Hello there!It looks like the social distancing guidelines will be in effect longer than we anticipated☹. God is still worthy of praise. During these times of uncertainty, it’s a perfect opportunity to be reading our Bibles more, growing in the Lord, and growing as families. I’ve heard many people express that they’re seeing the silver lining in having extra family time at home. And I agree! Proof of that came to me through one of my Facebook friends. His family had been sooo busy that the FIRST TIME they’d ever sat at the dinner table as a family was LAST WEEK. He was very thankful for that. My prayer for all of us is that we are using this time wisely. Attached is QUIZ #15 for the New Covenant Lesson. AngelologyI’m sure y’all are excited we concluded our lessons in the covenants. Well done! Now, we will dive into an exciting subject, angels! This section will be called Angelology, just a fancy way of saying the study of angels. And we will look at Angelology in three areas:
Their Existence , Origin, and Nature The word angel, malak in Hebrew and aggelos (angelos) in Greek, means “messenger.” Angels were created some time in eternity past before God created man. The book of Job gives an approximate timeframe of that, “before the earth” (see Job 38:4, 7). The Bible does not give an exact number of how many angels God created. However, the book of Hebrews describes their number as, “myriads” (Heb 12:22; see also Psa 68:17; Dan 7:10; Rev 5:11). Let’s just say, there are A LOT of angels! How many times are angels mentioned in the Bible? Many people, in times past and presently, have not believed in angels. However, Jesus clearly taught that they existed, and He also said they will accompany Him at His second Advent (Matt 24:31; 25:31). The fact that they exist shouldn’t surprise us at all. Why did God create them? To serve Him and carry out His will. Servants! In fact, angels serve in various functions – more on that later. But in general, God created them to serve His purposes in history. The good and the bad We see two types of angels in the Bible – holy ones and fallen ones. All of them were created as immortal and holy servants. The Bible teaches many angels are still holy and will remain holy, even at His second Coming (Mark 8.38; Luke 9.26; Acts 10.22; Rev 14.10). Some are even called His “chosen angels” (1 Tim 5:21). Like humans, they have a will, the power to choose, an intellect, the ability to learn, emotions, etc. Unlike humans, angels are very powerful (Heb 2:7, 9). In fact, a single angel is recorded destroying an army of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers! The Bible teaches that angels have the power of the elements, like wind and fire. Yet, no angel is all powerful like God. Their power is limited. What is cool (and maybe a little scary) is that angels, according to Scripture, are spirit and invisible but they can at times take on a visible, physical, even human form. And from what Scripture describes of all angels, they seem to depict a male gender, and are referred to using masculine language (he, him, his). For example, when angels visited Abraham and Sarah, they sat, walked, ate, and spoke like humans! This is why we should always be kind and courteous to ALL people we meet. Because the book of Hebrews 13:2 reveal that many have entertained angels without knowing it! Interestingly, some angels, usually the ones in heaven, can have a totally different form than humans, sometimes weird looking. Isaiah 6 says some angels have 6 wings. In other places, angels have four faces including man and animal faces. It’s interesting to think that God may have used the angels as a template for creating all the creatures in the animal kingdom. Some angels have many eyes, feet with hooves, wheels below them to move in one direction, human looking hands on their wings, clouds for clothing, rainbows for crowns, and other unusual features. Who's who?Surprisingly, there are only three angels in the Bible that have been revealed by name. The first is Lucifer, better known as Satan. Let’s cover him later. Second, there’s Michael. He is the only angel that is describes as an “arch angel” (Jude 9) and also as “who is to be like God” (Dan 10.13, 21: 12:1; Jude 9; Rev 12.7), the latter description being the actual meaning of his name. He is the angel that protects the land of Israel (Dan 10.21; 12.1). And he is also the one who will lead the armies of angels against Satan during the Great Tribulation (Rev 12:7). Then, there is the angel Gabriel. His name means “Mighty one of God.” Gabriel seems to be God’s special messenger. He interpreted Daniel’s vision and was the angel who announced John the Baptist’s and Christ’s births. An angel’s home is likely heaven. The angel Gabriel, for example, says he stands next to God (Luke 1:19; 15: 10). An angel’s home is likely heaven. The angel Gabriel, for example, says he stands next to God (Luke 1:19; 15: 10).  Daniel 6:22 Some angels have very specific functions and duties under God’s direction. For example, cherubim (plural form of cherub) were dispatched to keep Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. Another class of angels called Seraphim, fiery angels, were created solely to direct worship to God. How would you like that job? Angels also have the task of ministering to people. Jesus, for example, was ministered to by angels when he was near His crucifixion (Matt 4:11; Luke 23: 43). Presently, angles protect people. Check out Psalm 34:7, 91:11-12; Matt 18:10; and Hebrews 1:14 to see what I mean. They also help God in answering our prayers. Remember Daniel? He said Michael helped him in his prayers (Dan 10:13). Angels also have the wonderful duty of taking believing souls to heaven (Luke 16:22). Not only that, angels will have a big part in the coming Rapture. They will take believers to see the Lord in the clouds, and the time it will take them is…a blink. I will personally thank the angel who leads me straight to heaven. How about you? As mentioned above, in the future, angels will be involved in the war of the great tribulation, called Armageddon, aiding God as He brings judgement on the world. Finally, it is said that an angel will bind Satan for a thousand years in the abyss (Rev 20:-12). [1] Resources used were Chafer, Lewis Sperry, and John F. Walvoord. Major Bible Themes. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974 and Waterhouse, Steven W. Not By Bread Alone: An Outlined Guide to Bible Doctrine. Fourth. Amarillo, TX: Westcliff Press, 2000. I hope this brief lesson has...sharpened your understanding of angels. How should we respond to this great information? Let me offer three suggestions:
Hope you are staying well and healthy. Blessings, In Him, Gabe
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