What the Angels Study
“Which t hi Jigs the angels desire to look into” — 1 Pet. i. 12.
What were those things which were the subjects of study to the angels? One would think the meditations of the upper world must be of a very transcendental nature, far beyond our power of comprehension. In truth these studies were not transcendental at all; they were just the studies which should be our own every day. We are told in the preceding verse that there were two things which the angels desired to look into — “the sufferings of Christ” and the “glory that should follow.” What they wanted to study beyond all other things was the road by which ministration led to joy. Do you wonder that this should have been a subject of study to the angels? Does it seem to you a theme too mean for angels? Have you forgotten what the angels are? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister unto them who shall be heirs of salvation? Whyshould not the ministering spirits study ministration, and study it in the person of Him who became the servant of all? Do we not all study those things which are most congruous to our nature The poet is a student of poetry, the artist is a disciple of art. The angel was created to be a minister; wherefore should not he study his art? Why should not he go to the model Teacher in the art of ministering? Why should not he gaze even from the heights of heaven on the strait gate and the narrow way which led the Son of Man to the brow of Olivet? This would be sorrow, you say, and there can be no sorrow in heaven. Yes; but the thing which was sorrow on earth shall in heaven be turned into a joy. The selfish heart finds no joy in the study of ministration because it is selfish; let it become unselfish, let it be transmuted into the light of love, let it be lifted up to the heights of heaven, and that study will become its glory.
My soul, art thou prepared for the heavenly meditation, the theme on which angels dwell? If heaven came to thee to-night, would it be to thee a joy? Is there within thee now such a love for humanity as to make the care of humanity a joyous subject of eternal study? Is it with weariness and langour that thou givest the thought of an hour to the problem of human helpfulness? How, then, shalt thou spend an eternity in which that problem is the prevailing theme Would not such a heaven be to thee a land of inexpressible pain? Prepare, then, to meet thy God, 0 my soul. Thy God is love, and He breathes the atmosphere of love. If His atmosphere would be thy life and not thy death, thou must be partaker of His Spirit. Heaven is no home for the selfish; they would not call it home. Wouldst thou find in heaven a home, study on earth the theme of the angels. Study the wants of thy brother man, study the remedies for human care, study the secret of successful ministration, study, above all, that Divinely-human sacrifice which teaches to all the ages the glory of the Cross.