Angels (2)

Introduction

In light of the fact that we are dealing with the reviling of glories (i.e. angelic majesties) in Jude, and that Michael, an archangel, had disputed with Satan about Moses' body, I felt that it was important that we take a moment to examine what this might be all about.

We have above and all around us, an unseen world. It is a world of beings who were created by God to give Himself praise. They are beings who are immaterial and yet have form, and even dress of some kind. There are those who are obedient to God, and some who are disobedient to God. Those who are obedient love and serve us on the behalf of God. Those who are disobedient to God despise us and are murderous liars bent on destroying all that glorifies God.

However, we don't have to be afraid. The King of kings is our Lord and He is greater than he that is in this world. Even if Satan himself were to attempt to destroy us, he could not as God the Father has placed us in Christ, the Son.

But we need to understand these beings and where they live. Paul wrote:

Colossians 2:18–19 (NASB95)

18 Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,

19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

This was instruction from the apostle to not put angels in places they don't belong, i.e. worship. Every righteous angel in Scripture has rejected worship by mankind.

BodyAngels: Who are they?Angels are created beings in a variety of sizes, forms, and dress.They are not good people who have died and became angels. They do not procreate (Mt. 22:29-30). They are elect -

1 Timothy 5:21 (NASB95)

21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.

When were they created?Job 38:7

Job 38:3–7 (NASB95)

3 “Now gird up your loins like a man,

And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Tell Me, if you have understanding,

5 Who set its measurements? Since you know.

Or who stretched the line on it?

6 “On what were its bases sunk?

Or who laid its cornerstone,

7 When the morning stars sang together

And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job 1:2; 2:1ff; 38:7Psalm 148:1-7 They were created at the time of the creation of the earth and heavens. They observed God create the foundations of the earth. To what does this refer? What is "foundation of the world"? See Prov. 8:22-31Ps. 104:5-9Job 38:4-7

The angels seem to have been created particularly to witness the wisdom and skill of Almighty God in creating the world. They were given front row seat and were created to praise God for His handiwork, just as we were as well.

Why were they created?They are assigned to protect/guard believers:Psalm 34:7 -

Psalm 34:7 (NASB95)

7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,

And rescues them.

Mt.18:10 -

Matthew 18:10 (NASB95)

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

They do the Word of God:Psalm 103:20 -

Psalm 103:20 (NASB95)

20 Bless the Lord, you His angels,

Mighty in strength, who perform His word,

Obeying the voice of His word!

Heb. 1:7 (cf. Ps. 104:4) -

Hebrews 1:7 (NASB95)

7 And of the angels He says,

“Who makes His angels winds,

And His ministers a flame of fire.”

They watch God's works for praise of Him:Job 38:71 Peter 1:12 -

1 Peter 1:12 (NASB95)

12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.

What do they do now?They admire the church:They protect believers:They wait until eschatological events begin:They will gather unbelievers into the fire -

Matthew 13:41–43 (NASB95)

41 “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,

42 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43 “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

They will gather the elect and bring them before God -

Matthew 24:31 (NASB95)

31 “And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

They will carry out the judgments of God upon the earth during the Tribulation -"Angels" referred to 74x's in Revelation, 3x's as many references as any other book in the Bible.They are the agents of judgment upon the earth, mankind, and demons.Demons are also let loose on the earth, but are defeated.

Demons:Who are they?Those who have rebelled with Satan:Mt.25:41 -

Matthew 25:41 (NASB95)

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

Rev. 12:9 (future destruction)The fall of Satan:Ezekiel 28:14 (cf. Exodus 25:17-20!!!)Is. 14:12-15Luke 10:18 -

Luke 10:18 (NASB95)

18 And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.

When were they created?Created along with angels.Neither can be saved.Why were they created?Same as angels.Will suffer eternal fire.What do they do now?Possess unbelievers - Matthew 8:28-34; Acts 16:16-18They cannot possess believers.Why they cannot: God indwells the believer - 1 John 4:8, 12, 13. 1 John 4:12; 1 John 3:24.

Teach doctrine:James 2:191 Timothy 4:1 (NASB95)

1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,

According to James 3:15, there is a wisdom that is from demons.

They are worshiped by unsuspecting Christians and non-Christians:1 Corinthians 10:19–21 (NASB95)

19 What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

20 No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons.

21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

Revelation 9:20–21 (NASB95)

20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;

21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

They withstand God's angels: (next section).

Heavenly realm:What is it?Ezekiel 1Job 1:7 & 2:1Where is it?Outside of creation.Above all things-Ezekiel 1Its future:Judgment - Matthew 25:41.Come to earth - Matthew

Matthew 6:9–10 (NASB95)

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 ‘Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

We will judge angels 1 Cor. 6:3

1 Corinthians 6:3 (NASB95)

3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?

The battle:This brings us back to Jude.In Jude we saw that Michael did not dare to accuse Satan, but rather gave Satan over to the Lord's future judgment. So also is our battle.Ephesians 6:10-17 (Eph. 1:21; 2:2; 3:10).Illustration: Daniel 10:12–13 (NASB95)

12 Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.

13 “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

Daniel 12:1 (NASB95)

The Time of the End

1 “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.

What do we do?Preach the gospel/word -

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 (NASB95)

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

Resist him by being firm in our faith -

1 Peter 5:8–9 (NASB95) (see also James 4:7)

8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

Conclusion

This is why we must realize that there is more going on all around us than our little fellowship here. Our organization, holiness, earnestness, and obedience are all be examined, scrutinized, admired, and slandered by the angels of God, the demons, and Satan himself.

Thus in the church, we are able to demonstrate:

Ephesians 3:8–12 (NASB95)

8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,

9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;

10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.