Angels-God’s Helpers

“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?”  Hebrews 1:13-14

To contrast between Christ, God’s Son, and angels, the writer of the book of Hebrews reminds his readers that God, the Father, never told any of His angels to sit on His right hand until their enemies were made their footstool which is a reference from Psalm 110:1. The throne on God’s right hand is occupied only by Christ.  Psalm 110 was written by King David over 1,000 years before the birth of Jesus and about 3,000 years before our current day.  In his Psalm, it is clearly evident that the phrase is said by God, the Father, to God the Son:  “The LORD said unto my Lord…”  God told Jesus to remain in the seat beside Him until Jesus’ enemies were crushed beneath His feet either by humble submission in repentance and faith or by complete destruction and banishment to hell for all eternity.

Why does Jesus have enemies?  That sounds like a dumb question because scripture tells us all about those who hated Him.  But why did they hate Him so?  He never did anything to hurt people or cause them to lose possessions.  He never even condemned anyone or judged them.  It is true that He pointed out the truth to people and revealed their sin to them, but only out of love and concern for their physical life and their eternal life as well.  He always has the best interest in mind for those for whom He bled and died.  He is not a vindictive dictator who desires to disrupt people’s lives, but rather a loving Brother who desires a better way for folks to live.  It was His mission when He came to earth “to seek and to save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10) in the miserable and murky mire of sin.  His enemies arose because they were jealous of Him and of the attention that He was receiving from the crowds of everyday people.  They couldn’t let that continue.  They might lose their power and prestigious positions as the religious leaders.  If Jesus had enemies at His first coming, just imagine the multitude of enemies He will have when He returns to judge the world.

In serving Christ, the angels are tasked with the work in not only ministering to Him, but in ministering to all the “heirs of salvation”.  What is an heir?  Webster’s Dictionary defines “heir” as one “who inherits or is legally entitled to inherit another’s property or title upon the other’s death”. An heir of salvation is one who by faith has repented of sin and received Christ as Lord and Savior.  He or she is “saved” from God’s wrath and are being saved as they are being sanctified through living for Christ.  Their salvation will be complete when they pass from this life into heaven, the abode of God.  They will inherit all that God has promised His Son.  Believers are not only heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ, but they are also part of the inheritance that God has provided for His Son (John 10:29).  Believers inherit all that Jesus possesses, and He inherits us.  In my humble, but honest opinion, we are getting the better of the deal!

Angels are God’s helpers.  Their chief task in ministering to the heirs of salvation is to aid folks as they sojourn this earth on their way to their eternal home.  They protect us from, as my uncle used to pray, “dangers, both seen and unseen”.  There’s no telling at perhaps thousands of times that we were kept from some unseen danger or circumstance that could have brought us harm.  Sometimes things happen that we know for a certainty that God had sent His angels to protect us.  How many times have we heard on television a survivor of a terrific storm say that God was with them?  We live in a sin-cursed world, and anything can happen.  We are so blessed that God watches over us and sends His angels to help us.  Thank God for angels, God’s helpers.