Biblegems
#211
Question:
The Bible says that angels long to understand the mystery of God’s plan of
salvation. Was Gabriel’s announcement to Mary and Joseph of the Incarnation, and
Jesus’ coming as earth’s Savior and future eternal king, unknown to the other
angels?
Behind
this question is this verse from 1 Peter:
1Pet. 1:12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you,
in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached
the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which
angels long to look.
It is
true that Gabriel apparently understood a great deal about Jesus’ divine nature
and his role in God’s plan of salvation (Lk. 1:31-33; Matt. 1:20ff.). And it
also appears that angels can learn from and exchange information with each
other much as humans do:
Dan. 8:13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one
who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering,
the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and
host to be trampled underfoot?”
But the “things” Peter referred to “into which angels long to look” refers
to something more than the basic outline of God’s plan of salvation. There is a
knowledge based upon our experience in Christ that no angel can ever enter
into. We know, for example, that a select group of people in heaven will have a
song of praise unique to them:
Rev. 14:3 …and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four
living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song
except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
In a
similar way, the experience of true followers of Jesus is unique. It is so
unique that no angel can ever identify with it, but only observe it with awe
and wonder. Consider just this brief list:
·
No
angel’s sins are forgiven by Jesus’ shed blood (Eph. 1:7).
·
No
angel is ever made a new creature in Christ (2Cor. 5:17).
·
No
angel is the “temple” of the indwelling Holy Spirit (1Cor. 6:19).
·
No
angel will ever be resurrected from the dead (1Cor. 15:21).
·
No
angel will be made like Christ when He Returns (1Jn. 3:2)
·
No
angel will be among the children of God revealed in glory before all creation (Rom.
8:19).
Even
though Gabriel is ranked very high among the other angels—the “rulers and authorities in heavenly places” (Eph. 3:10)—his
announcement to Mary was that of a messenger. And one day, when Jesus is
established on His throne over all creation with His people, the church, serving
as kings and priests forever at His side, it will be the angels who will
receive from us the full message of
God’s wonderful grace—
Eph.
3:10 …so that through the church the manifold wisdom
of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly
places.
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