Hebrews 2:2

Hebrews 2:2

The message spoken through angels 

This verse can cause confusion. What is the “message spoken through angels?” 

There is no doubt that Moses had direct encounters with the Lord God and he heard God’s voice speaking to him. However, the Jews believed that the Law was given at Sinai with the assistance of angels. “The Law” was their most sacred text and the term was often used to summarise the whole of the Scriptures. When Stephen preached to the Sanhedrin (Jewish ruling Council) before they sentenced him to be stoned, he said this, “Moses was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us.” Acts 7:38. “You have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.” Acts 7:53. Paul also records that, “The law awas given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.” Galatians 3:19.

The author of Hebrews picks up this theme, in his mind the “message spoken through angels” was the sacred commands and ordinances pronounced on Mount Sinai, and these were forever binding on the Israelites and their successors. Thus, we are told that every violation of God’s law and every disobedient act will receive a just punishment. So, to this very day, disobedience and violations of God’s commands are punishable, some even by death, and this is the fate that awaits all lawbreakers across our planet. We only escape if we know that our punishment has been borne by another. However, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgement and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God! Anyone who rejected the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.”  Hebrews 10:28-29.  We thank God that Jesus Christ removed the threat and the curse of death, and it is possible for all men and women to be freed. Hallelujah!

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