Angels Among Us
Last time:
4 reasons why the world is enamored with angels:
• Spirit of hopelessness—people are looking for answers and for something to fill their empty spirit.
• Spirit of selfishness—Christians are called to be servants, but our society would rather be served than to serve. Angels are ministering spirits / servants, and people want to know what the angels can do for them.
• Spirit of the New Age—our society is being conditioned for the end times. The world will accept the supernatural during the tribulation. The antichrist gains power on a platform of signs and wonders.
• Spirit of curiosity—we’re all curious about the unknown.
Questions people have about angels:
What do angels look like? Are they female? Do we have guardian angels? How many angels are there? What is an archangel? Is it possible to see an angel? Do I pray to angels? What about demons, are they real? How are they different? Will I someday be an angel?
As believers we have good reason to learn more on this subject…not for the sensational, but because there is an unseen world war going on all around us, and we’re in the middle of it!
Angels are mentioned over 250 times in scripture.
1. The word “angel” literally means messenger
2. Angels are created spirit beings
3. Angels are not eternal beings
4. Angels are NOT glorified human beings
5. Angels are invisible spirit beings
New info:
6. Angels are innumerable in number
Hebrews 12:22
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Rev. 5:11
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
[that’s at least 100 million plus…]
Luke 2:13
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
One angel was sent to deliver the message of the birth of Christ…only that 1 was absolutely necessary, but then a multitude join in just to praise God and to be there for the big announcement!
Ill.—our wed. nite service was that way as many of you started chiming in, excited about the subject matter I guess! There was only one of us that HAD to speak [and he’s no angel!], but the people of God get excited and they cannot contain it.
How many of you were raised in a more formal setting? I’ve been to some places where their motto is: if you MUST talk, then whisper, and if you whisper—whisper a prayer. I for one and glad that at our church when we get excited we’re allowed to let it out, like the angels of heaven did on that hillside that night!
Another reference:
Matthew 26:52-53
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. [53] Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
A Roman legion could be up to 6,000, which would be 72,000 angels coming to the rescue.
What should be our response? Thank God we’re on the winning side! Tho’ 1/3rd of the angels of heaven rebelled and fell to earth as demons, we can praise God that 2/3rd’s didn’t, and that the ratio is 2 to 1!
7. Angels possess great knowledge and wisdom
2 Samuel 14:20
To fetch about this form of speech hath 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.
And yet, these wise creatures don’t have the knowledge of salvation:
1 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.
Angels can praise God for many things, but they cannot sing “Redeemed by the Blood”, for they are not.
8. Angels have great strength and power
Psalm 103:20
Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
2 Peter 2:11
Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might…
[in comparison to the evil spirits]
2 Kings 19:14-35 [an evil man name Sennacherib is harassing the house of Judah, he’s sending a threatening letter of intimidation to Hezekiah, who does what we all should do in those time…he takes it to the Lord in prayer]…
And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. [15] And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. [16] Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. [17] Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, [18] And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. [19] Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.
[In other words, he’s saying, Lord, show my enemy he’s bitten off more than he can chew. He’s all about wood and stone idols, but now he’s messing w/ the true and living God! Lord, show yourself faithful and powerful now!]
Look what God did, using an angel:
[35] And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
We have a few in the medical field. Have you seen any kind of corpses other than dead ones? A parallel passage in Is. 37:36 says they woke up dead!
Notice that in 1 night, 1 angel took on 185k soldiers and defeated them! And if you think that’s power, think about the power that created that 1 angel, and the millions of other angels.
Ephes. 3:20
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
That’s the power that raised Jesus from the dead, and raised me from the dead spiritually, and you!
Philip. 3:10
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
In the greek it’s the word dunamis [dynamite]. It was wrapped in a small package in Luke 2, but make no mistake how powerful our God is:
He makes drunks / addicts sober…because He’s not only a higher power…He’s the HIGHEST power!
9. Angels never age
Mark 16:4-5
And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. [5] And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
This young man is at least 4 thousand years old, existing at least before the creation of the earth. They are supernatural and glorified beings, so they don’t need Geritol or Oil of Old Lady!
10. Angels always appear in the masculine gender {Gabriel / Michael / etc.}
But no sexual distinction is given them, for example, they don’t marry:
Matthew 22:30
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
Ill.—if you ever wake in the night to a creature w/ long flowing hair hovering over your bed, don’t assume it’s an angel, because it’s more likely a demon. [Rev. 9 describes wicked demons being loosed upon the earth from the pit, and they are said to have long flowing hair like a woman!]
11. Angels have great speed
Matthew 24:27
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Matthew 25:31
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Luke 1:11
And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Luke 2:13
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
12. Angels are joyful creatures
Job 38:7
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy
Luke 15:10
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
May there continue to be joy in heaven because of the ministry of GBC!
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