NO, ANGELS DO NOT HAVE WINGS!!! –
Angels with wings is the results of artists who did not read
the word of God before they did there paintings – which are wrong - and have
caused a lot of misunderstandings about Angels. The following 6 Posts shall
explain all that is available pertaining to Angels. – Enjoy
NOTE – There are two types of angels –
1) God’s
2) Satan’s.
First we will examine
about God’s angels then lastly we will explore satan and his angels.
God’s Angels
God's Word
teaches that there are three fundamental categories of individuals in the Word
who are sent to deliver a message for God and to deliver it accurately. These
three categories are ambassadors, apostles and angels.
2 Corinthians 5:20 - "Now then we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead,
be ye reconciled to God."
We, as born-again believers – God’s Way, are these
ambassadors for Christ. We are sent. Why?
Ephesians 6:20 - "For which l am an ambassador in
bonds: that therein l may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."
We are sent to speak God's Word (the message) and to do it
accurately and boldly. This is our mission as ambassadors, ones that are sent
to represent the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 10:15 - "And how shall they preach, except
they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach
the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"
Apostle means "a sent one." Apostles specifically
are sent to send others. They are 'custom-made'
to commission other believers to go forth, bringing the Word to other
people. Just stop and think of all the men that fit into the category of
apostles in God's Word-Jesus Christ (he was the apostle: Hebrews 3:1), plus
Peter, Paul, James, John, Andrew and others. As apostles they were responsible
and qualified to bring new light to a generation. Moses fit this definition in
his calling and in his ministering.
Exodus 3:10, 14 &15 - "Come now therefore, and I
will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou may bring forth my people the children
of Israel out of Egypt. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said,
Thus shaft thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shall you say unto the children of
Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and
the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is
my memorial unto all generations."
As you can see, Moses also was sent to speak God's message
accurately. Can all born again believers, who are true ambassadors for the Lord
Jesus Christ, learn from the qualities exhibited in the lives of apostles? Yep!
As a matter of fact, God's Word commands it.
l Corinthians 4:16 -"Wherefore I beseech you, be ye
followers of me."
I Corinthians 11:1 - "Be ye followers of me, even as
I also am of Christ."
Philippians 3:17 - "Brethren, be followers together
of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample."
Philippians 4:9 - "Those things, which ye have both
learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace
shall be with you."
We also know from God's Word that the ministry of an apostle
never develops and flourishes until a believer first proves himself as a
faithful disciple and ambassador. Jesus Christ, in calling the apostles,
demanded "discipleship" first. This means doing as God’s word
instructs. The greatness of their ministries as apostles could never have
blossomed into manifestation unless first and foremost, these men were faithful
followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, if the first two categories of
"sent ones" can contribute so dynamically and equally one to another,
why wouldn't the third category also contribute to the others, as well as vice
versa? It really should, logically. And certainly, the qualities of ability
exhibited in the ministering of angels should and do serve as examples and
inspirations to ambassadors and apostles in the Body of Christ. To reach a
stage of spiritual development where the Word declares that a man does anything
AS an angel indicates that this man is at a real apex of more abundant serving
and delivering of the message verbatim.
Galatians 4:14 - "And my temptation which was in my
flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even
as Christ Jesus."
That is Paul . . . and he is writing by revelation. God told
Paul to write down what God told him.
I Samuel 29:9a - "And Achish answered and said to
David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God... "
2 Samuel 14:17 & 20 - "Then thine handmaid said,
The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God,
so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the Lord thy God will
be with thee. To fetch about this
form of speech has thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise,
according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the
earth.
2 Samuel 19:27 - "And he hath slandered thy servant
unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore
what is good in thine eyes."
A man by the name of David, whom the Word of God says was a
man after God's own heart, is referred to several times "as an angel of
God" in his abilities and attitude. This is significant. This is something
really worth taking a look at.
Taking the above into consideration, let's look now at some
examples of angels in action. Let's observe how they responded and when they
responded, and thus help ourselves to be better ambassadors - sent ones for
Jesus Christ. That the Word states of
David? Or that the Word states of Paul? It's rather obvious in the records that
these angels certainly did.
The first usage of the term "angel" (malak in
Hebrew) in the Bible is Genesis 16:7 and following.
Genesis 16:7-11 - "And the angel of the Lord found
her [Hagar] by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the
way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither
wilt thou go? And she said, l flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the
angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself
under her hands. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, l will multiply thy
seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the angel of
the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shall bear a son, and
shall call his name Ishmael; because the Lord has heard thy affliction."
This messenger was sent by God to deliver this particular
message. The situation was certainly a time of crisis and need. The angel
delivered a message so that Hagar would know what to do. The message gave
wisdom and guidance to her heart. You can also see that the message of the
angel contained promises to her. There are other similar situations regarding
the arrival of an angel and the nature of the message that was delivered.
Later on, after Ishmael was born, Hagar again received answers and comfort via an angel. Again, it was a very critical situation ... one of frustration and despair as she tossed the baby aside, convinced she could not keep it alive. She then wept despairingly as she turned away, saying: ". . . Let me not see the death of the child. ." (Genesis 21:16b).
Genesis 21:77, 78 & 20 - "And God heard the
voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said
unto her, What ails thee, Hagar? fear not; for God has heard the voice of the
lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will
make him a great nation. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in
the wilderness, and became an archer."
Again, the angel came in a crisis situation and gave wisdom,
comfort and promise to the individual. Lot and his family were also once
"caught between a rock and a hard place." God sent two special
messengers - angels - to give Lot the wisdom and guidance he needed in this
perilous circumstance of citizenship in the late, not-so-great Sodom, of
"Sodom and Gomorrah" fame!
Genesis 79:1, 72, 75, 77& 22 - "And there came two
angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them
rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And
the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons,
and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this
place: And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise,
take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in
the iniquity of the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth
abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay
thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. Haste
thee, escape thither; for / cannot do any thing till thou be come thither.
Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar."
Look at the diligence, faithfulness, wisdom, and love with
which these angels delivered God's message to Lot! We, as ambassadors, should
take a lesson from these "sent ones" to do the same in holding forth
the Word.
Speaking of crisis situations, how about Abraham preparing
to kill his only son as a sacrifice to God? He really misunderstood God's
commandment to him.* Guess who came galloping to the rescue? Not The Mounties
or the US Calvary but ...
Genesis 22:7 1 & 72a - "... the angel of the
Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said,
Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any
thing unto him...."
This message was the wisdom and guidance that Abraham needed
in the situation. He also received a familiar, yet sweet promise reiterated.
Genesis 22:17 & 18 - "That in blessing l will
bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the
heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess
the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."
In another situation, the man of God, Elijah, had reached
the end of the line so he thought. He was simply amazed, stunned, and disgusted
at the unbelief of Israel in the face of such signs and wonders. God had
manifested to him via his ministry. He just sat down under a juniper tree and
wanted to die. (In the Eastern culture, whenever someone sat under a juniper
tree, it meant the individual was ready to "kick the bucket" and
breathe his last one! This is where Elijah's head was.)
I Kings 19:4-8 -"But he himself went a day's journey
into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he
requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, 0 Lord,
take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. And as he lay and slept
under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him,
arise, and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baking on the
coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him
down again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched
him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he
arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days
and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. Again, the angel came in a
definite crisis situation and bailed the believer out with wisdom and
comfort."
Here is another major point in considering what an angel
does for the believer at times in a crisis situation.
Exodus 23:20-23 - "Behold, I send an Angel before
thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have
prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not
pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shall indeed
obey his voice, and do all that l speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine
enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go
before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and
the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I
will cut them off."
Protection is provided to the believer via the ministry of
an angel. God would take care of the children of Israel, if they would obey His
Word by means of that messenger. The promise is reiterated (with the
conditions) in And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the
Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the
Jebusite: Exodus 32:34a And when the
people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people
gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him,
Exodus 33:2 - And I will send
an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the
Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
How about that great record of Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego being rescued from the fiery furnace! Who was that fourth man!? God's
Word will tell you who "he" was!
Daniel 3:28 - "Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said,
Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his
angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the
king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship
any god, except their own God."
I have a question - What shut up the hungry king of beasts
as he viewed one savory Daniel at chow time?
Daniel 6: 22 - " My God has sent his angel, and has
shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him
innocence was found in me; and also before thee, 0 king, have I done no
hurt."
Angels are sent ones to deliver God's Word accurately. So
are ambassadors and apostles. Angels make the scene at times-in situations of
crisis, peril and need for God's people. Their messages bring:
1) Wisdom, guidance and answers;
2) Comfort;
3) Promise;
4) Protection.
You, as an ambassador for the Lord Jesus Christ, can do the
same! Why? Because what we have - Christ in us, the hope of glory - is so
magnificent,
People - It's big! Christ in you! You also are sent to
deliver the message verbatim and you are equipped to do it. Let's learn from
the angels, and respond accordingly!
Acts 6:15: And all that sat in the council, looking
steadfastly on him (Stephen), saw his face as it had been the face of an
angel.
This intriguing scripture indicates to us that a person, an
ambassador for Christ - those who are born again God's way - can so operate at
a level in their believing walk (Acts 6:3, 5, 8, 10) that their countenance,
life and ability may be compared to that of an angel!
An angel is a spiritual being sent as God's special
representative to deliver a message from God. The angels do that job
accurately, intensely and with superb strength and wisdom.
We examined in Part I how they often show up in times of
crisis, peril or great need. They bring wisdom, protection, sustenance and
comfort to the people in these situations. * Likewise, we as ambassadors for
Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), who are also sent to deliver God's Word
accurately, should be providing the same things for God's people in time of
need. "Let's learn from the angels and respond accordingly!"
"Protocol" is defined by the Random House
Dictionary of the English Language as "the customs and regulations dealing
with diplomatic formalities, precedence and etiquette." God's Word
emphasizes a definite concern that His "sent ones" keep their
etiquette and protocol right up to standard - let's say, "according to
Hoyle! !"
In I Corinthians 13:5 we find that charity (the love of God
in the renewed mind in manifestation)" * does not "behave itself
unseemly," and "unseemly" means "to be void of proper
deportment (conduct), to act with moral deformity"" * (i.e., a
"nerd," a "klutz," a real social orangutan!) God's Word
tells us in Titus 1:8 that a "bishop," an overseer, leader, must be
"a lover of hospitality" which certainly involves doing things
graciously and correctly so that people are blessed.
Remember the old saying "when in Rome, do as the
Romans"? God's Word says:
I Corinthians 9:19-22 - "For though I be free from
all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that
are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the
law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law
to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are
without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am
made all things to all men, that I might by all' means save some."
Here resides such great logic concerning the reason to do
things properly - to move the Word - to help people. This logic makes itself
known to a marked degree in the ministries of God's special emissaries, the
angels.
Angels endorse, OK, validate, sanction, put the stamp of approval on certain key events
in
God's spiritual and historical timetable!
Certain events are so important in God's eyes, that the
presence of His "sent ones" is demanded by heavenly protocol - the
etiquette and propriety of God's heart. We observe this sort of thing in
political and social circles. The inauguration of a president is of such
significance that it demands the presence of certain key personnel, starting
with the outgoing president and his wife, members of the House and Senate, the
new president and his family, the chief justice of the Supreme Court and so
forth. The significance of the event demands their actual presence-not only
because of the office, people and country that they represent, but also because
of the functions they perform. For instance, without the chief justice there,
the new man could not be sworn in properly. Likewise in the heavenly protocol
of God's angels, we observe that not only does their presence mark the divine
importance of an occasion, but these highly equipped and committed
representatives perform functions that could not otherwise be carried out
appropriately to suit the critical nature of the event. It's really "right
on" when they show!!
In Genesis 3:24 the cherubim guarded the Garden of Eden
after Adam fell; yet even preceding that event, the presence of the angels was
demanded.
Job 38:4 - "Where was thou when I laid the
foundations of the earth? ...
Job 38:6 & 7 - "Whereupon are the foundations
thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof,,
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of
God (angels) shouted for joy? -
The angels were at the creation rejoicing in and proclaiming
the glory of God's speaking heaven and earth into form and order. Well, where
else should they be? The significance of that event certainly demanded their
presence as God's "sent ones."
Abraham sent his top servant to find a wife for Isaac. What
was the endorsement of God's presence to the heart of the servant?
Genesis 24:7 - "The Lord God of heaven, which took
me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spoke
unto me, and that swore unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land;
he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shall take a wife unto my son
from thence."
Upon the servant's discovery of Rebekah (by God's grace and
guidance), what added credence to the servant's story so that Rebekah's family
would allow him to take her back to Isaac?
Genesis 24:40 - "And he said unto me, The Lord,
before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and
thou shall take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's
house."
The presence and approval of God represented by His angel
contributed to Laban, Rebekah's brother, saying in verses 50 & 51 - "The thing proceeds from the Lord ...
Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's
son's wife, as the Lord hath spoken."
That angel was in the right place at the right time! This joining of Isaac and Rebekah insured the continuance of the Christ line that would lead to the birth of our lord and savior. It was a significant event in God's spiritual and historical timetable.
Angels
played an important role via the "protocol of their presence" in another
incident relative to the continuation of the Christ line-by way of Isaac and
Rebekah's son Jacob (alias "Israel").
Genesis 28:12 - "And he [Jacob] dreamed, and
behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and
behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it."
That would pretty well indicate and validate God's presence!
This bit of heavenly propriety certainly impressed and blessed Jacob's heart.
Then (in Jacob’s dream) the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God
of Abraham thy father and the God of Isaac...."
God repeats the splendid promise and covenant initially
given to Abraham (Genesis 12:2 & 3 - And I will make of thee a great
nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a
blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth
thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed) and passed on
to Isaac (Genesis 26:24: - And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars
of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Genesis 28:14 &15 - "And
thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shall spread abroad to the
west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in
thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with
thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou go, and will bring thee
again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I
have spoken to thee of.")
The angels were there to endorse the promise as God's Word
to the heart of Jacob personally, just as God had done to Jacob's fathers
before him.
Jacob had spent fourteen years labouring for his wife
Rachel. He had decided to head back where Esau resided (from whom he had
arranged to purchase the birthright according to Genesis 25:29-34 - And
Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau
said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am
faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy
birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit
shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he
sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.)
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he
did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his
birthright.), and he was a bit "shook" concerning his impeding
reception. He needed assurance-the "protocol of their presence"
brought it to him. (Genesis
32:1&2 - "And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
And when Jacob saw them, he said, this is God's host: and he called the name of
that place Mahanaim.")
The angels' presence, at the right place and the right time,
blessed and assured Jacob according to the Word of the psalmist:
Psalms 34:7 - "The angel of the Lord encamps round
about them that fear (respect) him, and delivers them."
We, as ambassadors, can do the same for God's people by believing to be
in the right place at the right time like the angels!
That's
Spiritual Etiquette!
Another incident of such supreme importance that it merited
the presence of an angel was God calling Moses to lead the children of Israel
out of Egypt and slavery. In considering the vast and versatile ministry of
God's angels within the Kingdom of God, it is imperative that we adhere to the
Word of God as our "touchstone" of truth. The grotesque logic of
man's angelic fabrications expressed through the years in art and literature
have perverted the truth of these spirit beings and God's design. Angels
dancing on the head of a pin; "choirs" of angels harmonizing through
the heavens to the tune of harps with wings, halos, white robes and sickly moon
faces; and all the rest of man's "twilight zone" caricatures cause
one's stomach (and heart) to turn ... to the Word! The Word of God contains the
answers pertaining to "life and godliness." Even though I have not
been able to arrange any personal interviews with an angel, the Word gives us a
clear-cut indication of the purposes, nature, limitations, and influence of
their particular services in the Kingdom of God.
Concerning the wide expanse and influence of the ministry of
the angels, we have observed previously that they are sent by God to deliver
messages verbatim or accurately. Oftentimes in situations of extreme peril and
need, the angels bring to God's people wisdom, protection, comfort, promises
and sustenance. They also endorse and validate certain key events in God's spiritual
and historical timetable with their presence ... always being at the right
place at the right time and saying the right words.
They have certainly been at the right time and place in my
personal a few times. If they hadn’t been I would not be sharing this teaching
with you!
Reproof and Correction
In other places in God's Word, we observe that angels are at
times involved in delivering, reproof and correction via their messages. Words
of this type are certainly necessary aspects of life, since no believer besides
Jesus Christ is perfect. We all need our doctrinal and practical lives
corrected at times. Observe these great statements of truth concerning reproof
and correction from the only book in the Bible specifically addressed to young
people - the Book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 6:23b - " ... and reproofs of instruction
are the way of life."
Proverbs 10:17b - "... but he that refuses reproof
errs."
Proverbs 13:18b - ".. but he that regards reproof
shall be honored."
Proverbs 15:5b - "... but he that regards reproof is
prudent."
Proverbs 15:32 - "He that refuses instruction
despises his own soul: but he that hears reproof gets understanding."
Truth does the reproving, not man's private opinions of
angels (Hebrews 4:12)! Therefore, the angels must speak truth if they are to
carry out their mission for God. Let's consider the following situations where
an angel delivers the truth of God's Word to correct the thinking and habit
patterns of people. We can learn as "sent ones" (ambassadors for
Christ) to reprove with the truth and in love by heeding the examples of the
angels. Genesis 22:11 and 12: And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of
heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said; Lay
not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know
that thou fear God, seeing thou has not withheld thy son, thine only son from
me Abraham's practical error was corrected suddenly! A life was at stake!
Reproof is the correction of practical error. Since fear is
the greatest enemy to the believer, fear leads to unbelief which defeats the
promises of God. Fear is due to ignorance or wrong teaching, and therefore, it
needs to be corrected! Sometimes, that takes very little time at all.
Genesis 21:17 - "And God heard the voice of the lad;
and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What
ails thee, Hagar? fear not; for God bas heard the voice of the lad where he
is."
She felt she could not take care of her child and had left
it to die. Fear was her motivator until the angel spoke the Word of God to her.
Matthew 1:20 - "But while he thought on these
things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying,
Joseph thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that
which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost."
Joseph was apprehensive about what he should do, but not
after he was reproved and corrected by the angel!
Matthew 1:24 - "Then Joseph being raised from sleep
did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife."
He gladly carried out the instruction!
Luke 1:13 - "But the angel said unto him, Fear not,
Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a
son, and thou shall call his name John."
Zacharias was stunned at the presence of God’s special
messenger, and the angel spoke the Word to bless and help him.
Luke 1:30 - "And the angel said unto her, Fear not,
Mary: for thou has found favor with God."
Gabriel put Mary’s heart at rest with this magnificent
instruction and was given to God’s people, but the people did not heed it.
Therefore, the sent one came to them with swift and simple
rebuttal in response to their hardheartedness!
We are also sent ones. We as ambassadors for Christ can help
God’s people out of their fear and disobedience by simple and direct reproof
with love.
Luke 2:10 - "And the angel said unto them, Fear not:
for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all
people."
The shepherds were startled by the spectacular sight (verse
9). The angel immediately and lovingly corrected their fearful hearts.
Acts 27:24 - "Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be
brought before Caesar: and, lo, God has given thee all them that sail with
thee."
In the midst of incredible peril, the angel gave Paul the
Word so that he could stand and believe. Remember Proverbs? He that regards
reproof is prudent!
Judges 2:1, 2 - "And an angel of the Lord came up
from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have
brought you unto the land which I swore unto your fathers; and I said, I will
never break my covenant with you. And ye shall make no league with the
inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not
obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?"
At times, angels are sent by God to commission believers to
specific tasks and responsibilities. The significance of such a commissioning
is certainly attested to by the presence of one of these special emissaries
from heaven!
Exodus 3:1&2 - "Now Moses kept the flock of
Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the
backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the
angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a
bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was
not consumed."
God is calling Moses to an incredibly massive
responsibility.
Exodus 3: 9 & 10 - "Now therefore, behold, the
cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the
oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will
send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou may bring forth my people the children of
Israel out of Egypt."
It took Moses a little time to respond to this
commissioning, but he finally did. The angel certainly had a very key role in
the detail of this special calling.
2 Kings 1:3 &4 - "But the angel of the Lord said
to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of
Samaria, and say unto them, is it not because there is not a God in Israel,
that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith
the Lord, Thou shall not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but
shall surely die. And Elijah departed."
Elijah responded to God’s special call, via the angel, and
spoke the Word that he was sent to hold forth. A little later, the angel bids
him to proceed forward in order to reiterate the Word he had previously spoken.
2 Kings 1:15 - "And the angel of the Lord said unto
Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down
with him unto the king."
Israel was in the "soup" again one day, as seemed
usual, because they were worshiping other gods. The Midianites had taken
control of them and, along with the Amalekites, had laid Israel to ruin and had
scattered all the people into the caves around the countryside. They needed
help! They needed a leader who would stand on the Word and drive out the enemy.
God saw the heart of a young man named Gideon. God sent an angel to commission,
authorize, inspire, and motivate him to take charge and lead Israel out of its
bondage.
Judges 6:11, 12, 14&16 - "And there came an
angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained
unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress,
to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him,
and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And the
Lord looked upon him, and said, go in this thy might, and thou shall save
Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And the Lord said
unto him, surely I will be with thee, and thou shall smite the Midianites as
one man.
The angel proceeded to show Gideon a sign to verify his
position as God’s representative. The initial calling was done. Gideon
responded and began the wheels turning that led to Israel’s deliverance as
recorded throughout chapters 6, 7 and 8 of Judges.
There are a number of these "prenatal
commissioning" in the Word. Here are a couple in which an angel was
involved.
Luke 1:13-17 - "But the angel said unto him, Fear
not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee
a son, and thou shall call his name John. And thou shall have joy and gladness;
and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the
Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled
with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of
Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the
spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared
for the Lord."
The man of God, John the Baptist, had a dynamic and unique
ministry to God’s people. His commissioning and designation to the ministry was
stated by God’s angel even before he was born. Here is another special
commissioning that even tops that one!
The angel Gabriel came to see Mary.
Luke 1:31-33 - "And, behold, thou shall conceive in
thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS. He shall be
great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give
unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of
Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."
This special authorization and declaration of the ministry
of Jesus Christ is also presented to Joseph by one of God’s angels.
Matthew 1:21 - "And she shall bring forth a son, and
thou shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their
sins."
It was God’s top messengers who were given the
responsibility of commissioning and declaring these special tasks and
responsibilities for God’s people. This is still available in our period of
time, the Grace Administration, as the Book of Acts testifies:
Acts 5:17-20 - "Then the high priest rose up, and
all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and
were filled with indignation, And laid their hands on the apostles, and put
them in the common prison. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison
doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to
the people all the words of this life."
The apostles were sent to do a special job via the words of
the angel.
Acts 8:26 & 27a - "And the angel of the Lord
spoke unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that
goes down from Jerusalem which is desert. And he arose and went..."
Philip then, who was called and sent of God via the angel’s
ministry, holds forth the Word to the Ethiopian eunuch.
Acts 10:1-6 - "There was a certain man in Caesarea
called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout
man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the
people, and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth
hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him,
Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it,
Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a
memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose
surname is Peter: He lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea
side: he shall tell thee what thou ought to do."
The specifics of the job were again delivered via one of
God’s special messengers - an angel! Cornelius’ obedience in responding to this
commissioning led to his hearing of the truth of God’s Word from Peter.
Herod the king had grabbed Peter and intended to have him
killed, as he had done to James (Acts 12:2). But God still had plenty of work
in mind for Peter to perform.
Acts 12:7-10 - "And, behold, the angel of the Lord
came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the
side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from
his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals.
And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow
me. And he went out, and followed him; and wished not that it was true which
was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past
the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leads unto the
city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on
through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him."
God sent His angel to make sure that Peter could get to the
task of continuing to hold forth the Word of Life.
Limitations and
Boundaries
The broadness, scope and power f the ministry of these
angels is awesome. The boundaries of their influence are beyond our
comprehension, but there are boundaries. Could we even say limitations? Yes.
There are things that angels cannot do. Most notably, there is a reality of
power that at one time they did not even know of, but desperately wanted to know
of.
I Peter 1:12 - Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto
themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported
unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost
sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
What "things"? The "things" of the great
mystery of God which were "hid in God" since the "foundations of
the world." Not even the angels knew of it ... not until God showed it to
the Apostle Paul by revelation.
Ephesians 3:6 - That
the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his
promise in Christ by the gospel.
Colossians 1:27 - To whom God would make known what is
the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in
you, the hope of glory.
Angels do not have Christ in them. As powerful as they are,
this is a category in which they do not reside.
Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth
the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God bath raised him from
the dead, thou shalt be saved.
This is how a believer receives the awesome power of Christ
within. Angels do not have Christ in them. As powerful as they are, this is a
category in which they do not reside.
Within the greatness of the new birth, there reside certain
privileges and abilities that not even the angels of heaven have within their
grasp. One of these unique privileges and responsibilities is "the
ministry of reconciliation."
II Corinthians 5:17-20a - Therefore, if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things
are become new. And all things are of God, who bath reconciled us (not the
angels, the born-again believers!) unto himself by Jesus Christ, and bath
given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and bath committed unto us [not the angels!] the word of reconciliation.
Now then we [the Church of the Body] are ambassadors for Christ [in unique
way distinct from even the angels of God! ] ....
On that magnificent day of the ascension, we observe this
magnificent distinction.
Acts 1:10 and 11a:
And while they (12 apostles) looked steadfastly
toward heaven as he (Jesus Christ) went up (the ascension) behold,
two men (angels) stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men
of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? ...
In other words, the angels were saying to the men,
"Jesus Christ gave you the orders you need, so quit gazing up into the sky
and get going to Jerusalem! Greater things await you!" Why didn’t the
angels go on to Jerusalem to receive the gift of holy spirit, the new birth?
That’s the boundaries of their ability! That was not available to them.
After the apostles received the holy spirit and began to
manifest the power of God, the high priest grabbed them and threw them into
prison-but God wanted them out!
Acts 5:19 and 20:
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison
doors, and brought them forth, and said, go, stand and speak in the temple to
the people all the words of this life.
Why didn’t the angel "go, stand and speak"? That’s
not his job. The ministry of reconciliation belongs to the believers, the
ambassadors for Christ!
Acts 8:26-27a: And the angel of the Lord spake unto
Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down
from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
And he arose and went....
Why didn’t the angel witness to the Ethiopian eunuch? That
was Philip’s privilege and responsibility as a born-again believer. Nowhere in
the Word can you find record of an angel leading a person into the new birth.
Acts 10:1-3:
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a
centurion of the band called the Italian band,
A devout man, and one that feared (respect) God
with all his house (members of his household), which gave much alms to
the people, and prayed to God alway.
He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the
day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
Here is an angel with a man who is ready to hear the good
news of the new birth. The angel has his attention, the man wants to hear-will
he tell him how to get saved?
Acts 10:4-6:
And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What
is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a
memorial before God.
And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose
surname is Peter:
He (not the angel!) lodgeth with one Simon a
tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest
to do.
Incredible! The angel just gives the orders as to how to get
a born-again believer there to speak the Word of reconciliation! The angel
would not do it himself.
You see, there are limitations and boundaries to their
sphere of influence. Do they have anything to do with people getting born
again? Most certainly. In the previous records, it was the angel that set the
situation up for the believer to be able to witness. This is not always the
case, but if God calls for it, it certainly is within their jurisdiction of
service.
There is an area of involvement in salvation in which
they’re always involved.
Hebrews 1:14: Are they (angels) not all
ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of
salvation?
Any one of us who has been born again, as well as all of
those in the future who will be saved, has had what is sometimes referred to as
a "guardian" angel. Without one of these "ministering
spirits" watching over us, the Adversary would have killed us before we
ever awakened to believe the Word. They have watched over us as Psalm 91
declares:
Psalms 91:11:
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep
thee in all thy ways.
Perhaps an angel set up the circumstances that led to your
being witnessed to at the right place, at the right time, by the right person.
They made it happen in Acts 5 by springing the apostles out of jail to witness;
in Acts 8 by getting Philip to the Ethiopian; in Acts 10 by getting Peter to
Cornelius.
Matthew 18:10: Take heed that ye despise not one of these
little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold
the face of my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 15:10: Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
The angels definitely have their "hearts" into it
and have been a vital and dynamic influence in our lives long before most of us
have ever considered it.
Conclusion
The angels have a vital function
In the overall operation of the Kingdom of God. Their
ministries are powerful and broad, although limited to specific purposes. We
are team-mates with them in our quest to win men and women to the Lord Jesus
Christ, although we are the ones given the Word of reconciliation to hold forth
to others.
Whether they are reproving, correcting, commissioning
believers to specific tasks, exercising wrath and the consequences of unbelief,
guarding the heirs of salvation, or helping people to get to one another to
hear the Word of God, the angels are "sent forth to minister,"
speaking for and representing God with strength and perfection. Again, as we
are sent ones, let us learn from the angels and respond accordingly!!
RIGHT NOW - take a few minutes, get your own guardian angel,
your Heavenly Guarantee, and more the you can ask or think –
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