MEN CHOSEN—FALLEN ANGELS REJECTED – Charles Spurgeon
MEN CHOSEN—FALLEN ANGELS REJECTED
“Verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.” Hebrews 2:16.
INTRODUCTION: THE CREATIVE VARIETY OF GOD
The Almighty God, who dwelt alone, was pleased to manifest Himself by created works which should display His wisdom and His power. When He set about the mighty work of creation, He determined in His own mind that He would fashion a variety of works and that all His creatures should not be of one form, nature, grandeur, or dignity. Hence He made some, grains of dust, and others, mountains of stupendous magnitude. He created some drops and some oceans, some mighty hills and some valleys. Even in His inanimate works, He preserved a wonderful variety. He gave not to all stars the same glory, neither to all worlds the same ponderous mass. He gave not to all rocks the same texture, nor unto all seas the same shape or fashion. He was pleased, in the work of His hands, to observe an infinite variety.
When He came to create living creatures, there, too, are distinctions that we must note. From the worm up to the eagle, from the eagle to the man, from the man to the angel, such are the steps of creating goodness in the fashion of things that are animate. He has not made all creatures eagles, neither has He fashioned all beings worms—but having a right to do what He will with His own—He has exercised that right in making one creature the majestic lion, king of the forest, and another, the harmless lamb, which shall be devoured, without power to resist its enemy, or defend itself. He has made His creatures just as it seemed fit to Him. He has given to one, swiftness of foot, to another, speed of wing. To one, clearness of eye, to another, force of sinew. He has not followed any fixed rule in His creation. But He has done exactly as it pleased Him in the arrangement of the forms which He has animated.
THE CREATION OF ANGELS AND MEN
So, also, we must observe a great difference in the rational beings which He has created. He has not made all men alike. They differ mightily—from the man of the smallest intellect to the man of majestic mind, there are no few steps! And then there is the higher order of rational creatures, more superior to unrenewed man than man can ever be to his fellows, namely, the order of angels. And in the fashioning of angels and men, God again has exercised His own right to create as He pleases; to do just as He wills with His own. Thence, all angels may not be alike in dignity and all men are not alike in intellect. He has made them to differ.
But now we wish to draw your attention to two instances of God’s doing as He pleases in the fashioning of the works of His hands—in the case of angels and in the case of men. Angels were the elder born. God created them and it pleased Him to give unto them a free will to do as they pleased. They were allowed to choose the good or to prefer the evil. But even as He did to man—He gave them this stipulation—that if they would prefer the good, then their station in heaven would be forever fixed and firm. But if they sinned, they would be punished for their guilt and cast out from the presence of His glory, into flames of fire. In an evil hour, Satan, one of the chiefs of the angels, rebelled. He tempted others, and he led astray a part of the stars of heaven. God, in His divine vengeance, smote those rebel angels, drove them from their heavenly seats, banished them from their abodes of happiness and glory, and sent them down to dwell forever in the abyss of hell. The rest He confirmed, calling them the elect angels. He made their thrones eternally secure, and gave them an inheritance of those crowns which, sustained by His grace, they had preserved by the rectitude of their holy conduct.
THE FALL OF MAN AND THE GRACE OF GOD
After that, it pleased Him to make another race of beings called man. He did not make them all at once. He made but two of them, Adam and Eve, and He committed to their keeping the safety of their entire progeny throughout all generations. He said to Adam, as He had said to the angels, “I give unto you free will, you may obey or disobey, as you please.” There is My law, you are not to touch yon tree. The command is by no means irksome. To keep that command will not be difficult to you, for I have given you free will to choose the good.” However, it so happened, much to the misery of man, that Adam broke the covenant of works; he touched the accursed fruit, and in that day he fell. Ah, what a fall was there! Then you and I, and all of us, fell down! While cursed sin did triumph over us, there were no men that stood. There were some angels that stood, but no men, for the fall of Adam was the fall of our entire race!
After one portion of the angels had fallen, it pleased God to stamp their doom and make it fast and firm. But when man had fallen, it did not so please God. He had threatened to punish him, but in His infinite mercy, He selected the major portion of the human race whom He made the objects of His special affection. For these He provided a precious remedy; to these He covenanted salvation, and secured it by the blood of His everlasting Son. These are the persons whom we call the elect. And those, whom He has left to perish, perish on account of their own sins, most justly, to the praise of His glorious justice.
Now, here you notice divine sovereignty—that God chose to put both men and angels on the footing of their free will; sovereignty, in that He chose to punish all the fallen angels with utter destruction; sovereignty, in that He chose to reprieve the whole human race, and to grant an eternal pardon to a number whom no man can number, selected out of men, who shall Infallibly be found before His right hand above.
THE TEXT AND ITS MEANING
My text mentions this great fact, for when properly translated it reads thus—“He took not up angels, but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.” As this text has two translations, I shall give you the two meanings as briefly as I can.
I. THE NATURE OF ANGELS AND CHRIST’S ATONEMENT
In the first place, the translation of our authorized version runs thus—“He took not on Him the nature of angels.” Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, when He came from heaven to die, did not take upon Himself the nature of angels. It would have been a stoop, more immense than if a seraph could have changed himself into an ant, for the Almighty Son of God to have been clothed in the garb of even the archangel Gabriel! But His condescension dictated to Him that if He did stoop, He would descend to the very lowest degree. That if He did become a creature, He would become not the noblest creature, but one of the most ignoble of rational beings, that is to say—man. Therefore, He did not stoop to the intermediate step of angels, but He stooped right down and became a man. “He took not on Him the nature of angels—but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.” Let us notice the wisdom and the love of this, and I think there will be something to cause us to glorify God for so doing!
II. CHRIST AND ANGELIC EXAMPLE
In the first place, if Christ had taken upon Himself the nature of angels, He could never have made atonement for man. Setting aside the thought that if He came to save man it would have seemed improper if He had come in the garb of angels, you must acknowledge that if He had done so, He could not have seen death. How could angels die? We can suppose that their spirit may become extinct, if God should will it. We can suppose the entire annihilation of that to which God alone supplies immortality. But since angels have no bodies, we cannot suppose them capable of death, for death is the separation of the body and the soul. Therefore, it behooved Christ that He should take upon Himself the form of a man—that He might become obedient to death, even the death of the cross.
Had our Savior become an angel, we must note, in the next place that He would never have been a fitting example for us. I cannot imitate an angelic example in all points. It may be very good, as far as I can imitate, but it cannot, in all points, be my pattern. If you would give me something to imitate, give me a man like myself! Then I may attempt to follow him.
III. THE SYMPATHY OF CHRIST AS A MAN
Sweetly, also, let us remember that if Christ had been an angel, He could not have sympathized with us. In order to sympathize with our fellow creatures, we must be something like they are. Suppose a man made of iron, or of brass—could he sympathize with our wearied lungs, or with our aching bones? Let such a man be told of sickness or of illness—could he understand it? I would not have him for a nurse! I would not care to have such a being for my physician. He could not feel for me. He could not sympathize with me! No, even our own fellow creatures cannot sympathize with us unless they have suffered as we have done.
IV. THE UNITY OF CHRIST WITH HIS CHURCH
Once more—Christ became a man and not an angel because He desired to be one with His dear church. Christ was betrothed to His church before time began and when He came into the world, He virtually said, “I will go with you, My bride and I will delight Myself in your company.”
V. THE DIGNITY OF MANHOOD
Again, if Christ had not taken upon Him the nature of man, then manhood would not have been so honorable or as comfortable as it is. I consider that to be a Christian is to be the greatest thing that God has made. Little as I am, I can say of myself, if I am a child of God, I am next to my Maker! There is an infinite, an awful, an immeasurable distance; but, save Jesus Christ, Himself—there is no being between man and God!
VI. THE RIGHT OF GOD OVER HIS CREATURES
II. Thus I have tried to explain the first part of the subject. Now for the second; the literal translation, according to the marginal reading, is “He took not up angels, but He took up the seed of Abraham,” by which is meant that Christ did not die to save angels, though many of them needed salvation. He died to save fallen man.
VII. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IN SALVATION
On my principle, the deed is just enough—men and devils have both sinned and have both deserved to be damned for their sins. God, if He shall so resolve, can justly destroy them all, or He may save them all if He can do it with justice. Or, He may save one of them, if He pleases, and let the others perish.
CONCLUSION: PRACTICAL REFLECTION
Some may rail at this doctrinal preaching and they will go out and call me an Antinomian. I will not be at all particular about that, so long as I can make them angry; for if a man hates the truth, I shall never be backward in stirring up his wrath. And if any man offends my God, then let him be offended. Far better for him to show his opposition—for then, perhaps, he may know that it is in him and repent of it before God!
Let me tell you a story about the prodigal and then I have done. The prodigal set out one morning and he had a long, long journey to go. He had a high hill to climb, called the hill of his own sins and follies. He had scarcely got to the top of it, and was getting near the tower, called the tower of true repentance, when his father, who was sitting on the top of the house, saw him. And when he saw him, he ran out immediately, and before his son had got to the door, he had fallen on his neck and kissed him! He took his son into his house and a feast was prepared. And they sat down to it.
The prodigal went on, and the father looked at the other guests. But by-and-by, he turned his eye again, and there was his son weeping once more! “My dear son,” he asked, “why do you weep?” “Oh, Father,” he said, “will you keep me here? For if you do not, I know I shall run away. Father, will you make me stay here?” “Yes, my son,” said he, “that I will” — “My grace shall like a fetter bind That wandering heart to me.”
The son wiped his eyes, went on with his meal, and never wept again. There, poor prodigal, there is something for you! If you will come to Christ, you shall always stay there! And over and above that, He will keep you there! Therefore rejoice; for though He has a right to destroy you, remember, He will not, for His heart is full of love and pity towards you. Only come to Him, and you shall be saved!
Charles Spurgeon