An Advent reflection for Friday, December 22nd by Seanna Wong
Lectionary reading for 12/22/2023: Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26; 2 Samuel 6:12-19; Hebrews 1:5-14
Selected passage for reflection: Hebrews 1:5-14
Read
Hebrews 1:5-14 New International Version
5 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”? 6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” 7 In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.” 8 But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. 9 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.” 10 He also says, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 11 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.” 13 To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Reflect
Our text today may, at first glance, seem simple: Jesus high, angels low.
Yet, drawing deeper, ask yourself, why does The Almighty see it necessary for us to have this particular scripture in our bibles? Before you answer that, let's start from the beginning.
Why were angels created?
Have you ever wondered? I hadn’t really. Angels are a thematic given, recurring beings in biblical scenarios and present in everyday testimonies of protection.
From our Bibles, we can assume that angels were created before the world’s formation as we read God asking Job, “Where were you when I laid the Earth’s foundation … and all the angels shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4,7). However, we should be less concerned with when the angels were created and more with why.
Verse 14 of our text describes the angels as ministering spirits sent with the sole purpose of serving. And who do they serve and minister to? Those who inherit salvation - you and I.
Concerning God’s people, angels exist to protect.
Psalm 91:11 reads that God “...will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone”.
After leaving the lion’s den, Daniel explains in Daniel 9:22 that “...God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me…”.
An angel of the Lord encourages a homeless, weary, and near-to-death Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness in Genesis 21:17-18.
Angels attend to Jesus after his testing in the desert in Matthew 4:11.
Psalm 34:7 reads, “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”
Whether angels are guarding, emboldening, or reassuring us, one purpose of the angels is to attend to the needs of God’s people actively.
For God, angels exist to exalt, worship, and praise Him.
“Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand…in a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelations 5:11-12).
“And all the angels were standing around the throne…and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God” (Revelations 7:11).
“And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward man’” (Luke 2:13).
These are the angels' functions on direct order from the Lord.
Now, back to our first question. Why, then, does our text in Hebrews remind us who sits above the angels?
Our answer is wrapped in Revelations 22:8-9 as John, witnessing myriads and myriads of angels, falls in worship to the angel that has guided him. The angel resoundingly says,“‘Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!’”.
Like John, if angels appeared to us, we might also be overwhelmingly moved by their appearances and try to worship them, and perhaps that’s one reason why God prohibits our sight of them unless necessary. Angels were created in God’s might and splendor. They may bear traits of His glorious design, but in and of themselves, angels are not glorious. They are servants like us with a different task than ours.
Our text in Hebrews capitalizes on the fact that our prayers, adoration, exaltation, and worship belong not to angels but only to God who sits on the throne.
Respond
It’s an easy and slippery action placing others on Christ’s throne. Overcome in this world, we, like John in Revelation 22, may fall in worship to beings, people, and things, forgetting that our attention, like the angels, need only center on Christ.
Are there people, things, or areas of your life you allow to reign in God’s place?
Maybe it’s your career, relationships, desires, worries, or anything held higher than the adoration of who He is and what He can accomplish.
Luckily, God understands how easy it is to fall into this snare, so He continuously saves us from ourselves.
I encourage you to bring those things to the Lord. Bearing those desires or worries to the King for Him to contend with on your behalf. Speak them aloud, write them down, pray them in spirit, and cry in chorus with the angels, holy holy is the Lord Almighty able to contend with all things that concern us.
Rest
Lord, You are worthy to be praised. Holy is your name, perfect are your works, and absolute is your glory. Forgive us when we put your creations above you. Holy Spirit, increase our desire to seek you and live in awe of your splendor and mercy as the angels do. You are the one true God. Your throne lasts forever. All things perish yet you remain. Turn our hearts to live in the truth that you are more than worthy to be praised. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the Author
Seanna Wong, MBA is a Miami, Florida native based in the Chicago area. When she’s not reading or cooking for her friends, family, or food blog, she’s writing on Christian life, womanhood, and race (and restaurant hopping in the city).
Read more of Seanna’s work here: https://medium.com/@seannawrites.