Grace Fellowship 10/22/06       The Son vs. the Angels, Pt. 2                   Hebrews 1

 

It has been quite encouraging in recent years to see an increase in contemporary Christian music that has more doctrinal and scriptural content than in years gone by.  Contemporary music gained a reputation for being anemic and emotional, rather than meaty and thoughtful.  Thankfully, we've come a long way from "Kumbaya" and "It Only Takes a Spark," not to mention one particularly infamous song from the '70's, "Why Does the Devil Have All the Good Music." 

 

One group by the name of Sovereign Grace Music has produced a lot of good, solid, theologically sound songs that are also a pleasure to listen to as well.  While I'm not the music expert here by any means, I like much of what I've heard from Sovereign Grace Music.  I downloaded one of their songs a few nights ago, and I want to read you some of the lyrics.  They are very simple, but filled with simple and profound truth.

 

BEAUTIFUL GRACE[1]

Words and Music by

Steve & Vikki Cook

VERSE 1

Who could imagine

The life-giving beauty

That shines from Calvary

My eyes were opened

And my heart was won

When Your mercy conquered me

Lord, how could I flee from this love

Lord, why would I flee from this love

CHORUS

What beautiful grace, incredible hope

Lord, thank you for saving me

This beautiful grace will carry me home

Lord, thank you for saving me

For saving me

VERSE 2

Who could imagine

Your gold for my ashes

And glory for my shame

Your righteous robe

For my sin-blackened rags

And Your kindness for my hate

How can I not sing of this love

O Lord, I must sing of this love

BRIDGE

Oh, this fruit of Calvary's tree

Salvation full and free

Is so sweet

 

The songs we sing can be powerful tools for teaching us the word of God.  In this brief song, we learn that it is God who opens our eyes and causes us to understand the tremendous beauty in the very ugly sacrifice of Christ on Calvary.  We learn that it is God who saves us, we don't save ourselves.  It talks about the imputation of the righteousness of Christ and His assumption of our sins upon Himself.  It speaks of the immeasurable love of God for his own and of the need to express our gratitude to Him.

 

I want to illustrate the power of music with a little test.  This is mostly for those of you who are over 25 years old.  For instance, if I sing, "Amazing …," what is the next word?  "Grace."  How about, "A Mighty . . . ,"?  "Fortress is our God . . . ."  Or "I come . . . ."  "To the garden alone . . . ."  How about, "Ain't no mountain . . .?"

 

The author of the book of Hebrews used this "tactic" to remind his readers of the things they already knew.  In chapter one, verse 5 he writes some of the lyrics of a song they undoubtedly knew, Psalm 2.  When they read these words, surely they also sang them in their minds as they recalled the tunes they had been taught in the synagogue.  And if you think some of our hymns are old, the Jews had been singing these songs for over a thousand years.

 

Turn with me to Psalm 2, and I want to read it to you as you follow along in your Bible.

 

Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us." He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion." "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, `You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.'" Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. (Psalms 2:1-12, NKJV).

 

There is little doubt in my mind that the Jews were as familiar with this song as we are with Amazing Grace.  All he needed to do was mention one phrase, and they would know the entire psalm and recognize it as a messianic psalm.  They would also perfectly understand that God was not speaking of an angel when he said, "You are My Son."  Angels will not inherit and rule the nations.  That is the future role of the promised Messiah.  That privilege belongs to the Son of God, His Anointed One. 

 

The writer is clearly speaking of the Son of God, the Messiah.  Whoever He is, He is superior to angels.  He has not yet said specifically who he is talking about.  But it is undoubtedly understood by all who read this that Jesus is the object of such exaltation. 

 

The next passage referred to in Hebrews is found in 2 Samuel 7:14.  In that text, King David desires to build a temple for God.  But listen to what God tells David:

 

"…the LORD tells you that He will make you a house. "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. "I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. "But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. "And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever."'" (2 Samuel 7:11b-16, NKJV).

 

Here is an example of type and anti-type in scripture.  God is speaking of two people: Solomon, the son of David, who will build a temple and establish Israel as a nation.  He is a type of Christ.  God is also speaking in this text of the Messiah, His own Son, who will come from the lineage of David and whose kingdom will be established forever.  Again, the Jews who read this little, one-line excerpt in Hebrews 1:5 from the covenant God made to David, understand that God is speaking of His own exalted Son, not just Solomon.  They would surely be familiar with these verses.  It would be the equivalent of me saying to you, "For God so . . . ." 

 

The next text the writer of Hebrews quotes is actually not found in the Hebrew Old Testament, but in the Greek version of the Old Testament, the Septuagint.  Deuteronomy 32:43 is part of another song, the Song of Moses which was "used in temple services and in synagogues.  The Jews considered the concluding verses of this hymn to be messianic."[2]  This song is quoted and alluded to in the New Testament repeatedly, and the author chooses a song most Jews would be most familiar with to emphasize again what they already know: The Son of God is superior to angels because the angels are commanded to worship him.  What may make his argument even more profound in the minds of Jews is that God, through the person of Moses, is commanding this of the angels: "Let all the angels of God worship Him."

 

Of the seven Old Testament passages quoted here in this chapter, six of them are songs.  That is not a coincidence.  This speaks to the importance of the things we sing.  I think we sometimes forget that an entire book of the Bible is nothing but songs.  The book of Psalms was the hymnal of Israel.  Someone has said of the church that the second most sacred book to the Bible for us is our hymnal.  But our hymnals are not inspired by God.  Our hymnals are collections of songs, hymns and spiritual songs for the purpose of aiding us in our worship of God.  You probably realize that some of our very conservative brethren, in an admirable attempt to avoid doctrinal error, sing only the Psalms. 

 

Since our songs and hymns are not God-breathed as scripture is, we must exercise discernment in what we sing.  That is why there are a lot of songs in this book that we do not sing, and some we will probably never sing, not simply because we don't know the tune. 

 

In the course of my ordination council, a question was asked of me regarding the doctrine of Christ.  Exactly what did Christ become as a man?  What did He lose upon the cross?  There is an entire strain of false teaching within the church today referred to as the Kenosis Theory. It is based upon Philippians 2:6&7. 

who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:6-7, NASB).

 

Some are teaching that this emptying refers to Jesus laying aside His deity at death.  This theory seems to have some unintentional support from a hymn we sing fairly often: "And Can It Be?"  The second verse reads, "He left His Father's throne above; So free, so infinite His grace.  Emptied Himself of all but love, and bled for Adam's helpless race."

 

Is that true?  When Christ died, did He really empty Himself of everything but love?  I am confident that Charles Wesley would answer, "No!"  Jesus did not cease to be God upon the cross.  He did not lay aside His divinity, or His justice, or His sovereignty, or His hatred for sin, and only retain love.  Jesus has never been anything less than God.  So we must be discerning in the things we sing.

 

In Hebrews 1:7, a statement is made concerning the nature of angels taken from Psalm 104:4.  "Who makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire."  But if you actually look at Psalm 104, you'll notice it is He who laid the foundations of the earth and causes springs of water to flow that makes this statement about angels.  The Creator of the world, the Lord Jesus, speaks of angels as His own creatures whom He has created in order to serve Him.

 

In Hebrews 8-9, we read a quote from Psalm 45, verses 6 and 7.  But I want to expand that a little.  Turn to Psalm 45 and I want to begin reading actually before verse 1.  The introduction to the Psalm is the inspired word of God.  This song was apparently written and then given to the Chief Musician to be played in a particular fashion.  It is also designated as a song of love.  Did you know there were love songs in the Bible?

 

<> My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever. Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, With Your glory and Your majesty. And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies; The peoples fall under You. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions. (Psalms 45:1-7, NKJV).

 

This is a song about the King's Son, or in other words, God's Son, and it apparently refers in the following verses to His bride, which we now know from the New Testament is a reference to the Church.  The author of Hebrews states that these verses are directed toward the Son of God.  He speaks of Him as God, and refers to the Father as His God.  God the Father has exalted His own Son to be the ruler of all, sitting upon His throne with His scepter. 

 

He continues this emphasis on the complete sovereignty of Christ by also quoting Psalm 102:25-27 which makes the Son the Creator of all things.  He ends the chapter where he began.  In verse 2, he describes the Son of God as the one through whom God made all things, and who also upholds all things.  Here, he speaks of the same person in Old Testament terminology.  He is the Creator, and He is also the terminator of this creation.  Christ began the world, and He will also bring it to a close when He folds up heaven and earth like a garment.  But He Himself will remain forever because He is eternal.

 

Finally, in verses 13 and 14, the stark contrast is made for those who are tempted to think too much of angels and too little of Christ.  Quoting Psalm 110:1 the author makes an appeal to silence.  Nowhere in the word of God does God ever speak of exalting angels above their enemies.  Rather, this is for the Son alone to take His place beside the Father until every enemy of Christ is brought down. 

 

Angels, on the contrary, are not only servants of God and of His Son, but of Christians.  "…Are they not sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?"  Angels serve God on our behalf.  How wonderful is that?  We do not know exactly how, when, or where they do this, but that is their task.  They are servants of the Son, rather than superior to the Son, for the sake of His bride, the Church.  Anyone who worships angels or calls upon them to intercede to God on their behalf, is guilty of idolatry.

 

I want to make the case today for the usefulness of good, doctrinally sound, music.  This text is meant to emphasize the magnificent splendor of the Lord Jesus Christ over all other created beings, specifically those highly exalted beings called angels.  But the means by which the readers of this letter have already learned the truth of these words is through music.  Over the years, I have despaired of finding contemporary music that was worth listening to or singing.  Thankfully, that has begun to change.  We're going to sing two examples of good Christ-exalting music.  One of these you have never heard before because it was written recently by two people at Oakwood Presbyterian Church here in State College. 

 

Let's make it a point to use the means the Lord has given us to learn of Him and to commit the knowledge of Him to memory.  Probably the best way to do that is through music.  May the Lord be pleased and honored through the words we sing.  He is certainly worth singing about.