November 4, 2018 NOTES NOT
EDITED
Back to the School of
Faith, Pt8: Angels
Hebrews 13:2
SIS: Angels are a powerful resource God has
created to assist believers in our work to build the Kingdom of God.
Angels appear from
the first book of the Bible to the last.
They appear in many contexts. “Angels
are mentioned 108 times in the Old Testament and 165 times in the New
Testament.” That is 273
references which is NOT insignificant.
For comparison, “joy” appears about 218 times. Angels are an important theme in the Bible.
I was introduced to this concept very early in my life. In fact, it is one of my earliest memories. I remember our family was going (or coming) from a shopping event. I was in the back seat with my four siblings, sitting behind Dad who was driving. We came to a corner. Dad rolled down his window and gave a man standing on the corner some money. The man was wearing dirty, torn clothing so I put two and two together and realized he was poor. I asked Dad why he gave the man money. Mom answered (she often answered for Dad. In fact, they were so in tune with each other they could have a full conversation and neither one complete a sentence). Mom said, “You must always be kind and generous to others, especially the less fortunate, because you never know when you are entertaining an angel unawares (as in in our text). For years I had sort of a misunderstanding of this whole situation. I could not get the idea out of my head that angels wore underwear!
This text has both explicit and implicit meaning. The explicit teaching of the text refers to “brotherly love” and treating others with kindness, especially those in the church. The implicit application is, “angels are everywhere!” As cautionary background let me quickly list some characteristics of angels, drawn from the Bible. One, they are “created” beings. They are not gods and should never be worshipped in any way. Two, they can be visible, taking several forms, including human, or they can be invisible. They can be lost (as with Satan) but cannot be saved. As such, they cannot have “experiential knowledge of God or a personal relationship. Three they neither marry or have offspring, though every appearance is as a male figure, they are asexual. Four, they exceed humanity in their knowledge (2Sam. 14:20). Five, they exceed man in their power (2Pet. 2:11, NASB). Five, there are different species of angels and different ranks. Cherubim and Seraphim are examples. Six, they are highly organized, with Michael being the “Archangel,” meaning highest rank. Seven, a third of all angels created followed Satan into rebellion in the distant, pre-human past (********). They are lost for ever, cannot be saved, and do the bidding of the Devil. Those are seven general characteristics of angels. Now, let’s look at three additional characteristics that highlight the nature and work of angels.
I was introduced to this concept very early in my life. In fact, it is one of my earliest memories. I remember our family was going (or coming) from a shopping event. I was in the back seat with my four siblings, sitting behind Dad who was driving. We came to a corner. Dad rolled down his window and gave a man standing on the corner some money. The man was wearing dirty, torn clothing so I put two and two together and realized he was poor. I asked Dad why he gave the man money. Mom answered (she often answered for Dad. In fact, they were so in tune with each other they could have a full conversation and neither one complete a sentence). Mom said, “You must always be kind and generous to others, especially the less fortunate, because you never know when you are entertaining an angel unawares (as in in our text). For years I had sort of a misunderstanding of this whole situation. I could not get the idea out of my head that angels wore underwear!
This text has both explicit and implicit meaning. The explicit teaching of the text refers to “brotherly love” and treating others with kindness, especially those in the church. The implicit application is, “angels are everywhere!” As cautionary background let me quickly list some characteristics of angels, drawn from the Bible. One, they are “created” beings. They are not gods and should never be worshipped in any way. Two, they can be visible, taking several forms, including human, or they can be invisible. They can be lost (as with Satan) but cannot be saved. As such, they cannot have “experiential knowledge of God or a personal relationship. Three they neither marry or have offspring, though every appearance is as a male figure, they are asexual. Four, they exceed humanity in their knowledge (2Sam. 14:20). Five, they exceed man in their power (2Pet. 2:11, NASB). Five, there are different species of angels and different ranks. Cherubim and Seraphim are examples. Six, they are highly organized, with Michael being the “Archangel,” meaning highest rank. Seven, a third of all angels created followed Satan into rebellion in the distant, pre-human past (********). They are lost for ever, cannot be saved, and do the bidding of the Devil. Those are seven general characteristics of angels. Now, let’s look at three additional characteristics that highlight the nature and work of angels.
I cannot cover the
vast material relevant to angelology, or the study of angels. I want to offer a framework for understanding
the doctrine of angels—a brief overview.
The Bible introduces angels as having three basic tasks in God’s story
of redemption. One, they are Heavenly
Worshippers. Two, they are Heavenly
Warriors. Three, they are Heavenly
Workers. Angels are everywhere. Let’s read a Scripture text to launch our study this morning. READ Heb. 13:2..
1. First,
Angels are WORSHIPPERS (Isa. 6; Rev. 5:11-14)
Throughout the Bible,
we have depictions of angels worshipping around God’s throne, both in the O.T.
and N.T. One of my favorite images comes
from a Scripture I’ve shared before, Isaiah
6.
In the
year that King Uzziah died, I saw the
Lord seated on a high and lofty throne,
and His robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphim were standing above Him; each one had six
wings: with two he covered his face,
with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of
Hosts; His glory fills the whole earth. 4 The
foundations of the doorways shook at the sound of their voices, and the temple
was filled with smoke.
The picture of angels
as worshippers is not limited to the O.T.
Even in the last book of the Bible we have a picture of angelic worship
(Rev. 5:11-14).:
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands. 12 They said with a loud voice: The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing! 13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say: Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to the One seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands. 12 They said with a loud voice: The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing! 13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say: Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to the One seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
14 The four living creatures
said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
The primary task of angels is to “worship God” and give Him glory continually. Long before man appeared on earth, angels had been serving God in this way. It is their “primary” duty.
From this picture of angels as worshippers, whose primary duty is to give God glory continually, I draw a very significant application. The heavenly worship depicted in the Bible by angels who are near the very throne of God should inspire us to raise our level of worship. Believers have something that angels cannot even imagine—redemption. If angels, who are mere created beings, can worship with such power and passion, certainly those of us who have been blood-bought and Spirit-filled should do better.
2. Angels are
WARRIORS (Eph. 6:20-12; 2Kngs. 6:14-17)
In Ephesians 6 we are
reminded that as believers in a fallen, sinful world we are engaged in a great
battle. Eph. 6:10-12:
10 Finally, be strengthened
by the Lord and by His vast strength. 11 Put
on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the
tactics of the Devil. 12 For
our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the world powers of
this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.
Many of you have
heard this passage preached before. Most
sermons focus on the “armor of God”: the
belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, fighting shoes
of the gospel, and the shield of faith. We need the full armor of God to be
sure, but I want us to consider also the context in which this fight is
raged. Notice verse 12, “spiritual forces of
evil in the heavens.” I
am afraid that the Christian church has lost sight of where the real battle
lies. Our greatest enemies are not
Republicans or Democrats, politicians or foreign powers, but our greatest
enemies are “spiritual forces in the heavens.”
We cannot win this fight without fighting in the spirit
realm. Consider what 2Cor. 10:4 says,
3 For though we live in the body, we do not wage war in an unspiritual way, 4 since the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ.
3 For though we live in the body, we do not wage war in an unspiritual way, 4 since the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ.
Now we have many
resources in this fight, the greatest of which is the Indwelling Holy
Spirit. We also have the double-edged
sword of prayer and the Word of God.
But, we have an additional resource we do not appreciate enough as
believers in Christ. We have the
“Heavenly Host” (tzevaot
or Sabaoth). The word, “hosts,” means
“armies.” There is an entire army of
countless angels at the ready to assist God’s people. Consider this example in the life of Elisha
(2Kings 6:14-17). Israel was at war with
the Arameans (modern Syria). Elisha the
prophet was able to predict the movement of the Aramean army so Israel could
plan a good strategy to protect the nation.
This greatly angered the King of Aram.
He sent a force out to find Elisha and kill him. Here’s what the Bible says,
14 He [the King of Aram] sent horses, chariots, and a massive army there. They went by night and surrounded the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God got up early and went out, he discovered an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?” 16 Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes and let him see.” So the Lord opened the servant’s eyes. He looked and saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
14 He [the King of Aram] sent horses, chariots, and a massive army there. They went by night and surrounded the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God got up early and went out, he discovered an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?” 16 Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes and let him see.” So the Lord opened the servant’s eyes. He looked and saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
The next time you are in a tight place in a terrific spiritual battle think of God’s Warriors, the angels, and remember, “those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.”
Be confident in the distressing times. You are never alone as a believer. You have the Holy Spirit inside of you and the Heavenly Host surround you. Fight on! Angels are heavenly worshippers, heavenly warriors, and
3.
Angels are Heavenly WORKERS
The Bible says of
angels are “ministering spirits.” 14 Are they not all
ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit
salvation? (Heb. 1:14). Angels are the personal “workforce” for
God’s people. We don’t worship angels,
and angels do not worship us, but angels are workers sent to accomplish various tasks on behalf of God’s
people.
Now, keep this in mind. Are you listening? Most of the work, nearly all of it, that angels accomplish on our behalf is “invisible.” If you are seeing angels all the time, you are being mislead by the Devil. Angels work much like the “anti-virus software” on our computers. It works in the background while we are doing other tasks. If you misunderstand this aspect of the work of angels, you are opening yourself up to being deceived by evil spirits. If you are not sure about an experience, speak to a spiritual leader like the pastors of our church.
This “background” work of angels can be divided into three major areas. It should give us an unshakable confidence that we can achieve the goals that God sets for our lives.
A. Angels are GUIDING Agents
Now, keep this in mind. Are you listening? Most of the work, nearly all of it, that angels accomplish on our behalf is “invisible.” If you are seeing angels all the time, you are being mislead by the Devil. Angels work much like the “anti-virus software” on our computers. It works in the background while we are doing other tasks. If you misunderstand this aspect of the work of angels, you are opening yourself up to being deceived by evil spirits. If you are not sure about an experience, speak to a spiritual leader like the pastors of our church.
This “background” work of angels can be divided into three major areas. It should give us an unshakable confidence that we can achieve the goals that God sets for our lives.
A. Angels are GUIDING Agents
Throughout the Bible
angels were sent to God’s people to give them guidance. Remember the most noted angelic messenger in
the Bible with the most glorious message ever given. Gabriel told Mary, “Do not
be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. "And behold, you will
conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.” (Lk. 1:30-31). And, what would have happened to humanity if God had not sent a guiding
angel to Joseph when he was considering divorcing Mary for being
unfaithful? The Bible says, “behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,
saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife;
for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. (Mat. 1:20-21).
B. Angels are GUARDING
Agents
All my life, for as
long as I can remember, I have believed I had a “Guardian Angel.” Matthew 18 teaches us about guardian angels:
2 Jesus called a little
child to him and put the child among them
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10 “Beware that you don’t
look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their
angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.
We saw this idea in a
broader way when we studied the idea of Angels as Warriors. This is a more personal aspect of the work of
angels in the life of a believer, as a personal guardian. Many commentators on this verse dismiss the
idea of an “personal guardian angel” but take it to mean, the guarding of
angels in general. I see no basis for
that interpretation. Angels in the Bible
often have very specific assignments. Jacob
referred to an angel who had had concern for him (Gen. 48:16), while in the
book of Daniel it seems that each nation has its angel (Dan. 10:13) and in
Revelation we are introduced to the angels of churches (Rev. 1:20). [See Pillar NT Commentary]. I see no reason to have it say anything other
than what it clearly says. The passage
begins by the introduction of “individual children on the lap of the
Lord.” I also see there is not enough
information to be overly dogmatic about it.
I just take it as God has a personal interest in me and has assigned me
a personal heavenly assistant. Maybe
that’s why I can drive for five minutes and realize I don’t remember one thing
about it, but I still survive. Maybe my
Guardian Angel took the wheel?
C. Angels are GIRDING
Agents
This is not a word we usually associate with “angels.” It is a word we usually associate with a woman’s clothing “apparatus.” I am talking about a “girdle.” Today, girdles have given way to a more modern, less torturous clothing device we call, “Spanx.” To gird means, “to pull up or support,” as with the phrase, “gird up your loins.” (Jer. 1:17, KJV).
This is not a word we usually associate with “angels.” It is a word we usually associate with a woman’s clothing “apparatus.” I am talking about a “girdle.” Today, girdles have given way to a more modern, less torturous clothing device we call, “Spanx.” To gird means, “to pull up or support,” as with the phrase, “gird up your loins.” (Jer. 1:17, KJV).
This practice was usually in reference to preparing for battle. Men of the day wore a “toga.” In order to be better prepared to fight they would pull the toga between their legs and secure it to the belt to make it more like a pair of pants. This gave them more support and freedom of movement (the opposite of the idea of a woman’s girdle I might add). This practice applies to a battle strategy or a beauty device (or torture device, depending on whether we are talking about man’s point of view or a woman’s). Angels “gird us up.” That is, they support our ministry. Angels encourage us when we are discouraged and strengthen us when we are weary. The Bible does not fully explain “how” angels accomplish this work, but only that they do. Remember when Jesus was tempted for forty days. He had been challenged by Satan and had not eaten for that entire time. The Lord was weary. Matthew 4:11 says,
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. These were “girding” angels, supporting Jesus during a difficult time in His ministry.
At another difficult
time angels “girded up” the Lord. It was
the night before His crucifixion. He was
in the Garden of Gethsemane. The burden
was so heavy upon Him knowing He was soon going to be tortured and killed for
the sins of the world that He “sweat drops of blood (******). This is what the Bible says about
that dark time:
And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him (Luke 22:43).
And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him (Luke 22:43).
Remember what I said,
most of the work of the angels is “invisible.”
We don’t see it taking place. Or,
we may see it taking place but not be aware.
The verse we started with tells us, some have
entertained angels unawares (Heb. 13:2). Sometimes we assist others not knowing they
are angels God has sent to remind us to “minister to others.” Other times, angels appear in our lives as
other people. Perhaps someone who stops
on a lonely road to help us fix a flat, or give us a ride to find assistance,
or any number of experiences we regularly have.
Angels are all around us. They are God’s Workers on our behalf, “guiding us, guarding us, and girding us up.”
Angels are WORSHIPPERS. Angels are WARRIORS. Angels are WORKERS. Angels are everywhere ready to serve those who are serving God.
Angels are all around us. They are God’s Workers on our behalf, “guiding us, guarding us, and girding us up.”
Angels are WORSHIPPERS. Angels are WARRIORS. Angels are WORKERS. Angels are everywhere ready to serve those who are serving God.
In 1975, Billy Graham
wrote a book titled, “Angels, God’s Secret Agents.” I have that book in my library. In it, Billy
writes, “I have never heard anyone preach
a sermon on angels.” He wrote his
book to help correct what was lacking in preaching regarding angels. Of course, as with any “supernatural”
phenomenon, or anything else for that matter, an angelic experience must be
evaluated according to the clear teaching of the Bible. Supernatural experiences should NOT be
dismissed altogether.
Britain’s air force saved England from German invasion, especially in the early days of WWII. Shortly after the war, a celebration was held honoring Air Chief Marshall, Lord Hugh Dowding. Everyone of note was at this celebration: the King, the Prime Minister, and other dignitaries. In his remarks, Air Chief Marshall Dowding recounted the fierce battles in the air over England during the war. England’s complement of fighter pilots was pitifully small. The men rarely slept, but their planes never stopped flying. Dowding also told of a particular mission in which many of the airmen were hit and either dead or incapacitated, but still, their planes kept flying and fighting. There are several accounts by other pilots of seeing a figure operating the controls of dead or incapacitated pilots. Air Chief Hugh Dowding said he believed angels had actually flown those planes.
Were these figures, angels? I believe they were. I believe angels are everywhere about us. I believe God created angels to not only be worshippers of Him and Warriors in His cause, but Workers for His children as we fulfill the Great Commission.
For often we encounter “angels unawares.”
Britain’s air force saved England from German invasion, especially in the early days of WWII. Shortly after the war, a celebration was held honoring Air Chief Marshall, Lord Hugh Dowding. Everyone of note was at this celebration: the King, the Prime Minister, and other dignitaries. In his remarks, Air Chief Marshall Dowding recounted the fierce battles in the air over England during the war. England’s complement of fighter pilots was pitifully small. The men rarely slept, but their planes never stopped flying. Dowding also told of a particular mission in which many of the airmen were hit and either dead or incapacitated, but still, their planes kept flying and fighting. There are several accounts by other pilots of seeing a figure operating the controls of dead or incapacitated pilots. Air Chief Hugh Dowding said he believed angels had actually flown those planes.
Were these figures, angels? I believe they were. I believe angels are everywhere about us. I believe God created angels to not only be worshippers of Him and Warriors in His cause, but Workers for His children as we fulfill the Great Commission.
For often we encounter “angels unawares.”
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