Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 8

 Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 8 

While so many people are focusing on the demonic things of Halloween, I thought I would repost my series on angels from the Bible. 

There are several times in the New Testament where it reports that the disciples of the risen Jesus were imprisoned for speaking for Christ.  We don't know all the accounts of all His followers of course, so we cannot know how many were set free and how many stayed in jail.  What we know for certain are the true stories mentioned in the book of Acts in chapters 5 (multiple people - see below) and 12 (Peter alone - I am not including those verses, you can read it on your own.)

Beginning in Acts 5, with the exception of Peter, it mentions "the apostles" but not which ones.   

(Acts 5:17-29) Then the high priest rose up... and were filled with indignation, And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, "Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life." And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught... 

But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told, Saying, "The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within..."

Then came one and told them, saying, "Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people...

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, "Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine..."

hen Peter and the other apostles answered and said, "We ought to obey God rather than men."

Amen!  I pray I always have such boldness as Peter and the others and remember that it is my goal as a Christian to obey God!

Another beautiful story in the book of Acts is of Phillip. In Acts 8, He is called by an angel to witness to an Ethiopian man.  I love this story!

(Acts 8:26-39) 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."

And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias (Isaiah) the prophet.

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, "Go near, and join thyself to this chariot." And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, "Understandest thou what thou readest?"

And he said, "How can I, except some man should guide me?" And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

The place of the scripture which he read was this (from Isaiah 53), "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened He not His mouth..."

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, "See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"

And Philip said, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest."

And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

While an angel is only mentioned at the beginning of this story, it shows how angel sometimes called Jesus' disciples to witness for His name.  While we may never physically see an angel, I pray we may all be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and witness where and when God calls us.  We may not have such a positive and dramatic result as Philip, but we can plant the seeds of God's Truths.

Another man that is called by an angel is Cornelius.  Because this is a long portion of scripture, I will sum it up. This is from Acts chapters 10 and 11, please never take my word for it, but read it on your own.

Cornelius, "a centurion of the band called the Italian band," is sent by an angel to speak with Peter. At that time, it was " an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation," but because God has just given Peter a vision Peter realizes that "God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean."  Therefore, the purpose of an angel sending Cornelius to Peter was to confirm Peter's vision that Peter should not be prejudice against non-Jews and should be willing to share the gospel of Jesus and the message of the Holy Spirit with all races.  This encounter also convinces some of the other Jews to accept the same message.  May we also never refuse to witness to anyone based on race, religion, or economic status.  Jesus wants everyone to know His gospel message so all may be saved! (Mark 16:15 - And [Jesus] said unto them, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." & 2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.) 

I will conclude this series with part 9 in the book of Revelation.