Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 5

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.  As someone who reads and writes fiction (I am well aware my strength as a writer is not in the form of blogs, but I do love to write novels), it seems strange that Elijah is suddenly on the scene as a major character with no former introduction.  (Of course, this is history & not fiction!) Nevertheless, 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. 
 
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. I Kings 18:26-28 
 
Elijah has his opposition douse his altar with water three times.
 
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!” I Kings 18:36-38
 
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.
 
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.  Hebrews 13:2
 
For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’  Luke 4:10
 

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.
 
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. I Kings 19:9-16 

Notice that the Lord asks Elijah twice why he is hiding in the cave.  This is just my interpretation (as are all my writings, of course), 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.  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 gel, and He may or may not grant a miracle, but he is willing to comfort and guide as we need. 

^"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.”  Matthew 11:28-30
 

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: 

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.  II Kings 2:8-15

The Great Commission, Written by my Husband

The Great Commission, Written by my Husband, Mel

When Christ told Peter and Andrew to follow him and that he would make them fishers of men, they immediately dropped their nets and followed him. The same call goes out to us today. In Matt 28:18-20 (The Great Commission) the Lord instructs us to go out into all of the world and make disciples, teaching them to observe all that he commanded. We are called to share our faith with all people. If we are ashamed of Christ, then he will deny us before the Father in Heaven. We need to be bold about sharing our hope of salvation with a dying world. We must also reflect Christ in our daily lives. Are you an example of true Christianity to your co-workers or family members? You may be their only lifeline of salvation. If you were in a boat and someone fell overboard, would you not throw them a life preserver? Jesus Christ is our lifeline, because he alone, paid the price for our salvation.

The entire world is a mission field, and the Lord does not require us to be eloquent speakers to share our faith. We can plant seeds of faith with those around us. It's not up to us for them to believe, it is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict them of sin and lead them to the truth, but we should utilize every opportunity to plant seeds of truth. One person may plant a seed, then another will come and water that new tender shoot, then another will harvest the crop and bring it into the storehouse. Let us look at Luke 8:5-18. 

  
 (NKJV) Luke 8:5-18 "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.   "Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  "But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"   And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest [it is given] in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.'   " Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.   "Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.   "But the ones on the rock [are those] who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.   "Now the ones [that] fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.   "But the ones [that] fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep [it] and bear fruit with patience.   " No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts [it] under a bed, but sets [it] on a lamp stand, that those who enter may see the light.   "For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor [anything] hidden that will not be known and come to light.   "Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him [more] will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

We need to be a light set on a lamp stand, not hidden, that the world may see our good fruit, and desire to have the faith that is able to save their souls. Many people will fall away due to the cares or riches of this world, that is why it is so important to teach new believers of the importance of studying God's Word.  1 Thess 2:1-12 gives us good instruction on being a good role model to those we disciple in the faith.

The Apostle Paul was a great role model to the churches that he established, in conduct, as well as deed. His teachings did not come from error, uncleanness, or deceit. In order to be a good example to the churches, he worked with his own hands so as not to be a burden to those whom he preached to. Paul’s example of true Christianity is polar opposite of that of the modern-day television evangelists and mega church pastors. Most of them live in multi- million-dollar palaces, built from the money given by the poor, widows, as well as the disabled.

Christ said that you cannot serve God and mammon (money), for only one will be your master. As Paul pointed out, our moral conduct should be blameless as well. We should live a life worthy of an ambassador for Christ, because the world is watching. We need to be the salt of the earth, letting our light shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. Let us all pray that the Lord of the harvest will send us out.


(NKJV) Luke 10:1-3 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly [is] great, but the laborers [are] few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  "Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 4

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:

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

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.  

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."  Judges 6:11-12

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.  

"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." Judges 6:13

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, 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 difficult, 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,

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

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.

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

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 (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. Galatians 5:19-21) as it comes from Satan, and not from God. Any "powers" angels display do not come from them but are granted 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.

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. Judges 6:22

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.

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

- John H. Sammis

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 3

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 the 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" has 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 Gd hates witchcraft and those who practice it will not inherit the Kingdom of God.  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

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.  

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:

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." Genesis 28:11-21

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 that the Lord, "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:

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."  Genesis 31:11-13

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.

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..." Genesis 32:1-2

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 are 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 multiple 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. 

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

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!

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. Ephesians 5:1-27

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 1

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 (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. Galatians 5:19-21) as it comes from Satan, and not from God. Any "powers" angels display do not come from them but are granted 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.

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, 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 Nephelium came into existence, but that is a whole new subject for another writing.

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. Isaiah 14:12-15

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.

Whiter Than Snow

 

(I originally wrote this in 2018 when we were still living in Cascade, ID.  I took the above photo north of McCall in 2015.)

Maybe it’s the fact that I live in the mountains, and it has been snowing almost every day for a few weeks, or maybe it’s the approach of a new year causing me to reflect inward.  Whatever reason, the title of this blog came to me this morning, and so I will attempt to do the theme a good service!

The words of Psalm 51 reflect my own heart.  I feel like to add my own words are not necessary if one reads this Psalm (listed at the end), but I doubt God put this theme in my head this morning just to copy and paste those verses!  

When you read the first few verses, you will note that we must first acknowledge our sin.  True repentance does not come if we insist we have done nothing wrong or are just going through the motions of asking God to cleanse us.  Admitting you need to be clean is an obvious first step.  As I have stated many times, grace may be a free gift, but we must confess our sins and ask for forgiveness for it to be granted. Nor do we abuse God's grace by refusing to change our sinful habits (read Romans chapter 6).

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

Jesus, yes, is “just to forgive,” but we must first "confess our sins" and He expects us to do our very best to stay clean!  In John 8:1-11, a woman caught committing adultery is brought before the Lord.  I am sure you are familiar with this story.  Jesus sends her accusers away (some believe it was the accusers' sins He was writing in the sand).  But my focus is not on her confronters, but on the woman.  What does Jesus say to her?  Does he say, “I forgave you once, so go your merry way and do as you please from this day forward?”  Of course not!  Jesus tells her what He tells all of us after we have been forgiven, “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11) Although I prefer to use the KJV of the Bible, the NIV translation of this verse is a good one, for it is worded as, "Go now and leave your life of sin."

In the below verses, the people are told to get rid of their evil ways so they can be cleansed as snow.  What I have always liked is the Lord saying, "Come now, and let us reason together.”  I picture a loving, heavenly Father, no, not allowing us to justify our sins and attempt to explain why we sinned, but rather listening as we plea for forgiveness.  He then embraces us, wipes our tears of contrite repentance, encourages us to continue striving to enter in at the narrow gate, and reassures us that we are loved.  His love, combined with our actions, makes us feel clean, white, and new.      

"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:16-18

What happens to snow on a day-to-day basis?  It gets dirty.  It looked so pristine that morning, but as the cars drove by, or the dog (excuse me for saying so) urinated on it, it turns brown and yellow.  Yet, behold, at the next snow fall, the beauty has been restored, all sparkly and white.  Pretty obvious symbolism here, isn’t it?  When we pray as David did, to be purged and to have a new, clean heart, let us make that a daily prayer.  

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  Luke 9:23

Again, 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." But note the first 5 words. We need to be proactive on our part and ask for forgiveness. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Therefore, you know He is gracious enough to forgive us every single time we ask.

Short message today, but living a clean life does not have to be overly complicated.  Admit to your sin, confess your sins, ask for forgiveness, cast away the old nature, and make a daily decision not to repeat old sins or commit new ones (no one is perfect, but this is a good goal to do our best to live righteously).

I am not a big fan of new year’s resolutions because, as I have just stated, we should evaluate our lives daily and strive to be the best person we can be every day, not just at the beginning of the year.  However, if you want a new routine to help you be a better Christian, I suggest reading Psalm 51 and making this your theme every year!

Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight-- That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.  Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.   For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart-- These, O God, You will not despise. Psalm 51:1-4; 6-13; 16-17

Are you serving a stranger?

 

I will never be a stranger to Jesus; He knows me better than even I know myself.  Yet, very sadly, no matter how much I desire to serve Him, it is very possible for Jesus to become a stranger to me.  

As you know, I listen to a lot of sermons by the late preacher David Wilkerson.  His sermon, "Love Your God to the Last Breath," (please listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2ESBOHX4SQ ) convicted me more than others I have heard these past few weeks.  All his sermons touch and challenge me, but this one made me realize that Jesus is becoming a stranger to me.  I do not always practice what I preach or reading His Word every day.  As Pastor Wilkerson says, I had no time for God, but had time for everything else. How many of you are the same way?  I can spend hours playing a computer game while my Bible sits ignored on the table.  But Jesus yearns so much for us to fellowship with Him know Him as a friend not as a stranger.

I could easily turn this blog into a finger-pointing game.  Look at all the so-called Christian artists, authors, and preachers that speak the name of Jesus, but have no clue who Jesus is? How many could not quote scripture and are living lives seeped in sin?  Yet I am not speaking about the hypocrites that proclaim "And honor" Jesus "with their lips, but their heart is far from" Him (Matthew 15:8).

I am writing today about you and me, not evangelists or other entertainers.

I heard someone say just a few days ago that she loved God, but refused to quit swearing and speaking filthy.  If we truly love God, we want to please Him, not rebel against Him.  If we truly understood who Jesus is, we would not dare to be so bold as to use His name in vain and speak of the King of Kings in jest!  He is not to be mocked! We should be on our faces before the Holy of Holies and tremble at the idea of treating Him like an equal. Like less than an equal in many cases.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself... I John 5:2-3; 18

On this side of heaven we can never fully know or understand God, but we can try.  The best way to get to know Jesus is to study His Word.  I especially love to read the gospels and the words of Jesus Christ.  I never tire of reading the same sermons over and over.  I want to read them so often that Jesus' messages of holiness and compassion become a part of me.  For example, when someone insults me, my first instinct should be turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) and not to call anyone foolish or other demeaning names (Matthew 5:22).  Jesus' words should be so ingrained in me that it becomes easier and easier to reflect His character.  I cannot do that when His Words are far from my memory like some random and seemingly insignificant conversation I had with a stranger a few weeks or months ago. No, I need to keep studying God's truths until there is no second thought on how to act toward those I struggle to forgive or show compassion toward.

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of Truth. II Timothy 2:15

My husband and have a wonderful marriage because we continue to build our relationship with great conversations.  We make the effort to never make the other a stranger. When we are apart, I cannot wait to see him again and tell him about my day at work, even the silly things. We should never stop communing with Jesus.  We are never separated from Christ as we are with people.  God is omnipresent, so we can speak to Him 24/7.  

While I am all for communing with the Lord as if He is your friend, we still need to remember to be respectful. Not all prayer times need to be on your knees, but at least once a day you should acknowledge the trinity of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Try not to allow even one aspect of God's character to be a stranger. When you pray make it a time not just of petitions or not even just a time of repenting (although confessing and repenting of your sins is vital to your relationship with Christ), but make it a time of praise.  If you are unsure of what to say, just be thankful for who Jesus is and all He has done and will do.

Do not pretend to know the Lord and call yourself a Christian when you do not even attempt to live a holy life. Going to church, giving to charity, being a kind person, none of these things count if you are going against the principles of the Bible.  If that is the case, Jesus is indeed a stranger to you if you think a Holy God will tolerate such things.
 
 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21 

 As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear.  I Peter 1:14-17

Daily repent of your sins, do your utmost to walk down paths of righteousness, read your Bible daily, and spend time in humble and worshipful prayer. Those are the keys to assuring you are not serving a stranger.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’" Matthew 7:21-23