Breaking Yokes - Part IV.

Breaking Yokes - Part IV.

We are moving on in our study of giving up thoughts that the Enemy has planted in each of our brains to drag us down. Each week as you look at these I want you to really think about each negative thought and then tell yourself (firmly!) what the Bible says about it. Yokes are broken when you plant the Good Seeds in the fertile soil of your mind. As Good Seeds grow then weeds are choked out.

Again; we are not "fasting" in the traditional sense of giving up food or drink but "fasting" daily from these thoughts, ideas and opinions of ourselves and our life that Satan himself has chained You to for long enough. You can break these chains. Jesus saw to that Victory when He hung on the Cross!


21. I'm stuck. 

We are fasting from the thought that says: "I'm stuck. There's nothing I can do about my situation. There's just no way out." 

The Bible says, "man does not live on bread alone but on every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God." When you replace wrong thinking with right thinking, it changes you FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

We've all thought that at times. Sometimes we feel we've blown it, or we're at the end of our rope. There's nothing we can do, but it's a lie. There's always something that we can do. There's always a way.

Friends, the devil would love for you to believe there's nothing you can do about your situation. He wants you stuck! He wants you immobilized. He wants you defeated. And he achieves that by getting us to believe this lie.

This way of thinking keeps you from being decisive and taking action. Action produces results. But the thought that you can't do anything about your situation or you don't know what to do about it, STOPS ACTION.

Let's change that today!

A. Believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit in your every day life.
Romans 8:26 says, "We don't always know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit intercedes for us..." No matter what your situation is, the Holy Spirit knows how to bring about God's will for your life, as you pray and worship Him.

B. Think this thought today: PRAYER CHANGES THINGS.
There's nothing you can't impact with prayer. PRAYER gets you unstuck. It gets you moving again toward victory. Never see prayer as something that is weak. It is powerful. "And all things, whatsoever you shall ASK in prayer, believing, you SHALL RECEIVE." (Matthew 21:22)

C. Believe that FAITH FINDS A WAY.
In Mark 2:1-5, the four friends of the paralyzed man, could not find a way into the house where Jesus was. They were stuck. BUT THEY BELIEVED THERE WAS SOMETHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT THE SITUATION. Listen, by believing there was a way, they found one! They went up on the roof and lowered him down through the ceiling tiles, and the man was healed. Why? Because faith found a way! When we don't think it, we don't look for it.

D. Remember, Jesus is the 4th man in the fire.
When it seemed like the 3 Hebrew men were going to be burned in the fiery furnace, Jesus showed up. What was an impossible situation was made possible because Jesus was with them. AND HE IS WITH YOU, in your fire. John 14:6 says, "I am the WAY, the truth and the life." Folks, He is "the way", when there just seems to be no way. He IS YOUR WAY out of whatever situation you are in. EXPECT HIM to make a way.

E. Stop thinking you have to figure it all out right away.
When you feel stuck, just take one step forward. When Jesus was tempted to back down, and not go to the cross – the Bible says, "He went forward a little..." (Mark 14:35) When you feel paralyzed – like there's nothing you can do, just take a step. Don't think about all the steps. Just take the first one. In a relationship, the first step may be: saying you're sorry. If it's finances, maybe it's just cutting one area of spending, or giving one extra offering. If it's in your health, take the first step and have a salad. Just take that one little step!

THINK IT & SAY IT

I believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit to intercede for me when things aren't working out. He will work through the situation to bring about God's will. He will bring me through.

As I pray, I believe things will change; they will improve. I walk by faith, not by sight, and faith finds a way.

I THINK AND BELIEVE THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY, even when it seems like there is none. And that way of thinking, opens the door. Jesus is the Way when there is no way.

He is with me no matter what fire I'm in; and no matter what the situation. I expect Him to make a way for me.

When I feel stuck, I will think about one step I can take that will move me toward healing, toward blessing, and toward God's will for my life.


22. It's just too late for me ... 

We are so "time conscious". We allow time to limit us and define for us what we're capable of; or what God can do in our lives.

It's often engrained in us that it's too late to change; too late to start a new career; too late to save your marriage; too late to recover from a major mistake; too late to start over again; too late to be forgiven or have a second chance.

Perhaps you just started with us in our FAST FROM WRONG THINKING, and you think it's too late to get involved and really see the changes you're looking for.

The truth is: IT'S NEVER TOO LATE!

We need to replace this wrong thinking with right thinking. I hope you're seeing the pattern that the thoughts we're dealing with are the ones that immobilize us. They are thoughts that get us to cave in and stay the way we are; to accept things the way they are. THIS IS what we're going after -mindsets that limit us; and keep us from the victory that God has for each of us.

When you realize that it's not too late, you have hope. You take action. You move forward. You stop thinking that it's futile and useless to do the right thing.

It's not too late...

* to turn your finances around.

* to recover from a tragedy or mistake

* to truly surrender your life to God and begin again!

* to take better care of yourself

* to apologize

* to start saving

* maybe you have developed a habit or dug yourself into a real bad hole. it's not too late to get out of it.

* to change the way you see yourself.

A. UN-DECIDE that it's too late for these things to change. Un-decide that you can't recover! Un-decide that the damage is irreversible.

B. Meditate on the fact that God created time, and He can multiply it.
The earth and sun stood still for Joshua 10:12-13, "And Joshua spoke to the Lord at Gibeon... and said in the sight of Israel, 'Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon in the valley of Aijalon'. So the sun stood still and the moon stopped."Joshua had control over time, for God's purpose. We need to start thinking that way - we have control over time. It doesn't control us!

C. Today, think about the great cloud of witnesses, for whom it wasn't too late:

* It wasn't too late for Abraham to be a father at 99 years old.

* It wasn't too late for Sarah to be a mother at 90!

* It wasn't too late for Peter after he denied the Lord 3 times.

* It wasn't too late for Paul after he had persecuted the church and killed other Christians! God later used him to write two-thirds of the New Testament after the book of Acts.

* It wasn't too late for the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11), the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34), or the man who was lame at Bethesda pool for 38 years. (John 5:1-10)

* In business, it wasn't too late for Ray Kroc, who at the age of 56 started the first McDonalds...(How did that work out for him?)

D. Meditate on God's mercy and grace.
Lamentations 3:22 says, "His mercy is new every morning..." Hebrews 4:15 says, "Come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy and grace in your time of need." Mercy is when God doesn't give us the judgment that we DO deserve. And "grace" is when God gives us the goodness that we don't deserve.

E. Adjust your thinking here: Stop making excuses for why it's too late.
God doesn't listen to our excuses. Realize, HE IGNORES OUR EXCUSES, and EXPECTS us to believe in His faithfulness. We claim we have low self-esteem or a disability. (Moses wasn't confident and he had a speech impediment, but God gave him chance after chance to be used by Him to deliver God's people.)

F. Meditate on the verse in 2 Timothy 2:13, "Even when we are faithless, He remains faithful. He cannot deny Himself."

G. Ask God for more time, and another chance.
Hezekiah did in 2 Kings 20:1-6. When Hezekiah turned back to the Lord, and asked for a second chance, God told him, "I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Surely I will heal you...And I will add to your days FIFTEEN YEARS." If he did it for Hezekiah, He will do it for you!

THINK IT & SAY IT

I believe that it is not too late for things to improve in my life, and radically turn around.

I believe in the God of 2nd chances. I can recover and there is nothing that God won't turn around in my life.

It is a fact that God created time and He can multiply it for me. I am not controlled by time. By God's grace, I control it!

It wasn't too late for Abraham or Sarah, Peter or Paul. It wasn't too late for the woman caught in adultery, and its NOT TOO LATE FOR ME.

I adjust my thinking, and accept that God ignores my excuses and inabilities - but He gives mercy and grace in my time of need. He is faithful even when I haven't been.

I think on His goodness and dwell on His kindness. God is no respecter of persons, therefore if He multiplied time back for Joshua and Hezekiah, He will do it for me!


23. It's just not working

People think "I'm trying, but I'm not really changing. My marriage is not working. Prayer is not working. My budget is not working. The Word is not working. Tithing isn't working."

When things don't go our way, we tend to THINK, that the good that we're doing is not accomplishing anything. The devil gets us THINKING that God's Word works for others but not us. When we believe that "It's not working," we adopt a mindset that blocks us from continuing to do the right thing. And that's when we lose our harvest.

You see, it's not that it's not working, but it's that we stop "working it", which is what stops our progress.

When we do the right thing, the devil loves to get us to think, that it didn't do any good, and nothing will change. When we forgive someone, the devil says, "that didn't do any good." When we give an offering, the devil says, "you won't get a harvest." When we pray, we hear the thought that says, "God didn't hear that; or He won't answer that."

When my kids were little, I would sometimes wonder, "Is praying over them every night working? Is disciplining them working? Are the kisses and hugs and long talks working?" But I kept doing it because I thought, "God's Word is true and IT WORKS." Today, my two grown, married children love God, love the people in their lives, and love each other, I realize IT WAS WORKING all the time. If I would have thought it wasn't working, I would have stopped acting on the Word. That thought would have defeated me.

Today we turn the tables on these thoughts.

A. Keep sowing the right seeds.
"Don't grow weary, in doing good, for in due season, you shall reap, if you do not faint." We need to believe that if we don't give up, we will get our harvest.

B. Understand that "growing weary", or "fainting"/giving up, begins in our minds.
Hebrews 12:3 says, "consider Him who has endured such hostility against Himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your mind." See, giving up starts in your head. As soon as we think that its not working, that's when our bodies respond to those thoughts and our life gives off negative energy, which defeats us. IN YOUR MIND, you have to start thinking, "IT IS WORKING!" And then, positive, life-filled energy is produced.

C. Believe that God is at work in you right now.
"He is all the while in work in you both to will and work for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13) If He is working in you, things are going to work.

D. Let this penetrate your thinking: THE WORD WORKS.
Jeremiah 1:12 says, "I am watching over My Word to perform it." Believe in the integrity of God's Word.

E. Believe: PRAYER WORKS.
Jesus said, "Whatsoever things you desire WHEN YOU PRAY, believe that you receive them, and you SHALL HAVE THEM." Mark 11:24.

F. Don.t let the immediate feeling or appearance trick you.
Things start working the moment you act on the Word of God. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith and not by sight."

G. I love this verse in Ecclesiastes 3:11 which says, "He makes all things beautiful in His time." It's going to work out, if you trust and let His timing come to pass.

THINK IT & SAY IT

Things are working. I may not see them working right now, but God says they are.

I am sowing the right thoughts, therefore my life is changing. I am sowing the Word of God, and it will not return void.

I will not give up in my mind. I make up my mind to believe IT IS WORKING.

God is at work in me, and He is bringing His will to pass in my life, even now as I surrender my thoughts to Him. As I sow the Word of God in my heart and mind, God is watching over that Word, to bring it pass.

Whenever I have the thought that prayer doesn't work, I will replace that thought with Mark 11:24. I walk by faith - by believing what God says.

I will not allow the appearance of something trick me into thinking that God's Word is not working.

The Lord is making things beautiful in my life, no matter what things look like right now.
 

24. You just never know what the future holds 

Today, we are fasting from the thought that says: "You just never know what the future hold."

Thoughts that go with this: "You never know what's going to happen. You can't control what happens in your life. There's not much I can do about it."

Too many of us acquiesce our power and authority to do something about our situation, because we think it's all up to God or the future is already destined. And while it's true, that we can't control everything that happens in the world, we can control what happens in our lives.

Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap your character. Sow character, reap your destiny!

We have the power to create the future we desire.

Let's change our thinking. Let's replace the thought that "you never know what the future holds," with "I hold the future in my hands (based on the seeds I sow.)"

A. Believe what God said.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, "I know the thoughts I have for you - for good and not evil - to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE." God's future for us is good. Expect it.

B. Your life is a garden.
In Genesis 2:7 God put man in the garden. But in Luke 17:21 God put the garden IN MAN. Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God is within you." In Mark 4:13-20 Jesus said, the soil of the kingdom of God is in our hearts.

C. We determine our future by the seed we sow.
Galatians 6:7 says, "Don't be deceived. Whatever a man sows, is exactly what he will reap." I'm talking about sowing the SEED OF GOD'S WORD. The Word is the seed. Promises from God's Word contain the power to come to pass, when planted in the fertile soil of our heart.

D. You have the power and permission from God to grow whatever kind of life you want.
Proverbs 4:18 says, "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life."

E. Realize you are in control of the things that can choke out your desired harvest.
Mark 4:17-20 says there are 3 things that can choke out the harvest of God's Word in your life: the desires for other things, the deceitfulness of riches, and worry (which we dealt with on day 5 of our FAST FROM WRONG THINKING.)

F. Desire God's promises in your life.
2 Corinthians 1:20 says, "All the promises of God are yes, in Him..." Sow the seed of God's promises in your life. The answer is yes!

G. Meditate on the power God has given you.
God has given you the Power to choose (Deut. 30:15); the Power of your seed (Galatians 6:7); the Power of your tongue (Proverbs 18:21); the Power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8, John 16:13)

THINK IT & SAY IT

I accept in my heart and mind that God has a good future in store for me. But he has given me the stewardship over the garden of my heart. I will watch what goes into my heart through my eyes, ears and mouth.

I determine my own future by the seeds I sow. The Word of God contains the seeds of God's promises, that God has given me permission and power to sow into my heart. The promises of God are "yes." They will come to pass, as I plant them in my heart, and guard my heart from worry, deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things.

I don't need to desire other things, since there are so many promises of God to feast on. I recognize and think on the power that God has given me. The power of choice. The power of my seed. The power of my tongue. And the power of the Holy Spirit.


25.  If I just pray hard enough...

Today we are fasting from a very subtle thought that will truly set you free: "If I just pray enough or live holy enough, I will get closer to God and enter into His presence." 

I want to bring your attention to the fact that some of the thoughts that we need to fast from and eliminate from our heads, SEEM LIKE RIGHT THOUGHTS. But they are subtle tricks and lies.

When the devil approached Adam and Eve, in Genesis 3, it says, 'he was subtle; more than any other creature.' It's these subtle thoughts that defeat us. They seem so godly and so right, but they are not right; because they produce a WORKS mentality and a LEGALISTIC approach to our relationship with God.

I don't want to create a theological debate, here. But I want to ask you a question: how much closer can God get than to LIVE INSIDE OF YOU?

* 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, "Do you not recognize that Christ Jesus is in you?"

* 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God?"

This is not a warning to be afraid. This is a promise. It is a fact when a person is born again. It is a picture of how there is no separation between us and God. Paul is saying in essence (and I am praying you will receive this with an open heart): "The reason your behavior has been sinful and negative, is because you have lacked the knowledge that HE LIVES IN YOU. When you realize that, it will change how you look at yourself, and it will then change how you live."

When we think we have to do more to get closer to Him, the focus gets put on us. But Hebrews 12:1 says to "Fix your eyes on Jesus." When you buy into this thought, you TRY SO HARD TO GET CLOSE TO GOD, and then get discouraged, until you give up or assume that that your relationship with God will always be: Distant. That affects your peace, joy, and of course your confidence in prayer.

This is what I call "an illusion of separation." The devil, and even religion has caused us to think God is afar off. "He's way up there, and we're way down here. And if we pray enough, fast enough, do enough, we can close the gap, and get Him to come closer." That's a lie. He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)

Ok gang. This is a thought that we must deal with-- NOW!

A. We don't earn closeness with God.
It is a gift. Hebrews 13:5 says "He will never leave you or forsake you."

B. YOU ARE ALREADY IN HIS PRESENCE BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
Hebrews 10:19 says, "we enter into the Holy place by the blood of Jesus."

C. There is no separation between you and God.
When you are born again, you are united with Him, and one with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, "The one who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him." In Acts 17:28, he says, "In Him we live and move and have our being." This is the reality that the early Christians had and lived by. There is no separation. (Yes, sin separated us from God, but Jesus removed sin, and re-connected us to God. There is no separation now.)

D. Stop thinking, "He's there, and I'm here."
I don't have to do something to get God into my situation. He is already in it, because I'm in it. "He is at work IN me, to bring about His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

E. I will fear no evil.
Psalm 23:4 says, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for THOU ART WITH ME!"

F. Reject the lie that He is out there somewhere.
Reject the lie that your answer or blessing is "out there" somewhere. Mark 4:20 says, "he who hears the Word and accepts it, will bear fruit." You have to accept this truth. There is no separation.
THINK IT & SAY IT:

I am not separated from God, anymore. I don.t have to earn closeness with Him. It is a gift. He will never leave me or forsake me.

I am IN HIS PRESENCE and HE IS IN ME. In Him, I live and move and have my being. I live in this reality.

I stop thinking that "He is there, and I am here." He is in my life and my situation right now. No matter what I walk through, I am not afraid.for God is with me.

I reject the lie that He is out there somewhere. I accept that there is no separation between God and me. Romans 8:38-39 says, "Nothing can separate me from the love of God!"

Study of Angels Part II

A Study in Angels: Part II.

The Creation of the Angels:


The angels were created sometime during creation week, after Genesis 1:1. They were not in existence prior to that. It is most likely the angels were created early-on, as they were apparently observers of the work of creation.

Psalm 148

1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.

5 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

7 Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:

8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:

10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:

11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:

12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.


The association of the angels with the stars suggests that the angels were created one by one, and each named, as the stars are all named, "He determines the number of the stars, he gives to all of them their names." (Psalm 147:4)

God questioned Job about his knowledge of the creation, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements --surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God [bene elohim, the angels] shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4-7)

The angels belong to ranks and orders, but they are not related to one another, that is they are not a connected race as we are. The Letter to the Hebrews tells us that salvation is not offered to the angels but is reserved for the human family, for the descendants of Adam.

"...we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, "I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee." And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Here am I, and the children God has given me." Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful  and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:9-18)



The Inhabitants Of The Spiritual Realm:


Most of modern science pays little heed to anything that exists in the spiritual realm. In the first place, the scientific method limits scientific investigation to the physical world. The prevailing secular scientific world view today is that of naturalism, or scientism. Naturalism holds that only the physical world is relevant. God if He exists at all, He plays no role in the day by day running of the universe. At most, God could be a "First Cause," but if so, we do not need God to explain anything to us after the Big Bang begins. Or, many say that the material world is all there is, so-called spiritual truth either does not exist or has no relevance to the world of science. These views are radically different in comparison to a Biblical world-view. The physical world is only half of the creation, and the invisible half of creation is the more permanent and substantial than the physical world. In many ways the material world is a world of shadows. Not only did God design the universe, He constructed it in minute detail over a period of time and then set it all in motion. Furthermore, without His moment by moment sustaining power the very atoms themselves would fly apart and the universe would go up in smoke. This is clear from statements such as Hebrews 1:1-4.

Ultimately, all energy and power and life come into the physical world from the unseen spiritual world as the source, even though we do not know how to formulate scientific laws to describe the interactions between these two realms. Since science is bounded by many intrinsic limitations, the responsibility for our failure to be fully-informed and educated concerning the dual realms of creation should probably be laid at the door of the church. God's people are given the task of explaining to the world those areas of knowledge that depend upon divine revelation, subjects that are, by nature, out-of-bounds for science.

The amazing fact which the Scripture clearly declares, but which thousands of Christians have failed to see, is that God has designed that his church should be a kind of government on earth undergirding visible governments. This would make possible a climate of benevolent law and order, the rule of justice and peace, and would hold in restraint the wild forces of tyranny, anarchy and murder.  (See Matt. 5:13,14; Phil. 2:14,15; 1 Tim. 2:1,2.)

Whenever the church has approached the biblical pattern, righteous conditions have begun to prevail. And when it has turned from this divine pattern to rely on secondary forces it has become proud, rich and tyrannical, or worldly, weak and despised by all.

According to the Bible, there are two levels of creation: one physical and one (the more important) spiritual. The two realms---the material and the spiritual---were "tightly coupled" before the fall and though there is still coupling between these realms it is less than it was in former times. Both spiritual and material domains of reality have become flawed, subsequent to creation, and active evil is present in both realms.

Scientific observations of the physical world have been, are now, and will be, affected by happenings in the spiritual world. Although we may not see the causes, the effects will be there. The fall of man is accompanied by a "curse" on nature described in Genesis 3:

And to Adam he [God} said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, `You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

The effect of the curse is to reduce the fecundity, resilience and vitality of nature allowing "opportunistic" thorns and thistles and weeds to compete more successfully with crops and fruits useful to men and animals.

Additional "curses" which are consequences of human evil are described as the Biblical account unfolds. For example God spoke to Cain, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth." (Genesis 4:11-12)

Adam's sin cost him his position as Manager and Steward over the earth. God had granted this to Adam at the time of his creation,

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26-28)

Man's lost dominion is described in the opening chapters of Hebrews. There Jesus Christ is presented as the Federal head of a new race of men who will place man back again in the position of dominion over creation:

"For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, 'What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou carest for him? Thou didst make him [man] for a little while lower than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his [man's] feet.' Now in putting everything in subjection to him, [man] he left nothing outside his control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him [man]. But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one. For it was fitting that he, [Jesus] for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering."
 (Hebrews 2:5-10).

Verse five contains a hidden and important clue about who governs the universe. The age which is to come is not ruled by the angels, the author says. The implication is that the age we live in, is ruled by the angels (acting on God's behalf).

Some fascinating themes are introduced by this observation. It raises immediately the question, What is meant by the world to come? It can mean:

(1) life after death,

(2) the future kingdom of Christ on earth (the millennium) 

(3) the new heavens and the new earth.

Since almost nothing is said in Hebrews about life after death (9:27), (1) can be dismissed without further development for it is obviously not what he refers to in the phrase about which we are speaking. That limiting phrase probably looks back to 1:11-12 which emphasizes the changes which the material creation will experience. Paul, in Ephesians 2:7, speaks of "coming ages,"  The two which Scripture continually names are the restored Davidic kingdom (the millennium) and the new heavens and the new earth. In several places Scripture describes the new heavens and earth as lasting forever, intimating It would be the last age yet to come. But the word world (Gk okoumene) in 2:5 refers not to the cosmos, but to the inhabited earth, and this would strongly suggest the writer has in mind (2), the kingdom of Christ on earth.  "the age of the Messiah in which the messianic promises and prophecies of old find their fulfillment."

It is surely to this that Jesus refers in Matthew 19:28, 'Truly, I say to you, in the new world palingenesia, 'restoration'], when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel'

Several passages in Hebrews (6:5 and 12:22-24) suggest that this kingdom is in some sense already available to those who live by faith. Perhaps, we should see this new age to come as spiritually arrived, yet physically still to come.

"A reference to the new heavens and new earth seems likely in view of the mention of judgment in Matthew 19:28, for sin will have no place in the new creation. Also Israel will  play a distinctive role among the nations, for then 'the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever' (Rev 11:15 KJV).

(See Deuteronomy 32:8)

When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance When he separated the children of men, He set the bounds of the peoples According to the number of the angels of God.

Daniel 10:21 and 12:1 speak of Michael as 'the great prince' who champions the people of Israel. This concept would explain why the fallen angel called Satan is referred to as 'the god of this world' and is permitted his control until the Lord returns and the new age begins and the curse is lifted from nature. Then, too, the devil will be bound and cast into a bottomless pit for a thousand years (Rev 20:2-3).

"This background seems to give special meaning to the quotation from Psalm 8 which the writer of Hebrews now invokes. David's psalm is a wondering reaction to the majesty of the night sky as it reveals the power and wisdom of God and forces the question, What part do puny human beings play in such a universe? The answer is that we were made a little lower than the angels, but then crowned with glory and honor, and everything has been put under our feet. This is a direct reference to Genesis 1:26: Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Here is glory and honor (made in the image and likeness of God) and authority and power (ruling over all the earth). Some commentators take the 'made a little lower than the angels' in a temporal sense, 'made for a little while,' to imply that human existence in this space-time continuum is only for a brief lifetime, and then we are freed to live the life of eternity. Whichever way the phrase is read, it is clear that our intended destiny was one of power and authority over all the conditions and life of earth. If this was our commission from the moment of creation, what light it sheds on our responsibility to care for this planet and its creatures! We were not given dominion so the earth and the animals should serve us; rather, we are given authority to develop them to the fullest extent intended by the fruitful mind of the Creator. We are to serve them by thorough knowledge and loving care, in the form of servant-leadership which the Lord himself manifested when he came.

There are many things "fallen humans" cannot control: the weather, the seasons, the instincts of animals, the tides, our own passions, international events, natural disasters, and on and on. The increasing pollution of the planet, the spread of famines and wars, the toll taken by drugs, accidents and disease, all tell the story of a lost destiny...


YET THERE IS "ONE" WHO CAN AND DOES - JESUS




Let's Recap: Again... Who Are the Angels?


We need to know the difference between angels and men because there is much confusion in this area, reinforced by television and the movies. If you believe some of the things you see on television, you will think that when you die, you will become an angel. You're NOT an angel now, and you won't become an angel when you die.

Angels are supernatural beings created by God (Col.1:16) to be His messengers (Heb. 12:22; Ps. 68:17).

They are innumerable (Dan. 7:10; Ps. 68:17) and are ministering spirits to serve God and also men on God's behalf (Heb. 1:14).

They were the medium of revelation to the prophets  (II Kgs. 1:15; Dan 4:13-17, 8:15, 9:21; Zech 1:8).

Angels can protect us from harm (Ps. 91:11; Mt. 2:13). In the Scriptures, we will see numerous occasions where angels announce and forewarn, guide and instruct, guard and defend, minister in need, and are sent forth to perform God's judgment against His enemies.

They never draw attention to themselves, but always to God. They do not indwell men, but can take on a human, bodily form, appearing and disappearing when God allows (Gen. 32:1-2; Dan. 10:6; Rev. 10:1). However, even if supernatural, they are not to be worshipped (Col. 2:18, Rev. 19:10). Worship is reserved for God alone (Ex. 20:3).

Being supernatural, angels never die or get sick. Unlike humans, angels do not marry (Mt. 22:30; Mk.12:25). In fact, these previous passages state that when man, in his resurrected state, goes to heaven, he will not marry, as is the case with angels. These same verses caused some Bible interpreters to assume that if angels do not marry, then they are sexless. However, there is no Scripture in the Bible that says this. On the other hand, we we saw in the study on demons that according to  Jewish and Christian scholars, the nephilim, or giants, found in Gen. 6:1-4, are probably the offspring of fallen angels (male) and "daughters of men."  Therefore; one can safely assume that angels are all most definitely male as each and every time an angel appear to man as recorded in the Bible- they revealed themselves as a male and never as a female

Man is positioned a little lower than the angels in God's universal kingdom (Heb. 2:5-7).

Angels can make a choice, as did those angels who rebelled and fell from heaven, but then they are forever stuck in that choice because there is not salvation for angels, as with men, who have been given free will to choose.

Angels can call God Father, as men are able to do. They can assist the Church in her role to preach the Gospel, but they do not preach or share the Gospel because they cannot speak of what they have  experienced in the Heavenly Realm. On the other hand, angels worship God continually (Rev. 5:11-12).

Angels possess knowledge, but unlike God, they are not omniscient (Mk. 13:32). They are more powerful than men (II Thes. 1:7; II Pet. 2:11; Ps. 103:20) and can mete out God's judgment (Heb. 1:7; II Kgs. 19:35; I Chr. 21:16; Acts 12:22-23). Remember how the Angel of Death passed through Egypt and killed the firstborn of man and beast (Ex. 11) or destroyed 185,000 of Sennacherib's soldiers on the hills surrounding Jerusalem (II Kgs. 19:34-36).

Angels consistently appear in human form, with the exception of the seraphim (Isa. 6:2). Angels never appeared in subhuman form, as animals nor material objects. Though the angel of the Lord spoke out of fire and cloud and even caused a donkey to speak, he never identified himself with either. Moreover, it should be observed that there is no biblical record showing that an angel ever appeared to a wicked person or warned such a one of impending danger. This was reserved for the righteous, who were trying to walk in God's path and needed guidance or protection. Angels were always clothed and appeared as men, never as women or children, despite the artistic representations in history and on television programs.


There is an angelic hierarchical organization, including the archangel, angels, seraphim, cherubim, the Angel of the Lord, and guardian angels.

The archangel, who is chief of Heaven under God is Michael (Jude 9). Michael is identified with Israel (Dan. 12:1), and he is the prince of God's chosen people (Dan. 10:21). He will lead a future army that will battle Satan (Rev. 12:7-12) and accompanies Jesus in His Second Coming to earth (I Thes. 4:16), when He comes to Jerusalem to protect and save Israel.

Angels are on the next level.

The Second in Command in the angelic realm is the angel is Gabriel (God's hero), who is a messenger of Adonai (one of the names of God in Hebrew). He has a ministry of mercy and promise, appearing to men to proclaim God's purposes. For example, Gabriel gives a vision of the end times (Dan. 8:16) culminating with Yeshua (Jesus), the "Prince of princes" (Dan. 8:25; 9:21). He gave the message to Zecharias in the Temple in Jerusalem (Lk. 1:19) and was the messenger of the Annunciation to Mary (Lk. 1:26).

Other angels also bring messages for God and act to protect men on God's behalf.

Not all angels have wings, as is commonly thought; only the Seraphim and Cherubim have them. Let's look at both.


Cherubim And Seraphim


The third ranking after the angels, (described as authorities and powers in I Peter 3:22,) are Seraphim. In Hebrew, this means "burning ones" or nobles. They are positioned above the throne of God and have six wings. Their ministry is to praise the name and character of God by constantly glorifying God. God uses them to cleanse and purify His servants (Isa. 6:1-6).

On this level are also the Cherubim. They reside beside and below the throne of God (Ps. 80:1). They are very powerful and have wings, feet, and hands (Eze. 10). They guarded the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24) and also "the Most Holy Place," the Holy of Holies, in the Temple of God in Jerusalem. Along with the angels, they give glory to God. Their likeness was found on the mercy seat in the wilderness tabernacle (Ex. 25:18) and also in Solomon's Temple.

In the Scriptures, there are over fifty references to" the Angel of the Lord", as distinct from "an angel of the Lord." Many of these definite references are references not of mere angelic beings, but to the Lord Himself. After all, God is God, so why can't He audibly and directly speak to someone or appear when and where He wants to?


Each visitation of God in the Bible is called a theophany.

It is a term that is used of any temporary, visible, or audible manifestation of God. It is to be distinguished from the permanent manifestation of God in Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus, the Messiah), which is called the Incarnation. Most examples are in the Hebrew Scriptures. The importance of a theophany always lies in its revelation of God, by what He does and says. An example of a theophany can be seen when "the angel of the Lord" gave aid and encouragement to Hagar (Gen. 16:7; 21:17). Another example is found in Genesis 18 where three men (angels) visited Abraham and Sarah and the spokesman was referred to as "the LORD" and acted in a supernatural manner. In Exodus, we see God referring to "My angel" (Ex. 23:20-23; 32:34) and "My Presence" (Ex. 33:14), walking with Moses and the Israelites, giving direct instruction and guidance.

In all cases, these theophanies brought about major events in God's plan and path to bring redemption to the world. They marked a turning point in history or sparked the innovation of some project with long-lasting consequences. Some Christian scholars suggest that these theophanies are pre-incarnate or post-incarnate appearances of Yeshua, noting that "the Angel of the Lord" is only mentioned in Scripture before and after Yeshua was here on earth.


Guardian angels are very real and very personal to each one of us.

The Psalmist says, "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them" (Ps. 34:7). He also promises "He will give His angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways" (Ps. 91:11). There are numerous examples of guardian angels, e.g. an angel guarded Jacob during his twenty years in Haran and brought him safely home to Canaan (Gen. 32:24). An angel, accompanied by cloud and fire, defended Israel from Egypt during the Exodus (Ex. 14:19). David's thanksgiving psalm says, "Praise the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His bidding, who obey His Word" (Ps. 103:20). About children, Yeshua warned, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of My Father Who is in heaven" (Mt. 18:10).

Judaism teaches that every nation has a guardian angel or angels on assignment by God to either bless them or chastise them at God's order, depending on their behavior towards God and His will. In the book of Revelation, chapters 1-3, we encounter spiritual guardians or superintendents of the seven churches, who were intimately related to the lives of the churches, directing their attitudes and acts, and held responsible for them. They were not bishops or presbyteries, but angels.


Cherubim of the Old and New Testament:


In the hierarchy of the angels as revealed to us in Scripture, the greatest and mightiest are known as the "cherubim," among whom are the "Four Living Creatures." The King James Version of the Bible calls them "the four beasts" but this is a translation of the Greek, zoon, which means "living beings." They are remarkable creatures, first described for us in detail by the prophet Ezekiel at the time of the Babylonian captivity of the Jews in July 593 BC .

Isaiah may have seen these same great angels earlier in his vision recorded in Isaiah 6. The Hebrew word found in the latter passage is Seraphim, ("burning ones"), rather than Cherubim, thus many Bible scholars treat the Seraphim as a separate, but very high class of angels. Our common notion of "cherubs," as childlike harmless angels with tiny fluttering wings is very unbiblical.

Cherubim with whirling, flaming swords guarded the gate of access back into Eden after Adam and Eve were expelled, to keep them from eating of the Tree of Life in their fallen condition. In other words, they could not return to fellowship with God except by the way of the cross. Two figures of cherubim with outstretched arms covered the mercy seat which sat on the top of the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle of Moses and later in the Temple of Solomon.


Four Mighty Angels Around The Throne:


The Four Living Creatures, the Cherubim, correspond one-to-one with the four Gospels with which the New Testament opens. Lion, ox, man, and eagle all symbolize various attributes of God in four-fold symmetry. Since the number "four" is symbolic of the world in scripture, we have in the four cherubim around the throne, a picture of God's government and concern for all aspects of the physical world, and the world-system which we call "human society." The lion corresponds to the Gospel of Matthew---here Jesus is seen as the Lion out of the tribe of Judah, the rightful king, depicting God's kingly sovereignty over Israel and the nations. The ox pictures for us servitude and sacrifice (Mark); The Cherubim's face, like that of a man, corresponds to Luke's Gospel and pictures divine intelligence; and the eagle symbolizes the lofty sovereignty and deity of the Son of God (John's Gospel). The four Gospels are also God's complete message to the descendants of Shem, Ham, Japheth, and to mankind in general, in the same order.  The "wheels" of Ezekiel (God's "chariot throne") appear to symbolize divine mobility, (the ability of God to observe, to move and to act, anywhere and at anytime, unrestricted by the limitations of the material world). The entire vision seems to picture for us God's government of human affairs and of nature.

Similarly, the cherubim, the highest class of the angels, are also described for us in detail by John the Apostle on the Isle of Patmos about 95 AD:

"At once I (John) was in the Spirit, and lo, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne! And he who sat there appeared like jasper and carnelian, and round the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald. Round the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clad in white garments, with golden crowns upon their heads. From the throne issue flashes of lightning, and voices and peals of thunder, and before the throne burn seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God; and before the throne there is as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

"And round the throne on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes (depicting the omniscience of God) in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to sing, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!' And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing, 'Worthy are thou, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou didst create all things, and by thy will they existed and were created.'" (Revelation 4:2-11)


A Judaic View of Angels


The Hebrew word translated as angel is malakh ,which literally means messenger. In the Greek Septuagint, it was translated angelos, from which we get angels. Another Hebrew word translated as "angels" is kedoshim, translated "divine beings," "hosts," or "holy beings" (Ps. 89:8; Job 5:1).

The Torah is replete with occasions where angels appeared to the Patriarchs and great leaders and prophets of Israel with messages from God or acted on God's behalf. Angels were placed at the gates of Eden so that Adam and Eve could not re-enter (Gen. 3:24). Hagar spoke twice to an angel in the wilderness (Gen. 16:7; 21:17). Abraham spoke to angels who visited his tent and overheard Sarah's disbelief that she was finally going to have a son (Gen. 18:1-15). And, again Abraham had an encounter with the Angel of the Lord at the offering of Isaac on Mt. Moriah (Gen. 22:1-19). Lot was visited by two angels when they came to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:1-29). Jacob, in his vision in Bethel, saw angels ascending and descending a ladder to and from heaven (Gen. 28:10-22). He also wrestled with an angel of God until He received his blessing (Gen. 32:24-32). The Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush (Ex. 3:2). The Angel of the Lord protected the Israelites from the pursuit of Pharaoh (Ex. 14:19) and chastised them for disobeying God's instructions to destroy the altars of the inhabitants of Canaan (Jud. 2:1-5). God sent an angel to oppose Balaam, and his donkey is the one who saw the angel and stopped in the road (Num. 22:21-41). Joshua was given a message from God by one calling himself the "commander of the army of the Lord" (Josh. 5:13-15).

In the story of Gideon, he speaks to God and also to His angel (Jud. 6:11-22). An angel appeared to the wife of Manoah and told her that she, even though sterile, would conceive and bear a son, who was Samson (Jud. 13). An angel came to destroy Jerusalem because David had disobeyed the Lord, but David took responsibility for his sin and the consequences (II Sam. 24:16-17: I Chr. 21:14-17). An angel of the Lord annihilated 185,000 men in the army of Sennacherib on the hills surrounding Jerusalem (II Kgs. 19:34-36). An angel provided food to Elijah under the juniper tree when he fled to Horeb (I Kgs. 19:5-11). In the lion's den, an angel protected Daniel (Dan. 6:22). An angel joined Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, and they were spared from injury or death (Dan. 3:25). Finally, Zechariah was given messages from the Lord by an angel in his visions (Zech. 2:3; 3:1-2; 4:1).

In the Newer Testament, angels are equally as active. While Zechariah went into the Temple to burn the incense on the altar, the angel Gabriel appeared to the right of the altar to tell him that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son and his name was to be John (Lk. 1:11-20). Gabriel also visited Mary to tell her she was chosen to be the mother of Yeshua (Lk. 1:26-38). An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream to tell him of the conception and birth of Yeshua (Matt. 1:20; 1:13,19). The birth of Yeshua was heralded by a host of angels praising God (Lk. 2:9-14). After Yeshua's temptation in the desert, angels came and attended to him (Mt. 4:11). In the Garden of Gethsemane, an angel appeared to Yeshua to support Him (Lk. 22:43). At the Tomb, an angel rolled back the stone and spoke to the women telling them that Yeshua had risen (Mt. 28:2-5; Mk 16:5-7; Lk 24:23; Jn 20:12). Angels spoke to the disciples about the Ascension of the resurrected Yeshua from the Mt. of Olives to heaven and of His return (Acts 1:10-11;12:7-11). Peter and John, and then again Peter were freed from prison by an angel (Acts. 5:19).

An angel alerted Philip to go and speak to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26). An angel told Cornelius that God had heard his prayers and seen his generosity to the poor and that he was to bring Peter from Joppa who would tell him about God (Acts. 10:3-6). Paul was told by an angel not to fear Caesar and he would be safe (Acts 27:23-26). On Patmos, John, when receiving the Revelation, saw and heard from angels on numerous occasions.

The Holy Spirit is our Teacher and Guide, angels are not. Never pray to an angel, but only to God, Who may use an angel to minister to and for us. Angels are messengers of God, work in the natural realm, and can move circumstances in our favor. David thanked God for the help of angels: "Praise the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His bidding, who obey His Word. Praise the Lord, all His heavenly hosts, you His servants who do His will" (Ps. 103:20-21).

1. Our guardian angel can listen to our prayers and act on our words: "Therefore, the angels take man's word as being man's will" (Prov. 16:1).

2. We can also call upon God to send an angel to act on our behalf.

We see in Scripture where Abraham released an angel to perform God's will in his life (Gen. 24:1,4-7).
In II Kings 6, Elisha released angels to war against the king of Syria, and they did. Daniel prayed for help and an angel came to him and said, "Your words were heard, and I have come in response to them" (Dan. 10:12).

Nevertheless, be careful what you say, and be sure what you pray is in accordance with God's Word. We can also cause the angels to work against us: "Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the angels, 'My vow was a mistake.' Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God" (Ecc. 5:6-7).



~ Angels And The Government Of The Universe ~


The Cherubim also seem to represent "God's Intelligence Agency" -- with their all-seeing eyes and ability to move quickly in all four directions. The number "four" indicates they have a central role in God's government of human society. The Four Living Creatures seem to represent the topmost level of the system of angels who fall into definite hierarchy and class structures hinted at in scripture.

The Apostle Paul says there are angelic principalities: (arche), powers (exousia), thrones (thronoi), dominions (kuriotes), and powers (dunamis).

Thus, there appear to be angels with power over a nation or a city or a planet or a star such as our sun. In addition to all manner of greater and lesser angels, the Mighty Archangel Michael, guardian of Israel, and the great messenger Gabriel are also named. (Only Michael, of all the angels, is actually called an archangel in scripture.)

Guardian angels watching over the lives of God's people are mentioned in the opening verses of the letter to the Hebrews, in the Psalms and in the Gospels. In the Book of the Revelation we are told of four angels who have charge over the "four winds that blow from the four corners of the earth." We also read of four fallen, now-bound, angels who are to be unloosed at the Euphrates River. The Greek word angelos and the Hebrew word malakh mean "messenger," but it is clear in the Bible that angels do much more than run errands and deliver telegrams for God.

Great and mighty angels will take charge in the unfolding of God's terrible judgments on the earth that are to come upon us at the end of the present age as described in the last book of the Bible. As mentioned earlier, angels seem to have control over the forces of nature and human events in their roles as instruments of God. This does not cause man to be a mere puppet, tossed, and buffeted about by the unseen activity of these mighty beings. However, the Bible emphasizes that we cannot understand what is happening in the world or in history without understanding the activity of God and of the angels.

Most of the angels are not named for us in the Bible.

Read: Revelation Chapter 8

"When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets." (Rev 8:1-2)

"...This word about silence reminds us of the prophet Habakkuk's cry, "The Lord is in his Holy Temple; let all the earth keep silence before him!" {Hab 2:20 KJV}. This silence comes as a dramatic contrast to the shouting of praise and the playing of harps that has been going on in heaven up to this point. Millions of angels, hosts of redeemed humans, and other heavenly creatures have been crying out before the throne of God, and singing praises to him. But now suddenly everything ceases. When the seventh seal is opened there is total silence. It is a most dramatic pause. It reminds one of that moment of silence just before the last great "Hallelujah!" in the Hallelujah Chorus of Handel's Messiah. This is the silence of mystery, a silence of intense anticipation of what is about to happen. Revelation communicates in a dramatic way the full and awesome authority of God. Everything must wait for his kingly move."

"That move begins, as this account tells us, with seven angels being given seven trumpets to sound. It is all part of the opening of the seventh seal. These are impressive angels indeed. We are told they are the angels "who stand before God." That calls to mind the story in Luke 1:19 of an angel sent to Joseph to tell him that Mary will be the mother of a child. The angel identifies himself as "Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God," ( Luke 1:19 NIV). These seven angels are probably archangels, and they are given an extremely important task in the sounding of these trumpets. They doubtless include Michael the archangel, who appears also in the book of Daniel. In fact, the apocryphal book of Enoch, an ancient book which is not part of our Bible, gives the names of all seven angels. They are Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Sarakiel, Gabriel, and Phanuel. Notice, their names all end in "el," which is short for the name of God. These are "angels of God," powerful angels, who are given these trumpets to sound. (Angels of Doom)

When Jesus calmed the sea of Galilee during a ferocious storm, he evidently spoke to a local angel who had charge of the weather. The angel's response was immediate,

"And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he [Jesus] was asleep. And they [the disciples] went and woke him, saying, 'Save, Lord; we are perishing.' And he said to them, 'Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?' Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, 'What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?'" (Matthew 8:24-27)



THE Angel of the LORD


One special angel is "The Angel of the Lord" who makes a number of appearances in the Old Testament. These are believed by careful Bible scholars to be a theophanies, or appearances of the Son of God, prior to His incarnation and birth in Bethlehem.



~ The Armies of the Lord ~

The angelic host is under the direction of The Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sabaoth), or the Lord of Armies. In the New Testament, Jesus heads up these military resources of the Godhead which include the angels, and eventually also the saints of God. (That would be you and me by the way) The active warfare in heaven between good and evil in the spiritual realm involves conflicts between fallen and unfallen angels as well as campaigns having to do with angelic interactions with human affairs. An interesting incident in 2 Kings 6 in the life of Elisha the prophet gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse at God's angelic armies. Alarmed at the ability of Elisha to warn the armies of Israel against impending attacks from the king of Syria, the latter attempted to capture Elisha when he was at Dothan. The sequence of events which follows clearly shows clearly the course of events is in reality controlled not by visible circumstances or "luck," or by Elisha's cleverness, but by the Lord working through angels:

"So he (the king of Syria) sent horses and chariots and a great army; and they came by night, and surrounded the city. When the servant of (Elisha) the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was round about the city. And the servant said, 'Alas my master! What shall we do?' Elisha said, 'Fear not, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Then Elisha prayed, and said, 'O LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see.' So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, 'Strike this people, I pray thee with blindness.' So God struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.

"And Elisha said to the Syrians, 'This is not the way, and this is not the city; follow me, and I will bring you to whom you seek.' And he led them to Samaria. As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, 'O LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.' So the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw' and lo, they were in the midst of Samaria. "When the king of Israel saw them he said to Elisha, 'My father, shall I slay them? Shall I slay them?' Elisha answered, 'You shall not slay them. Would you slay those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them; that they may eat and drink and go to their master.' So he prepared for them a great feast; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away and they went to their master. And the Syrians came no more on raids into the land of Israel." (2 Kings 6:14-23)



Angels at War with one another


Another interesting illustration showing how angelic activity interrelates with human affairs is given for us in the Book of Daniel. Prayers by Daniel had reached the ears of God immediately (faster than the speed of light), but God's answer to these prayers, sent by angelic messenger, was delayed due to a mighty conflict between the messenger angel and evil angels who had charge of the affairs of nations around Israel:

"In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat nor wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were ended. And in the twenty fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is the Tigris, I lifted up my eyes, and looked, and behold a man [an angel in human form] clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His body was like beryl, and his face like the appearance of lightning, and his eyes like flaming fire, his arms and his feet were like in color like burnished bronze, and the voice of his words like the noise of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then I fell on my face, in a deep sleep with my face toward the ground.

"And, behold, a hand touched me, and set me upon my hand and knees. And he [the angel] said to me, 'O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand up: for to you I have been sent.' And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood trembling. Then said he to me, 'Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard [by God], and I have come because of your words. But the prince [chief angel] of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty one days: but,  archangel] Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what shall befall your people [Israel] in the latter days: for the vision applies to man days from now' And when he had spoken these words to me, I [Daniel] set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.

"And, behold, one in the likeness of the sons of men [the angel] touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spoke, and said to him who stood before me, 'O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I have retained no strength. How can the servant of my lord talk with my lord? For as for me, there remains no strength in me, nor is there breath left in me.' "Then one who had the appearance of a man came again and touched me, and strengthened me, and said, 'O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be to you, be strong, yes, be strong.' And when he had spoken to me, I was strengthened and said, 'Let my lord speak; for you have strengthened me. Then said he, 'Do you know where I have come from to you? And now will I return to fight with the [angelic] prince of Persia: and when I have gone forth, lo, the [angelic] prince of Greece will come. But I will show you that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is no one who stands with me in these things, but [the archangel] Michael your prince." (Daniel 10:2-21 KJV)

Daniel was in Babylon at the time of the experience described above. The great angel who visited him in person was probably Gabriel. He was dispatched by God to assist Daniel but delayed en route because of "fighting with the prince (angel) of Persia." The angel mentioned that after the warfare with the angel over Persia was ended then would come "the prince (high angel) of Greece." Here, we get a hint that angelic activity then taking place in the heavenlies---involving God's angels warring against the angel over Persia---was relevant to current events in Babylon. That is, the kingdom of Babylon had fallen already, Persia would soon fall as a great world power and then Greece would rise. The rise and fall of nations and kingdoms is thus linked to warfare among the angels at the highest levels. All of this warfare is of course under the sovereign direction of the Commander in Chief, Yahweh Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts. We know from subsequent human history after Daniel's time that the angel over Greece, in the time of Alexander the Great who came to power thereafter, would be in ascendancy.



Angels work behind the Scenes of History


In Daniel, Chapter 12, the prophet records that the angel responsible for Israel, Michael, would "arise" [ascend in power] at the close of the latter days on behalf of God's people Israel. Associated with the rise of Michael would come the throwing down to earth of Satan and the "time of Jacob's trouble" spoken of by the prophet Jeremiah, "a time of trouble such as never has been since there was a nation till that time..."  (Daniel 12:1-3). Thus, angelic activity in heaven runs parallel with events on earth though it is difficult to establish a one-to-one correspondence between events transpiring in heaven and the timing of events on earth. Satan has not yet been cast out of heaven, but Jesus foresaw this future event clearly,

The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" And Jesus said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:17-20)

The actual future day when Satan is excluded from heaven and confined to earth is described in the book of the Revelation, Chapter 12,

"Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world --he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Rejoice then, O heaven and you that dwell therein! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!" (7-12)


Four Horsemen


In Zechariah, Chapter 1, are recorded the dreams of the prophet in which he saw horses riding to the corners of the earth. These horses symbolize divine activity in human affairs as do the better-known "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" (Revelation, Chapter 6).

In the Book of the Revelation the attention of the reader is turned to events in heaven; then the scene switches back to events transpiring on earth in human history. As the Book of the Revelation unfolds, the two realms merge so that there is a closer connection ("closer coupling") between the two worlds.

This is the meaning of the word apocalypse ---> "unveiling."

Angels keep records and execute judgments for God (Ezekiel 8-9). In fact there are apparently angels whose sole work is to record human deeds in great detail. Ezekiel saw them as scribes with parchment, pens and ink, but in our era it is easier for us to imagine these angels as using some kind of advanced laptop computers. Angels, acting for God, reduced the mighty world-conqueror Nebuchadnezzar to seven years of psychotic wanderings to humble him so that he would come to see who was really running the universe (see Daniel 4).

Angels announce important events in scripture, such as the birth of Jesus, for example. Ordinarily when angels appear among men, they take on human form and may even be mistaken for ordinary men. Hence, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews tells us, "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrews 13:2) The writer perhaps had in mind the visit of THE Angel of the LORD and two other angels to Abraham's tent on their way to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18). After a meal and a conversation (which included Abraham's petitions for the doomed cities), the two other angels departed. Upon arriving in Sodom, they were treated by the men of that city as if they were only handsome, desirable young men with whom the citizens of Sodom wished to entice into their immoral sexual activities. These angels rescued Lot, but Lot apparently remained in some doubt about the true identity of these visitors---were they ordinary men or somehow extraordinary? Some stories of angels appearing occasionally among us in our time seem to be well-founded. Angels evidently are able to take on human form from time to time.

In the Book of the Revelation, angels are frequently seen in dazzling appearances. The aged Apostle John, who had spent his youth traveling with Jesus as one of the apostles, and after that, six decades of godly ministry in daily fellowship with the living Lord, was nevertheless so overwhelmed by the splendor of the angels he saw in his visions that he was twice tempted to worship them---thinking they were actually the Lord in His risen splendor!



The Return of the Shekinah Glory
 

Ezekiel the prophet assigned to the Jewish remnant in the Babylonian exile, saw the shining presence of the Glory of God, the Shekinah ("the cloud," or "the glory") depart from the Temple in Jerusalem just prior to its destruction. This departure occurred in stages, see Ezekiel 3:12, 13; 8:4, 9:3, 10:4, 18; 11:22. This same glorious cloud, into which Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives forty days after His resurrection, will come again, for scripture says His splendrous presence will return to open visibility before all men. After Messiah's return, the cloud will remain over the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, according to Isaiah. Ezekiel also describes the return of the Glory to Israel, as does Isaiah.
 
"Afterward he [an angel] brought me [Ezekiel] to the [Golden} gate, the gate facing east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the east; and the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with his glory. And the vision I saw was like the vision which I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and like the vision which I had seen by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. As the glory of the LORD entered the temple by the gate facing east, the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple. While the man [the angel] was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple; and he said to me, 'Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel for ever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their harlotry, and by the dead bodies of their kings, by setting their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my  doorposts, with only a wall between me and them. They have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed, so I have consumed them in my anger. Now let them put away their idolatry and the dead bodies of their kings far from me, and I will dwell in their midst for ever.'" (Ezekiel 43:1-9)
 
Isaiah says,
 
"In that day the branch [a title of the Messiah] of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and glory of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, every one who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. Then the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion [the Temple Mount] and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy and a pavilion. It will be for a shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain." (Isaiah 4:1-6)
 

An even more familiar passage is Isaiah 40:
 
"Comfort, yes comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
 
"'And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.' A voice says, 'Cry!' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people is grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever. Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, 'Behold your God!' Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.'" (40:1-11)
 
On the basis of what is said in scripture, it is quite likely that more frequent manifestations of angels will be common among men in coming days as our world continues to collapse and the heavenly places break through into our realm of space and time. For example, the Book of the Revelation begins with a clear distinction between "things on earth" and "things in heaven"; but as the Revelation unfolds the invisible is made known to men on earth. Those days will not be a time for fear, if (and only if) one's life is entrusted into the hand of the Great Shepherd, but they will be terrible indeed for all those who continue in their unbelief. In the final days of this age we live in the unseen will break in upon mankind in overwhelming judgments against human evil, and against fallen angels.
 
God's New World order, His New Creation will be, at last, an answer to the most often prayed prayer in the Bible: Matthew 6:9-13

"Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from [the] evil [one]."
 
Concerning the end of our age, the prophet Joel has written,
 
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even upon the menservants and the maidservants, in those days, I will pour out my Spirit. And I will give portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. And it shall come to pass that all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered..." (Joel 2:28-30)
 
Of the angels God says, "Who makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire..." Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation? (Hebrews 1:7,14)


Of all things written herein it is Important for the Reader to understand One Thing Clearly: When the "Restrainer" that is to say The Holy Spirit is removed from the Earth if (and only if) you have secured your place with Jesus- you have aligned your life with the Holy Spirit of God then the events that transpire in Revelation will not be on You.
 
In spite of my best efforts; these notes on the angels are brief and sketchy at best - the reader of this lecture is encouraged to become well acquainted with all of Scripture and to read classic Christian books on spiritual warfare, demonology and angelology to gain a better understanding of the role of good and fallen angels in creation.
 
Difficult though it is for us to grasp, the laws of physics are apparently not operative apart from the angels who are part of the management system of God's government of creation.
 
Just how angelic activity affects events in the physical world is not known to "science", nor is much revealed in the Bible.
 
Actual transfer of new energy from the spiritual dimension into the physical may not necessarily be involved most of the time when angels act - since such energy transfers would most likely appear to us to be violations of the laws of conservation of energy. Such violations do not occur as far as "science" can detect.

Another way of stating this is to say that God works within the laws of nature which He has established and most of the time does not circumvent these laws.
 
What a comfort it is to know that as we make our way through this life there are angels that accompany us, Angels that were designed to specifically come to your defense should the need arise. At any time in your life you can and may loose the angels to go before you to pave the way.
 
All these and more were made so that you could at some point in time become a member of God's Kingdom. Thank the Angels for their assistance and Praise God for their creation!



Thus concludes our study into the angelic realm.

                     
                            


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The most often ask question on the subject of "good angels" (vs) "the demonic" is this:

"What one thing will define rather the angel you are seeing, talking with etc. is good or evil"?
 
When asked the question "What is your name" a demon will most generally always give it's name with very little prompting on your part; pride being what it is and all that. Contrary to the movie genre coming out of Hollyweird these days - demons are not at all bashful with forthcoming information; though rather that information is reliable is highly questionable. Knowing their name does not grant one any "special" power over them as a means of casting them out. In fact; the name they do give is probably a lie - their master being the grand-daddy of all liars as we well know. But they will give you something in which to address them.

However! a ministering angel of God never will. No prompting, no begging on your part would have them to give up their name to you. God must be given the Glory in all things and they will always without fail defer to Him.

Anywho; it is a simple yet reliable test to determine of which you have come in contact with. When in doubt use it.
 

~ Selah ~
(Pause and Think On This)