WHY ANGELS ARE INTERESTED

11. According to 1 Peter 1:12, how intense is the interest of the angels in the divine arrangement for salvation?

¹¹ The example of the angels should also serve to encourage us to do our utmost to remain in God’s favor. Though having no personal need for the divine arrangement of salvation, faithful angels take a real interest in the outworking of God’s grand purpose for humankind. The apostle Peter wrote: “Into these very things [that occupied the attention of the Hebrew prophets] angels are desiring to peer.” (1 Peter 1:12) Yes, before the coming of Jesus Christ to this earth, the angels were desirous of knowing more about Christ’s sufferings, the “glories to follow these” and the impact of the “good news” on humankind. The apostle Peter could speak of them as “desiring to peer” into these matters. In the original Greek, the expression “to peer” suggests a stooping down with a view to scrutinizing an object more closely. But why were the angels so keenly interested in making a careful examination of Jehovah God’s revelation about salvation? As perfect spirit persons, why should the provisions for sinful, earthly humans particularly concern them?

12, 13. How might we explain the great interest of the angels in the salvation of mankind?

¹² Since the angels are not all-knowing, they doubtless increase their knowledge by studiously considering God’s dealings and revelations. The arrangement for the redemption of the human race truly furnished a marvelous example of Jehovah’s love, justice, mercy and wisdom. Hence, by occupying themselves with gaining greater understanding of Jehovah’s arrangement for saving sinful mankind, the angels would come to appreciate their heavenly Father even more. They would learn things about his personality and ways that could not be discerned from a study or an examination of any other development in the universe.​—Compare Ephesians 3:8-10.

¹³ Furthermore, the angels have a “fondness” for the human race. (Compare Proverbs 8:22-31.) They want to see mankind reconciled with the heavenly Father, Jehovah. That is why Jesus Christ could say: “Joy arises among the angels of God over one sinner that repents.”​—Luke 15:10.

14. (a) What should the attitude of the angels toward our salvation help us to do? (b) What counsel of the apostle Peter should we keep in mind in order to remain faithful servants of God?

¹⁴ Yes, millions of angels rejoiced when we ourselves came to repentance. They are very much interested in seeing us maintain faithfulness to the very end. In effect, they are ‘cheering us on.’

9. Who especially benefited from the prophecies about the Messiah?

⁹ As Peter made clear, the Hebrew prophets came to understand that the Messianic prophecies were not primarily recorded for their profit but for the benefit of those who would actually be living at the time of Messiah’s appearance. (1 Peter 1:12) Regarding the revelations that he received, the prophet Daniel admitted: “I heard, but I could not understand.” (Daniel 12:8) However, persons who accepted the “good news” that was proclaimed in the first century C.E. were the ones who profited fully from the inspired words about Messiah’s first coming. It was to them that the prophets were actually ministering.​—Matthew 13:16, 17.