More Privileged than the Angels

I Peter 1: Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. – I Peter 1:10-12

The Sunday school class I attend is making our way through I Peter, the letter the apostle Peter wrote to encourage the scattered Church during a time of persecution. Each week we look at a few verses, and the above passage is what we were discussing last Sunday. Considering its implications, I was reminded of a perspective I gained from my husband Marty when he and I were in college.

Even back in the ’70’s, the price of textbooks seemed outrageous. One textbook could cost a student over a hundred dollars. (I can only imagine the price now.) Complaints about the cost of books were common among the students. How could a bundle of paper be that expensive? But Marty held a different viewpoint.

“It’s pretty amazing,” he commented one day when the topic came up. “A scientist, or whole team of scientists, can spend their entire lives researching something, and we can purchase what they learned for a couple hundred dollars.”

This is the perspective of a research chemist, and I immediately saw the wisdom of it. I hold that same opinion, now more than ever since becoming a writer.

It takes me years to write each of my books, which can now be bought for about $13 apiece (and less if they’re used). A bargain, no? But enough about me. Back to Peter:

Early on in his letter, the apostle reminded the believers how privileged they were to have the Gospel – the Good News. Hundreds of years before, the Old Testament prophets had written what the Spirit of Christ was telling them, often not understanding what He was saying but obediently recording the words anyway. They prayed, they searched the Scriptures, and they pondered what their prophesies could mean and when their predictions would take place, with no clear answers.

Meanwhile, the Jews had hundreds of laws and regulations to follow in their attempts to please their God. Sins they committed had to be paid for with animal sacrifices. Over the centuries, animals were sacrificed by the thousands, and yet sin persisted. Israel lived in a hazy darkness spiritually, and often if must have seemed God had forgotten His promises to them.

Then came Jesus, the promised Messiah. He taught the masses about the love of the Father and the kingdom of heaven, but His followers’ understanding was cloudy. Many stayed with Him only temporarily, attracted by miracles and free food. And as He warned His closest twelve that He would be executed and on the third day rise again, even those disciples didn’t grasp what He was saying until after He had been crucified, buried, and risen.

After His resurrection Jesus stayed with them, giving further clarification, instructions, and encouragement before His final ascension into heaven. His followers stayed in Jerusalem, as they had been told to do, until the Holy Spirit filled them. Empowered, they were ready to “go forth into all the world” and tell anyone who would listen, Jews and eventually Gentiles, as well, about Messiah’s coming. With the Spirit’s infilling, the Church sprang to life, with over three thousand baptized on the first day! What the prophets had longed to understand had finally been made clear: God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His own Son as the final sacrifice to pay the required penalty for all our sins, once and for all, so we could be forgiven and adopted as His sons and daughters.

The prophets had predicted a Suffering Servant. They had also predicted a Conquering King. They themselves hadn’t understood how Messiah could be both. We understand now that Jesus fulfilled the prophesy of the Suffering Servant, conquering sin with His sacrificial death and death with His resurrection. He has also promised to come back as a mighty Warrior, Judge, and King. He came once in meekness and is coming back in power.

What the prophets lived their whole lives longing to know, we have been told clearly.

Not only the prophets, but as Peter wrote, “Even the angels long to look into these things.” Apparently, angels are not all-knowing as God is. The angels that have stayed faithful to the Lord are His servants and do His bidding, but none of them necessarily know the whole Plan. There was a time long ago when Satan tried to usurp God’s position, was expelled from heaven, and took a third of heaven’s angels with him, but even they can’t do anything without God’s permission. (The first chapter of Job shows this played out.) Obviously, these “fallen angels” don’t have complete understanding, either, because all their plans will ultimately fail.

But we who live in the era after the first coming of Jesus have been given the priceless gift of the gospel, something neither the ancient prophets nor the angels in heaven could grasp. That makes us the most privileged people in history.

But there’s another privilege we have that the angels don’t, and that is the opportunity to receive God’s grace. Yes, we’ve all sinned, but because Jesus paid the price, if we confess our sins and place our faith in Him as our Atoning Sacrifice, we can be forgiven and live forever with Him. The angels that rebelled have a place prepared for them, and it is the lake of fire. They will never have an opportunity to repent (possibly because they wouldn’t anyway). But we do.

If you have not yet taken advantage of your privileged position, if you haven’t repented of your sins (turned from them and asked God’s forgiveness based on the sacrificial death of His Son), I urge you to do so today. The ancient prophets and other people of faith, and even angels, long to have what you have. Take hold of it today. Or rather, let Him take hold of you.

Prayer: Father, how can we thank You enough for the ultimate blessing of knowing You, being Your children, and having Your Spirit in us? Help us never to forget our privilege or neglect to share such good news with others. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, amen.