Many people have a fascination with angels. If you go into a religious bookstore you will see a section devoted to angels and how people can interact with them. I receive lists of discounted or free books available on Amazon each day and a good part of the religious books are about angels. This fascination is nothing new. As the Hebrew writer began his teaching he first dealt with angels in relationship to Jesus.

“For to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father’? Or again, ‘I will be his Father, and he will be my Son’? And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’” (Hebrews 1:5-6 NIV)

What was the writer establishing at the outset? That angels are not what Christians should be concerned with. Angels are not the Son of God. Angels are not to be worshipped but instead worship the Son. In other words, angels should not take a place of importance in our lives as Christians. So what are angels and why did God create them?

“In speaking of the angels he says, ‘He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.’ But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a sceptre of justice will be the sceptre of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.’ … Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:7-9,14)

Angels were created to be servants: to serve God and to serve people. Our English word ‘angel’ is taken directly from the Greek word angelous. Perhaps this is what has led to some misunderstanding about them. The Greek word means ‘messenger’, not ‘heavenly being’ or anything like that. The word could be equally applied to people who were messengers. It could be that some of the usages of this word in the New Testament scriptures are talking about people and not necessarily heavenly beings.

When we read about angels in scripture take note of what they were doing: they were delivering a message from God to a person or group of people. When the three ‘men’ visited Abraham (Genesis 18) they were there to deliver a message from God. When two of these went on to see Lot (Genesis 19) it was to warn him and his family. The angel who appeared to Manoah’s wife and later to Manoah came to deliver a message that they would have a son who would deliver Israel. When Jesus was born angels delivered a message to shepherds to announce his arrival (and notice that the scriptures don’t talk about them singing!).

What does this tell us about angels? God used them as servants to deliver messages. That should tell us that they are not to be worshipped. It is the Son who has a place of authority at the right hand of God, not angels. “To which of the angels did God ever say, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’?” (Hebrews 1:13).

Although angels may be fascinating, perhaps because we don’t know that much about them, our real fascination should be with Jesus. Jesus came to reveal God. Jesus paid the price for our sins. Jesus is superior to angels. He is the one we should be concerned about.

Photo by Jon Galloway of painting at Shepherd’s Field, Israel.

Readings for next week: Hebrews 3-11