Our Lord Jesus is compared with four different
groups of persons, or personages, if we prefer
to refer to the angels as personages.
He is compared with the prophets, and ah,
His revelation is better than the prophets, because
theirs were given intermittently, and ah, they were
also given in a fragmentary way in diverse
places.
But when our Lord Jesus Christ came, He
revealed the heart of God.
He was God manifest in the flesh.
He completely expressed Him.
He was in the image of God, the
express image.
He was not in the image of God,
He was God.
But He was the express image of the
Godhead.
Now, a likeness resembles, but an image represents.
Now, when man was made, he was made
in the likeness and in the image of
God.
Certain likenesses have pursued us even to the,
even to the ah, even in the state
of sin.
And there is a sense in the word
of God which we are called God.
The Lord Jesus Christ calls us God.
And we do retain some of the characteristics
of the Godhead, even in spite of sin.
But we certainly have lost the image.
Because the image represents.
But our Lord Jesus Christ was the representative
of the Godhead in this world.
He completely told Him out.
He, strictly speaking, was not given a revelation
from God to give to us.
He was the revelation of God.
Now, the second group our Lord Jesus is
compared with is that of the angels.
And He's better than the angels.
Then He is compared to the apostles.
And two examples are given of men who
were in their own right apostles.
They had seen the Lord.
Moses saw Him at the burning bush.
And Joshua saw Him as the captain of
the host of the Lord.
They were sent to deliver the children of
Israel out of bondage.
And out from underneath the hand of Pharaoh.
But those apostles, Moses and Joshua, apostles they
were, did not give the people of God
rest.
Our apostle, and we're told to consider Christ
as an apostle.
Our apostle has led us out of a
bondage that is greater than that of Egypt.
And out from underneath the hand of a
cruel taskmaster who was much worse than Pharaoh
ever thought of being.
But above this, our apostle has led us
into rest.
Rest of soul.
And the word of God, if we will
not enter into that rest, will find us
out.
It will search us out.
For the word of God is sharper than
any two-edged sword.
Piercing even the dividing of thunder.
I got started wrong.
The word of God is quick and powerful
and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Piercing even the dividing of thunder of soul
and spirit and of the joints and marrow.
And is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart.
Neither is there any creature that is not
manifest in his sight.
But all things are naked and open under
the eyes of him with whom we have
to do.
The failure of the children of Israel in
the day of provocation.
In the day of the temptation and the
wilderness.
When they turned back in unbelief at Kadesh
Barnea, their failure was so apparent.
And God swore to them that he says,
you will not enter into my rest.
And the apostle makes the point of the
fact that David in the 95th Psalm speaks
of entering into the rest of God.
And the logic is very simple.
If they did not enter into the rest
of God, and David further speaks of those
who would be given a chance to enter
into the rest of God, then it remains
that there is a rest of God to
be possessed by the people of God.
And you and I, under the leadership of
our apostle, can have that rest.
But there are some that have not entered
into rest of soul.
Will their failure be apparent?
Well, not to you and to me.
Because many, many times people have passed for
Christians among the people of God for years.
And then have been saved by the grace
of God.
And the fact that they were not saved
was not apparent to us at all.
I'm thinking of some specific examples, but I
won't talk about them.
But they did not have rest.
But there was an agency, a powerful agency,
the word of God, that searched out their
hearts and discovered to them the fact they
did not have rest.
But our apostle will grant us, will lead
us in the rest of soul, and we
shall be at peace with God.
Then our Lord is compared with the priest.
He was a priest.
Our Lord was a priest in his priesthood
after the pattern of Aaron, but after the
order of Melchizedek.
Our Lord's priesthood follows the pattern of Aaron,
but he is a priest forever after the
order of Melchizedek.
Now the, thank God, the Jewish people, and
I'm going to ask you to consider this
from a Jewish standpoint, that you and I
will be benefited by doing so.
Because the Jews required a sign.
They wanted something that was tangible, something that
could be seen.
That was a part of their national background.
The Jews require a sign.
And there is, there are those Christians in
the world today, they want something showy, something
tangible.
They want to see their religion.
There is an overemphasis on beautiful buildings.
And I'm telling you, it's getting so that
there's almost a ritual in many places.
Now that's not Christianity.
Christianity is laying hold of faith by Christ
and making those things real.
Now the book of Hebrews will do just
that for us.
It will make our Lord Jesus Christ real.
And the pattern and the type, the shadows,
the examples of the Old Testament will become
real.
So as the Jew is instructed, you and
I are taught to live by faith.
And our Lord Jesus Christ assumes a more
real position in our lives by faith as
a high priest at the right hand of
the throne of God.
So we are benefited by these comparisons as
well.
Although this epistle, confessedly, was addressed to Jewish
professors.
Now, thank God those Jews did have a
regard for the Word of God.
And in the book of Hebrews we have
the Word of God developed.
We have it brought, quoted, and developed, taught.
It's a book of teaching that the Hebrew
might understand his own scriptures.
Thank God for that reverence.
But you know, the Hebrew people, the Jewish
believers, as a part of that remarkable religion,
the only religion which, incidentally, God opened to
heavens and gave to man, gave to men.
Their religion was, I say their religion, even
the scriptures speak of the Jewish religion.
I guess I may, I suppose I may.
But what I mean by that is their
faith, their system of things, their economy was
very greatly influenced by angels.
Now that's a part, that's a part of
the Jewish background.
The angelic intervention in the Hebrew history.
Now we just ended last night, we didn't
talk too much about it, we ended last
night.
How did, well even in the case of
Abraham, even in the case of Isaac and
Jacob, the intervention, I think particularly of Jacob,
the intervention of the angels in the history
of that people.
And as a nation, you remember the destroying
angel was that angel who passed through the
land of Egypt on that night, that Passover
night, and he, he took the life of
every firstborn that was not protected underneath the
blood.
And while the Egyptians were recovering from the
awful shock of the death of their firstborn,
the work of the destroying angel, the children
of Israel escaped from the land of Egypt.
Now angels were figured very highly in the
giving of the law.
I'd like to have you notice a couple
of scriptures in that connection.
Now you would wonder, and I suppose we
will be spending a whole evening on the
angels, the comparison of our Lord with angels,
and you'd wonder why I'm going to talk
about it.
I'm going to tell you why I'm going
to talk about it.
Now I'm, I'd like to refer you to
Acts 7, Acts chapter 7 and 51.
This is the climax of Semen's address to
the Jews, those who had apprehended him after
the persecutions in the book of Acts began.
He tells them, he describes the wonderful history
of the children of Israel, and then he
says in verse 51, When ye stiff-necked
and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do
always resist the Holy Ghost.
As your fathers did, so do ye.
Which of the prophets have not your fathers
persecuted?
They have slain them which showed before the
coming of the just one, of whom ye
have been now the betrayers and murderers, who
have received the law by the disposition of
angels and have not kept it.
Now I'd like to link this with a
verse in Galatians chapter 3.
Galatians chapter 3 and verse 19, Wherefore then
serveth the law?
It was added because of transgression, till the
seed should come to whom the promise was
made, and it was ordained by angels in
the hand of a mediator.
Now that mediator was Moses.
The angels gave the law to Moses.
So again the angels figure in the history
of Israel.
I can think of another occasion.
I didn't take my concordance and find the
word angel.
I'm just relying on a few examples of
memory.
But I can think of another occasion, and
I mentioned it last night, where the Assyrian
host was about to fight against Judah and
a destroying angel flew 185,000 Assyrians on
one night.
One angel wreaked all that havoc.
They were rescued by an angel.
An angel strengthened Daniel when he prayed.
Now angels figured largely in the history of
the children of Israel.
And they had a very high respect for
angels.
According to the book of Hebrews, their respect
for angels were too high, really.
Because they were so high, their respect for
the angels were so high, that this one,
Jesus of Nazareth, they could not conceive that
he was really higher than the angel.
I'm sure if you and I ever saw
an angel, we would have exactly the same
reaction that the Jew had.
They fell down and worshipped them before the
angel told them, don't worship me, worship God.
They didn't know but what they were looking
at God.
The angels in their beauty and in their
power, occupied such a place.
I don't think we're conscious enough of the
angels.
Actually, I don't think we do.
I think that we live year in and
year out and don't give the angels a
thought.
I think the Jew was over conscious of
the angels and I think we are under
conscious of the angels.
Believe me, I think if we were conscious
of the angels, as we should be, none
of our sisters would have any trouble whatsoever
in wearing a head covering.
Because we wear that head covering because of
the angels.
That's what the scripture tells us, we've got
that head covering on.
The angels are looking on and they're learning
things as they watch the church.
As we read in Ephesians chapter 3, I'd
like to have you seated because it may
help us to live a little better for
the Lord if we become conscious of the
fact that the angels are watching us.
Ephesians chapter 3.
Verse 8 of the third chapter of Ephesians,
Unto me who am less than the least
of all saints is this grace given that
I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable
riches of Christ, and to make all men
see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath
been hid in God, who created all things
by Jesus Christ, to the intent that now,
under the principalities and powers in heavenly places,
might be known by the church the manifold
wisdom of God.
Now, notice that.
To the intent that now, under the principalities
and powers in heavenly places, might be known
by the church the manifold wisdom of God.
Now, who are those principalities and powers in
the heavenly places?
They are the angels.
And they're looking at the church.
And God is teaching them lessons by looking
at the church.
And one of those lessons is the sister's
head covering.
I didn't intend mentioning it tonight, but I'm
in it, and I'm going to go on
with it.
Because I'll tell you why.
It's being neglected.
It's being neglected in many places.
And I think it's a grievous wrong.
And I'd like to turn you to the
11th chapter of 1 Corinthians, if you please.
I think there's been a neglect.
I don't think we're as conscious of the
angels as we should be.
I don't mean to...
I don't mean to exalt them in your
opinion to the degree that you're going to
give them the worship that you'd give the
Lord.
Oh, no, that's not the thought.
We're plenty conscious of each other, aren't we?
We should be.
We should also be conscious of the angels.
The 11th chapter of 1 Corinthians, verse 5.
Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her
head uncovered dishonoreth her head, for that is
even all as if she were shaven.
For if the woman be not covered, let
her also be shorn.
But if it be a shame for a
woman to be shorn or shaven, let her
be covered.
For a man indeed ought not to cover
his head forasmuch as he is the image
and glory of God.
But the woman is the glory of the
man.
For the man is not of the woman,
but the woman of the man.
Neither was the woman created for the man,
but the man for the woman.
Neither was the man created for the woman,
but the woman for the man.
For this cause ought the woman to have
the power or, as the margin has it,
the sign of the husband's authority.
And I think that's a little bit unfortunate.
I'll tell you why I think that's unfortunate
that it's put that way.
For this cause ought the woman to have
the sign of authority on her head because
of the angel.
They're looking on.
God is teaching them a lesson.
Now, the man is not to be uncovered
because he represents Christ.
Do you want to cover Christ's glory?
No, uncover them.
That's what I'm trying to do.
I'm trying, the best way I know how,
in my feeble way, to uncover a few
of the glories of Christ.
But what about man's glory?
Let's cover them up.
The woman represents the man.
The man represents Christ.
And I think it's unfortunate that Schofield has
put in the margin of his Bible this
note, authority, the sign of the husband's authority.
It's not a matter of the husband.
It's a matter of the man.
Now, the reason that I mention that is
because some sisters feel that because they are
not married they don't need to observe this.
Maybe they get it out of their Schofield
Bible.
I don't know the margin of it.
It's not a matter of the husband and
the wife.
It's a matter of the man and the
woman.
And God expects us to observe it.
But it's because of the angel.
You sisters, when you wear your hats, you're
teaching the angel because you as sisters represent
the church.
The man represents Christ.
She is covered.
Our glory should always be covered.
Man should be covered.
But the man, because he represents Christ, should
be uncovered.
Because we want to uncover Christ's glory, not
cover them.
Now, just a word here.
Some of our sisters think that because they
are children that covering is not necessary.
I say this.
If a sister is old enough to be
in assembly fellowship, she is old enough to
bear testimony to the truth of God.
I don't want to be dogmatic about these
things.
I don't want to be legal.
But that seems to be reasonable to me.
Now, you and I are not conscious of
the angels as we should be.
Paul on one occasion says, we are made
a spectacle to God and to men and
to angels.
The angels are looking on.
You and me.
They're watching us all the time.
They're learning lessons.
I hope they're learning lessons.
I hope they're learning lessons because of your
subjection and my subjection to the Lord.
But God is teaching the angels.
Well, just a word.
I hadn't intended bringing that in, but I
was reminded of the necessity of these things
by a recent article in Letters of Interest.
Perhaps you noticed it by Brother Charles Howard.
Very timely.
I'm glad he said it instead of myself
because I've been wanting to say it for
a long time.
But I do say this.
It is much more important than we think.
It's simply not a matter of convention.
It's a matter of the angelic hosts looking
upon the church.
And don't you ever relegate it to an
unimportant place.
It should not be.
Well, now, the Jews, however, they thought of
the angels with the greatest reverence.
And our Lord has deliberately compared with them
in four different ways in this passage of
Scripture.
Now, to read the fourth verse of the
first chapter of Hebrews.
They made so much better than the angels
that they hath by inheritance obtained a more
excellent name than they.
For unto which of the angels said he
at any time, Thou art my son, this
day have I begotten thee.
And again I will be to him a
father, and he shall be to me a
son.
And again when he bringeth in the first
begotten into the world, he saith, and let
all the angels of God worship him.
And of the angels, he saith, who maketh
his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame
of fire.
But unto the Son, he saith, thy throne,
O God, is forever and ever.
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of
thy kingdom.
Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity.
Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee
with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
And thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid
the foundation of the earth, and the heavens
are the works of thy hands.
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.
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?
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.
For if the word spoken by angels was
steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a
just recompense of reward, how shall we escape
if we neglect so great salvation which at
the first began to be spoken by the
Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them
that heard it?
God also bearing them witness both with signs
and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts
of the Holy Ghost according to his own
will.
For unto the angels hath he not put
in subjection the world to come whereof we
speak?
But one in a certain place testified, saying,
What is man that thou art mindful of
him?
Or the Son of Man that thou visitest
him?
Thou madest him a little lower than the
angels.
Thou crownedest him with glory and honor, and
didst set him over the works of thy
hands.
Thou hast put all things in subjection under
his feet.
For in that he put all in subjection
under him, he left nothing that is not
put under him.
But now we see not yet all things
put under him.
But we see Jesus who was made a
little lower or for a little time lower
than the angels for the suffering of death,
crowned with glory and honor that he by
the grace of God should taste death for
every man.
Now here in this portion of Scripture we
see our Lord Jesus a superior to the
angels in four different areas.
First of all, it is expressed directly in
verse 4, He has a more excellent name
than they.
And then in the latter part of chapter
1, and this is not so plainly expressed,
He has a more excellent ministry than they.
And then chapter 2, He has a more
excellent word than they.
And then beginning in verse 6 to verse
8, He has a more excellent dominion than
they.
So you see four areas in which our
Lord Jesus Christ is superior to the angels.
He is superior to them in name, in
ministry, in word, and in dominion.
Now, His name is a more excellent name
and He has received His name by inheritance.
Now, our Lord Jesus Christ is looked at
in the second verse of the first chapter
as the heir of all things.
And in verse 4 of the first chapter,
it speaks of Him receiving or having a
more excellent name by inheritance.
So now, something takes place between the heir
and the time that He receives His inheritance.
And that is death.
And death actually takes place in the third
verse of the first chapter of Hebrews.
Because when He had by Himself purged our
sins, He sat down on the right hand
of the Majesty on high.
His death is spoken of there because He
died for our sins.
I'd like to have you see a nice
little thought, at least I've enjoyed it, in
Hebrews chapter 9.
The ninth chapter of the book of Hebrews.
Verse 15.
We just break right in.
For this cause He is the mediator of
the New Testament or New Covenant, that by
means of death, or the redemption of the
transgressions that were under the first testament, they
which are called might receive the promise of
eternal inheritance.
For where a testament is, there must also
of necessity be the death of a testator.
For a testament is a force after men
are dead.
Otherwise it is no strength at all while
the testator lives.
Whereupon neither the first testament or covenant, if
you want to read it that way, was
dedicated without blood.
Even the first covenant was dedicated with blood.
Death took place in order for the first
covenant to be established.
For the death of our Lord Jesus Christ
was necessary before you and I could enter
in upon our inheritance.
Because it is of necessity, for a testament
is a force after men are dead.
Otherwise it is of no strength at all
while the testator lives.
And what you and I have in the
way of wealth, eternal spiritual wealth, what you
and I have by way of what we
may call an inheritance, has come to us
because of the death of Christ.
But Christ also, as well as you and
I, has benefited by his own death.
And he by inheritance has obtained a more
excellent name than the angel.
Now, that would seem to fix this statement,
verse 5 of the first chapter of Hebrews,
and I hope you won't think I'm technical.
I think it's important.
For unto which of the angels said he
at any time, thou art my son, this
day have I begotten thee.
Now, when is the day that is referred
to?
Was it when he was born into this
world?
We read that God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten son that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish but
have everlasting life.
Was that the day that this statement was
made?
Is that the day referred to?
Thou art my son this day have I
begotten thee?
I would not think so.
I'd like to refer you to the 13th
chapter of Acts.
The apostle Paul makes an application of this
very verse, and it's interesting to me how
he makes the application as to the time
when these words were really spoken.
Acts chapter 13.
He's speaking of the life and death of
our Lord Jesus.
Verse 30 he says, But God raised him
from the dead, and he was seen many
days of them which came up with him
from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses
unto the people.
And we declare unto you glad tidings of
that the promise which was made unto the
fathers, which God hath fulfilled the same unto
us their children, in that he hath raised
up Jesus again.
As it is also written in the second
psalm, Thou art my son this day have
I begotten thee.
Now, why would he refer to that verse
in the second psalm in connection with the
resurrection of Christ?
I'm not going to belabor the point.
I don't think I have to.
That was the application.
That was the usage that the apostle Paul
gave that verse in the second psalm.
Thou art my son this day have I
begotten thee.
Now, we read in Hebrews chapter 1 that
our Lord Jesus has a more excellent name
than the angel because that name is son.
Well, now it is true that God did
call the Lord Jesus Christ his son before
the occasion of his resurrection.
He said, this is my beloved son in
whom I am well pleased.
And he says, hear him.
And he acknowledged him and owned him as
son, but I believe this is true in
regard to the more excellent name of our
Lord Jesus.
It was used in the fullest significance when
Christ rose again from the dead because he
had proved himself a son as never before.
A son by his subjection of the cross.
Because as a son is subject to his
father, our Lord Jesus Christ was subject to
his father.
And he says father, and he prayed to
his father to remove that cup from him.
But his father was not pleased to do
so.
He says, father, if thou wilt.
I can't quote it.
Somebody quote it for me.
No, that's the substance of it.
I've got the words misplaced.
But you know the verse well.
If it be possible, let this cup pass
from me.
What he addresses him is father.
Let the cup did not pass from him.
He says, nevertheless, not as I will, but
as thou wilt.
And I think of the beautiful significance of
that statement.
I think certainly this statement was made at
his resurrection.
Thou art my son.
This day have I begotten thee.
He was the first begotten from among the
dead.
But he owned him as his son.
Oh, how proud.
Oh, if I may use that term, I'll
use it reverently.
The father was of his son.
And he called him his son.
Now, he called him that on earth, but
never was it significant that it is used
here, I verily believe.
Now, we have the same thought in Philippians
chapter 2, and I'd like to have you
see that and enjoy it with me too.
Philippians chapter 2.
We have in verses 5, 6, 7 and
8, we have the humiliation of our Lord
Jesus Christ, but in verse 9 we have
these words, Wherefore God also hath highly exalted
him, and given him a name which is
above every name.
All right, what is this name that God
has given to his son which is above
every name?
That it's the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, of things in heaven and things
in earth and things under the earth, and
that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord to the glory of God the
Father.
The Lord.
The new name that was given to him,
given him a name which is above every
name, the name of Jesus.
Yes, that's the name at which they're going
to bow.
That's the name of his humiliation.
But that's the name that God gave him.
But with a new significance.
They're going to bow to that name.
And you know our Lord Jesus Christ never
spoiled that name.
That name was unsullied.
Now they're going to bow to that name.
Oh, they reviled him.
But God is not mocked.
They're going to bow to the name of
Jesus.
He never spoiled that name.
I think probably we'll all have new names
in heaven.
I think I heard Mr. A.
N.
O'Brien years and years ago express that
thought.
And I hope that I have a different
name in heaven because the name, the mention
of the name Ken Baird to the minds
of some people might recall unpleasant incidents.
I don't know.
But there's not going to be, I know
there's not going to be any unpleasant memories
in heaven.
But here is a name that does not
have to be changed.
The name of Jesus.
But with a new significance.
And the name of the son, in Hebrews
chapter 1, it isn't that it's mentioned for
the first time, but it's mentioned with a
renewed significance.
He has a more excellent name than they.
He is called the son.
Thou art my son this day have I
begotten thee.
Now I'm not going to talk about that
point anymore for we have more ground to
cover.
He has a more excellent name than they.
God never called them sons.
Now he says in verse 7, And of
the angels, he saith, who maketh his angels
spirits and his ministers a flame of fire.
Now he calls them spirits and he calls
them ministers, but he doesn't call them son.
That name is reserved for our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Now the contrast is in verse 8.
They are called ministers, but in verse 8,
but unto the son he saith, Thy throne,
O God, is for ever and ever a
scepter of righteousness, is a scepter of thy
kingdom.
You know, I don't think that we attach
enough significance to the title of our Lord
Jesus Christ as the son of God.
Or it glorifies God.
He's glorified in the son.
The son is glorified in him.
As we read in John chapter 17.
What a lovely title.
Our Lord Jesus Christ in his subjection has
set a precedent for you and for me
that we might be sons of God too.
And that we might subject our will to
our heavenly Father even as he subjected his
will to his heavenly Father.
What a wonderful title.
The son of God.
But unto the son he saith, Thy throne,
O God, is for ever and ever a
scepter of righteousness, is a scepter of thy
kingdom.
Now I think we'll just skip over there.
There's some wonderful verses in here, but I'd
like to have you notice verses 13 and
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?
Now our Lord Jesus Christ has a more
excellent ministry.
Now here is a thought that may be
new to you and I don't ask you
to accept it simply because I said it.
Think about it, please.
Give it some real thought and some real
meditation.
I'm going to suggest this to you.
That before you and I were saved, we
were not the sheep of our Lord Jesus.
He was not our shepherd.
We could not claim his loving care as
one of his own.
But he knew in course of time that
we would accept the Lord Jesus Christ as
our Savior.
And I think in those days that God
delegated, the Lord Jesus Christ delegated the angels
to look after you and me to keep
us alive until the time when we trusted
our Lord Jesus Christ.
They are ministering spirits sent forth to minister
for them who shall be heirs of salvation.
That's a future sense.
Now I would not say that you and
I do not yet enjoy the ministry of
angels in regard to our protection and our
care.
For there is a very real sense in
which you and I are still the heirs
of salvation because we haven't got it all
yet.
Our body is still to be saved.
And we may still enjoy angelic help on
occasion.
But I will say this.
The more excellent ministry and incidentally it's mentioned
in connection with the new covenant.
Well let's notice that in chapter 8 if
you please.
Chapter 8 and verse 6.
But now hath he obtained a more excellent
ministry by how much also he is the
mediator of a better covenant which was established
upon better promises.
Now the first covenant was ordained by angels
in the hand of a mediator.
But the second covenant he is the mediator
of that covenant and the angels are not
said to be involved.
But he has obtained a more excellent ministry.
Now the Lord Jesus Christ strictly speaking does
not leave your care and mine to the
angels now.
We are directly at his own charge for
he is our shepherd and we are his
sheep.
And he looks after us himself.
I would not say he never uses the
angels to do it.
But we are his own charge.
And he is, that more excellent ministry is
connected with a new covenant and he sits
upon the throne of God today as the
mediator of that covenant and he's taking care
of you and me as the great shepherd
of the sheep.
We are directly his responsibility.
He has made up his responsibility For as
before I think that I have enjoyed protection
by the angels before God saved my soul
I can think of three occasions that I
don't see how I ever lived.
Through accident, God took care of me.
Through the ministry of angels I have thoroughly
believed.
But now I would rather think that my
care and protection is due directly to our
Lord Jesus Christ.
He uses the angels as ministers for your
behalf and mine that he is the great
shepherd of the sheep.
He is the one who sits on the
throne.
He is the one who has a more
excellent ministry.
Then he has a more excellent word in
chapter 2.
Let's notice that 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.
For if the word spoken by angels was
said fast and every transgression and disobedience received
a just recompense or reward how shall we
escape if we neglect so great salvation which
at the first began to be spoken by
the Lord?
Now let's think of the difference between the
word of the angels and the word of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
The word of the angels was oftentimes I
believe connected with judgment.
And the angels did not did not permit
any any disobedience whatsoever.
Lot was told you remember when those angels
led Lot and his wife out of the
city of Sodom those angels told Lot and
his wife now don't you look behind you
do not look behind you Lot's wife did.
She was a pillar of salt beneath them.
She disobeyed the voice of an angel.
When Zechariah was told about the birth of
John the Baptist he faltered and unbelieved.
And the angel said because you didn't obey
my word the angel gave you because you
didn't obey my word you're going to be
dumb.
So this all takes place.
And he had to use a writing tablet
when he came out of his ministry in
the temple that day.
What was wrong?
He disobeyed the voice of an angel.
Oh what of you and me when the
Lord has spoken?
He says how shall we escape?
The apostle puts it that way.
How shall we escape if we neglect so
great salvation which at first began to be
spoken by the Lord?
There's no escape for you and for me.
If we escape the word of what?
Communion?
No.
The word of salvation.
Oh how lovely are the words of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
The richest gospel literature in all the Bible
is the four gospels.
If you want to find a gospel message
go to the four gospels.
Listen to the words of our Lord Jesus.
His were words of deliverance not of condemnation.
And oh how gracious were his words.
But if they're neglected oh how great the
condemnation.
How shall we escape if we neglect that
salvation which at first began to be spoken
by the Lord.
Now to pass on quickly our Lord Jesus
has a more excellent dominion.
Let's turn to the eighth psalm where the
verses that are quoted here are originally recorded.
Psalm 8.
Verse 3.
When I consider thy heavens the work of
thy fingers the moon and the stars which
thou hast ordained what is man that art
mindful of him and the son of man
that thou visitest him?
For thou hast made him a little lower
than the angels and hast crowned him with
glory and honor.
Thou madest him to have the dominion over
the works of thy hands.
Thou hast put all things under his feet
all sheep and oxen yea and the beasts
of the field the fowl of the air
and the fish of the sea and whatsoever
passeth through the paths of the sea.
O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy
name and all the earth.
Now I've had this I've heard this psalm
read on many occasions before I knew the
Lord and I have heard preachers arrogate the
eighth psalm to man think of that now
what is man that thou art mindful of
him and the son of man that thou
visitest him and they go on arrogating the
rest of it to man as such as
we know it for thou hast made him
a little lower than the angels and then
the preachers would say why look at your
position now try to live up to it
do your best to live up to it
oh they mixed it all together it was
Christ that was made a little lower than
the angels and he is the one to
whom all things are to be put under
thou mayest him to have dominion over the
works of thy hands do we have it?
No thou hast put all things under his
feet are all things under our feet?
No all sheep and oxen yea the beasts
of the field well the sheep and the
oxen may be under our guidance and under
our authority but the beasts of the field
no I'm not yet just about to tell
a lion what to do or a bear
for that matter not me they're not subject
to me you see that dominion thou hast
made him to have dominion over the works
of thy hands that dominion is the dominion
of the man Christ Jesus now in that
second chapter of Hebrews we read now think
of it in that sense for unto the
angels hath he not put in subjection the
world to come whereof we speak that one
in a certain place testifies what is man
that thou art mindful of him or the
son of man that thou visitest him well
that's us that's our verse but the next
verse is the Lord thou madest him a
little lower than the angels thou crownest him
with glory and honor and didst set him
over the works of thy hands thou hast
put all things in subjection under his feet
for in that he put all in subjection
under him he left nothing that is not
put under him but now we see not
yet all things put under him but we
see Jesus who is made for a little
time lower than the angels for the suffering
of death crowned with glory and honor no
we don't see all things under our Lord
yet but all things are going to be
put under him is this the case for
the angels no it was never said of
the angels that this would be their sphere
of rule this is the sphere of rule
of the man Christ Jesus now think of
our Lord Jesus as compared to the angels
he has a more excellent name he has
a more excellent ministry he has a more
excellent word he has a more excellent dominion