An Angelic Curiosity

“It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.” (1 Peter 1:12 ESV)

This phrase found in verse 12 is amazing to me.  Have you ever thought that this gospel, this good news that brings saving grace to us humans, is something that the angels can’t understand? How could they? They have not been tempted in every way like we are; they have not struggled with free will to obey God or give in to our fleshly desires. And never having understood what it means to be separated from their creator by sin, how could they know the indescribable Mercy, Grace, and Reconciliation that happens each time a human puts their trust in the Lord Jesus and accepts by faith in His finished work on the cross to secure their very own salvation for eternity.

Verse 12 reveals that because of God’s plan of redemption, having been preached by the prophets of old, not fully understanding God’s plan of redemption themselves, but obediently recording what the Holy Spirit instructed them to write that this plan of Redemption is so marvelous that even the angels that surround the throne of Grace can’t understand this magnificent transformation of a human spirit.

This gospel message that the Holy Spirit of heaven instilled is so powerful that lives are changed for eternity. The phrase “things into which angels long to look” is actually a marvelous phrase in the original Greek. It is the picture of angels bending down and watching with amazing interest the transformation of a human heart at salvation. It is like there they are, right beside the repentant sinner, trying to get a quick glimpse of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

The fact that God the Father moved heaven and earth to have His only begotten Son give His life in payment for sin that He never committed and that the convincing power of the Holy Spirit convicted us of our sins and need for complete salvation is a story that is repeated thousands of times each and every day. There they are, the angels of heaven, right beside the one accepting God’s forgiveness by faith, though simply trusting that God is a promise keeper. The angels are trying to understand just a bit of this magnificent love that the God of the universe has for those He created in His own image.

Angels, just trying to understand the love between their God and His creation—what a beautiful picture this is. It makes us wish for a small glimpse of the glory that awaits us in heaven with the angels, our Savior, the Holy Spirit, and our loving, faithful God.

Remember the day of your salvation, and never let time or circumstances dull the glorious moment when God performed a miracle that even the angels long to understand.

"Living in Grace is not about what I can do, but about what Jesus has already done!"