ANGELS

If Only We Could See

      [adapted from Steve Parham, Central Church of Christ, Nashville, TN].

      Our God is a supernatural God!  The One who created it all is not bound by anything - He put the natural laws into effect.  But He can supersede them.  There is much more going on in our world than we are aware of.  The movie: "Wonderful Life," speaks of this.  This is a Bible subject.

      "George Bailey, feeling like a failure, is about to end it all by jumping off a bridge.  His guardian angel Clarence appears and shows George the "wonderful life" that he has and how he has provided for others.  Are guardian angels just in make-believe Christmas stories or do they really exist?  Wouldn't it be great to see them in action?

      In 2 Kings 6:15-17 we read the account of Elisha and his servant surrounded by an enemy army.  His servant cries out, "Alas, my master, what shall we do?"  Elijah answers: "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."  And Elisha prayed: "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see."  Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw.  And behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."

      Jesus tells us that we have angels and that they rejoice when we come into the family of God (Luke 15:10).  If only we could see these angels and know what they are doing in our behalf.  Frank Peretti has written a number of very creative works of fiction describing this hidden work of God's servants on our behalf.  Note Hebrews 1:7,14; Matt. 18:10; Psalm 34:7; 2 Kings 2:12; Zechariah 5:9, for some things the Bible says.

      Although we will most likely never see this angelic activity, hopefully we can still hear and believe the words of Elisha when we become worried or fearful.  "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

John wrote: "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."  1 John 4:4 (NKJV)  And Paul wrote in Romans 8:38-39: "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NKJV)

      God's peace to you and your family.  Steve Parham

 

 

MINISTRY OF ANGELS                  R. D. Ice  1977

        "God has not placed the angels as rulers over the new world to come - the world of which we speak.  Instead, as it is said somewhere in the Scriptures (Psalm 8:4-6): 'What is man, O God, that You should think of him; mere man (the son of man), that You should care for him?  You made him for a little while lower than the angels, You crowned him with glory and honor, and made him ruler over all things.'  It says that God made man 'ruler over all things'; this clearly includes everything.  We do not, however, see man ruling over all things now.  But we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, so that through God's grace (kindness) He should die for everyone (taste death for everyone in all the world).  We see Him now crowned with glory and honor because of the death He suffered.  It was only right that God, who creates and preserves all things, should make Jesus perfect through suffering, in order to bring many sons (daughters) to share His glory.  For Jesus is the one who leads them to salvation."  [Hebrews 2:5-10]

        Ezekiel's Vision - Ezekiel 1:4-9  "I looked up and saw a windstorm coming from the north.  Lightning was flashing from a huge cloud, and the sky around it was glowing.  Where the lightning was flashing, something shone like bronze.  At the center of the storm I saw what looked like four living creatures in human form, but each of them had four faces and four wings.  Their legs were straight, and they had hoofs like those of a bull.  They shone like polished bronze.  In addition to their four faces and four wings, they each had four human hands, one under each wing.  Two wings of each creature were spread out so that the creatures formed a square, with their wing tips touching.  When they moved, they moved as a group without turning their bodies."

        Cherubim in Solomon's Temple - 1 Kings 6:23-28.

"Two winged creatures (cherubim) were made of olive wood and placed in the Most Holy Place, each one 15 feet tall.  Both were of the same size and shape.  Each had two wings, each wing 7½ feet long, so that the distance from one wing tip to the other was 15 feet.  They were placed side by side in the Most Holy Place, so that two of their outstretched wings touched each other in the middle of the room, and the other two wings touched the walls.  The two winged creatures were covered with gold."

        Angels are a separate order of creation.  Contrary to popular folklore, a human does not become an angel after death.  Note that angels existed before the death of any human being (compare Genesis 3:24; Job 38:6-7.

        In the Scriptures angels sometimes appear with bodies and in human form, and with abilities similar to the resurrected Christ (compare Genesis 18:1-8; 19:1,10; Luke 24:37-43; John 20:19). 

        In Biblical languages, angels are always masculine in gender, never female.  However, "sex" (gender) is probably not a characteristic of angels (although Genesis 6:2 seems to imply differently).  But Jesus says angels do not "marry" (Matt. 22:30).

        We note that humans have a higher "priority" in creation (compare Hebrews 2:5-9), which places angels in a supporting role.  The Scriptures speak of humans judging the angels (1 Cor. 6:3).  This ought to arouse in the church a sense of competency and dignity. 

        We see angels; helping those who are to receive salvation (Hebrews 1:14), although we are not told just how.  Jesus speaks of children having "angels in heaven" (Matt. 18:10).  McGarvey takes this to mean certain angels intrusted with the care of certain individuals.  But probably the popular doctrine of "guardian angels" goes too far. 

        God gave the Old Testament Law through angels (Gal. 3:19).  In contrast the Good News Gospel came through Christ rather than an angels (Hebrews 1:1-2).

        Angels are interested in the salvation of mankind (1 Peter 1:12).  Yet the Scriptures strongly warn us not to worship angels (Col. 2:18,23; Rev. 22:8-9). 

        Angels come with Christ to judge the earth and reap the harvest of both reward and punishment (Jude 14-15; Rev. 14:14-20). 

        The Devil and his angels were defeated at the cross  (Col. 2:15).  But they are still permitted to oppose the followers of Christ (Eph. 6:12; 1 Cor. 10:13), and Christians must "resist the Devil" (James 4:7).

 

1. Ministering Spirits. 

    "The angel of the LORD met Hagar at a spring in the desert on the road to Shur . . .He said, 'Go back to her and be her slave.'"  [Genesis 16:7-9]

    "The angel of God, who had been in front of the army of Israel, moved and went to the rear."  [Exodus 14:19]  This was to protect against the Egyptians.

    "God will put His angels in charge of you to protect you wherever you go."  [Psalm 91:11]  The Devil quotes this during the temptation of Christ.

 

2. Angels announced the Birth of Christ.

    "But the angel said to them: 'Don't be afraid!  For I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people.  This night in David's town your Savior was born - Christ the Lord!"  [Luke 2:10]

 

3. Comforted Christ in His Temptation.

    "He was there forty days, and Satan tempted Him.  Wild animals were there also, but angels came and helped Him."  [Mark 1:13]

 

4. Delivered Apostles from prison.

    "But that night an angel of the Lord opened the prison gates, led the apostles out, and said to them, Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new life."  [Acts 5:19]

    "Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there, and a light shone in the cell.  The angel shook Peter by the shoulder, woke him up and said, Hurry!  Getup!  And at once the chains fell off his hands."  [Acts 12:7]

 

5. Angels execute the vengeance of God.

    When the LORD's angel was about to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD changed His mind about punishing the people and said to the angel who was killing them, 'Stop!  That's enough!"  [2 Samuel 24:16]  Punishment was for David's taking a census against God's orders. 

    "An angel of the LORD went to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 soldiers."  [Isaiah 37:36]  The angel was defending the city of Jerusalem.

 

6. Rejoice over sinners who repent.

    "In the same way, I tell you, the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents."  [Luke 15:10]

 

7. Fallen angels.

    For God did not spare the angels who sinned, but threw them into hell, where they are kept chained in darkness, waiting for the Day of Judgment."  [2 Peter 2:4] 

    "Remember the angels who did not stay within the limits of their proper authority, but abandoned their own dwelling-place: God has kept them in the darkness below, bound in eternal chains for that great Day on which they will be condemned."  [Jude 6]

   

    
Angels
Angel means messenger. Spiritual beings who exist to serve God and to praise the Lord.  Higher in status than humans, they are lower in status that the exalted Jesus (Hebrews 2:6-8). Among them there are different ranks or orders, including angels and archangels.  Some rebelled against God's sovereignty; their leader is known as Satan (the devil), and they became fallen or disobedient angels.  The vast majority, however, have remained as free obedient beings, and it was they who welcomed the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:13-14) and will come with Him at His Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:18).  In the Old Testament, the 'angel of the Lord' is in fact God Himself speaking.  Two angels are specifically named in the Old Testament, Gabriel and Raphael.  Gabriel appeared again to announce the Incarnation of Christ.  Michael, the "prince of Israel" (Daniel 10:21; 12:1) is often referred to as an angel."  Compact Bible Dictionary

      The Jews believed there were seven angels who enter the holy presence and offer to God the prayers of His covenant people.  Compare Revelation 8:3-5.

      Angels came to Abraham in human form.  Genesis 18:1-2.

      Cherubim in the tabernacle: 1 Kings 6:23-27.

 

 Angels are created (Psalm 148:2,5; Col. 1:16), non-human, spirit beings (Hebrews 1:14).

 

 They are immortal (Luke 20:36), innumerable (Hebrews 12:22),

invisible (Numbers 22:22-31),

sexless (Matt. 22:30),

and do the will of God (Psalm 103:20).

 

 These angels have a ministry to believers. They guide (Genesis 24:7,21),

protect (Psalm 34:7),

and comfort (Acts 27:2,24).

There are good angels (Genesis 28:12; Psalm 91:11)

and bad angels (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6 ).

 The only angels mentioned by name are Gabriel (Daniel 8:16;9:21),

Michael (Daniel 10:13,21;12:1),

and Lucifer (Luke 10:18).

[Raphael is mentioned in the Apocrypha.]

Michael is always mentioned in the context of battle (Daniel 10:13) and Gabriel as a messenger (Hebrews 1:26).

Of course, Lucifer, who became Satan, is the one who opposes God.

 Angels were originally created for the purpose of serving and carrying out the will of God. The fallen angels rebelled and became evil angels. Satan is such an angel (Isaiah 14:12-16; Ezekiel 28:12-15).