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HEBREWS

 

SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE ANGELS

Hebrews 1:4-14

Victor M. Eskew

 

Being made so much better than the angels…

 

I.         ANGELS VERSUS THE SON (Heb. 1:3-5)

 

II.       ANGELS WORSHIP THE SON VERSUS THE SON WHO IS WORSHIPPED (Heb. 1:6)

 

III.      ANGELS ARE MINISTERS VERSUS THE SON WHO IS KING (Heb. 1:7-9)

 

IV.      ANGELS WERE CREATED VERSUS THE SON WHO IS THE CREATOR (Heb. 1:10)

 

V.        ANGELS ARE MORTAL VERSUS THE SON WHO IS ETERNAL (Heb. 1:11-12)

 

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.

 

A.  Here the created order in general is spoken of.

1.    Created things are perishable.

a.    They shall perish.

b.    Wax old

c.    Fold them up

d.   Shall be changed

2.    II Peter 3:10

 

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

 

3.    This does not mean that the angelic hosts will be destroyed at the last day.  He is merely referring to their nature as composed to the eternal nature of Jesus Christ.

 

 

B.   Jesus is eternal and lasting.

1.    But thou remainest.

2.    Thou art the same.

3.    Thy years shall not fail.

 

VI.      ANGELS ARE MINISTERS VERSUS THE SON WHO IS A RULER (Heb. 1:13-14)

 

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?

 

A.  The answer to the first question is:  “None of them.”  But, the Lord did make the statement to Jesus.

1.    The quote is from Psalm 110:1.

 

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

 

2.    The Son was sat at God’s right hand to rule and continues to do so at this time (I Cor. 15:25-27a).

 

For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.  For he hath put all things under his feet.

 

B.   In contrast to Jesus as the ruler, the angels are “ministering spirits.”

1.    Twice a form of the word “minister” is used in reference to angels in these two verses.

2.    In some sense they do service on behalf of those who are Christians.  We ask:  “What do they do for us?”  The answer to this question is not clearly revealed in Scripture.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.  The Law of Moses was given by the disposition of angels.  The New Testament was given by Jesus Christ.

 

B.   The writer has shown that Jesus is superior to the angels in many ways. 

 

C.  Why, then, would one return to a law whose giver (angels) was inferior to the giver (Jesus) of the law they were presently under?

 

FIRST WARNING:  LISTEN UP!

Hebrews 2:1-4

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.  The inspired penman had just told about the superiority of Christ to the prophets and to the angels. 

 

B.   He now exhorts his readers based upon what he has just said, “therefore.”  He encourages his readers to “Listen Up!”

 

I.         THE EXPECTATION (Heb. 2:1).

 

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

 

A.  A conclusion:  Therefore

1.    Strong (1223)  dia,  through, the channel of an act

2.    Thayer:  the ground or reason by which something is or is not done…because of…for this reason.

 

B.   A necessity:  ought

1.    Strong (1163):  dei, it is necessary as binding

2.    Thayer:  it is necessary, lying in the nature of the case

3.    “The author was not merely suggesting that his audience apply these instructions; he was, by divine inspiration commanding them to give the more earnest heed” (Wacaster, 58).

 

C.  A hearing:  give the more earnest heed

1.    Heed

a.    Strong (4337):  to hold the mind toward, be attentive, cautious about, adhere to

b.    Thayer:  to turn the mind toward, attend to, be attentive

c.    Barclay:  to moor a ship  “Therefore, we must the more earnestly anchor our lives to the things we have been taught.”

2.    More earnest

a.    Strong (4056):  more superabundantly

b.    Thayer:  more abundantly, more earnestly

c.    Wacaster:  over and above, more than necessary, superadded, extraordinary, surpassing

D.  A standard:  the things which we have heard

1.    The teachings delivered by Christ, the apostles, and the NT prophets

2.    The instructions of the New Testament

 

E.   A possibility:  lest at any time

1.       Strong (3379):  not ever, if ever, lest ever

2.       Thayer:  that not, lest, whether, perhaps, in no way

 

F.    An end:  let them slip

1.    Strong (3901):  to flow by, carelessly pass (miss)

2.    Thayer:  to glide by, pass by, a thing escape me, slips my mind

3.    Comments:

a.    We are to be securely anchored to the teachings of Christ (See “heed” above).  If we fail to tie our lives securely, we can slowly drift from the things that we have been taught.

b.    Wacaster:  “But there are multitudes who drift day by day in small incre-ments.  Apostasy is not the result of one giant leap away from God, but neglect of more important things that eventually leads to complete separation” (59).

c.    NOTE:  This verse presents a refutation of the doctrine of the imposs-ibility of apostasy.  If we cannot drift away, why the warning that states that we can?