The Holy Angels Called the Sons of God

    THE HOLY ANGELS CALLED THE SONS OF GOD

    "There was a day when the Sons of God came and presented themselves before God" Job 1:6.

    "And all the Sons of God shouted for joy" Job 38:7.

    The Chaldee paraphrase is express, that the Sons of God here are the Angels: "The armies of Angels shouted for joy." And the Septuagint (as Caryl observes are as clear for it, saying, "When all my Angels sung for joy." To this do most expositors agree.

    Object. But some object that passage of the apostle, "To which of the Angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son?"

    Answ. 1. Angels are not the Sons of God, as the Apostle there expresseth, i.e., as Christ is the Son of God, viz., by eternal generation. For so, "To which of the Angels said he at any time, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?" Jesus Christ is the Son of God from eternity.

    2. Angels are not the Sons of God by regeneration, nor by adoption, as believers are, The holy Angels need not regeneration, they never fell from their first estate. Christ is not to them a Redeemer for their restoration, but only a Head for their confirmation.

    But why Angels are called Sons of God, will appear in the following parallel.

    METAPHOR

    I. A Son is the offspring of the father.

    PARALLEL

    I. Angels are the offspring of God; Adam was called the Son of God by creation; so may the Angels, because created by God.

    METAPHOR

    II. A Son is greatly beloved by the father.

    PARALLEL

    II. Angels are greatly beloved of the Almighty,

    METAPHOR

    III. Sons attend, honour, and wait upon their father; they are about his table, and at his command.

    PARALLEL

    III. Angels wait upon God, they stand about his throne, and are always ready to obey his command, and seek his glory.

    METAPHOR

    IV. Some are greatly dignified; they are near to their father, and have great power and authority in the family.

    PARALLEL

    IV. Angels are greatly dignified; they are very near to God, always beholding his face, and are mighty in power. Mr. Caryl saith, they are called Sons of God because of power, being called principalities, and powers, &c., Mt 18:10.

    METAPHOR

    V. Sons serve their father cheerfully, willingly, and readily; they obey not as slaves or servants.

    PARALLEL

    V. Angels serve God with abundance of cheerfulness and willingness; they go about their work with a filial or Son-like cheerfulness and delight.

    METAPHOR

    VI. Sons are like their father; they have some resemblance of him in nature and qualifications.

    PARALLEL

    VI. Angels have some essential likeness to God. God is a Spirit, and incorporeal; the Angels are spirits in their nature, and incorporeal. Though the difference between God and them is as great as can be conceived in this respect; God is the creating Spirit, and they are created spirits; God is an infinite Spirit, they finite spirits: yet the Angels bear, as the learned observe, some resemblance to God in their essence, as well as in their qualification, and may in this respect be called the Sons of God likewise.

    METAPHOR

    VII. And lastly, Sons imitate their Father. "Do good to them that hate you," saith Christ, "that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:" That is, imitate God, as some children do their fathers; carry it towards evil men, as God doth; and this will be an evidence that you are the Sons of God, and he will honour you with the title of his Sons.

    PARALLEL

    VII. Angels imitate God in mercy, in love and compassion, as also in their good works; their ways being all holy, just, and good, pure and righteous; and showing much kindness and tenderness to the children of men. They doubtless are patient towards the froward and undeserving mortals; they are of most excellent natures and dispositions. No creatures do imitate God so plainly and fully as they do; and from hence they may be called the Sons of God.

    INFERENCES.

    THIS may teach us to how carry ourselves towards God, our Father. "We should labour to be like the Angels. Our Saviour hath taught us to pray, "That the will of God may be done on earth, as it is done in heaven," Mt 6:10. We who are God's Sons on earth, should imitate the Sons of God in heaven. "We should serve God as cheerfully, and with the like alacrity of heart as the holy Angels; and labour not only to imitate the Angels, and be like them, but also to imitate God himself; for he hath set himself before us, for our direct and immediate example, Mt 5:48.

    And hereby God will not be ashamed to be called our God; he will not grudge us the honour and title of Sons, which, as it appears by this, is a most glorious dignity and privilege, even such an one as is conferred upon the holy Angels of heaven, &c.