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"For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants" ( Hebrews 2:16 )

This is an interesting verse. If you look at its context you will see that it is talking about both the fallen angels who rebelled against God and mankind after the fall of man. As I read and studied this passage I asked the Lord why He helped mankind and not the fallen angels. His answer to me was simple yet powerful, I created the angels to serve and worship me, but I created mankind for relationship.

Angels were created as servants to worship God

Angels are created beings the same as us. They were created to serve and worship God as well as minister and serve believers ( Psalm 103:20, Hebrews 1:14 ). In God's goodness He created the angels with a free will just as He did mankind. The angels knew who God was, experienced his power saw His glory, yet some rebelled. They made their choice in that moment knowing the full weight of their decision. In other words, there is no redemption for them because it was a willful decision to betray God.

Mankind was created for relationship

After God created Adam and Eve, he walked with them in the cool of the evening. This means He fellowshipped with them, talked with them and knew them. They were created for relationship. Even after they disobeyed His command and were banished from the garden, He still walked and talked with them ( Genesis 4 ). Sin didn't change this; they weren't out of fellowship with Him nor were they cut off from Him. After the fall, He still related to them just as He had in the garden.

The Bible records that "Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away" ( Genesis 5:24 ). One day Enoch was caught up into heaven to live with God because they were so close they wouldn't be separated any longer. Enoch knew the intimate relationship that God designed humans to experience with Him.

In the same manner, God and Abraham were friends. God trusted Abraham and revealed the gospel in advance because He did not want to keep it from their friendship ( Genesis 15, Genesis 17, Genesis 18:16-19 ). Abraham was the only Old Testament figure known as a friend of God ( Isaiah 41:8, James 2:23 ). They had a relationship.

David was called a man after God's own Heart ( 1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22 ). Not because his life was perfect or because he lived holy. In fact his life was a series of wars, unrest, adultery, murder, not to mention all the ongoing trouble he experienced with his family. But he was called a man after God's own heart because He knew God. He knew God would rescue him. He knew God would forgive Him. He knew He could count on God. He knew that God should be the first person to run to in times of trouble. And He knew hope for the future because of their intimacy. Reading the words of David throughout the Psalms makes it clear that David had a relationship with God, and God constantly moved on David’s behalf.

As believers we are all called friends of God ( John 15:15 ). We have been brought into intimate unity with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit ( John 17:22-23 ). We are called children of God ( Romans 8:14-16 ). And co-heirs with Christ ( Romans 8:17 ). This is an incredible truth. In the past few ventured into a deep relationship with God, but through Jesus we have been united with Him in perfect unity ( John 17:23 ). We have His Spirit living inside us reminding us of everything Jesus said ( John 14:26 ). God made it possible to have relationship with Him through Christ.

In all of these examples we see that God has befriended mankind and extended His love to us. The fall of man didn't change His mind about us. He still loves us, desires relationship and provides the way of restoration. David saw this and wrote, "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor" ( Psalm 8:4-5 ).

Over the next two days we will look at Hebrews 2:16. We will look at why God helps mankind and not the fallen angles. Paying close attention to the importance God places on mankind.

Tomorrow we look at Part 2: God Thinks Highly of Mankind

Abraham was the only saint in the Old Testament who was called a friend of God. Abraham pleased the Lord greatly, but it wasn't because he was good or even because he was living a holy life. In fact Abraham did some things that would raise our eyebrows today. But nevertheless, he pleased the Lord because he lived fully immersed in faith.

Hebrews 11:6 says, ‘without faith it is impossible to please God..." so the opposite is also truth, with faith it is possible to please God. The rest of that verse goes on to say, "...because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." ( Hebrews 11:6 ) Abraham was a living example of this, he knew the Lord intimately and because of it, he was convinced that God was capable of everything he had promised to him. God loves that kind of faith!

The Bible is God's love letter to us. He has done everything that can possibly be done to redeem mankind. The Bible is God's promise to us. In the same way that Abraham believed what God had promised him and was credited with righteousness, we too, need only to rely on the promise within His word and what Jesus did to obtain right standing with him.

Abraham believed and exercised his faith in God and received right standing with God. In the same way, we also only need to put our faith in Jesus and firmly rely on him as our personal savior and then God credits us with that righteousness that solidifies our standing before him. Today if you have done this, then you, like Abraham, are also considered a friend of God! What a blessed thing!