Saturday, June 15, 2013

B - ANGELS FOR REAL - 2

B – ANGELS FOR REAL – 2
In the first lesson of this series angels were defined as well as possible for us..  Descriptions were given and some of the tasks they perform at God’s bidding were illustrated from the Scriptures.
Before going further in this study, the fact that angels were created needs to be established. In studying Col.1:16 evidence is apparent that Jesus created angels.  He created things in heaven.  Angels are in heaven and when they appear on earth, Scripture records that they descend from heaven.  Dan.4:13   Jesus created things unseen.  From the event of Balaam and the donkey it is evident that the angel was invisible to Balaam at first.  Num.22:31
Ps.148:2   The Lord commanded and they were created.  This was speaking of the angels, the hosts.  Neh.9:6   Here we have expressed the fact that the Lord made the heavens and all the hosts, which is another name for angels.  Job 38:4,7   God is questioning Job as to where Job was when He laid the foundation of the earth.  This would have been the beginning of the beginning.  It was at this time that the “sons of God” shouted for joy.  In the O.T. “sons of God” was another name given to angels.  We know God had finished creation in heaven and earth after the sixth day.  Gen.2:1,2
Evidence is strong from the Scriptures that angels were definitely created.  Even though the angels are a glorious creation, Christ is greater.  Heb.1:4,5   Jesus was begotten by God.  The angels were created.  No angel was designated as God’s Son.  Jesus was. At the time of Jesus’ baptism God’s voice came from heaven and designated Jesus as His Son.  Matt.3:17  As Jesus was brought into the world, the angels were told to worship Him.  Heb.1:6   Luke tells us of this glorious event.  First it involved one messenger angel.  Lk.2:9-12   After that a multitude appeared to praise God.  Lk.2:13,14   Angels are from heaven and so return to heaven.  Lk.2:15
Other events in the life of Jesus on earth involved angels.  Matt.4:11   Jesus had been through a very trying time.  He had fasted 40 days.  As if that wasn’t enough, Satan tempted Him in 3 exceptional ways.  Satan had not succeeded and so left.  Then angels came to minister to Him.  Even though Jesus was divine, He had taken on a human body that suffered hunger, pain, weariness, emotional stress and all the human trials we experience.  Heb.4:15; Phil.2:7,8 
1 Tim.3:16 indicates that Jesus was seen by angels.  Scripture tells us many events in His life as He was revealed in the flesh as a human being.  He was established as right by the Holy Spirit.  2 Cor.1:21,22   Jesus knew what was ahead as He prayed in the Garden.  He was in agony but an angel came to strengthen Him  Lk.22:43   An angel met the women after he had risen from the grave.  Matt.28:5   Angels appeared after Jesus ascended into heaven.  Acts 1:9-11
As mentioned in the beginning of this series, angels are never to be worshipped.  Images of angels are not good-luck charms.  They are not on the same level of God.  As John was writing Revelation, he was given a message from God by an angel.  John fell at the feet of the angel to worship but here is the answer from the angel.  Rev.19:10   John once again fell at the feet of an angel to worship but once again he received a similar answer.  Rev.22:8,9  Both times the angel said he was a fellow-servant.  In other words, the angels have a master in their Lord and obey Him as we should also be doing as we follow our Lord.
The apostles were blessed with a prison-release as an angel came to rescue them.  Acts 5:18-20   This is one example of an angel performing a miracle as he was given this task by God.  Another instance of extreme importance was the case of an angel directing Philip to go to a certain road.  The angel does not indicate why and evidently Philip didn’t ask.  The important part is that he immediately went.  He may have even hurried.  This is when he came upon the Ethiopian eunuch reading from Isaiah.  The Spirit guided Philip and he was able to teach the eunuch to the point that he believed and wanted to be baptized right then.  Acts 8:26,27
Yet another very important incident involving a conversion and the appearance of an angel is in Acts 10:3-5   Cornelius is described as a God-fearing man but he was a Gentile.  So far the gospel had been preached only to the Jews.  The angel told Cornelius what to do which he did.  Acts 10:7,8   They found Peter and again the angel is mentioned as they explain to him.  Acts 10:22   Cornelius explains to Peter how the angel appeared to him.  Acts 10:30   This resulted in the conversion of the first Gentile.
An angel appeared before Paul as they shipwrecked on the way to Rome.  Acts 27:23,24   The angel spoke to Paul with an important message from God.  It isn’t everybody that can expect such a message.  Notice the words, to whom I belong and whom I serve.  Many were saved because of the faithfulness of Paul and the task yet before him.
An angel appearing to John has been mentioned a couple of times previously.  However, at the beginning of the book of Revelation we find that God wanted to give a message about the things that would take place.  He chose His follower, John, and communicated His message by an angel.  Rev.1:1  
Revelation begins with a letter to each of the seven churches of Asia.  Rev.1:20 indicates that each of the seven churches has an angel.  God sees and knows all.  He knows our needs and faults.  We need Him to save us, to keep us from the evil one (2 Thess.3:3), to give us the Holy Spirit just to name a few things.  Just as these faithful men of old experienced the work of angels for their benefit, so we also have ministering spirits or angels to help us.  Heb.1:14 

 




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