Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 6: The Book of Psalms

 

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 6: The Book of Psalms

As I mentioned at the beginning of this series, I am not going to touch on all 283 times the word "angel" is mentioned in the Bible (KJV), which means from Elijah's story in part 5, I will jump ahead to the Psalms.

Psalm 8 informs us that humans and angels are not the same creation.  In spite of what Hollywood may tell you, angels have never been human, nor will they ever become human, nor will humans ever become angels.  God created angels many years before humans, and they were never meant to be the same creatures.  

(Psalm 8:4-5) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 

If we are "lower than the angels" we are clearly separate creations.

The book of Psalms is also a wonderful reminder of God allowing His angels to protect us.

(Psalm 35:6-8) This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 

Notice the phrase in verse 7, "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him."  Protection is for those who follow His ways and serve Him. Yes, God is very gracious to help all people who ask, but if you are refusing to do what the Bible says is right, do not be angry with God when you are lacking protection. I am not saying God will always refuse help those choosing to live in rebellion but living right for Him is always the best choice.

Psalm 91:11 is also another wonderful reminder that God allows His angels to look out for us. I must begin with verse 1 in that chapter as it is another verse that shows us God is more likely to keep us safe when we walk with Him or actively choose to "dwell" in His presence.

(Psalm 91:1) He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 

The entire chapter of Psalm 91 is a very beautiful Psalm as it is a comforting story of God's love and protection for His children.  When you read the entire chapter, you will see how very relevant it is to us today.  

(Psalm 91:2-6) I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 

Notice in verse 9, the first 16 words, especially the word "because." 

(Psalm 91:9-12) Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 

Now in verses 14-16 the perspective of the poem changes from the voice of David to the voice 0f God speaking to us. Again, see the word "because," which means "on account of the fact that."

(Psalm 91:14-16) Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. 

Yes, again, we see God is more likely to help those that "set" their "love upon" Him, not just those that call upon Him when it is convenient. We are not to choose to serve God just for angelic protection but because He is kind, loving, and very gracious to forgive us when we repent of our sins and make Him Lord of our lives.  God is worthy if of all our love and praise, all of the time. Even when you feel as if God has not protected you, and life is depressing and scary, try to remember we live in a fallen world, and other people's sins can block you from God's help. Also, all things happen for a reason to those wh0 serve God (see Romans 8:28), and when life is difficult, try to remember it will all make sense when we see Jesus face to face (see 1 Corinthians 13:12).

I will end with Psalm 103 & 148 where it is reiterated that we are not to worship angels, but God, just as the angels themselves do. Give glory and honor and blessing only to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as they are the only ones who deserve such an honor.

(Psalm 103:20-22) Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul. 

(Psalm 148:1-13) Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created... Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word: Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. 

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 5: Elijah

 

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 5: Elijah

I just want to make it clear again that my goal in writing this series on Biblical angels is not to glorify angles, but to glorify God! Yes, we are to be aware there are angels around us and to have great respect for them, but we should never worship angels, only the Creator!

For part 5, I want to explore the story of Elijah, a great prophet of God.  As we read about Elijah, we learn that even great people of faith suffer from depression and doubt from time to time. 

I am going to sum up the story of Elijah as quickly as possible, so keep in mind this is all a shortened version of his story.
 
We first meet Elijah in 1 Kings, Chapter 17. Elijah appears before King Ahab and tells him there will be a drought in the land.  Because the king is angry with Elijah for his prophecy, God tells Elijah to flee to the east and hide.  God promises Elijah that He will send ravens to feed Elijah, and He does as He promises.

In the same chapter, God sends Elijah to a widow to take care of him.  Because of the widow's willingness to serve, as long as Elijah stays with her and her son, she never runs out of oil or meal.  While staying with the widow, her son dies, but Elijah prays, and the son comes back to life.

In Chapter 18, Elijah and King Ahab decide to have a contest to prove which of them is serving the real God.  They both set up altars to see which God (or god) will send fire from heaven.  I love this story!  When Ahab calls upon Baal, there is no answer. 
 
(1 Kings 18:26-28) So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.

And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.  And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention. 
 
Elijah has his opposition douse his altar with water three times.
 
(1 Kings 18:36-38) And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.  Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”

Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.  Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” 
 
Because the people have repented and turned back to the True God, rain comes back to the land. Yes, BECAUSE they repented.

In Chapter 19, Elijah must flee for his life.  Queen Jezebel wants to kill Elijah because he killed the prophets of Baal.  I realize it may seem like the stretch of an over-active imagination to say Elijah was depressed, discouraged, and losing faith at this point.  But we do indeed see Elijah in despair. 
 
You cannot blame him for feeling discouraged and weary from the stress of having to flee for his life.  When he is resting after his escape, he prays for God to allow him to die.  In 1 Kings 19:4, he even says, "It is enough; now Lord take away my life," which could easily mean he wanted to die. Although he has seen many miracles (probably even more than are recorded), he does not ask for one for himself.  He is ready to give up and die.  However, God still has a purpose for Elijah and sends an angel to feed him.
 
This is why I have chosen Elijah for part 5 of this series.  I want to encourage you that God may choose to use an angel to minister to you when you are discouraged, scared, depressed, and lacking faith!  If someone so full of faith and important as Elijah could feel so discouraged that he asks God to end his life, then how can someone who feels insignificant, as I often feel, fare any better?  Remember this: none of us are unimportant to God.  It is true that only a few are called to be ministers or prophets, and you may never see an angel (that you are aware of) but that does not mean God loves you or me any less. 
 
Think God has never sent angels to minister to you?  Think again.
 
(Hebrews 13:2) Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.  

 (Luke 4:10) For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’  

The food given to Elijah by the angel sustains him for 40 days and nights.  What happens next shows that God really wants to make it clear to Elijah how powerful He is.  But more than that, He wants Elijah to be fully aware of God's great love for him.  It is a sermon that is preached often because it is a wonderful reminder that we cannot always predict how God is going to choose to speak to us.  We must always be ready and willing to listen.
 
(1 Kings 19:9-16 ) And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts... I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
 
So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts... I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

Notice that the Lord asks Elijah twice why he is hiding in the cave.  This is just my interpretation, but God knows every emotion we go through, and God knew Elijah was feeling depressed.  It's almost as if God was letting him know that He was not asking Elijah why he was hiding in the cave, but asking Elijah what he thought his reason for being alive was.  God repeats His question and when Elijah repeats his answer, he is bold and confident in his words and may have even had tears in his eyes.  Now God gives Elijah a new mission and further affirms to Elijah that he is not alone.  Again, God's gracious and kind ways are over whelming.  He has whispered His love in Elijah's ear, renewed his strength, given him new purpose, and encouraged him that he is not alone.  God is even sending Elijah a helper in the form of Elisha. 

God is so patient and loving with Elijah that His tenderness strikes me to the core.  Can you imagine hearing that still small voice in your ear?  Gives me chills and I doubt it was small in its depth, but in volume only.  Not a quiet or wimpy voice.  Do you think God whispered, "I love you, Elijah, you are Mine, and I have called you for a purpose.  Take heart; I will always be with you."  

After demonstrating His power, God gives Elijah instruction and tells him what his next assignment is.  God makes it clear that Elijah still has a purpose and that God will be with him.  The kindness, gentleness, and loving encouragement from God moves me every time I read this story.

Elijah then meets Elisha and places his mantle (coat, but also symbolic of spiritual authority) upon him.  In other words, God has chosen Elisha to take Elijah's place.  Elijah's purpose is now to mentor Elisha as well as perform his regular "duties" as a prophet. 

It is perfectly normal for us to feel depressed or discouraged when people and/or circumstances are going against us.  It sometimes even feels like God himself is against us.  This is something the devil would love for you to believe.  But God does not fight against those that love, trust, and obey Him. 
 
I do not believe Elijah was suicidal in the true sense of the word, but he was so distraught that he asked God to take his life.  I am sure we have all wanted to give up in a dramatic way.  We want physical and/or emotional pain to disappear because we cannot handle it any longer.  We may or may not literally want or ask for death, but we are willing to give up the fight.  We don't even bother to ask for help.  We say as Elijah did, "It is enough."  It is then that God may choose to speak to us with His still small voice.  He may or may not send an angel, and He may or may not grant a miracle, but He is willing to comfort and guide as we need. 

(Matthew 11:28-30) ^"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  

Elijah's time of doubt was a brief one, and his life continued forward as he again faithfully followed God's calling.  Therefore, when you falter in your faith, pick yourself up and continue forward from where you left off.  Or better yet, allow your faith to grow from there.  You never know where God may want to use you and even be a teacher or encourager to someone else along the way.

Elijah mentored Elisha as God wanted, but eventually it was time to say good-bye.  So I will end my blog here: 

(2 Kings 2:8-15) Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”

Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”  Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.  He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.  Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.  

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 4: Gideon

 

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 4: Gideon

In the book of Judges, it is repeatedly stated that God was displeased with the Israelites for their disobedience. Yet you will also read how God, in His great mercy, has compassion on them (like us) many more times than they (or we) deserve.  In chapter 6, we learn:

(Judges 6:1) The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 

However, due to the Israelites crying out to God in their dire situation, God answers their call by raising up Gideon to lead them.  Like many before and after him, Gideon is called into service by an angel.  

(Judges 6:11-12) And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him," The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour."  

The definition of valor is: "great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle."  So right away, you can see Gideon is being called to bravely lead his people to battle.  Is Gideon always brave?  No, and even more surprising, Gideon very often lacks faith.  As soon as he is called by the angel, we see his pattern of questioning God.  

(Judges 6:13) "If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us... now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites."

As disrespectful as this seems, haven't we all acted this exact same way?  I know I have.  While we may not literally have an angel in front of us, we can be given messages from other sources such as dreams, visions, and even other people. (A note of warning here: be careful if someone says they heard from God.  If that person is not living a Godly life, if this person is into anything occultic, or their words go against the Bible, disregard the message.  If it is a person you can trust as a spiritual leader, it is okay to still ask God for confirmation.)  When we receive True messages, we may still refuse to believe and question God based on negative experiences in our past. This side of Heaven, we cannot know why God chooses to allow difficult things to happen. Although it seems impossible, we cannot live in the pains of the past, but trust God for each circumstance as separate occasions. Try to trust in his sovereignty even if you feel let down in the past. Remember God is always good, even though men rarely are. 

Again, God is gracious to Gideon and slow to anger.  Instead of the angel leaving and choosing someone else, he calmly states,

(Judges 6:14) "Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? "

Gideon still is full of doubt and but now it is in himself that he questions.  Why would God choose him?  He is "poor" and "the least in" his "father's house." (verse 15).  Goodness, that sounds like me!  I have used too many excuses to count for why I am not worthy to be used by God.  God does not want our list of shortcomings and failures.  He knows them better than we do.  He wants our obedience.  He will always provide what we lack.

In verse 16, the angel insists God will be with Gideon, and he will be successful in defeating the Midianites.  But is Gideon satisfied yet?  Nope.  He continues his doubting track.

(Judges 6:17) And he said unto him, "If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me." 

In verses 18-21 Gideon prepares a goat and bread and places it on an altar with some broth, and the angel uses his staff to create fire and consume the meal.  Let me again make clear what I previously stated in part 1 of this series:

"...angels are often depicted as magical.  They are often shown as having special powers to perform ridiculous tasks I will not even go into.  Be not deceived, God hates witchcraft (Galatians 5:19-21 - Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these... witchcraft... of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.) as it comes from Satan, and not from God. Any "powers" angels display does not come from them but are gifted by God. Just as when holy saints perform miracles, it is ONLY by God's power that allows them to do so. No angel or human can produce a miracle on their own.  If God is not involved, the power comes from Satan not man."

Therefore, this act performed from the angel in Judges is not an evil conjuring of fire from Hell, but fire from Heaven.  It was not the angel's power, but the power of God.

After Gideon witnesses the sign of God, he finally believes.

(Judges 6:22) And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face. 

Gideon then gets to work and destroys the altars of Baal.  Now he is finally stepping into his role as a man of valor.

Throughout the rest of Gideon' story, we see the pattern of doubt.  He continually questions God and asks for signs of proof.  Yet God is beyond patient and provides each sign.  Gideon is also very successful in battle, even when greatly outnumbered (you can read the rest of his amazing story through to Judges 8:35).

Maybe you can relate, or maybe you have always had an unshakable faith and never questioned God, but we can agree that God is always gentle and kind with us.  He understands our doubts and as a patient Father, continues to give us time to wake up to His Truths and He will strengthen our doubts.

Trust & Obey

Written by John H. Sammis

When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His word
What a glory He sheds on our way
While we do His good will
He abides with us still
And with all who will trust and obey

But we never can prove
The delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay
For the favor He shows
For the joy He bestows
Are for them who will trust and obey

Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet
Or we'll walk by His side in the way
What He says we will do
Where He sends we will go
Never fear, only trust and obey

Trust and obey
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus
But to trust and obey

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 3: Moses & Balaam

 Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 3: Moses & Balaam

If you are familiar with the story of Exodus (the Biblical version, not any of the incorrect Hollywood versions), you know at least one angel was always with the group of Israelites after they escaped slavery in Egypt. As I have mentioned in both parts 1 and 2 of this series, I am not going into great detail on specific stories, nor list every instance where angels are mentioned, just focusing on reminding us of the times angels were used in the Bible and also trying to relate to how angels are still vital to us today.  Therefore, to say that my mention of the powerful story of Moses will be very brief is an understatement.

Often in the book of Exodus, it is revealed to Moses that at "an angel" had been sent "before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared." (Exodus 23:30).  An angel is continually either before them to prepare the way, or behind them to keep them safe, or both.   

To those who acknowledge God and serve Him, we can know that God may send His angels before and after us for protection.  That does not mean bad things will never happen as we have a free will and often go outside the plans of God and what He has "prepared" for us, and therefore are out of His protection, just as with the Israelites during the time of Moses. They often rebelled and refused to obey His instructions, and God allowed death, disease, and captivity to happen.  I always say you cannot jump off a cliff and expect God's angels to keep you safe.  God is very gracious to look after us, but we must use good morals combined with wisdom and also be proactive in keeping ourselves and others out of danger.

Throughout the rest of the Old Testament, we read about angels bringing God's messages of warnings of what will happen if those listening refuse to obey God.  One such instance is when an angel is not sent to a group of people, but to one individual, Balaam.

In Numbers 22, Balaam is commissioned by King Balak to curse the Israelites because Balak is afraid of the large number of Israelites.  Balaam is involved in the evil sin of enchantments. Make no mistake, the entire Bible repeatedly says God HATES witchcraft and those who practice it will not inherit the Kingdom of God (see Galatians 5:20-21 & Revelation 21:8).  There is NOTHING innocent about Harry Potter, Frozen, The Wizard Oz, etc.  Christians, please quit watching these movies and confusing your children that God is okay with it (1 Corinthians 10:21 - Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.)!  

But I digress, now back to the story. The king of the Moabites says to Balaam, "he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed." (Numbers 22:6). King Balak promises Balaam he "will promote [Balaam] unto very great honour, and will do whatsoever thou sayest." (verse 17). 

Balaam agrees to curse the Israelites.  However, God is very angry with Balaam and sends an angel to fight against him.  The interesting twist in this true story is that Balaam cannot see the angel when it appears in verse 23, but his donkey can.  Three different times, the donkey sees the angel armed with a drawn sword standing in the pathway.  The donkey is so afraid she first turns off the path into a field, then crushes Balaam's foot into the wall, and the third time, falls down.  Each time, Balaam strikes the poor animal.  After the third instance, God opens the mouth of the donkey.  In verse 28, she asks "What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?"  Strange enough, the Bible never says that Balaam was shocked that his donkey spoke to him.  He simply tells the donkey he would kill her if he had a sword. After the donkey reminds Balaam that she has always been a faithful animal, God then allows Balaam to see the angel. Balaam is wise enough to show awe and humility at the sight and falls on his face.

The angel also asks Balaam why he beat the donkey and tells him that if not for her, Balaam would have been killed by the angel, and the donkey spared.  The angel then tells Balaam he must not curse the Israelites but can only say what the Lord has instructed Balaam to say. 

Of course, King Balak is furious and tries very hard to convince Balaam to still say his curses, but in Numbers 23:8 Balaam says, "How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?"  We see signs of a changed man.

The king continues on in trying to coerce Balaam, but he continues to refuse. I love what he says in Numbers 23:19-20, "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it." 

Those few words in verse 19 should be remembered by us every day. When we are discouraged, remember God will never lie. When we are confused or angry with God, remember God never has need to repent, we are the ones who should be repenting of our callus and rebellious actions.

When we get to chapter 24, we see that indeed Balaam has changed and even given up his evil witchcraft. "And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he went NOT... to seek for enchantments..." (Numbers 24:1). Only then did "the spirit of God [come] upon him." (verse 2). Repentance and giving up our habitual sins are the keys for all of us.

Balaam then issues a blessing for the people of Israel, and King Balak reminds him that had he cursed the people, he would have been rich and powerful.  But Balaam replies with, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak." (verse 13).  May we always be so bold in our convictions to do the Lord's will and not be tempted by worldly treasures. 

The angel was used by God to protect the Israelites from a Satanic curse. He could have killed Balaam, but due to the donkey seeing the angel, Balaam was allowed to live.  I truly believe that on occasion some (not all) animals see angels and demons. God most likely will not use an animal to speak to us, but animals can still be used in either supernatural ways or simply from the natural instincts God gave them to protect us.  We need to pay attention to all warning signs around us, and as said above, stay within the will of God and obey the Bible if we are to stay within His protection.  

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 2: Jacob

 

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 2: Jacob

As I mentioned in part 1, there are 283 times that the word "angel" is used in the Bible (KJV). I will not list every reference here but briefly share some verses that are most relevant to this series. Today, I will begin with Gensis chapter 28.

Jacob was the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham.  He had a twin brother, Esau.  He and Esau were perpetually at odds, dealing with the dangerous sin of sibling rivalry.  Jacob's name means "supplanter" because even before he was born, God knew Jacob would steal his brother's birthright.  He also tricked his blind father into giving him the blessing meant for the first-born twin.  He was a deceiver.  His cunning and evil ways caused his brother to want to kill him, so Jacob left home.  

If you are interested, you can read more writings on Jacob from my previous blogs: Jacob the Supplanter https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/05/genesis-2524-34-271-46-jacob-supplanter.html, The Beginning of Jacob's Revival (same topic as this blog) https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/05/genesis-2811-22-beginning-of-jacobs.html , & Why did the Lord approach Jacob to wrestle with him? https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/05/genesis-3224-30-why-did-lord-approach.html

In spite of Jacob's trickery God knew the potential of Jacob's heart and that it could become tender.  In His mercy, He still wanted to bless Jacob. In Genesis chapter 28, He gives Jacob a dream:

(Genesis 28:11-21) And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night... and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, "I am the Lord God... and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, "Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not." And he was afraid, and said, "How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and... vowed a vow, saying, "If God will be with me... then shall the Lord be my God." 

It is after Jacob sees God and His angels that He experiences a revival.  He is in awe that God visited him, and vows to follow the Lord and pursue a life of peace.  God wants all of us to acknowledge Him and pursue peace as well.  We may not have such a dramatic experience as Jacob, but that does not mean God is ignoring us, or that He is not trying to get our attention.  He wants us to let go of our sinful nature and make Him Lord of our lives. He will be with us guiding us, if only we will surrender our will to Him and obey.  May we make the same vow as Jacob, "shall the Lord be my God."

Jacob then meets Rachel and wishes to marry her in exchange for seven years as her father, Laban's worker. However, Laban, tricks Jacob into marring Leah first. Jacob must add an additional seven years in commitment to Laban in order to marry Rachel.  The trickster has now become the one deceived!  Laban also changed Jacob's wages ten times, and not for the better.  God has compassion on Jacob and in chapter 31, He sends an angel to give Jacob a message:

(Genesis 31:11-13) And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, "Jacob" And I said, "Here am I." And he said, "Lift up now thine eyes... for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee I am the God where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred."  

Knowing he has God's favor, Jacob flees Laban. Laban pursues Jacob, but God warns him in a dream not to harm Jacob.  Eventually the two meet again and agree to part in peace. (Again, these blogs are shortened versions, so please read the Biblical stories on your own.) When Jacob leaves Laban again, God gives him another sign that He is with Jacob.

(Genesis 32:1-2) And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, "This is God's host..." 

This is all that is mentioned of Jacob's experience with angels.  However, he may have had encounters throughout the rest of his life that were not recorded.

We may never see an angel undisguised in the flesh, but as Jacob, God may allow them to appear in dreams to us.  My husband and I have both have had many dreams with angels in them.  They are always there to instruct and encourage.  They do not always look as we may assume an angel should look, but the same people with identical descriptions have repeatedly appeared in both my husband's dreams and mine. It is the confirmation of similar appearances that let us know they are not created out of our imaginations, but messengers from God appearing in our dreams.  

As with Jacob, even if we have sinned and done what we knew was wrong, God knows the potential of our hearts and is merciful in giving us a chance to change. If we, as Jacob, listen to the messages from the angels, and allow His words to transform us through repentant hearts, God may choose to bless us. Because he softened his heart, Jacob eventually made peace with his brother Esau.

It is evident is Genesis 35:2 that Jacob has truly allowed God to change him when he advises his household to "Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments."  It is another message God wishes us to learn.  To give up all idols that come before God and get rid of all beliefs that do not agree with the Word of God and the principles taught by Jesus Christ.  

Ephesians 5:27 lines up perfectly with the above verse in Genesis as we are instructed to be without, "spot, or wrinkle... but... should be holy and without blemish."  If we are filthy in our sins, we need to take the advice in Genesis 35 and "change our garments" which can only be accomplished through the blood of Christ making us clean. Then we must stay pure for Him as Christ is retuning only for a clean bride. 

(2 Peter 3:14) Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 

As we continue with our study through the Bible on angels, we will see how the Old Testament and New Testament teachings on holiness will always line up and will continue on to the end of time.

For further study on God's plans for holiness, I will leave you with a few more verses in Ephesians 5.  I will continue the study in angels next time beginning in the book of Exodus!

(Ephesians 5:1-27) Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ... That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 1: Introduction, Hagar, & Lot

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 1: Introduction, Hagar, & Lot

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

(Note: I will be using a variety of angel artwork in this 9-part series, and I realize that angels do not necessarily loom like the images shared.  Therefore, the images posted are serve an artistic purpose, not a theological one.) 

As I begin this writing, I want to make it clear that I am not trying to be sarcastic or demeaning of other people's beliefs, but simply to clear up the image of angels Hollywood is trying to confuse people with. Perhaps some of my readers are new believers and do not know fact from fiction.  I pray this writing will help clarify any questions you may have.  

Angels have never been human, nor will they ever become human.  God created angels many years before humans, and they were never meant to be the same.  The Bible consistently says, "men and angels" indicating we are separate creatures (for example: 1 Corinthians 4:9 & 1 Corinthians 13:1). Both Psalm 8:5 and Hebrews 2:7 state humas were made "a little lower than the angels," not the same as them. TV shows such as "Highway to Heaven" and many of the ads for movies I have seen on YouTube depict angels as having once been human but have been sent back to earth on assignment.  Such as in the classic movie, "It's a Wonderful Life," where a human-turned-angel must try to earn his wings. I remember reading a book in high school I think may have been titled "Angel Walk" where an angel wanted to know what it felt like to be human, so God allowed him to be human for a time.  While entertaining and even emotional at times, this is far from the Truths of the Bible.  

Even more disturbing is that angels are often depicted as magical.  They are often shown as having special powers to perform ridiculous tasks I will not even go into.  Be not deceived, God hates witchcraft (Galatians 5:19-21 - Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these... witchcraft... of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.) as it comes from Satan, and not from God. Any "powers" angels display do not come from them but are gifted from God. Just as when holy saints perform miracles, it is ONLY by God's power that allows them to do so. No angel or human can produce a miracle on their own.  If God is not involved, the power comes from Satan, not man.

God created angels as His helpers, his companions, and to worship Him.  A group of angels lead by Lucifer decided he wanted to be God.  He and a third of the angels rebelled against their Creator until God threw them out of heaven.  There are many circumstances surrounding that ancient war in heaven that we cannot ever know the details of until we ourselves leave this world, but we do know it is a very complex issue.  It is why the blood of Jesus had to be shed in order to save humans from hell.  There was no other way to redeem us than that precious blood.  We know the result of that long-ago war is why Lucifer/Satan has been allowed to be called "the prince of the air" (Ephesians 2:2) and been allowed to torment humans for so long.  We also know that God will eventually throw Satan and his demons into the eternal pit of hell, never to escape (see Revelation 20:10), and those of us who have defeated the devil with our Godly walk will live a life of peace forever with our Creator.  Satan and his demons are the only instance in the Bible that mentions angels becoming anything other than what they were created to be.  And even so, they were never human. Yes, they lived with humans for a time when the race of the Nephilim came into existence, but that is a whole new subject for another writing.

(Isaiah 14:12-15) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

The actual definition of the word angel is "a messenger, especially of God."  However, they are much more than that! Angels are also teachers, warriors, guardians, leaders, protectors, comforters, and above all, worshippers of God.

Before we go any further in our study, let's first note that we are never to worship angels.  It is acceptable to be amazed by beings that literally spend time in the presence of God and are trusted with doing the will of the Father, but just as we should never place any human on a pedestal, we also should remember that the only Ones we should give honor and praise to are God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  As we examine the scriptures, we will be reminded of this several times as the angels will always tell the person attempting to worship the angel, that he must worship God instead.

When searching Bible Gateway, the word "angel" appears 283 times (KJV)! I am not going to copy every scripture here but will go over quite in bit in order that they appear in the Bible.  I will not list every instance, but just the most relevant to this series. The best place to start is simply at the beginning. These tellings with be very brief, and as always, I suggest you study on your own and read the entire chapters mentioned in context.

The first mention of an angel is in Genesis 16 when an angel appears to Hagar after she runs away because Sarai (later named Sarah) has abused her.  The angel comforts Hagar tells her she is pregnant with Abram's (later named Abraham) first born son Ishmael and convinces her to return home.  He is very honest and tells her Ishmael will be "a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him (verse 12)." Angels will never deceive you, but offer up Truth, even when painful.  

The next time angels are mentioned in the Bible it is for a very different reason than as a comforter to a distressed servant.  This time they are sent as both rescuers and destroyers.  In chapter 18, God reveals to Abraham that He will destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because their "sin is very grievous (verse 20)." Abraham pleads with God to spare the life of his nephew Lot.  Therefore, in Chapter 19, God mercifully sends two angels to rescue Lot out of the doomed city. The residents of this city were so wicked, they tried to convince Lot to send the angels out of his home so they could abuse them (to put it mildly).  The men were so determined to cause harm to the angels that the angels were given the power from God to render the men blind so they could not find the door to Lot's house.  The angels rescued Lot and his family out of Sodom. God then gave the angels authority to destroy the wicked cities. Again, note that it is not the power of the angels but under the power of God.  

For now, I will end here.  Next time I will jump ahead to Genesis 28 as we explore the story of Jacob.

Are you Kicking Against the Wall? (Are you Resisting God's rod of Correction?)

Are you Kicking Against the Wall? (Are you Resisting God's rod of Correction?) 

I have to immediately begin this blog with admitting, yes, I know I have the wrong definition of the word goad (or prick). Apparently, in the Bible, a prick / goad was a long, pointed stick used to prod and guide livestock, not a wall. For some reason, and I am not even sure where I got this definition from, I thought the word "goad" meant wall. Today, at 54 years old, I just learned I was wrong! Gasp! Yet it is still the direction I am taking with this blog, and it was not actually Acts 9 that inspired this theme, but the song, "He is our Peace" (written by Kandela Groves) that got me to thinking about it. It is just the way my strange brain works (it's why I compare to my brain to a convention song). And I will actually get around to the real definition of Jesus' words as well!

First let me give a quick explanation of Acts 9:1-22.  Saul was a very evil man who had been arresting and murdering Christians. (You will see Saul is mentioned in Acts 7 when Stephen was martyred, specifically in Act 7:58).  Saul was a zealous religious Jew, and because he had been seeped in the rigid old covenant laws, he thought He was doing the right thing.  But in Acts 9, Jesus in His resurrected form, appears to Saul and dramatically calls Saul to true salvation.  Saul temporarily goes blind, but later scales fall from his eyes, his vision is restored, and with his new name of Paul, he becomes one of the greatest apostles that ever lived, now zealous for all the right reasons, to promote the truth of Jesus Christ!  

 I will start with my incorrect definition of kicking against a wall. When Paul, who was still Saul, was called by Jesus, he heard Jesus ask Him in Acts 9:4-5, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?... I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks [goads]."  Every time I read or heard this story, I pictured someone kicking against a wall.  To me, it was as if Jesus was asking Saul why He was fighting so hard to have his own way like an unruly child having a kicking and screaming temper tantrum.  

Not only have we all once been such a child (and probably witnessed other children in this state of dramatic defiance as well), but I would also dare to venture that we have also been this way as an adult.  When the Holy Spirit pierces our conscience and asks us to give up something we love but God hates, we kick the wall and scream, "No! I won't do it!"  There is a long list of things I could go into, but I think once we read our Bibles, we can all begin to understand what these things are (see Matthew 19:16-21, Ephesians 5:3-18 and Revelation 20:11-12 & 21:7-8 to start). The more we quit fighting and the more we allow ourselves to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, the less we can deny when we feel guilty when we choose an activity God is saying we should stay away from. And the more we love God the less we want to participate in the things He hates.       

(Proverbs 3:7) Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

My misinterpretation of the word goad does actually tie into the literal meaning, so now I will explore the real meaning.  As I said in the first paragraph, a prick or goad was a long, pointed stick used to prod and guide livestock.  In Acts 9, it is a metaphor for guidance, correction, and divine prompting. Although we do not know for sure, we can guess that The Holy Spirit had been working on Saul's conscience for a while to try to get him to see how evil his actions had become.  But like a strong-willed child, or stubborn ox, he was refusing to listen to his conscience.  He was possibly addicted to the power he possessed and knew if he listened to the true Jesus, he would lose his position of authority and become hunted like his own victims.  He would lose his life of comfort and so he resisted the Holy Spirit calling him to repentance.  What have we refused to give up because we didn't want to lose popularity?

David, a former shepherd who eventually became king, understood the necessity of the rod (or goad) when he said in Psalm 23:4, " Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."  A shepherd's rod was used to (preferably) gently correct the sheep when they wandered too close to danger.  It was meant to protect the sheep, and the staff was used to hook them back to the shepherd's side. David recognized the rod of the Lord as a comfort because he knew it was used to keep his soul safe. Knowing this also helps one to better understand Proverbs 13:24 that says, "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him."  This does not mean a parent is to beat their child into submission, but to use the rod for (again, preferably) gentle correction when the child strays too far.  Hebrews 12:6 says, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth." Which brings us full circle to the rod being used out of love, not to humiliate or pulverize. (Note: I highly recommend the book “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23" written by Phillip Keller.  He beautifully explains the meaning of Psalm 23 through the eyes of a shepherd.)    

Now we come back to Jesus calling Saul.  Saul had been kicking against the goad of correction, but Jesus did not violently call Saul to repentance.  Yes, it was very dramatic and sometimes God will use a dramatic situation to get our attention, but Jesus did not use the rod in a violent way.  He used it to guide Saul to the right paths of the new covenant.  The only way Saul was going to listen to the correction of the Holy Spirit was to be humbled by blindness.  He was forced to sit in the dark for 3 days (makes me think of Jonah: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-book-of-jonah-when-we-stray-from.html ) until Jesus felt like Saul had finally quit kicking and screaming against the Holy Spirit and was now ready to become Paul. Then Jesus sent Ananias to help Saul as he spiritually transitioned into Paul.

We know that after Saul became Paul, he suffered greatly for his faith, so by obeying Jesus we are not promised a perfect life.  But we can be assured that there is hope and peace for the next life when we choose to honor and follow the ways of righteousness.  Yes, Paul gave up his power and position for the sake of the gospel, but we can be assured he is in perfect peace and glory now and is extremely grateful Jesus finally got his attention to walk in true salvation.  His eternal rewards working for the glory of God far outweigh his temporal sufferings while he was here. 

Now that I have hopefully explained when we kick against a wall or a rod of correction and spiritual protection, but respond to the Holy Spirit, it is responding to the kindness of God, let me go back to my first paragraph.  I said that it was actually the song "He is our peace" that inspired this blog.  The song is based off of Ephesians 2:14, "For he is our peace...who hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us."  Please read the entire chapter of Ephesians 2 as it beautifully describes how Jesus became a new covenant for us through His blood.  The wall here is in reference to the wall of the law and sin.  But for the sake of this blog, and for linking it to my incorrect definition of the word goad, I also see this as symbolic that just as Jesus did for Paul (who, yes, wrote the book of Ephesians), when we quit kicking against the wall, Jesus will bring down the walls of resistance in our lives, and therefore, become our peace.  When we obey, we too will be grateful when we get to Heaven and thank our Savior for sparing our souls through his holy correction.

I often worry that all I am trying to convey in my heart does not translate well in my writings.  I hope and pray this all makes sense.  The bottom lines here are that when we quit resisting the prompting of the Holy Spirit to change our ways, his correction will bring us to peace with the Holy Trinity.