A Warning Against Angel Worship
Following Jesus: The Letter to the Hebrews • Sermon • Submitted
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Hebrews 1:4-14
INTRODUCTION:
There seems to be a growing trend in our world today. There is an increased emphasis on angels.
4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.
5 For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” God also said, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.”
6 And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.”
7 Regarding the angels, he says, “He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire.”
8 But to the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.
9 You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.”
10 He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain forever. They will wear out like old clothing.
12 You will fold them up like a cloak and discard them like old clothing. But you are always the same; you will live forever.”
13 And God never said to any of the angels, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.”
14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.
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Angels are never to be worshipped! The scriptures make this clear.
(Colossians 2:18)
18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud,
(Revelation 22:8,9)
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me.
9 But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”
While the ministry of angels is vital to the life of the believer, angels are not to be worshipped. Jesus alone is to be the object of our worship and devotion. Here is why...
I. JESUS HAS A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER (Hebrews 1:4-5).
I. JESUS HAS A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER (Hebrews 1:4-5).
4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.
5 For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” God also said, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.”
A. He is better than the angels (Hebrews 1:4).
A. He is better than the angels (Hebrews 1:4).
4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.
4 τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων ὅσῳ διαφορώτερον παρʼ αὐτοὺς κεκληρονόμηκεν ὄνομα.
1. What is an angel?
a) a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God.
b) An angel is a created being that is sent by God to carry a message to a person or do God’s bidding.
2. What kinds of angels are there?
a) Seraphim = majestic beings with 6 wings, human hands or voices in attendance upon God. (Isa.6:1-3).
1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple.
2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
b) Archangel = (ἀρχάγγελος). A term that refers to angels of high rank such as Gabriel and Michael.). (I Thess. 4:16).
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.
c) Cherubim = winged angelic beings, often associated with worship and praise of God.
The cherubim are first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 3:24 . When God drove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, He placed cherubim at the east of the garden, “and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” They were similar in appearance to the statues of winged sphinxes that flanked the entrances to palaces and temples in ancient Babylonia and Assyria. A careful comparison of the first and tenth chapters of the book of Ezekiel shows clearly that the “four living creatures” ( Ezek. 1:5 ) were the same beings as the cherubim ( Ezekiel 10 ). Each had four faces—that of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle ( (Ezek. 1:10 ; also 10:14 )—and each had four wings. In their appearance, the cherubim “had the likeness of a man” ( Ezek. 1:5 ). These cherubim used two of their wings for flying and the other two for covering their bodies ( Ezek. 1:6 , 11 , 23 ). Under their wings the cherubim appeared to have the form, or likeness, of a man’s hand ( Ezek. 1:8 ; 10:7–8 , 21 ). (Exodus 25:17-20;Ezek 1:5; 10:2; Rev. 4:6-9).
24 After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
3. Jesus is superior to all of the angels.
a. The writer of hebrews makes this clear in verse 4.
τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων
κρείττων- pertaining to having a higher status in comparison to something else—‘better, greater, superior to.’
B. Jesus is the Son of God (Hebrews 1:5).
B. Jesus is the Son of God (Hebrews 1:5).
5 For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” God also said, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.”
“5 Τίνι γὰρ εἶπέν ποτε τῶν ἀγγέλων· Υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε, καὶ πάλιν· Ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν;
1. . The writer of Hebrews uses some interesting terms to underscore the unique nature or the Son.
Υἱός μου - (Υἱός -son. one who has the essential characteristics and nature of God—‘Son of God.’; μου - my, mine, of me. (vs. 2, 4)
χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως - The exact representation of the character of God. (vs. 3)
τὸν πρωτότοκον - pertaining to being a firstborn child (vs. 6)
ὁ θεὸς - [the] God (Vs. 8)
2. John calls Jesus the “one and only ” son of God.
(John 3:16)
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
He is God’s “One and only” (μονογενῆ - only one of the same kind or class—‘unique, only.’)
3. He is the one and only (the) “Word [ὁ λόγος] of God” (John 1:1)
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
II. ANGELS ARE MINISTERING SPIRITS, BUT NOT DIVINE (Hebrews 1: 6-7,14).
II. ANGELS ARE MINISTERING SPIRITS, BUT NOT DIVINE (Hebrews 1: 6-7,14).
6 And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.”
7 Regarding the angels, he says, “He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire.”
14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.
A. The angels worship Him (Hebrews 1:6).
A. The angels worship Him (Hebrews 1:6).
6 And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.”
(Isa. 6:1-3; Rev. 4:6-9)
1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple.
2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
6 In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back.
7 The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.
8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever),
1. They are worshippers of God, and not to be worshipped.
(Exodus 20:4).
4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.
2. The angels are spirits who are messengers of God (Hebrews 1:7).
7 Regarding the angels, he says, “He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire.”
a) They carry messages to men from God.
(1) They carried messages to prophets (Dan.9:21-23)
21 As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice.
22 He explained to me, “Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding.
23 The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God. Listen carefully so that you can understand the meaning of your vision.
(2) They carried announcements about Jesus (Matt.1:20-21; 28:5; Luke 2:8-15; Acts 1:10-11)
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,
10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them.
11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
B. The angels minister to the people of God (Hebrews 1:14).
B. The angels minister to the people of God (Hebrews 1:14).
14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.
1. It is their job to minister to God’s people.
(Acts 8:26; 5:19-20)
26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them,
20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”
III. JESUS IS LORD OF ALL CREATION (Hebrews 1:8-13).
III. JESUS IS LORD OF ALL CREATION (Hebrews 1:8-13).
A. Jesus is enthroned as Lord of creation (Hebrews 1:8-9).
A. Jesus is enthroned as Lord of creation (Hebrews 1:8-9).
8 But to the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.
9 You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.”
1- God the Father identifies Jesus as also being God. (Hebrews 1:8)
8 But to the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.
2- God has ordained that Jesus will judge the world. (Hebrews 1:8b-9)
8 But to the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.
9 You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.”
B. Jesus will be the victorious King who returns in glory (Hebrews 1:10-13).
B. Jesus will be the victorious King who returns in glory (Hebrews 1:10-13).
10 He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain forever. They will wear out like old clothing.
12 You will fold them up like a cloak and discard them like old clothing. But you are always the same; you will live forever.”
13 And God never said to any of the angels, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.”
1. Jesus will return in Glory (Rev. 19:11-16).
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war.
12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself.
13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses.
15 From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.
16 On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
CONCLUSION:
A- Summary of main points.
I. JESUS HAS A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER.
II. ANGELS ARE MINISTERING SPIRITS.
III. JESUS IS LORD OF ALL CREATION.
B- Invitation to Discipleship.