Angels

"Fallen Angel Looking at a Cloud"
by Odilon Redin

“BuT we see Him who for a little while was made Lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with Glory and Honor because of the suFFerinG of DEATH, so that by the GRACE OF GOD He might Taste DeatH for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:9)

Angels were created by God just like man was. They're different from us: we don't become them when we die, despite the popular myth. We know them as His messengers with incredible power, the power to strike down 185,000 men in an instant (2 Kings 19:35), and fill the hearts of everyone who sees them with paralyzing fear regardless of the good news they bring (Luke 2:8-11; 1 Chronicles 21:30).

We even know only three angels by name: Michael, Gabriel, and Satan. Satan, it turns out, was God's favorite, an anointed guardian cherub to be exact (Ezekiel 28:12-15). Then, in keeping with the spirit of God's most beloved creations turning on Him, Satan desired to sit on God's throne. He wanted to “make himself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:12-14). He wanted to be like God. ...sound familiar??

Satan wasn't the only one. Many sided with him against God, and a massive battle between the angels ensued in heaven. Michael the Archangel's side prevailed, “and the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world― he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him” (Revelation 12:9).

Hence, demons: angels with a streak of bitter hatred toward their own God and the humans He loves. Why hate us? We have the salvation they believe they deserve. Satan, once God's most favored creation, is not forgiven for his sin the way we are. Jesus did not die for him. Jesus didn't die for any of them. No one did. And so, off Satan went to entice Eve to persuade Adam to bite into that apple and, well, you know the rest. Yes, he hates us that much.

Remember what the angel of the LORD in 2 Kings did? That was an angel who loved God and humans. Just think about what Satan could do to us if God let him. But because of Christ, all Satan can do is dangle that mouth-watering apple in front of each of us and riddle us with disease and unhappiness until we want to eat it so badly we could cry, hoping to win souls for his own one lost person at a time. Not that bad in the big scheme of things.

So go ahead. Dangle away. The awesome power of God to smite us all for our contempt of Him is beyond the wildest of imaginations, beyond even Satan's comprehension. But what did He do? He became one of us, lower than the angels, in order to die for us, in order to save us. And in so doing, He made those who were lower than the angels greater than them (1 Corinthians 6:3). Now that was really beyond Satan's comprehension. It never felt so good to be so hated.

Suggested verse to repeat when that apple looks a little too tasty is from Matthew 16:23

PRC buddies, remember to breathe!

"Get behind me Satan! -------> 5 count inhale

You are a hindrance to me." -------> 5 count exhale