Men are Men and Angels are Angels
Hebrews 1:4, Part II
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:4)
We must now consider the angels of God that unknowingly we entertain. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2) These spirit beings, like us, have been created by God. Yet, they are apart from man — for man is but dust. They reside in the presence and glory of God; they minister to Him and for Him. They are neither male nor female. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. (Matthew 22:30) Of course, when we get to heaven, we will neither be male or female, but like the angels of God; and our spirit bodies, though slightly different from theirs, will show forth the glory of God. It is evident that angels have no gender — they stay in their same created state — neither young nor old, and are able to transform themselves in many different ways. They also have rank among themselves with specific duties; for example, the 7 angels to the 7 churches in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. These are a specific group of angels that Christ holds responsible for ministering to the Church age. Next, we have the archangel Michael, he appears to have a high rank or even the number one position with God. We have the messenger angel, Gabriel, who declared to Zacharias the birth of his son, John the Baptist; and then to Mary, Gabriel announced the coming birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have the cherubims who were placed at the entrance to the Garden of Eden, to prevent Adam and his descendants from returning. We have the seraphims of Isaiah 6, who minister directly to God, for they cease not day and night to continually worship God by crying out one unto another by saying, “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” We have the angels at the scene with Elisha, when his servants eyes were opened so that he was able to see the hosts of heaven surrounding the enemies of God. Then next, we have the angels specifically sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14)
The unseen world
The unseen world of creation is a mystery to us; nevertheless, the Word of God opens windows of truth, considering and revealing this unseen realm. So what does Scripture say? Angels are angels and not men. Men are men and not angels. Why do I repeat this truth? Because, from the beginning of the Church age, and in the history of Israel, men have been putting angels for men, and men for angels. So let us begin our study of angels and men.
In their proper order angels are ministers of righteousness. They know and do the will of God more completely than we do, and receive direct communications from God. The holy angels have been loyal to God and to His will. We all know about Lucifer, also known as Satan, that old serpent the Devil, who rebelled against God and this is the record.
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? (Isaiah 14:12-17)
He was cast down out of heaven to roam the earth. He was cut off from the presence of God’s great glory. Since his fall and the fall of his rebellious angelic hordes there has been a conflict between Satan and God. We discover in the Book of Genesis that a great epic took place. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2) We believe this was caused by the fall of Satan; but, God in His determinate counsel, and through His omnipotent and omniscient power saw all these things before time began. Therefore, the plan of redemption was already in place before Adam was formed. God created Adam in His likeness, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27) Satan disturbed the peace of paradise by tempting Eve, and Adam followed into disobedience and became sin. This created a conflict between man and God, and between man and Satan. Now, man was in the middle of this great conflict. It was said of Satan that he would roam the earth, but nothing is said about his fallen angels roaming the earth with him; in fact, the Word of God declares that they are bound in chains in hell. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; (2 Peter 2:4) These spirit beings preceded the fall of man in their rebellion with Lucifer against God. There is no exit from hell for them. They are waiting for a greater judgment to come, and God has bound them in unremovable chains. This reverses the Genesis theory of angels mingling with the daughters of men before the great flood.
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:1-5)
Remember that only 8 souls came through the flood, and out of these 8 souls only Noah was called righteous. It was not Noah plus his sons, or Noah plus his daughter-in-laws, nor Noah and his wife who were called righteous, but only Noah was called righteous. It is recorded in Luke 1 that both Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth were both called righteous. God never adds to or takes away from the condition of a soul. Noah was a preacher of righteousness and pure in his generations. These [are] the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man [and] perfect in his generations, [and] Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9) And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; (2 Peter 2:5)
Passing through time from Noah to Abraham we read of Babylon, and the Tower of Babel which was built as the center of idolatry in the land of Shinar. During all that period of time between Noah and Abraham there is no other person chosen of God. Abraham was not looking for God, but God was looking for Abraham. He was in a land of idolatry, and all his relations around hin were consumerd by this idolatrous worship in rebellion against God. It is not until Act 7:2, in the New Testament, that we learn of this exact call. And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, (Acts 7:2) At this time God established a new seed, and this was to be the seed that would continue all the way to the birth of our blessed Lord and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the Word of God. Abraham believed God that day, and it was counted unto him for righteousness; and out of Abraham would come the seed that would destroy the works of the devil, and give us a new generation — the generation of Jesus Christ. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1)
Another point about angels — they are greater in power than man. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. (2 Peter 2:11) Yet, still the fallen angels have no power over their chains. Let us look at the example given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke.
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (Luke 16:19-31)
This rich man lifted up his eyes in hell and was told by father Abraham that he could not leave because there was a great gulf fixed — unmoveable — no one would ever be able to pass over from hell to heaven, or from heaven to hell. He was so distraught that he asked that someone would be sent to tell his brothers of this place. The truth is, if one would rise from the dead they would still not believe. This is an ungodly world that has rejected God’s Christ.
So far, we have written about angels versus man; but there is more, we also have the redeemed. This is man under the grace of God, his sins forgiven by the shed blood of Christ, a new creature born of the Spirit of God. Though he too roams the earth until his departure, he is a heavenly creature and waits for his passage home to be with the Lord Jesus. John says, Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1) We have a position now before the Father as sons, not just children, but sons and joint-heirs with Christ. This is part of the inheritance of the Son of God. Christ himself has brought us into this relationship so that when two or three are gathered in His name, He is in the midst. This is a promise that the Savior made to the saints of God. So don’t think that Satan cannot come into that meeting when Christians gather together with his doctrines of devils.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:8-11)
Satan is described as a roaring lion, and we need to take heed of this powerful angelic being. Consider that in Matthew 4 that he tempted the Lord Jesus by offering world power and prominence. Although he did not succeed in this temptation, it revealed his power over the nations. Though he enjoys taunting and tempting us, we know that we have God’s holy angels ministering and watching over us.
In the Book of Daniel one angel stands out by telling Daniel that he had been delayed because of his conflict with the Prince of Persia. The next revelation in Daniel concerns an angelic being found deep in the cavern. When Darius comes to the cavern, Daniel speaks out as he tells Darius that God had sent His angel, and he is not harmed.
And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. (Daniel 6:20-22)
So angels are angels, and men are men. Man can be redeemed from sin, but the fallen angels cannot be redeemed. Man can enter into heaven because of his redemption, but there is no redemption for the fallen angels. As I said before, they are bound in hell waiting for further judgment from God.
The Two Seeds
Let us now consider the seed of God and the seed of Cain. These two seeds were first established in two brothers, Abel was the righteous seed, and Cain was the evil seed. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4) But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. (Genesis 4:5)
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:11-15)
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Jude 1:11)
Even though Cain slew his brother Abel, God had established His will in the beginning; therefore, God raised up another seed in Seth; and in Seth’s son, men began to call on the name of the Lord. This cannot be done without faith. And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD. (Genesis 4:25, 26) From other Scriptures we perceive that when they met in the name of the Lord, God was in their midst. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. (Job 1:6) These verses declare that Satan can come into the meeting of the sons of God when they are gathered around the Lord. Satan states that he has been going to and fro throughout the whole earth. It was God who presented Job to Satan as a righteous servant. Job was there in the presence of God, and now God was going to test Job’s righteousness through Satan. If we defile this scene with false doctrines of angels, we are venturing onto a long crooked path of false interpretations of the Scriptures. If we follow the false doctrine of angels becoming men it will follow all the way to the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ where the 7 stars (who are the 7 angels sent forth to minister unto the Church in the Church age) will become mere men covered in unrighteous and false doctrines; yea, if we believe this heresy we are inviting the ministers of Satan into our midst. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:14-15) According to the Apostle Paul, this was happening in his day, and he warned against the false ministers of Satan.
In our present age in the professing church, these men have perverted almost all truth. We must, as individual believers, seek the Lord with prayer, and fasting, and with the Word of God. It is up to the sons of God, the true seed of God, the generation of Jesus Christ to know the Scriptures as the man in Psalm 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (Psalm 1:1,2)
The sons of God are mentioned throughout the entire Bible. The determining factor of sonship is faith in God. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12, 13) Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1) Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. (Isaiah 56:5)
We are born of the Spirit of God and He resides in us. Would God lie through His Spirit to us? No, He would not! But, if we remain ignorant of the Word of God, we are able to be blown by every wind of false doctrine. The ministers of Satan have tried to pervert our sonship as well as the false doctrine of angels.
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:4-7)
Paul writing to the Galatians, declares to them and to us, that we are sons through inheritance in Jesus Christ, and only through this wonderful saving redemption can we be called the sons of God. And because of our redemption we can call upon the name of the Lord.
It is through the Spirit of God that all truth is received. Without Him ministering through the Word of God, we would be like the disciples on the stormy sea, and we must cast ourselves on the Son of God to calm our souls, and to drink of the truth from Him. We must search the Scriptures line upon line, and precept upon precept; and if we do this, then men will be men and angels will be angels. As Timothy, we must show ourselves approved workmen rightly dividing the word of truth.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. ( 2 Timothy 3:16,17)
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. ( 2 Timothy 2:15-19)
© Copyright 2015, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain.” Freely ye have received, freely give.”
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)