I have always had a facsination for
Angels. They are so beautiful and
just surrounded by the essence of
love, gentleness, and peacefulness.
I feel such tranquility when ever I
gaze upon pictures of Angels, in all
their awesome beauty.
Angels have fasinated people throughtout the centries. 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)
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 dispacted by God to minister for the heirs of salvation.
Angels are like the sand of the sea and the stars of the 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.
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 fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses." Isaiah 37:36)
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 God's people: "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."(Psalm 34:7) The moment God becomes your habitation, the angels will be charged with your protection.(Psalm 91:9-13).
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, ye 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' activities are definitely affected by our prayers. An anbgel told Lot that he could not act untilLot left Sodom. This happened because of Abraham's intercession on his behalf. (Genesis 19:22). An angel was also dispatched in answer to Daniels's prayer for understanding (Daniel 10:4-14).
When you pray and ask God for help, He dispatches angel's to deliver you from the enemy; "Let there be chaff before the wind; and let the angel of the Lord chase them."(Psalm 35:5) A tremendous New Testament example of this is found in the story of the Apostle Peter, who was delivered from prison by an angel. (Acts 12).
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.
Jacob saw this truth in a dream: "And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the erth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and decending on it." (Genesis 28:12).
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 spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert." (Acts 8:26)
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 unto 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.
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 knoweth no man, no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the son, but the Father."
(Mark 13:32).
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).
The Church makes known the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in heaven: "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." (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).
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)
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.
FACT: Nowhere in the Bible is an angel ever referred to as female, only male.
Only the world depicts them only as female.
FACT: Nowhere in the Bible are we told to worship angels. Only lately have we had a movement where people are worshiping angels as opposed to worshiping God.
FACT: God uses Himself, the ministry of Jesus Christ, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and all of His angels, plus christians here on earth to try and reach the unsaved. So if you ever had a feeling you were alone here on planet earth, think again!!.
William E. Heft
