The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 47

in:5t~nces in ~ripture of the varied and high missions of judgment and mercy and rmmstry on which they are sent. They serve the King ceaselessly. Our prayer for earth is that the Divine will may be done here as in heaven. Jacob's vision is always being fulfilled, and the ancient" hymn of the Church, "To thee all angels cry aloud, the heavens," etc. li. THE GREAT~"ESS OJI' THE ANGELS REVEALS THE GREATNESS OJI' THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. That is the substance of vcrs. 5-13. These verses consist of a series of quotations from the Book of Psalms. From certain psalms (which were applied to Christ) the writer draws certain statements with regard to our Lord and the angels and he uses these t-0 show that the greatness of the angels illustrates the surpassing greatness of the Redeemer, There are, thus, three lines of contrast drawn here. 1. Christ is the God whom these exalted angels worship. (Vers. 5, 6.) In a sense peculiar to himself the Lord Jesus Christ is God the Son. Others may be sons of God but he is the" Only-begotten," which must mean equality and oneness with the Father'• for he who commands, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only" says' also of Christ, "And let all the angels of God worship him." Christ the supr~me Object of the worship of these exalted and innumerable angelic beings. Rank above rank, angel and archangel, principality and power, cherubim and seraphim, rise in the order of being and glory, these a~ve those, others hig~et· still, and still others higher, till the highest rank of created maJesty and splendour 1s reached. But far above the highest is 0])e glorious central throne, round which these countless hosts all circle, and before which they bow in worship-and the Lamb is in the midst of the throne. 2. Ohrist '8 the Creator from whose hands they came. (Ver. 7.) In the great powers of nature are depicted the resistless might and rapid movement of the heavenly hosts as they sweep through space, unrestrained by the laws that bind us lower creatures. But however great they be, they owe all to him, the Son, whose handiwork they are. "He maketh his angels winds." As the work extols the worker, and the greater the work the more glorious the worker is seen to be, so of all created things none more truly extols him by whom all were made, than the exceeding glory of the angelic host. 3. Ghrist is the King whose will they perform. (Vera. 8-14.) The idea here is in the main that Christ is the King, righteous, eternal. universal, victorious. The angels only stand as servants before him, or fly at his bidding. How great must the King be the.t has· such a retinue (see Eph. i. 20-22) I Angels escorted him on his e.scension; attend him in his redeeming work, and rejoice with him over repentant sinners ; fly from bis presence to minister to his people; when he comes in judgment he" will bring all the holy angels with him." How great the King served by myriads of such servants as these, and leading in his train princes, powers, potentates, dominions, of such surpassing glory I III. THE GREATNESS OF UHRIBT AND THE ANGELS REVEALS THE GREATNESS OF THE CIIRISTIAN BELIEVER. See what a practical truth we have been considering. The apostle closes this sublime description of Christ with its bearing on "the heirs of salvation." This chapter leads up to them. Very suggestive that it does close with that word. 'l'he greater the angels are, the greater Christ is. The greater Christ, our Helper, Friend, Saviour, Sanctifier, is, the greater we, his people, are. See here: 1. The believer's grratness in being made, in so glorio'UB a universe, the subject of Divine love. How great the contrast between man and the angels I And of them the universe is full. 'l'his shows the marvel of the grace which fixed its love on the fallen sons of Adam. Why should our lower and comparatively insignificant race be the object of redeeming mercy? ".Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him?" How great is me.n when he becomes the object of such love I 2. The believer's greatness in the exalted '!"elationship between him and the celestial beings. 'l'ake the first verse of this passage : Christ "became so much better than;the angels ; " that can only refer to him as God- Man for as God he was better than the angels. Christ, then, holds this position as Mediator; that is, for us; the greatness of Christ is on our behalf. '.['ake the last verse of the passage: "Are they not all," etc.? All the angels, however high their rank, wa.it unseen on us, doing their Lord's will. However lowly the "heir of salvation" -,:i~y- be, angelic messengers_ are pa~sin_g from the thr~me to him J?0r1?9tually, upboldin~, ,;u1drng, protecting, comfort mg, enr!ching. ". Cherub1!11 ra_lly at his side_, and the Captarn 9f that host is God." How great 1e the believer, heir with such a Kmg, and attended by sue):, ministrants I 3. T!UJ 'bd-iever's 9reatneu in tl1e glory of that future state f// OH, I, 1-14.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 37