- [Narrator] Welcome to a gracedigital presentation.
In this video, we will be covering
the topic of angels in the Bible.
Part one, who are angels?
The first question we face is who are angels?
Let us go to the scriptures.
When we study the Old Testament, for instance,
we find that angels are mentioned 108 times.
Angels intercede in the lives of the elders,
Abraham and Jacob, as the book of Genesis shows.
In the book of Exodus, Moses also encountered angels
during the wilderness wandering.
Exodus 14:19 says, "Then the angel of God who had gone
"before the camp of Israel withdrew and went behind them.
"The pillar of cloud also moved from before them
"and stood behind them."
In total, the word angels or angel
appears in the Book of the Law,
the writings of Moses, 32 times.
The angels of God are introduced to us in the scriptures
as the host of heaven.
Angels are real beings.
They are not mythical figures or opinions.
They are spiritual personalities and have a physical impact.
Just like the demonic world is hidden,
the angelic world is also hidden.
Angels surround us.
Their dynamic impact is undeniable.
Although you may not see them,
there is nothing that the angels of God do not observe.
We might not be able to touch them, yet angels touch people.
You cannot handle them, yet they can destroy kings.
In the Bible, the Lord chose a particular angel
to go onward of Moses to Egypt
and he alone trashed a whole nation.
Invincible is a major feature of the angels of God.
This invincible feature indicates the point of difference
between demons and angels.
Only the hosts of heaven excel in strength.
Psalm 103:20 says, "Bless the Lord, you his angels
"that excel in strength, that do his commandments,
"hearkening unto the voice of his word."
Once upon a time, there was a war in heaven.
The hosts of heaven, led by angel Michael
battled against Satan and his angels.
God used his angels to face Satan's fallen army.
Satan could not succeed and there was no more room
or space found for him in heaven.
Revelation 12:7-9 tells us,
"And there was a war in heaven.
"Michael and his angels fought against the dragon,
"and the dragon fought unto his angels and prevailed not,
"neither was their place found anymore in heaven.
"And the great dragon was cast out that old serpent
"called the devil and Satan,
"which deceiveth the whole world.
"He was cast out into the earth
"and his angels were cast out with him."
In any conflict, the angels always succeed,
flushing out the opposition completely.
In the world, we see that angels
have never been known to fail.
There is nothing that can arise against you
that matches the strength.
They form the most beneficial bodyguards of the redeemed.
Apart from excelling in physical strength,
the angels also shine in intelligence.
The widow of Tekoa, in portraying King David's wisdom,
likens to that of angels.
"But my Lord is wise,"
according to the wisdom of the angel of God,
"to know everything that is in the earth."
Part two, the categories of angels.
In this part, we discuss their names and ranks.
The angels are of different ranks.
Our Lord even used a military term
in connection with angels.
At the time when Jesus was about to be taken in the garden,
Peter got a sword and tried to protect Jesus,
the one he had come to love.
Jesus said in Matthew 26:53,
"Or do you not think that I can appeal to my Father,
"and he will at once put at my disposal
"more than 12 legions of angels?"
The word legion was a Roman military designation
relating to about 6,000 soldiers.
In a general sense, probably the largest group of angels
is what we might call the regular angels.
Most of the time when angels are mentioned in the Bible,
it is these otherwise unidentified angels
who are being referred to.
To speak of ordinary angels
seems a contradiction in terms, however,
for how could these extraordinary created beings
be considered just something routine?
Yet, in one sense, this designation is proper.
When we contrast them with the several unique classes
or orders of angels that the Bible mentions.
Cherubim, the cherubim are the first of the angelic order
to appear in the scriptures.
They appear right after Adam and Eve's fall from grace.
Genesis 3 tells us the events in the garden of Eden.
It would have been possible for Adam and Eve to reach out
their hands and take also of the tree of life and eat
and live forever after violating God's command
not to partake of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil.
So Adam and Eve had to be discharged
from their earthly paradise.
So the Lord God banished him from the garden of Eden
to work the ground from which he had been taken.
However, what would have stopped Adam from reverting
to the garden to disobey God another time?
Genesis 3:24, "After sending them out,
"the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim
"to the east of the garden of Eden
"and he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth
"to guard the way to the tree of life."
What a terrifying thing it would have been
if Adam had tasted of the tree of life
and so have been forever confirmed in his fallen nature.
God send a contingent of great and trusted cherubim
to guard the way to the tree to stop that.
Oddly enough, the cherubim subsequent appearance
in the word of God concerns regaining what was lost.
Moses was given clear and specific directions on how to make
various articles of furniture that would be used
in the tabernacle in Exodus 25.
The first described was the mercy seat
and the ark of the covenant where God guaranteed
to meet and commune with Moses.
What did God yearn to place over the mercy seat?
He chose images of the cherubim in gold.
See the interesting description God gave Moses
in Exodus 25:18-20,
"And make two cherubim out of hammered gold
"at the ends of the cover.
"Make one cherub on one end
"and the second cherub on the other.
"Make the cherubim of one piece with the cover,
"at the two ends.
"The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward,
"overshadowing the cover with them,
"the cherubim are to face each other
"looking toward the cover."
Seraphim, a different group of angels
specifically recognized are the Seraphim.
The Seraphim in the Hebrew language means burning ones.
Isaiah chapter six tells us of the Seraphim.
The prophet Isaiah recorded his glorious vision
in these words,
"I saw also the Lord sitting up on a throne
"high and lifted up and his train filled the temple.
"Above it stood the Seraphim.
"Each one had six wings with twain he covered his face,
"and with twain, he covered his feet,
"and with twain he did fly."
Isaiah 6:1-2.
What were the Seraphim doing?
Isaac 6:3 says, "And they were calling to one another,
"'Holy, Holy, holy is the Lord almighty
"'and the whole earth is full of his glory.'"
Isaiah knew at once that he had no right
to be in the holy presence of God and he acknowledged that.
Isaiah 6:5-7, "Woe to me!" I cried.
"I am ruined!
"For I'm a man of unclean lips,
"and I live among a people of unclean lips,
"and my eyes have seen the King, the LordAlmighty.
"Then one of the Seraphim flew to me with a live coal
"in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.
"With it, he touched my mouth and said,
"'See, this has touched your lips, your guilt is taken away
"'and your sin atoned for.'"
Living creatures.
In the King James version,
a third particular group of angels
is called the four beasts.
However, another translation will be
the four living creatures.
Just like the Seraphim, they have six wings.
"And the four living creatures,
"each one of them having six wings are full of eyes,
"around and within, and day and night,
"they do not cease to say,
"'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God,
"'the Almighty who was and who is, and who is to come.'"
In Revelation 5:7 and 19, the living creatures are depicted
in a stance of worship and praise.
Although in Revelation 15,
the living creatures engage in the pouring out of the wrath
of God on unrepented people.
Michael, another angelic rank, archangel.
The position is held by only one angel
in the scriptural record.
The word arch means chief,
so this angel is the most prominent of all the holy angels.
The archangel's name is Michael.
The meaning of Michael is who is like God.
Whenever you hear that name,
you are hearing a question, who is like God?
Often in scripture, as we shall see,
men who received angelic visitations wanted
to worship the creation rather than the creator.
So how wonderful and great is it that the name of Michael,
the archangel, invites us to direct our attention
to almighty God.
The prophet Daniel introduces us to Michael.
Daniel had been praying and God had dispatched
an answer by the hand of a messenger
who was hindered on his journey until he testified.
Daniel 10:13 says,
"But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me
"one and 20 days.
"But lord Michael, one the chief princes, came to help me,
"and I remained there with the king of Persia."
Hence Michael had to fight for the free passage
of the word of God.
Every time we see him, it is in conjecture
with some type of spiritual struggle.
In his role as a fighter,
Michael has a special duty to Israel.
In Daniel 10:21 and 12:1,
he is said to be the prince of that nation.
As we read ancient and modern history,
I believe we see the hand of Michael defending Israel.
As you know, that little nation has fought four wars
with its neighbors since gaining statehood in 1948.
In the book of Jude, the ninth verse
specifically calls Michael and archangel
and recounts his battle with Lucifer over the body of Moses.
With the Lord's help, Michael one.
Michael is the chief hero of God.
Gabriel.
Another angel whose name is clearly given in scripture
besides Lucifer, is Gabriel.
Gabriel means mighty one of God.
Gabriel lives up to his name for he does indeed
do powerful things.
Gabriel serves God more as a messenger.
In several instances in the book of Daniel,
Gabriel appears to give major revelations
concerning coming events,
particularly relating to God's kingdom.
For example, after one of Daniel's visions,
the prophet wondered about its meaning.
"Then suddenly there stood before me
"as the appearance of a man."
Daniel 8:15-16 says, "While I, Daniel, was watching
"the vision and trying to understand it,
"there before me stood one who looked like a man,
"and I heard a man's voice from the Ulai calling,
"'Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision.'"
In the Old Testament, we see Gabriel's ministry
in connection with the kingdom.
In the New Testament, he is concerned with the King.
At the first occurrence,
Zacharias was waiting before the Lord in the temple.
"Suddenly," Luke 1;11 says,
"then an angel of the Lord appeared to him,
"standing at the right side of the altar of incense."
Gabriel then identifies himself to Zacharias.
Luke 1:19 says, "The angel said to him,
"'I am Gabriel.
"'I stand in the presence of God
"'and I have been sent to speak to you
"'and tell you this good news.'"
That good news regarded the forthcoming birth
of John the Baptist, who would be the forerunner
of the Lord Jesus.
It was the same Gabriel whom God sent
to the city of Nazareth.
Luke 1:27 says, "To a virgin pledged to be married to a man
"named Joseph, a descendant of David.
"The virgin's name was Mary."
What a great message Gabriel had to give to that young lady.
Luke 1:31-32 says, "You will conceive and give birth
"to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
"He will be great and will be called
"the son of the Most High.
"The Lord God will give him the throne
"of his father, David."
Gabriel then, is the one who carried the message of God
concerning the coming kingdom and the King.
God gave this particular angel
that enormous trust and responsibility.
Lucifer.
We find out the original name of the angel Satan
in Isaiah 14:12, that line not only names him,
but also tells us something essential about him.
"How you have fallen from heaven, morning star,
"son of the dawn!
"You have been cast down to the earth,
"you who once laid low the nations!"
Because of his own pride and promotion of himself,
he lost his lofty place in heaven.
Lucifer descended from the Father's divine grace.
Therefore, where does he operate at the moment?
He is right here on earth.
Two different times, our Lord describes Lucifer
as the prince of this world.
John 12:31, "Now is the judgment of this world.
"Now will the ruler of this world be cast out."
This land on which we live is under his authority.
While the angels Gabriel and Michael
have only single names as far as we know,
Lucifer has many that indicate aspects
of his evil character.
Many people are familiar with two of his other names,
the Devil and Satan.
Jesus also called him the evil one.
John 17:15 says, "My prayer is not that you take them
"out of the world, but that you protect them
"from the evil one."
The book of Revelation assigns him a some a number of names,
including the great dragon, the old serpent, the destroyer,
the accuser, and the deceiver,
Holy ones and watchers.
There are several minor categories of angels
mentioned in the Bible,
such as holy ones and watchers.
Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, stated,
and Daniel 4:13 says, "As I lay on my bed,
"I also saw in the visions of my mind, a watcher,
"a holy one coming down from heaven."
Daniel 4:17 says, "This matter is by the decree
"of the watchers and the demand by the word
"of the holy ones, to the intent that the living may know
"that the most high ruleth in the kingdom of man
"and giveth it to whomever he will
"and setteth it up over it the basest of men."
Daniel 4:23 says, "And you, O King, saw a watcher,
"a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying,
"'Cut down the tree and destroy it,
"'but leave the stump with its roots on the ground,
"'with a band of iron and bronze around it,
"'in the tender grass of the field.
"'Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven
"'and graze with the beast of the field
"'till seven times passing by.'"
Could these watchers and holy ones still be at work today?
Part three, the purpose of angels.