Thomas Watson, 17th Century preacher, wrote in his Art of Divine Contentment:

The gospel is full of jewels, but they are locked up from sense and reason. The angels in heaven are searching into these sacred depths. (1 Pe. 1:12)

We get a picture that the things of the gospel as being very highly desired but very well guarded. To us, the gospel is guarded from our intellect. We would never figure it out on our own, it’s too simple; forgiveness come from being justified to God by faith in Christ? That’s too easy, there has to be a way in there for us to do something ourselves, for us to add to it. But it is that simple. It is that God-centered.

To the angels, it is guarded from their nature. Angels were not created to be the receivers of the gospel message. Christ did not die for the angels. Jesus died so that we would be his people, his church. The angels know that their existence is to glorify God and Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory (Heb 1:3) so they desire to look into the gospel and its mysteries. Looking into God’s reason for creating humans and angels is a wonderful thing to dwell on, it humbles us to know that we are created for God’s glory alone.

“And there they continued to preach the gospel” - Acts 14:7

Each Tuesday a different reflection on the gospel and its continual effect on our lives