Hierarchy of nature

[Jake]

I am reading a book for an economics class from a Christian author that talks about the place of humans being between the beasts of the fields and angels. The only support for this hierarchy that is given is as such:

"The beginning of Genesis makes clear, first, that the human species is part of nature, but that humans, being created in the image of God, hold an exalted place in the hierarchy of nature--below the angels but above the mute beasts of the field."

I am not sure I see the link between angels and humans in that passage, but I was wondering, since this is an idea that is used for later argumentation in the book, how Biblical this idea is.

Here is the diagram that supplements:

It's a rather short book and that paragraph and diagram are about all the support that is given for this idea.

Thanks!

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk HD

 

[Philip]

Clearly man is above the beasts of the field, and it seems that man is also "a little lower than the angels" (Psalm 8).

 

[Peairtach]

See Psalm 8.

Humans appear to be above the clouds in the diagram ?

 

[Jake]

Thanks to both of you. I believe the diagram and the lack of evidence in the cited passage distracted me... I had no reason to disagree with the thought that angels are above men per se, but I could not think of a Scriptural basis. Psalm 8 should have come right to mind.

Thanks muchly.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk HD

 

[CharlieJ]

The fact that the author thought you needed a diagram to grasp that concept perhaps does not speak well for the book overall...

 

[Peairtach]

The mysterious thing - or one of the mysterious and wonderful things revealed in Scripture in connection with this - is that although we are made a little lower than the angels, the angels are yet the servants of God's people, and as Christ is now raised above the angels, so shall we be.

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? (Heb 1:14, ESV)

Now it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere,

“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honour,[a]
putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,saying,

“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” (Heb 2:5-12 ff.)

 

[kappazei]

1john 3:2 "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."

Angels are ministering spirits. We're His children. We're weaker than angels but postionally, we're higher...right?