Jesus Is Superior To Angels 11-24-24 PM

I.  He has a greater name (Hebrews 1:4-5).

a.      I really like the ESV rendering of this verse: “having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs”.

                                                              i.      The name Jesus inherited is told us in the next verse, which is a quote from Psalm 2:7.

                                                            ii.      Jesus is the Son of God.

                                                          iii.      The second quotation is from 2 Samuel 7:14.

                                                          iv.      This is the chapter we looked at a few weeks ago in which the promise of God to David to bring the Messiah through his lineage is recorded.

                                                            v.      This was a prophecy that the Father would send His Son to be King.

b.      God attested to this fact at the baptism of Jesus and on the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 3:17; 17:5).

c.       John 3:16 plainly tells us that Jesus is the “only begotten Son of God “.

d.      In societies where titles are inherited, someone with a higher title is superior to someone with a lower title.

e.      In this case, Jesus being the Son of God, is far superior to angels.

f.        In fact, angels serve the Son (1 Peter 3:22).

g.      Being Son is far superior to being a servant.

II.      He is to be worshiped by the angels (Hebrews 1:6).

a.      We noticed in the sermon on the first three verses of this chapter that Jesus created all things.

                                                              i.      Angels are included in all things.

                                                            ii.      Thus, as their Creator, they are to worship Him.

b.      It is interesting that every time a person attempted to worship an angel, the angel would refuse their worship and point them to God (Revelation 19:10; 22:9).

c.       The Lord never refused worship because He is deity and is worthy of worship.

d.      About this Robert Milligan wrote, “...the fact remains indisputable, that by the decree of Jehovah all the angels of glory are required to bow down and worship him who is the First-begotten from the dead, the Firstborn of the whole creation”

                                                              i.      Angels are tremendous beings.

                                                            ii.      One angel is said to have destroyed 70,000 men in Israel (2 Samuel 24:15).

                                                          iii.      Angels are swift and carry out the commands of God, but they still must offer worship to the Son.

III.    He has an everlasting throne (Hebrews 1:7-9).

a.      Verse 7, which is a quote from Psalm 104:4, attests to the amazing power of angels.

b.      But they have not been given a throne like Jesus has.

                                                              i.      The writer then quoted from Psalm 45:6-7.

                                                            ii.      This looks back to the promise God gave David that one would sit on his throne.

c.       Because of the great work of Jesus, He has been placed far above all others.

d.      Jesus is the King over His kingdom.

e.      This should remind us of what the angel told Mary (Luke 1:30-33).

f.        Notice also, that this passage refers to Jesus as God: “Your throne, o God, is forever and ever.

                                                              i.      Jesus was and is deity.

                                                            ii.      John 1:1.

g.      Daniel saw the Lord receiving this throne and kingdom (Daniel 7:13-14).

h.      Christ has the right to the throne because of His love and dedication to righteousness and His hatred of evil.

IV.     He is eternal (Hebrews 1:10-12).

a.      Angels are created beings because they were created by Jesus.

b.      Jesus was able to create them, as He did all things, because He is eternal.

c.       The writer then quoted Psalm 102:25-27.

                                                              i.      His creative powers are mentioned in verse 10.

                                                            ii.      All those things created will perish, but He who is eternal will remain.

                                                          iii.      His years will have no end.

d.      As created beings, angels had a beginning point.

e.      We, as created beings, had a beginning point and our eternal souls will then go on to spend eternity in one of two places, which is the same for the angels.

f.        Incidentally, this is a passage that proves the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that the quantity of matter remains the same but that the quality of it is winding down.

                                                              i.      If evolution were true, the quality of matter would be getting better.

                                                            ii.      However, everything deteriorates and this is a law of science.

                                                          iii.      Evolution has to break its own laws in order to be true.

g.      The material creation is one day going away, folded up like a blanket.

h.      Jesus is not, nor ever will be, for He is eternal.

V.      His enemies will all bow before Him (Hebrews 1:13-14).

a.      As great as angels are, and they are at work through the divine will of God for us today in some fashion, their enemies will never bow down to them.

b.      Only the Son will have this reaction to Him.

c.       The writer quoted Psalm 110:1.

                                                              i.      At some point, every enemy of the Lord will bow down before Him.

                                                            ii.      Philippians 2:9-11; Romans 14:11.

d.      The last enemy is death (1 Corinthians 15:25-28).

e.      As powerful and amazing as angels are, they will never be bowed down to by their enemies.