Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? Part 2: Transcript of Video Version, Which Includes the History of Halloween

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? Part 2: Transcript of Video Version, Which Includes the History of Halloween

This is a short historical account of the origins of Halloween as well as Bible verses for you to decide whether or not Christians should celebrate Halloween.

This is actually a video I made a few years ago, but the video won't load to blogger.  However, you can view it on my Facebook page; this link should take you directly to the video, so you do not have to search for it: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1QnZi2Aqmy/

You may not want to click on the link, so if you do not, here is a transcript of the video I made (I have not included the ums, the stammers, fumbled words, etc.):

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? (Video Transcript)

Hi, and welcome to Julie's Bible Journey. Thank you for joining me again today. I wanted to do a special themed video and today I wanted to do a subject called "Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?" because a lot of people they just don't know whether or not they should celebrate Halloween. They don't know what's safe and what's not safe, so I wanted to point out historically what the origins of Halloween are because you just may not know. And I also want to go through Biblically and explain to you my theories for why Christians should or should not celebrate Halloween.

Now, before I start, going over the history of Halloween, I want to say that there are some really good videos out there if you want to do some research on YouTube, or whatever source you use, to find people who used to be witches or wizards to show this is not just a fantasy thing out there, this is not make believe, they celebrate the occult and worship Satan. Some people may not think they are worshipping Satan, but they are if they are involved in anything witchcraft or wizardry. There are really good videos out there by people that used to be heavily involved what Halloween means to them and how the people involved in Satanism really love Halloween.

One of the things I did not know was that the people, the Satanists, would literally put a curse on the Halloween candy. Which is why I won't even buy Halloween candy anymore, even if you get the good day-after sale where you get big discounts. But I don't need the sugar anyway, right? But if it's in a Halloween bag, I won't buy it anymore and the reason why is because, and it's not just one person I have heard say this, but multiple people that have been set free from the blood of Jesus Christ, which is the only way you can be set free is from the blood of Jesus Christ, not one your own, that they would tell you that they would curse the candy. Whether it was somebody working in the grocery store, or whether it was somebody handing it out from their home, or whether it was someone who worked in a candy factory, whoever it was, they would literally put a curse on the candy. So you are putting these curses into your body and allowing these curses into your homes. For that reason alone I won't buy Halloween candy anymore besides the fact that a lot of the candies have pictures of ghosts or goblins or something which is not really pleasing to the Lord. And it's not just candy. You don't know who has put a curse on it, so why take that chance and invite that into your home.

If you are familiar with my videos, I am not judging anybody, I am not condemning anybody. I am not the judge, Jesus Christ is. I make these videos to try to set people free from the bondages that can bring about depression, that can bring about anxiety, people have chemical imbalances and I understand that, but there some depressions are because they are allowing evil spirits to come into their homes. Whether they are doing it out of rebellion or whether they are doing it innocently, but the thing is, it is there, and unless you plead the blood of Jesus to get those spirits out of your house, you are going to keep on bringing on nightmares, depression, and anxiety. You know there are normal nightmare you have just because of a deep sleep, but there are nightmares you have that you know are from a Satanic influence, you know the difference because those dreams are usually extra creepy, bloody, gory, and frightening.

The thing about Halloween too is that people like to promote the scary movies even for children. What does the Bible say about fear? It says that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and a sound mind. So He doesn't want us watching movies that purposely bring about terror and fear. He wants us to have power and love and a sound mind. He wants us to be joyful and live lives abundantly through Him. And that's why I make these videos, because I want you to be set free and I want you to find that joy. We are going to go through sorrow in our lives, but when we understand what God wants, what He considers to be right and wrong, and we willingly choose to give those things up rather that stubbornly and rebelliously holding on to them, that is where we can find the joy even in the hard times.

So, this is an historical report of where Halloween comes from. I am not into conspiracy theories, just so you know, a lot of those things are just meant to distract people from the Bible and meant to distract you from the Word of God and to get you to follow down these trails that are leading you away from Jesus. So, this is definitely not a conspiracy theory, I am telling you literal history.

I was going to read something to you, but it takes too long to read, so I am just going to explain it. You can look up your own research. The actual name of Halloween was called Samhain, but it was pronounced Sowen (sough-in), and it was started about 2,000 years ago by the Celtic people. They created these festivals. They considered November 1 their New Year so they celebrated on October 31, and they held huge festivals with bonfires where they sacrificed crops and animals to the dead. So knowing right there that they were sacrificing to honor the dead, and they were actually sacrificing to evil spirits, to their false gods. They wanted to ward off other evil spirits because they felt like October 31 into November 1 was the day they believed the line was blurred between the living and the dead, and they felt like those evil spirits of the dead would pass over into our world. So they would have these big festivals and bon fires, which is why you see a lot of bon fires on Halloween. And sacrificing, even if you are sacrificing a piece of paper, if you are sacrificing in the name of a false god or to an evil spirit, it is wrong. Obviously, animals makes it more creepy and disturbing, but even crops or a piece of paper as a sacrifice is not right.

Also, they used that time to call upon their Satanic priests, known as druids, to predict the future. Yes, Satan can imitate God, and sometimes he is right when people will consult a psychic. Sometimes they are correct because Satan can masquerade as God, the Bible says Satan masquerades as an angel of light. You shouldn't even worry about consulting, not even asking the True God what our future is because all that matters is that God knows our future and that we can trust Him because He knows what the outcome is. We don't need to be consulting a Satanic psychic or tarot cards or Ouija boards, those things are all consulting Satan. It is one thing to ask God for wisdom concerning your future, it is another thing consulting a person who works for Satan and asking them what they think your life is going to be like.

So, trick or treating evolved into people dressing up to celebrating, now Halloween, and they used to also dress up in costumes at these Samhain festivals because they felt like if they disguised themselves, the evil spirits wouldn't be able to find them or recognize them if they wore a disguise to protect them from the evil spirits.

They would bring the fire from the bon fire and bring it to their house and put it in their fireplaces in their homes so they could hopefully continue to ward off the evil spirits, and that's where the jack-o-lanterns came from. They would decorate the jack-o-lantern by putting in the candle, also hoping to continue to ward off the evil spirits. You know you do not need fire or rituals to ward off evil spirits, you need the blood of Jesus Christ. You need to plead the blood of Jesus Christ over your household or over yourself to ward off the evil spirts and to live a clean life and not to invite them into your home in the first place.

So trick or treating, that is when people kept the traditions of the costumes and eventually started going door to door and eventually started asking for candy or money. And the words trick or treat, and a lot of people don't know this, which is why I am trying to educate you, so you know, I didn't know all this stuff until a few years ago. If they said, "Trick or treat," and you say, "I don't have anything to give; I don't have any candy," then the trick would be that they would put a curse on you. In their mind, they were sending an evil fairy after you to put a curse on you. So fairies are not at all innocent and all pixie dust, they are actually evil spirits. And that is what fairies are based off of, evil spirits, not some imagination of a creative writer, they are literally evil spirits.

The other thing that women would do, they would use on Halloween, the bobbing of apples, this sounds kind of strange, but it had to do with them trying to predict who they would marry. It was another Satanic ritual hoping the apples would somehow help them predict who they would marry. How that was supposed to work, I'm not really sure, but just know that bobbing for apples also has to do with Satanic rituals.

I'm going through this quickly, but I tend to talk fast as my brain works a lot faster than my mouth so hopefully I am not going too quickly.

So now I am going to go to pointing out scripture because though this is called Julie's Bible Journey, this is not the theory of Julie, me, they are the theories of the Bible and the Godly men that were inspired by God Himself.

Because this says, "I am the Lord Your God," you know this was God speaking, not a man-made tradition. And it still applies today because you know God said it and God's word is eternal.

Leviticus 19:31, "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God."

So, we don't want to seek after familiar spirits. We don't want to have seances, or consult psychics, or Ouija boards, tarot cards, or any of those nasty things. Seeking after wizards. If you are reading a book or watching a movie that has any form of witchcraft, even if it seems like an innocent cartoon, if it has witchcraft in it, then God is saying you are defiling yourself by watching or reading these things.

I know it's going back quite a ways, but "Bewitched," the hand signals she did were actually coached by real witches, I don't know if you knew that, but they were real signals that were really calling on evil spirits, they were real spells and real hand motions. Even in Disney, a lot of the words they would say, like Cinderella or Mary Poppins, people don't think of Mary Poppins as a witch, but she was, that the wording, and hand signals and a lot of other things really literally are calling on demons.

God is not rigid, He doesn't want you to be oppressed, or He doesn't want you to be brought down. He doesn't want you to go to hell, number one, but He wants you to find joy in your life by not calling on wizards and by not allowing incantations into your home. That is how you find joy, that is how you get rid of the nightmares and depression. That's what God wants for you. It's what I want for you even though I don't know you, but I still desire for people to find joy.

Now obviously, we are not having our kids walk through fire.

Deuteronomy 18:10-12, "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer." A necromancer has to do with dead people. "For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee."-

So anything that has to do with witchcraft, wizardry, the occult, consulting evil spirits, or allowing spells into your home, that all is an abomination to the Lord, and He hates it.

And if you are wondering why I am talking so much about witchcraft, it's because, once again, the origins of Halloween has to do with evil spirits and witchcraft. Anything that has to do with evil spirits, even if they are trying to ward off evil spirts because they thought there were ghosts walking around everywhere on Halloween, and also because they consulted their druids who were supposed to predict the future.

You know you don't have to literally be out there consulting these seances or psychics or literally dressing like anything evil, you could just say you are going to a harvest party and dressing up like Bible characters but if you are doing it on Halloween, October 31, no matter what name you are giving it, you are still doing it on the Day of the Dead, you are still doing it on a day Satan loves.

I was saying earlier about those witches and wizards, I watched one on this gentleman, I wish I could remember his name, he is someone who is now a born-again Christian and spirit filled but he used to be heavily involved in witchcraft. He said they thought it was hilarious when Christians would celebrate Halloween and call it something else because the Christians were still celebrating a Satanic holiday and Satan, whether they acknowledged it or not. They actually thought it was funny and made fun of Christians who celebrated Halloween. So, if Satanists are making fun of Christians celebrating Halloween, what does that tell you? That it's not a good thing.

(Note: I say in the video, 2 Kings 33:6, but I made a mistake, it is 2 Chronicles.)

2 Chronicles 33:6, "And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger."

So basically, it is saying he provoked the Lord to anger by consulting enchantments and witchcraft, wizards, and evil spirits, and that is another reminder that if you do those sorts of things you provoke to Lord to anger.

Once again, I am going through this quickly. You can always write down these verses and look them up later. This has to do with the future, and not too far from where we are today. I'd say between 10-20 years, maybe less until this actually comes to be our present and not the future. This is talking about God's judgment on America, God's judgment on the entire world during the tribulation period. That's what this scripture verse has to do with.

Isaiah 47:9, "But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments."

So there are many reasons why God is going to bring judgments upon America and this entire world, but this is one of the reasons. because of people's obsession with sorceries, witchcraft, and enchantments. You may think it is innocent because it is a cartoon or because it's cute or involving a child, but none of it is innocent and it's one of the reasons why God is going to bring about judgment.

Once again, these are not my words, but the words of the Bible.

Now I am going to jump ahead to Galatians 5:19-21,"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: 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."

So why would you want to glorify witchcraft if you know people who are performing witchcraft are going to Hell? You don't want to glorify the murderers, or glorify those who are getting drunk or cheating on their spouses or those who are having sex outside of marriage. So witchcraft is lumped into that same category.

You don't want to glorify it, you don't want to participate in it, and by allowing evil spells into your home, dressing up as trick or treaters, or even allowing them to come to your door, my suggestion is to turn your light off for Halloween. By inviting them to your door you are inviting evil spirits to your home. You may think I am exaggerating, but that's what the Word of God says. He doesn't want us to participate in it in any form.

And now I am going to jump ahead to Revelation 21:8, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." In other words, Hell.

So, this is pretty serious. As I was reading this, I noticed it was again talking about the murderers. The scary movies these people watch at Halloween have to do with people being murdered. Things that glorify murder should not be considered entertainment.

One of my favorite shows, because I used to be in law enforcement for 7 years as a civilian, I used to love the show "Law & Order." I know this is off the subject, but that glorified murder. Anything that promotes fear of being murdered, promotes the fear of being stalked, and teenagers and even adults being killed off. God doesn't want you watching that stuff either. It is glorifying murder and fear and God doesn't give us the spirit of fear. I know I said that earlier, but it's true. He wants us to have a sound mind, love, joy, and peace.

The whole reason I am telling you all this is because of these verses here, John 3:19-20, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."

People say there is no condemnation in Jesus. Well, there is no condemnation in Jesus for those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, if you read the entire verse of Romans 8:1, not just the first few words of it. There is condemnation for those who love the darkness and repel Jesus.  They chase after the dark things of his world, things like Halloween and witchcraft and murders and fear and things that promote fear and hatred and sorcery. That's the stuff God hates, and you need to walk in the Light of Jesus Christ.

John 8:12 says, "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, 'I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.'"

He wants us to have that Light of His life. He wants us to have that Light from the inside out, even when things are hard, even when things are scary, even when things are uncertain, we don't need to be consulting a psychic to ask what our future is going to be like. We need to trust God that He knows our future, that He has it all under control, even when things seem out of control, that we trust in Him and that we will walk in His Light. That we will have His Light. The more we walk in His Light, the more we can have His hope and the more we can have joy and not live in fear. The more we love God the more we want to give up not just Halloween, but all the things God hates. And that long list in Ephesians, we don't want to pursue drunkenness, fornication, or lying, stealing, or any of those other things or envying or striving with people, we don't want to pursue those things either, they are all the same in God's eyes.

We want to walk in the Light of God and to walk in the Light of Jesus and to be a light to others and to not pursue the dark things of this world.

Obviously, you can tell the conclusion of mine. Should Christians celebrate Halloween? My answer to that is no, I do not believe Christians should celebrate Halloween because it glorifies Satan.

The goal of this video is to help you see the Light and to walk in the Light of Jesus Christ. Thank you very much and may God bless your day.

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? Part 1: Written Version

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? Part 1: Written Version

I want to make it very clear that I do not post about this subject every October to be antagonistic or purposefully controversial. Nor am I judgmental or self-righteous. All of my postings on all subjects are written based on what I feel the Holy Spirit is prompting me to address. Trust me, I know I am not a perfect Christian; I have my own issues that need mending, but I allow the gentle chastising of God to continually mold and change me. I take a stand against the things Jesus hates and Satan loves because I know from experience the bondages that come attached to evil items. Because I opened up my heart to God and got rid of celebrating Halloween and occultic movies/books, God set me free. Therefore, I want the same joy for all of you. Please prayerfully consider all I share.

Although there are many videos on YouTube you can find created by ex-witches/ex-warlocks exposing the very real Truths about Halloween, please use caution when watching them. Some can bring demons into your home (even when that is not the intent) so pray for spiritual discernment and that the blood of Jesus Christ will protect anyone watching. There are also a lot of videos from other Christians (some are real believers, while others seem less sincere) speaking about Halloween but since so few will tell you the Truth, I have made my own video on the subject that includes even more scriptures than listed below. I will also explain the history of Halloween. I will share that video next.

(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.

Halloween is a Satanic holiday that is directly related to witchcraft, and therefore, it is not innocent. No matter how you choose to celebrate, it is all about witchcraft. God has given me a burden for speaking out against all things associated with the occult, be it movies, books, or Halloween. I am not trying to make anyone angry, but I also will not back down just to be accepted by the world. These are not my theories, but the holy words of God.

Let me ask you this: Do you take as passionate a stand for the things of God as you do when you defend Halloween? Do you cast away friends and family when they take the Lord's name in vain or openly mock God and Christians in other ways? Or do you only reject those who Biblically prove to you that God hates witchcraft? Do your loyalties lie with Jesus, who willingly died for your sins and wants you to live with Him in Paradise? (John 3:16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.) Or are you loyal to Satan, the one who wants you to fail so he can torture you in hell? (1 Peter 5:8- Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.)

I can give you quite a few scripture verses telling you that witchcraft is wrong. The ones I have listed below are not even all I have found, just a sample. Can you give me just one where God says it is okay?

(Acts 13:6-12) And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain SORCERER... whose name was Barjesus... But Elymas the SORCERER (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. And said, "O full of all subtilty and all mischief, THOU CHILD OF THE DEVIL, THOU ENEMY OF ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, wilt thou not cease to PERVERT THE RIGHT WAYS OF THE LORD? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season." And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

(Acts 16:16 & 18) And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel [DEMONICALLY] POSSESSED with a SPIRIT OF DIVINATION met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

(Acts 19:18-19,AMP) Many of those who had become believers were coming, confessing and disclosing their [former sinful] practices. And many of those who had practiced MAGICAL ARTS collected their books and [throwing book after book on the pile] began BURNING THEM in front of everyone.

(Galatians 5:19-21) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, WITCHCRAFT, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: 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.

(Revelation 21:8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and SORCERERS, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

(II Chronicles 33:6) And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used WITCHCRAFT, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

(Deuteronomy 18:10) There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices WITCHCRAFT, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a SORCERER.

(2 Kings 17:17) And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used DIVINATION AND ENCHANTMENTS, and sold themselves to do EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, to provoke him to anger.

(Micah 5:12) "And I will cut off WITCHCRAFTS out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more SOOTHSAYERS [PALM READERS, FORTUNE TELLERS, TARO CARD READERS]."

(Malachi 3:5) "And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the SORCERERS, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers... and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts."


Is Halloween pure or lovely? No, it is dark and wicked! God does not want us dwelling on such things or participating in them. But to focus on Godly activities that bring glory to God.

(Philippians 4:8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Is Halloween unclean? Definitely! Touch not the things promoted by Satanists, and God will bless you! God does not want us associating with the dark things of this world. We are called to be His temple and walk in His Light!

(2 Corinthians 6:14-18 & 7:1) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 9: The Book of Revelation

 

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 9: The Book of Revelation

The word "angel" is listed in Revelation 72 times (KJV), so, as with the rest of the series, I will not be mentioning all accounts. For example, I am not exploring the angels of judgement.  

The Book of Revelation was written by one of Jesus' original 12 apostles, John who also wrote John & 1, 2, 3 John.  He was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He was eventually released and continued to preach until he died of old age in Ephesus.  He was the only one of the apostles not martyred (not counting Judas Iscariot who committed suicide). 

While I always say that for the majority of the Bible you can pretty much take it at face value without trying to interpret it from a different language or try to find secret codes in between the words, the exceptions to that rule are the prophetic books in the Old Testament as well as Revelation.  They are difficult to understand due to being full of symbolism.  That is not to say that, as I have recently heard a prominent singer declare, that these books are merely allegories.  Make no mistake, they are REAL prophesies (many in the OT have already come to pass), and these things are indeed coming, and coming quickly.  For example, there may not be an actual beast with 7 heads and 10 horns as this is symbolic, but there will be at least one antichrist with immense power (one of which is already in power).  But I digress as this is not a writing about the prophecies in Revelation, as that would have to be a whole different multi-part series.

Therefore, because it would also take several more parts to this series to go into all the angelic mentions in Revelation, I will only mention a few passages. Let's just dig into the first chapter and go from there.

(Revelation 1:1-2) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Most of the time throughout the book an angel is John's guide, but He also has an amazing encounter with Jesus.

(Revelation 1:10-20) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book..." And I turned to see the voice that spake with me... And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man... His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, "Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter... The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."

Now we know the seven churches each have an angel assigned to them.  In mid-September I posted a 7-part series I wrote on the churches which you can scroll through to read or use the search bar at the top of the page (under the blog page title) to look for "The Seven Churches of Revelation."  Also, my husband wrote an excellent 2-part series on the seven churches that you can read here: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/05/revelation-21-29-seven-churches-part.html & Julie's Bible Journey: Revelation 3:1-22: The Seven Churches: Part Two, Written by my Husband

Along with the elders and beasts (etc.), angels are twice viewed in John's vision as worshipping God around the throne (although I am sure they are always there not just when specifically mentioned by John) and singing beautiful songs, many of which have been turned into songs we love to sing.  I have heard someone once claim that technically the angels are not mentioned as singing but speaking. This may or may not be accurate, but for someone like me who practically breathes music more than spoken words, I cannot imagine simply speaking to the King of Kings but praising Him with music (maybe even with my trumpet) as loudly and reverently as I can!  Or perhaps I will be in such awe I will only be able to whisper my songs! How much more profound will it be to sing all the actual songs John heard with the angels before the Holy of Holies!  I cannot even fully grasp how amazing that will be.

As you read these two portions, consider signing them, or speaking if that seems more technical to you, but do so in an act of worship and really let the heavenly words sink into your soul.   

(Revelation 5:11-13) And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. "

(Revelation 7:11-12) And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, "Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen."

As I conclude this series, I will say again what I did at the start, we are not to worship angels, but only the Holy trinity.

(Revelation 19:10) And I fell at his feet to worship him (the angel). And he said unto me, "See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

(Revelation 22:8-9) And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, "See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God."

And I will end with these words of Jesus:

(Revelation 22:11-21) "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."

And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let him that heareth say, "Come." And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely... He which testifieth these things saith, "Surely I come quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 8: The Book of Acts

 

 Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 8: The Book of Acts

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 chapter 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 angels 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, age, 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.

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 7: The Books of Matthew & Luke

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 7: The Books of Matthew & Luke

I am going to jump ahead now to the New Testament.

Angels were prominent in Jesus' human life before He was even born. First, an angel appeared to his cousin, John the Baptist's Father Zacharias to announce the prophet's birth.  Because I have previously written about that story, I am simply going to share the link to that writing if you want to read it: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2024/02/profile-of-doubter-part-3-zacharias.html

Jesus' own miraculous virgin birth was announced to His mother by an angel.  Mary had one of the most beautiful responses to her divine assignment, "Be it unto me according to thy word."  And yet, we complain if God asks us to change a sinful behavior, or to love and forgive someone who has hurt our feelings.  Imagine being given the assignment to carry the Son of God?  Mary was humbled and honored and did not whine or complain that the task would be too difficult.

(Luke 1:26-38) And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women... Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Then said Mary unto the angel, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" And the angel answered and said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God..." And Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." And the angel departed from her.

Next, angels announced the arrival of Jesus to a group of shepherds.  I did a video on this that I repost every Christmas titled, "Why did Angels appear to Shepherds."  To see it, you can either scroll through my videos on my Facebook page or wait for me to post it again in less than 2 months in December.  For now, I will just quote the Bible rather than my own video:

(Luke 2:8-20) And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger... And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Going back a little before the shepherds, an angel appeared to Jesus' earthly stepfather in a dream.

(Matthew 1:19-25) Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife. And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

Now we will go forward again about two to three years after the shepherds. Joseph has two more dreams when Jesus is a toddler.

(Matthew 2:13-14 & 19-21) And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him." When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, "Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life." And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

God spoke to Joseph three times through dreams that we know of; it easily could have been more times that were not recorded.  I sometimes wonder why it was only in a dream he saw the angel and not in person as both Zacharias and Mary had, but if God has deemed Jospeh worthy enough to be the earthy father of Jesus, then I am sure it was not a spiritual default of Joseph.  I guess it really is not my place to speculate why, but it is interesting.

Around the age of 30, Jesus is ready to enter His ministry.  Before His chooses His 12 apostles, however, He is tempted by Satan in the desert.  You can read more about that here https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/12/matthew-4-1-11-temptation-of-jesus.html.  This is the first time we read that angels ministered to Him during an emotionally difficulty time.  

Although we only read about an angel giving Jesus strength one more time while He is in the Garden of Gethsemane (You can read more about Jesus' experience here: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/04/the-prayers-of-jesus-christ-part-4.html ), I would venture to believe that angels were frequent visitors to Jesus all throughout His time on earth to offer comfort, strength, and messages of love and loyalty to the King of Kings. 

(Luke 22:41-44) And [Jesus] was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed Saying, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Not counting the angel at the pool of Bethesda (John chapter 5), the next time we read about an angel before the books of Acts and Revelation is the angel at the tomb of Jesus after He has been crucified and buried.

(Matthew 28:1-7) In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you."

Announcing the birth of Jesus would have been a tremendous honor, but can you imagine how fantastic it would have been to announce that Jesus had risen from the dead as He had said He would! Smiles, tears, even joyful laughter maybe?  Guess what?  You and I can do the same.  Maybe not in the same way, of course, but we can announce to all that we serve a risen Savior!    

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.