; 9:20-27; 10:17). An angel delivered Peter from prison and then struck the proud Herod Agrippa, so that he was eaten by worms and died (Acts 12:3-23). The Bible teaches that angels guard believers (2 Kings 6:15-18; Ps. 91:11-12; Matt. 18:10) and look in on our church services (1 Cor. 11:10), although we are not able to see them. And yet, as great and powerful as angels are, they are just servants who stand before Him who sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high! Worship Him alone, because He is Almighty God! C. Eternal King and Creator  3rd pair: Psalm 45:6-7 and 102:25-27 [listen for eternality and responsibility – His Unchanging Nature] 1. “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever”  King! – God appoints and deposes kings, but his appointment of the Son is unique, just as their relationship is unique.  1 Tim. 6:13-16 (with reference to God as King of kings), which Revelation 19:16 applies directly to Christ in his return: “On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” – Why the definite correlation? This Son who came as ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King—he is God! a. You may recall the “tri-lemma” posed by C.S. Lewis – Jesus is liar, lunatic, or Lord… but what he cannot be is simply a good man or good teacher. b. Two important things to derive from Jesus deity, Lord and King: (Guthrie) “The cults and critics who deny this truth deny the authority of Jesus for their lives.” AND “This doctrine of the deity of Christ must be recognized as a key to perseverance in the Christian life.” (p. 80) 2. Agency as Creator – Christ is the creator with an unchanging nature.  The significance of God’s activity in creation and in sustaining the universe itself is readily applicable in our day. For many, science reigns supreme. Science is the ultimate source of truth and decider of our fate. (But science is a tool to understand the universe God created, which is how a great majority of scientists used to approach scientific study before the enlightenment and evolutionary theory forcibly turned law.) – For those who worship Christ as Lord, we have no need to demonize science or even psychology (study of the human mind, especially its impact on our behavior). Again, it can be a worthy pursuit for believers and a tributary to the gospel, which is how we should use it. (That’s how Christian apologists use philosophy.) – Another danger I fear we should avoid is infighting amongst true believers over the age of the earth. Open dialogue is needed, but accusing one another of either not being true believers or of intellectual simplicity is not only unhelpful but harmful to the cause of Christ.  The earth changes and will pass away, but the Lord is forever and his impact on the souls of men is forever. One of your elders here, Craig Cogdill, often says, “We need to keep an eternal perspective.” D. V. 13 is the final nail and summary – from Psalm 110:1  Sovereign Lord 1. The verse quoted in the N.T. more than any other verse (some 14 times) – one such example that helps us: Matt. 22:42-45 2. His supreme authority and lordship – Positively, to be his is to be on the winning side. Negatively, those who love and live by wickedness must contend with God (v. 9). And to neglect the truth of Jesus (as the author of Hebrews describes) is to receive “just retribution.” (2:2) E. V. 14 is a recap comparison flowing from verse 13 and a transition to the severe warning which follows. 1. Why did the preacher pick angels as his first comparison? * II. What does this mean for those who belong to Him? • Do you know why you can put up with flawed under-shepherds? Because their authority, and yours, is the Chief Shepherd. We have become sons and daughters b/c he is the unique Son. We have become citizens of the eternal kingdom because He is the King eternal. We have confidence to do battle as his soldiers b/c He is sovereign and exalted Lord! (So you don’t have to search around for new spiritual reference points to remain focused on Christ. You don’t have to let your shortcomings (and the same for those around you) prevent you from worshiping together and working together for this same Lord. [BTW, if you ever have spiritual leaders who are telling you anything other than this, by all means, depart or remove them.] • And if life takes you some other place or drastically changes your circumstances (even through the valley of the shadow of death), you will still be rescued and given life by this Messiah who is unique Son, you will still belong to a kingdom ruled with a scepter of uprightness (completely trustworthy). The sun will rise and set on your most difficult days – but you can be sure that your Jesus is sovereign Lord, and he bears and reconciles your burdens with eternity in mind. What does this mean for those who refuse to kneel to Him? • To whom are we accountable? Who will judge the living and the dead? • Come to Jesus. Embrace him and love him. He is no tyrannical ruler. He is the God of creation, the King of glory, who willingly came to earth to not only sympathize with us but to do what we could not do for ourselves, live perfectly and die as a substitute for our sin, and rise again to life (conquering sin and death). And now he is exalted once more and seated in the place of highest honor and authority. And freely offers you to come and enter into his rest: Matt. 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” • This is the humble King of glory who offers his life in exchange for yours. Will you have it? Do you know for sure that you have it? Will you come before him today and confess him as unique Son, only Savior, Sovereign Lord? John Bunyan said, “If Jesus be not God, then heaven will be filled with idolaters.” (Stedman, 10) [Next Week] Is your salvation secure? Well, that depends. Is it secured by you or by God, your power or His? (This we will begin to deal with at the beginning of ch. 2.)