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What Did The Angels See?

by Micky Galloway

In Ephesians chapter three the apostle Paul wrote, “… and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things; to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly (places) might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:9-11).

Who are the “principalities and powers” referred to in the text? “Principalities,” arche, denotes “a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank)” (Strong’s). “Powers,” exousía, means “permission, authority, right, liberty, power to do something” (The Complete Word Study Dictionary). Therefore, these are created beings that have rule and rank in the spiritual realm. These heavenly beings are interested in the redemptive plan of God. Peter reveals that not only did the prophets search “what (time) or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto …” but these are things that even the “angels desire to look into” (I Peter 1:11-12). To these was made known through the church the “manifold wisdom of God.” Although the church makes known the wisdom of God through its preaching, that is not the point here. The very existence of the church and beholding it in action caused these powerful heavenly beings to stand in profound reverence inspired by God’s spiritual creation. To illustrate: a beautiful building with intricate architecture causes admiration for the architect. What did they see?

They saw the “manifold wisdom of God.” God’s wisdom, sophia, is not simply great. It is manifold, polupoikilos, “diverse, various, multi-colored. Multifarious, greatly diversified, abounding in variety” (The Complete Word Study Dictionary). In the redemption of the church, there is not merely one form or one phase of wisdom. Albert Barns commented, “It is wisdom, ever-varying, ever-beautiful. There was wisdom manifested when the plan was formed; wisdom in the selection of the Redeemer; wisdom in the incarnation; wisdom in the atonement; wisdom in the means of renewing the heart, and sanctifying the soul; wisdom in the various dispensations by which the church is sanctified, guided, and brought to glory.”

They saw how God brought all believers together in one body. Jews and Gentiles, who for generations had no association with each other, are now reconciled to God “in one body through the cross” (Ephesians 2:16 ). The means by which believers were reconciled to God was the same means by which they were reconciled to each other. The Law of Moses that separated the Israelites until the Messiah should come was broken down and taken out of the way (cf. Colossians 2:14-16). The blood of Christ was sufficient to “purchase unto God with thy blood (men) of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation (Revelation 5:9).

They saw how God saves man. Jesus left the glory of heaven to become flesh and live among us (John 1:14). What a sacrifice! “Who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient (even) unto death, yea, the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus died for “every man” (Hebrews 2:9)! God gave His Son to be tempted in the flesh, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15) and to shed His blood in the most horrendous way possible for our redemption. There was no other way that man could be redeemed. “Apart from shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). God could not remain “just” and forgive any one without the atonement of the righteous blood of Christ. The angels saw the horror of sin and the love of God manifested in the sending of His only begotten Son (John 3:16). What man would have calculated such a plan?

They saw what God can do with men who have been so defiled by sin. Those who are called out of the world by the gospel can now be citizens in God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13-14). Granted, “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23) and are worthy of death (Romans 6:23). However, in Acts 2:37, those who murdered God’s Son asked, “what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Those in Corinth who were “fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, sodomites, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners” (I Corinthians 6:9-11 NKJV) were changed into saints. Paul, who considered himself as “chiefest of sinners,” “less than the least of all saints,” was turned into an apostle (I Timothy 1:13-16; Ephesians 3:8; cf. Acts 22:20).

They saw the life changing gospel preached to “every creature under heaven” (Colossians 1:23). Jesus selected the apostles and gave them the commission, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). They were to begin preaching the message of “repentance and remission of sins … in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47). In Acts 2 this message was preached for the first time. Three thousand obeyed this simple message (Acts 2:41). In Acts 4:4 the number is “five thousand;” “multitudes” in Acts 5:14. In Acts 6:7 “the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.” Then, as a result of persecution, the disciples who “were scattered abroad, went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). And then we read in Acts 11:20-21, “… who, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord.” What a wonder to see the gospel so rapidly spreading and changing the lives of so many. Indeed, it is a powerful message (Romans 1:16).

The text reveals that the “principalities and powers in the heavenly places” saw something in the church that was not seen in the physical creation itself. The everlasting power and divinity of God is seen in the creation with all its splendid greatness (Romans 1:20). However, the most dramatic display of God’s wisdom is in His spiritual creation, the church. These angelic beings stand in awe at His prudence and purposes by observing the grandeur of the Lord’s church. Do you see what the angels saw?

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