The first century Jewish community was fascinated by...angels. They even had ranks and status for selected ones, their "personal favorite" angels.
Actually, Jewish books had been writing about angels for quite some time. There was a "Book of Tobit" that identified Raphael as a major angel who assisted in healings. "1 and 2nd Enoch" was another book (scrolls) that were widely read and in these books angels had ranks and an order of hierarchy.
Actually, recorded history shows that in the 2nd century A.D., Jewish people began the "worship of angels", recorded in a rabbinical commentary called "The Talmud."
Here, in Paul's writings to the Hebrews in the 1st century A.D. most Jewish people of the time believed each person had their own guardian angel that would protect them if called upon...well, everyone but the Saducees. This prominent group did not believe anything existed after our lives lived here on earth were completed...no angels...no resurrection...no ghosts...there is absolutely nothing. As many have commented, that is why they were called: "Sad-you-see".
In Hebrews, Paul opens with "both guns blarin'"...he wants it to be clearly understood...we are to worship...to call upon...to look to at all times....Jesus, the Name above every Name....
Gleanings from Hebrews 1:1-9
" In times past there is one truth that has passed through the oracles of time and remains with us today: God really has spoken...through His prophets...many times...in various ways.
And now, God speaks to each one of us who are alive today. This time He has chosen to speak to us directly, to each of our individual hearts, and that being made possible through the power and the love of His Dear Son, Jesus, our Messiah!
In fact, through His Only Son, whom God has appointed as the Only rightful and true Heir, that is to say the lawful owner of all things, and through God the Father has been given...everything, we now have direct contact with God Himself. In fact, all of creation is subjected to this reality: Everything comes by way of God's Only Son...Jesus, our Messiah!
Christ Jesus Himself radiates...He alone is the sole expression of God's Glory! Jesus is the perfect imprint, the very image of God's nature, and He upholds, maintains, and guides...in fact He propels the universe...that is to say everything that has ever been created is held together...to this very day..by His Eternal Power!
When Christ Jesus offered Himself...and accomplished EVERYTHING He had set out to do...and that is cleansing each one of us of ALL sin and erasing the guilt that had burdened us so long through the ages, He...that is Christ Jesus now has been given the "Seat of Honor", and this place of honor is far greater than any angel could even dare imagine!....just as His Name is far greater than any one of us could ever dare imagine!
Think about this for a moment: "Has God ever said to any angel..anywhere...anytime..." You are My Son, and Today I AM revealing to all...I AM your Father!"
Or, have you ever heard or read anywhere...anytime...God saying this to any angel: " I will be His Father, and all creation will know...He...is My Son!"
And, as God the Father formally presents His Son to all...including us living today, He announces: "Let all angels of God bow down and worship Him!"
So, what does God say about angels then? He says this" "He sends His angels...like the wind, His ministering servants are like...flames of fire"...but to His Only Son, God the Father addresses Christ Jesus in a whole different manner, saying these words: "Your throne O God, is forever!...from the ages past...to this present age...to the future age...Your throne is established...forever! Your rule over all makes everything right...and complete! You delight in true justice...that is showing to everyone Your true integrity, Your virtues, Your thoughts and purposes that come from Your pure heart, and You abhor anyone or anything that chooses to side with the ways of evil. And because of this total purity that the Father and the Son have...as One, I pour upon Him the "Oil of My Joy"...an oil prepared for Him...my beloved Son!"
Note: The word "angel" in Greek means messenger; in Hebrew it is the word "malak" which means the "shadow side of God"; in Persian the word angel is "angaros" which means courier; and in the ancient Sunskrit, angel is defined as "divine spirit".
Actually, Jewish books had been writing about angels for quite some time. There was a "Book of Tobit" that identified Raphael as a major angel who assisted in healings. "1 and 2nd Enoch" was another book (scrolls) that were widely read and in these books angels had ranks and an order of hierarchy.
Actually, recorded history shows that in the 2nd century A.D., Jewish people began the "worship of angels", recorded in a rabbinical commentary called "The Talmud."
Here, in Paul's writings to the Hebrews in the 1st century A.D. most Jewish people of the time believed each person had their own guardian angel that would protect them if called upon...well, everyone but the Saducees. This prominent group did not believe anything existed after our lives lived here on earth were completed...no angels...no resurrection...no ghosts...there is absolutely nothing. As many have commented, that is why they were called: "Sad-you-see".
In Hebrews, Paul opens with "both guns blarin'"...he wants it to be clearly understood...we are to worship...to call upon...to look to at all times....Jesus, the Name above every Name....
Gleanings from Hebrews 1:1-9
" In times past there is one truth that has passed through the oracles of time and remains with us today: God really has spoken...through His prophets...many times...in various ways.
And now, God speaks to each one of us who are alive today. This time He has chosen to speak to us directly, to each of our individual hearts, and that being made possible through the power and the love of His Dear Son, Jesus, our Messiah!
In fact, through His Only Son, whom God has appointed as the Only rightful and true Heir, that is to say the lawful owner of all things, and through God the Father has been given...everything, we now have direct contact with God Himself. In fact, all of creation is subjected to this reality: Everything comes by way of God's Only Son...Jesus, our Messiah!
Christ Jesus Himself radiates...He alone is the sole expression of God's Glory! Jesus is the perfect imprint, the very image of God's nature, and He upholds, maintains, and guides...in fact He propels the universe...that is to say everything that has ever been created is held together...to this very day..by His Eternal Power!
When Christ Jesus offered Himself...and accomplished EVERYTHING He had set out to do...and that is cleansing each one of us of ALL sin and erasing the guilt that had burdened us so long through the ages, He...that is Christ Jesus now has been given the "Seat of Honor", and this place of honor is far greater than any angel could even dare imagine!....just as His Name is far greater than any one of us could ever dare imagine!
Think about this for a moment: "Has God ever said to any angel..anywhere...anytime..." You are My Son, and Today I AM revealing to all...I AM your Father!"
Or, have you ever heard or read anywhere...anytime...God saying this to any angel: " I will be His Father, and all creation will know...He...is My Son!"
And, as God the Father formally presents His Son to all...including us living today, He announces: "Let all angels of God bow down and worship Him!"
So, what does God say about angels then? He says this" "He sends His angels...like the wind, His ministering servants are like...flames of fire"...but to His Only Son, God the Father addresses Christ Jesus in a whole different manner, saying these words: "Your throne O God, is forever!...from the ages past...to this present age...to the future age...Your throne is established...forever! Your rule over all makes everything right...and complete! You delight in true justice...that is showing to everyone Your true integrity, Your virtues, Your thoughts and purposes that come from Your pure heart, and You abhor anyone or anything that chooses to side with the ways of evil. And because of this total purity that the Father and the Son have...as One, I pour upon Him the "Oil of My Joy"...an oil prepared for Him...my beloved Son!"
Note: The word "angel" in Greek means messenger; in Hebrew it is the word "malak" which means the "shadow side of God"; in Persian the word angel is "angaros" which means courier; and in the ancient Sunskrit, angel is defined as "divine spirit".
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