Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 7

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 7 

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

After reposting parts 1-6 of this series that I wrote several years ago, I realized that I never really finished it.  I am not sure why I left off in the Psalms and did not continue forward.  Therefore, I will now attempt to complete this series (there will be just one more writing after this one).  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 Zachariah 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 love or forgive someone who has hurt our feelings.  Imagine being given the assignment to carry to 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.

\

As Jesus grows up, around the age of 30, He 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/2025/01/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.  

You can read more about Jesus' experience here: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-prayers-of-jesus-christ-part-4.html

Although we only read about an angel giving Jesus strength one more time while He is in the Garden of Gethsemane, 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

 

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 6

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

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.  

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. Psalm 8:4-5

If we are "lower than the angels" we are clearly separate creations just as different as dogs and cats (not to be disrespectful, but a good analogy).

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

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. Psalm 35:6-8

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.

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

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.  

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.  Psalm 91:2-6

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

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. Psalm 91:9-12

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."

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. Psalm 91:14-16

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.

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 103:20-22

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. Psalm 148:1-13

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 5

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 5

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

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.  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 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

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 4

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 4

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

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, if this person is into anything occultic, or their words go against the Bible, disregard the message.  If it is a person you can trust as a spiritual leader, it is okay to still ask God for confirmation.)  When we receive True messages, we may still refuse to believe and question God based on negative experiences in our past. This side of Heaven, we cannot know why God chooses to allow difficult things to happen. Although it seems impossible, we cannot live in the pains of the past, but trust God for each circumstance as separate occasions. Try to trust in his sovereignty even if you feel let down in the past. Remember God is always good, even though men rarely are. 

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

"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 does not come from them but are gifted by God. Just as when holy saints perform miracles, it is ONLY by God's power that allows them to do so. No angel or human can produce a miracle on their own.  If God is not involved, the power comes from Satan not man."

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

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

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.

Trust & Obey

Written by John H. Sammis

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

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

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

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

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 3

 

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 3

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

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

Often in the book of Exodus, it is revealed to Moses that at "an angel" had been sent "before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared." (Exodus 23:30).  An angel is continually either before them to prepare the way, or behind them to keep them safe, or both.   To those who acknowledge God and serve Him, we can know that God may send His angels before and after us for protection.  That does not mean bad things will never happen as we have a free will and often go outside the plans of God and what He has "prepared" for us, and therefore are out of His protection, just as with the Israelites during the time of Moses. They often rebelled and refused to obey His instructions, and God allowed death, disease, and captivity to happen.  I always say you cannot jump off a cliff and expect God's angels to keep you safe.  God is very gracious to look after us, but we must use good morals combined with wisdom and also be proactive in keeping ourselves and others out of danger.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The king continues on in trying to coerce Balaam, but he continues to refuse. I love what he says in Numbers 23:19-20, "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it." Those few words in verse 19 should be remembered by us every day. When we are discouraged, remember God will never lie. When we are confused or angry with God, remember God never has need to repent, we are the ones who should be repenting of our callus and rebellious actions.

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

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

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

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 2

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 2

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

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

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

If you are interested, you can read more writings on Jacob from my previous blogs: Jacob the Supplanter: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/05/genesis-2524-34-271-46-jacob-supplanter.html , The Beginning of Jacob's Revival (same topic as this blog) https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/05/genesis-2811-22-beginning-of-jacobs.html , & Why did the Lord approach Jacob to wrestle with him? https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/05/genesis-3224-30-why-did-lord-approach.html

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

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, "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 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

 

Exploring the Angels of the Bible, Part 1

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

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 gifted from God. Just as when holy saints perform miracles, it is ONLY by God's power that allows them to do so. No angel or human can produce a miracle on their own.  If God is not involved, the power comes from Satan, not man.

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