God's Promises! 2 Peter 1:4 2 Corinthians 1:20
______________________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
Buy Children's Reading Book and Christian Art Products
|
AngelsAngels have fascinated people throughout the centuries. And from Genesis to Revelation the Scriptures tell us about their activity – in service to God and to men. The Bible, in describing angels says, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14) There is no reference in the Bible to a female angel! They are described as warriors and as messengers. Angels minister for us: Angels do not minister to you – they minister for you. This means they do not impart healing or salvation, because they are not the heirs of these things. Angels do not do your bidding, but are dispatched by God to minister for the heirs of salvation. They are innumerable: Angels are like the sand of the sea and the stars of heaven - they cannot be numbered: "As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me." (Jeremiah 33:22) Jesus said He could have called 12 legions of angels to aid Him at the cross (Matthew 26:53). A legion at that time referred to the Roman contingent of troops that numbered around 6,000. Twelve legions would be 72,000 angels! Angels are strong and powerful: In one battle recorded in the Bible, a single angel killed 185,000 men: "Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses." Their appearance is awesome: In Judges 13, an angel appeared to Manoah and his wife. His appearance was so awesome that they "fell on their faces to the ground." (verses 20-22) Angels protect us: Angels protect God's people: "The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivers them." (Psalm 34:7) The moment God becomes your habitation, the angels will be charged with your protection Angels are activated by God’s Word: You limit the power of angels when you speak negative, complaining, unbelieving words instead of speaking God’s Word. When you speak God's Word, the angels are activated. "Bless the LORD, you His angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word." (Psalm 103:20) Your words have the potential to either hasten or hinder angelic ministry (Genesis 24:40; Ecclesiastes 5:6). Angels are affected by our prayers: Angels’ activities are definitely affected by our prayers. An angel told Lot that he could not act until Lot left Sodom. This happened because of Abraham’s intercession on his behalf (Genesis 19:22). An angel was also dispatched in answer to Daniel’s prayer for understanding (Daniel 10:4-14). Angels deliver us from the enemy: Angels reveal heavenly realities: Read Zechariah chapter 6. This is one of many examples in the Bible where angels reveal heavenly realities to God’s people, and then the Holy Spirit explains them so we have understanding. Angels commute between heaven and earth continually: Jacob saw this truth in a dream: "And he dreamed, and saw a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and he saw the angels of God ascending and descending on it." (Genesis 28:12) Angels provide direction: Exodus 23:20-22 and Hebrews 2:1-3 caution that we should listen to direction given to us by angels. An angel told Philip to go to the desert to minister to the Ethiopian: "And the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert." (Acts 8:26) Angels are activated to fulfill prophecies: Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian man in Acts 8 was actually the fulfillment of a prophetic word given by David: "Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God." (Psalm 68:31) The angel guided Philip to fulfill a prophetic utterance spoken centuries before. He ministered to this Ethiopian man who returned and spread the Gospel to his nation. Angels have limited knowledge: They do not have the same knowledge as God. They do not know the hour of Christ's return... and much more. "But of that day and that hour no man knows, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." (Mark 13:32) Angels lead sinners to the Gospel: Angels direct people to where the Gospel is being preached. For example, an angel told Cornelius to send for Peter so the Gospel could come to the Gentiles (Acts 10). Angels are instructed by the Church: The Church makes known the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in heaven: "to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places," (Ephesians 3:10) Angels observe the Church to learn the wisdom of God and desire to look into the things of salvation (Peter 1:10-12). SCRIPTURE REVEALS FIVE TYPES OF ANGELS 1. Seraphims who understand the revelation of God and His nature (Daniel 10). 2. Cherubims who understand the work of the Holy Spirit and lead the worship of heaven: Revelation 4:8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
Who was and is and is to come!"
3. Living creatures who protect the throne of God (Ezekiel 1). 4. Arch angels who reveal or manifest God’s authority, dominion, and rule. 5. Common angels who appear to the saints and minister for the heirs of salvation. |
|
Return to Home Accepting God's Gift of Salvation Travel Weblog |
