Hebrews 1:14 – Providential Care
Could Hebrews 1:14 be understood as God’s providential care for those who are in Christ?
In Hebrews 1:14 we read, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” The context of this remark is in reference to comparing Jesus with God’s angels. The authority of Jesus is so much better than the authority of angels because He is on the right hand of God whereas the angels are merely ministering spirits. This is by far the best description that we are given concerning the responsibilities of angels within the New Testament. From this verse we learn that 1) they are ministering. 2) They are spirits. 3) They are sent from God. 4) They minister to the heirs of salvation. Is this part of God’s providential care for those who are still alive and in Christ today?
First, it is evident that today, those who are heirs of salvation must be in Christ. We read in Galatians 3:27-29 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Those who are in Christ are heirs. This passage makes that crystal clear. So in that sense, Hebrews 1:14 can be understood to apply to those who are in Christ, because they are heirs of salvation.
Second, as to the question of God’s providential care for those who are in Christ, we just don’t know how God works providentially to make things come out the way He wants them to come out. We know from the Old Testament that God works in providential ways–that is, ways in which He provides for His people. We know from Joseph’s statement in Genesis 50:20 (“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”) that God can sometimes work in ways that are outside our understanding and not in a way that is immediately recognizable as being God’s work and we refer to this as God’s providence. Such passages as Romans 8:28 (“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”) also bear record that God is working today in a non-miraculous but providential way. How all does God accomplish these things? We just don’t have the answers to those questions. Does God use angels to carry out his providential will today? It would be within His power to do so. Does Hebrews 1:14 indicate this? In the specific sense of what is God’s providential work, I don’t know. I don’t know exactly what the specific duties of these angels are and what their ministry is per se. They work for God and they minister to the heirs of salvation. Does this involve God’s providence? Well, let me answer it this way. Whatever they are doing when serving God, it doesn’t go against God’s purposes for man’s salvation. So in that general sense, we could say that they are involved in God’s providence. But in this same general sense, WE are involved in God’s providence as well when we are obedient to God and do His will in our lives. The bottom line is this; we should not look to God’s providence outside of what He says that He is going to do through His word. Faith still comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17) and without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). The implication is that without hearing the word of God it is impossible to please God.
The bottom line in answer to this question is this: In a general sense, everyone who obeys God is working within God’s providence. So the answer to the question is, Yes, this passage can be understood as being part of God’s providence in that sense, but in the specific sense of does God give specific instruction for angels to carry out in regard to helping and protecting the heirs of salvation? I don’t think we have enough information to answer that question. And if we don’t have the information, it isn’t by faith that we can believe something like that.