‘ It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honour and put everything under their feet.’
In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Hebrews 2: 5-9 (NIV)
An angels-eye view
Hello, I am Zeera, an angel, one of the heavenly host. Been around for ages, but not forever; we angels are, like you humans, created, and I have been asked to share just a bit of my story with you.
I’ll take you back to just a tad more than two thousand years ago. All is bustle and excitement! The heavenly host is gathering for a special event. Not just some, but many of us; we all swoop down to hover above a field in ancient Palestine, and at the sign, burst forth into song ‘Glory to God in the highest, and peace to all men’. The Halleluias fill the dark skies, and the men with their sheep standing below are just petrified. We rejoice because we have been told God’s plan is now on course to its zenith.
The plan took quite a time in rolling out; we don’t know things ( 1Peter1:12); we are God’s messengers and we serve him, but we don’t know how things will work out. So now, to continue….it’s 30 years later, this time in the wilderness; dry and dusty place, harsh, you know. I and others have been given a three year placement, assigned to Jesus, the Son of God. ‘Watch, and wait, and only act if you get the nod to do so’.
This is uncomfortable to watch. There is the fallen angel, having a go, pushy, bigging himself up. Jesus has been out in the heat for 40 days, quite dizzy at times with hunger, lips cracked with thirst. (You can read the details of this in Matthew 4: 1-11). Jesus, famished and dehydrated as he is, stands firm, and the fallen angel turns away in defeat. What an honour to minister to this God-man, to give him bread and water and shade, and watch him rest.
There were many times in that three year duty when we were able to watch with great satisfaction as demons quailed at the voice of Jesus, as we watched people made whole and restored to a right relationship with God. There was much rejoicing, in heaven and on earth. Then there was that awful day, when Jesus was hanging on the cross. The people could not see it, but we could; we could see thousands of demons cavorting with glee, screaming curses in God’s face; the birds stopped singing, creation seemed to hold its breath. We waited in dreadful suspense for the call to rush to take him off that cross. It never came.
I shall never forget that gut-wrenching cry of Jesus as he died, or the heaving sobs of his friends who took his broken body down with loving hands. It was I who rolled the stone away from the tomb, and saw the look of amazement on the face of his friends who came looking for him. My assignment ended on the mountainside with Jesus disciples, as he ascended into the clouds.
You are human, if you read your Bible, you will know this story. You also are part of it; and I’m around, though you may not see me.
Peace be with you. Amen