Angels, God's Servants And Ours

Angels remain a favorite topic of interest around the world. I have written about them many times in this blog, e.g.

• Who are the angels? 
• The dark side of all the talk about angels 
• What is an angel anyway? 
• Jesus, Angel of the Lord 
• A glimpse of glory

The writer to the Hebrews begins his letter by reminding us that Jesus is

"as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs"(Hebr. 1:4).   

Jesus' name, LORD (YHWH), is

"the name that is above every name so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus is LORD, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9-11)

Angels, however, are great and wondrous beings. They are mentioned throughout the Bible. Already in the days of Abraham we read of two of them accompanying the LORD Himself to visit Abraham to announce that Abraham and Sarah are to finally have a son. Together with the LORD Himself they appear as three men standing at the door of Abraham's tent in the heat of the day (Gen.18:1-16).

In the referenced blogs listed above you may learn more about angels, those wondrous beings through whom the LORD governs the world. In Holy Scripture we learn that they are not mere humans who have died and gone to heaven, etc., but are powerful spirits through whom the LORD governs the world. They

• excel in strength, Ps. 103:20
• are God's ministers - Ps. 104:4 
• serve the Ancient of Days - Dan. 7:10  
• are holy and sinless - Matt. 25:31 
• surround God's throne - Rev. 5:11 

Billy Graham has written an excellent books about them, published first in 1975 and now republished as

• Angels: Ringing Assurance That We Are Not Alone

As Graham points out, angels never lost their original glory and spiritual relationship with God. They do not share our sinfulness—nor our need of redemption. One thing they cannot do: testify personally to the salvation God achieved by grace, the salvation we receive through faith in Jesus Christ.

Nor does the Holy Spirit indwell angels as He does redeemed people. The Holy Spirit lives in the hearts of all believers already on the earth to perform His unique ministry of making them inwardly holy even while they live here below, shaping and conforming them into the image of God.

Dr. Graham has much more to teach in his book. Read it yourself, but heed the warning of the writer to the Hebrews. Angels are not to be worshipped. Some have had such a tendency. Paul wrote about this in his letter to the Colossians (Col. 2:18). This is precisely what the rebel angels would have us do (Matt. 4:8-10). But the holy angels will not permit it:

And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God." Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!" For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. - Rev 19:9-10 ESV

This week we'll take another look at the angels, as revealed in the Bible and especially in the words of the Hebrews writer. We are comforted by knowing that we are all served by these spirits. More next time.

Join The Angel Choirs To Praise The NAME

Currently I am reading Dr Michael Ward's The Narnia Code, his fascinating book about the secret third level meaning of C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia. He explains his discovery in even more detail in his original work, Planet Narnia. I highly recommend that you read at least his FAQ on his website even if you do not read either of his two books. 

One of the things—among many others—that fascinated me was this quote, 

In pre-coperican times, Christians believed (as we still believe) that God ruled the universe. But as Lewis explains in The Discarded Image, medieval Christians believed that, in addition to man, God has made spirits of various kinds, sometimes called gods, deities, intelligences, or angels, to have authority under Him. Today, Christians often talk about angels but tend to avoid using the word gods,  assuming that it can refer only to "pagan gods." However, the Bible itself sometimes uses the word gods without referring to something occultic or evil. The most obvious place is in John 10:34-36, where Jesus quotes Psalm 82:6 ("Is it not written in your law, 'I said, you are gods'?)

 Medieval Christians believed that not only had God created these various spirits, but that He had put seven of them in charge of the seven planets. Each planet was governed by its own god or angel, who in turn ruled over a different day of the week.

He then goes on to point out that the seven days of our week are each named after one of the so-called seven planets, with each planet governed by its own god or angel. 

• Saturn rules Satur-day
• Sun rules Sun-day
• Moon rules Mon-day
• Mars rules Tues-day (the Norse equivalent is Tyr or Tiw)
• Mercury rules Wednes-day (the Norse equivalent is Woden)
• Jupiter rules Thurs-day (the Norse equivalent is Thor)
• Venus rules Fri-day (the Norse equivalent is Freya or Frigg)

Our planet Earth also has a god or angel who was put in charge, but this ruling spirit rebelled and led a whole cohort of other angels to join him. For this he was cast out of heaven and confined to the earth (Luke 10:18; 1 John 3:8; Rev. 9:1; 12:7-8) Of him the Apostle Paul writes, 

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world (aion) has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. - 2Cr 4:3-4 ESV

Jesus confronted the ruler of this world on a high mountain and resisted this ruler's temptation.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." - Mat 4:8-9 ESV

Interestingly, Jesus did not deny that the devil has such power. What he resisted was the temptation to kneel before this fallen angel and worship him, for the clear command is to worship the LORD alone (Deut. 6:13-14).

The Apostle John records other comments by the LORD Jesus about this world's ruler.

Now is the judgment of this world (kosmos); now will the ruler of this world (kosmos) be cast out. ... "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them." - John 12:31, 40 ESV

 What does all this suggest? That we need to take another look at how we view what we now call space or the universe, usually portrayed as a cold, dark, lifeless expanse of mere energy and light that expands ever outward since the Big Bang. But it is not at all as lifeless and empty of created beings as we are currently taught by our wise men—otherwise known as scientists and astro-physicists. It is teeming with spirits and life. The LORD challenges Job with this question,

"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? - Job 38:4-7 ESV

Who are these morning stars that sang together on the days of creation? Who are these sons of God who shouted for joy? They are His angels, His messengers. These great spirits inhabit the universe and many other spirits fill the earth, controlling its winds and waves and storms—and many other events, as the Psalm says,

He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; he makes his messengers (Mal'akim) winds, his ministers (Sharathim) a flaming fire. - Psa 104:3-4 ESV

We miss them and their singing. We are not even aware of it, because their songs surround us. It is so much a part of our life that we do not hear their songs ever praising and giving glory to The Name! I invite you to join C.S. Lewis and those who love his writings to  acknowledge the presence of a countless multitude of great spirits, angels, cherubim and seraphim praising The Name in the stars and planets of the heavens above. And on the earth learn again of the magic and hear again the singing of sprites, nymphs, elves, fauns, faeries, gnomes, ogres, trolls and dryads in the winds and clouds, the streams, waterfalls and lakes, the mountains and forests.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. - Psa 19:1-4 NLT

As reborn children of God join the singing of this countless multitude to hallow and praise The Name that is above every name in the vast heavens beyond and on the earth, our home. Our Father in the heavens, hallowed be Your Name! 

What About Natural-born Intuitive Psychics?

This week we're taking a careful, but brief, look at psychics and mediums, especially those folks that claim to be able to communicate with the dead.

As always, its best to start with a couple definitions. In general, a psychic claims to be extraordinarily sensitive to forces and influences beyond human senses. In some unexplained way he or she has this ability to see, feel or perceive spirits and events from the past, the future or from the beyond, in the realm of the dead or in the spirit world. Try a Google search and you will come up with dozens of sites by Dawn, Margaret, Dr. Loren, Jonathan, Georgia, etc. —all claiming natural-born, intuitive psychic powers. They simply have these powers and you are invited to hire them to do anything from contacting your deceased uncle to working with the police to discover who murdered Sam Jones. They'll even help you locate your lost dog.

What got me started was the article quoted in yesterday's blog about fake mediums. What I want to do today is to ask what Holy Scriptures have to say about these folks. Are there such people? Do some really have psychic powers? Is that what God's revelation says? The brief answer is yes, but we do need to do some sorting out.

Here's a brief, incomplete list of some of the prominent psychics in the Bible:

• Jacob - dreamed and beheld a flight of stairs reaching up to heaven (Gen. 28:11-22)
• Joseph - dreamed of future glory and interpreted others' dreams (Gen.37:5-11; 40:1-23; 41:15-37)
• Balaam the Diviner - saw the Angel of the LORD and Israel's glory (Num. 22:1-40; 23:1-25)
• Samuel, the Seer - guided Israel and chose her first kings (1 Samuel 9:15-10:20, etc.)
• Gad, one of David's Seers (1 Chr. 21:9-30) - Seers and prophets - I Sam. 9:9.
• Nathan, the Prophet (1 Kings 1:8-45) 
• Iddo, the Seer and visionary (2 Chr. 9:29)
• Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Amos, Micah, etc.
• Joseph, step-father of Jesus, was guided by his dreams (Matt. 1:20-25; 2:13-20). 
• Peter, the Apostle - had a vision of unclean food to eat (Acts 10:9-18)
• Paul, the Apostle - caught up to the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:2-5)
• John, the Apostle - saw a vision on the Lord's Day (Rev. 1:10) 
• Prophets from Jerusalem - foretold a great world-wide famine (Acts 11:27-30)
• Philip the evangelist had four unmarried daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9-10)
• Agabus the prophet from Judea - predicted Paul's imprisonment (Acts 21:10-12)

As you can see, there have always been men and women who saw the future, had visions from God, predicted disasters for nations and individuals, and interpreted dreams. There still are. What's the difference between them and those who turn their backs upon God's revealed Word to claim they have natural-born, intuitive psychic powers, some even claiming to be in contact with the dead? Here is guidance from the Word: 

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. - 1Jo 4:1-3 ESV

As you can see, there are spirits and there are spirits. Some are from God and some are of the antichrist which is already in the world. What's this spirit of the antichrist? The reference to the antichrist is unique to John. Anyone in touch with, guided by or influenced by some spirit that does not confess and openly acknowledge that Jesus is the promised Messiah, God's Son come in human flesh to be Savior and Lord, is not from God! This one is led by the spirit of the antichrist. 

Ultimately, all such spirits are under the active influence of the prince of this present darkness, Satan or the devil. The Apostle Paul so teaches in his letter to the Thessalonians.

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. - 2Th 2:3-12 ESV

It is for this reason that Moses warned all believers long ago to avoid all contact with such psychics and mediums. We do well to heed his warning. 

"Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God. - Lev 19:31 ESV

There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you. - Deut 18:10-12 ESV

More needs to be said about those prophets who do confess Jesus Christ. I'll take that up next time.