Hebrews 1

“Now towhich of the angels has He [God] ever said: Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool?  Are they not all ministering spirits sent outto serve those who are going to inherit salvation?”  Hebrews 1:13-14 (HCSB)

It has been said, “Pertaining to angels, there are two things to avoid: giving them too much thought and not enough.”

I have met people who are overly preoccupied with angels.  It seems like everything that happens in their lives is mystically attached to some demonic or angelic influence.  It is hard to discuss the practical aspects of faith with those people.  If it’s not spooky, they aren’t interested.  It seems nothing is ever their fault, claiming, “The Devil made me do it!”

On the other hand, many people don’t believe in angels.  They believe in God and people.   One of the most challenging things to overcome when sharing the gospel with the Jewish community, for instance, is the prevalent unbelief in the angelic, which is taught in many synagogues.  Because of this, it is almost impossible to communicate the realities of Satan’s influence, the antichrist or hell, for that matter.

I don’t spend a lot of time dwelling on angels.  I know they are there, but I don’t worship them by giving them excess honor or fear.  I pray that God will protect me, support me, and give me influence for His gospel.  How He answers those prayers in the angelic realm is His business.

Two very important lessons about angels can be found in today’s passage of Scripture.

1) Jesus is above angels.  Some people believe God’s holiness is balanced by His “evil equal” Satan.  That is simply wrong.  Satan’s counterpart is Michael, the archangel.  They are both ANGELS.  God has no equal, evil or otherwise.

2) Angels are ministering spirits sent out to serve believers…or those who WILL believe.  You may say, “No.  Angels serve only God.”  But the text indicates that angels serve anyone in the family of God.  One of the benefits of being a believer is that angels influence conditions in our lives by God’s will and direction, which is ultimately in our better interest.

Followers of Jesus are co-inheritors with Him.  As Jesus lived up to the character of the Name He inherited, so should we strive to honor the Lord, Whose Name we have inherited as believers.  To do otherwise would be to receive His Name in vain, to say we are His, yet live as if we belong to the World.  (By the way, that is the essence of the 3rd commandment!)