Hebrews 1: 4
Part 1
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
— Being made so much better than the angels —
At the name of Jesus every knee should bow. The name of Jesus in the New Testament is the same as Joshua in the Old Testament, and it is also translated as Savior. It was the angel Gabriel who brought the glad tidings to Mary, declaring that she would have a son, and that she would call His name Jesus, and that He would be Son of the Highest. This was to fulfill the prophetic writings in the Old Testament in the book of Isaiah, chapter 7, verse 14. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
God would give the Jews a sign as the Jews of that time desired signs. A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and His name shall be called Immanuel. In Matthews’s gospel, Immanuel is interpreted as “God with us.” God’s Son was to be made of a woman, made under the law, and to fulfill another prophecy in Isaiah 9:6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given — the whole plan of redemption was made manifest in the Lord of Glory, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. It was the fullness of time (a time unlike any other time) God was going to send His Son to be the redeemer of the world. This was in every way unique. For only God could do such a thing through His Spirit. The Holy Ghost came upon Mary, and she conceived a divine child, who was to be and was both God and man. God took the woman of His choice — she had found favor with God, and she would bring forth the promised seed fulfilling the prophecy that was given to Eve in Genesis, chapter 3, verse 15; And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. This would be the child who would bruise the head of the serpent and He would be the Son of the Highest. God’s long plan of redemption was coming forth in the fullness of time. This holy child, Son of God, and son of man would be known of them of faith as “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” The government of eternity would be upon his shoulders, and of his kingdom there would be no end. So much better than the angels — for He is their Lord.
Angels had spread their wings over the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant, they looked on the blood, and wondered, and marveled at such a thing; and when heaven came down to proclaim the birth of the Lord Jesus, the angels rejoiced and brought these glad tidings to men. This Son of the Highest was sent by the Father. He would be in the charge of angels, they would watch over Him, and minister unto Him.
Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. (Matthew 4:11)
This was their work on earth, and they also have a work in the throne room of heaven to worship and minister to the Lamb that was slain and had redeemed us to God. They continually cry, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.”
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Revelation 4:8)
This holy Son of God was sent by the Father, God had promised Israel a redeemer King, and the world of the Gentiles were brought into that promise.
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2)
They that lived in darkness would see a great light. What the Jews and the Gentiles did not believe was that this was the Son of God sent into the world. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)
Even today, many who use the name of Jesus have no understanding of His Eternal existence before the world was. One of the most powerful verses to proof His pre-existence can be found in John 17:5. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. The Son of God is the Light of eternity as well as the Light of the world. How many times in the Gospel of John does the Lord Jesus use the word “sent” when referring to himself — approximately 38 times — and quite a few of these verses are in relationship to His being sent of the Father to do the work and will that the Father had sent Him to do. A work that was determined before the worlds were made, “so much better than the angels.” A work that was so profound both in the words that He spoke and, in the works, and miracles that He did; this is part of being made “so much better than the angels.” Fulfilling the Father’s will in everything He said and in everything He did. It was His desire and His glory to fulfill in complete perfection. Not only was He sent but in the Gospel of John when His time began to be short on earth, He declared to His disciples that He must go to the Father. In John 7:33 He declared unto His disciples that He must go. Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. As He traveled closer to the death of the cross, He said “I must go to the Father.” In John 14, He not only confirmed His departure, but declared unto His disciples that it was needful for Him to depart for both them and us who love Him. He said of Himself, “I go to prepare a place for you.” What a Savior — this one who left the ivory palaces above to do the will of the Father and to redeem us by His death on the cross. Even on the cross He continued to minister, to the thief who repented He said, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43) To His mother and His disciple, John, He said, “behold thy mother” (John 19:27) and to Mary “behold thy son.” (John 19:26) All must be looked after and cared for when He was gone. All His earthly lifetime of 33 ½ years of being made like unto his brethren, of the seed of the woman, of the seed of Abraham, of the seed of David, of the seed of the Highest; and so, on the cross, God’s Son, the son of man, in perfect unity said, “It is finished“— “being made so much better than the angels.”
Is there more? Yes, thanks be to God, He was taken down from the cross by two men, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, and was prepared for burial with spices and oils as the kings of Judah were prepared before Him. Then He was placed in a sepulcher where never a man lay. This sepulcher was pure, and pre-ordained by God the Father, waiting for His Son. The angels of God looked on this great moment when He, the Son of God, was placed as the sacrifice of God on the mercy seat; while two cherubims leaned over Him, guarding this Holy One, as He slept in the deepest darkness of death. And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat. (Hebrews 9:5) No man has ever seen or will understand that He who ascended, also descended deep down into the darkness of the enemy. Time moved by — He in His death was still fulfilling the work of His Father. Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2:19) Then early on the third day the cry that went about for all the faithful was He is not here, but is risen.” Oh, glorious truth, we have a living Saviour who was dead and is alive forever more — “being made so much better than the angels.” The Father sent His Son, the heir of all things to the vineyard and they cast Him out and crucified Him, but now, risen indeed, “he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”
Let us return to the sepulcher. The stone was rolled away, once where the precious Lamb of God was laid is now empty. Mary came to the sepulcher and found Him not. Her heart was troubled and sunk low, but then seeing Jesus, she supposed Him to be the gardener. She asked him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Then with a voice she knew, He replied, “Mary.” And immediately she knew that He was the Lord. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and [to] my God, and your God. (John 20:17)
Now we have His ascension, this is not His final ascension.
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (Ephesians 2:14)
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (Ephesians 2:16)
And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. (Ephesians 2:17)
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (Ephesians 2:18)
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (Ephesians 2:19)
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It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. (Hebrews 9:23)
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)
We have Him now making of twain one new man: so making peace by the perfect work of the Son of God and the son of man. Making one new man in resurrection glory. Remember in John’s Gospel 3, He referred to Himself as both son of man and Son of God, but NOW, one new man — a glorified man. He told Mary not to touch Him. He being the first fruits of resurrection must be presented to the Father as the sweet savor ascending. He must enter into heaven to present Himself a sacrifice, and to purify the things in heaven as well as those that were purified on earth. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)
Then He returned from heaven and ministered unto His disciples and showed Himself to multitudes for forty days, “being made so much better than the angels.”
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. (John 21:25)
And His name shall be called Jesus, Saviour, “being made so much better than the angels.” In Acts, chapter 1, verse 3, we read, To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: In the 40 days of His ministry He not only revealed Himself to His disciples, but was seen by multitudes; this was the glory come down from heaven, as Moses saw the thunder and lightning on Mt. Sinai, and the hinder parts of God— now in the fullness of time —the glory had come down in a glorified Saviour from heaven. Now man would not live under the firm and stern hand of the law, but we see Jesus, made a “little lower than the angles for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor that he might taste death for every man.” Now through the eyes of faith, we see the face of grace and truth in Jesus Christ who liveth forever and ever. He is made so much better than the angels. For He is the Mighty God, the Lord of lords, and the King of kings, the only wise God our Savor, Jesus Christ, our Lord — “being made so much better than the angels.“
© Copyright 2015, Michael C. Haigh
You are free to use this article but not for gain, “Freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)
All Scripture references from the King James Bible (KJB).