Sermon #1364[1] Miscellaneous
Notes
Title: WHAT DO YOU
KNOW ABOUT
ANGELS?
Text: Genesis
32:1-2
Reading: Psalm 91:1-16
Subject: The
Angels of God
Date: Sunday Morning – September 12, 1999
Tape
# V-44a
Introduction:
I had a visit with our family doctor Thursday morning.
Before I left, he asked me, “What do you
know about angels?” I responded, “Not much.” Then, I proceeded to tell him
what little I do know.
On my way home, I thought about our brief discussion. The
whole religious world is caught up in superstition, sentimentality, and
idolatry.
·
Some
people pray to and worship angels.
·
Many
wear idolatrous little “angel” pins, as good luck charms, to keep them from
evil.
·
Multitudes
foolishly imagine that when babies and little children die, they become angels.
In the light of these
things, I thought, it might be good for me to bring you a message on the
subject this morning. I spent the rest of the day and evening on Thursday
studying what I told Dr. Hendrickson that morning. This message is an
elaboration of what I said to him, when he asked, “What do you know about angels?”
That is my subject this morning. We will begin in Genesis 32:1-2.
While you are turning to
Genesis 32, let me say something. I want you to hear it and hear it well. Before the completion of Holy Scripture,
before the entire canon of this Sacred Volume was written, God used to speak to
men both by angels, and prophets, and apostles. He confirmed the word spoken in
such a miraculous manner by miracles, signs, and wonders. But those days are
over. Since that which is perfect has come, now that which was in part has been
put aside.
1.
We
now have the complete Revelation of God in Holy Scripture.
2.
There
is no need for, nor can there be, any inspired prophets or apostles, with a new
word from God.
3.
Because
we have no new word from God, we do not now live in the age of miracles, signs,
and wonders, those things needed in the church’s infancy to confirm the
apostles as the messengers of the Messiah.
4.
For
the same reasons, the Lord no longer sends angels, in visible or audible
manifestations to direct us in his will and ways. – We have God’s Word for that
purpose.
However, that does not mean that the ministry of
God’s angels has ceased. Not at all! The angels of God are just as active today as ever. The
word “angel,” means “messenger.”
·
An
angel is essentially a messenger from God, one created and sent of God.
·
Without
question, there is a specific order of heavenly beings called “angels.”
·
The
fallen angels (Rev. 12:4), are commonly referred to as “devils” or “demons”
(James 2:19). Those fallen angels are messengers of Satan, bent upon the
destruction of our souls.
·
Whereas
the angels of God are described as “ministering
spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.”
Look
at Genesis 32:1-2, see how Jacob described them.
Proposition: The
angels of God are God’s messengers of mercy to his elect.
And Jacob went on his way,
and the angels of God met him. And
when Jacob saw them, he said, This [is] God's host: and he called the name of
that place Mahanaim. (Genesis 32:1-2)
Children of God, you have far more friends than you know.
As you make your pilgrimage through this world, as you seek to serve your God,
as you walk through the midst of your enemies in this world of darkness, if
only you could hear, you would hear the rush of angels’ wings, “God’s hosts,” at your side and round
about you. If only you had eyes to see, you would see “the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire round about” those
who dare be faithful to God.
Let me begin this message by
talking to you about the first, most important, most glorious, pre-eminent
Angel mentioned in the Book of God (Mal. 3:1).
I.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Son of God, our Savior is The Angel
of The Covenant.
Behold,
I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord,
whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger (Angel) of
the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of
hosts. (Malachi 3:1)
In Isaiah 63:9, our Savior is called “the Angel of his presence.” He is that One who constantly watches
over and protects us in this world.
In
all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved
them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and
carried them all the days of old.
(Isaiah 63:9)
The Lord Jesus Christ, the
eternal Son of God, is called “the
Messenger (Angel) of the covenant” (Mal.
3:1). Commonly, in the Old Testament, when we read of “the Angel of the Lord” appearing
to men, as he did to Abraham, Monoah and his wife, and others, the one
appearing was the Son of God himself. Those pre-incarnate manifestations of
Christ were preludes to the coming of our great Savior to accomplish the redemption
of his people. He who stood before Joshua as a man of war is the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Captain of our salvation.
To say that
Christ is “the Angel of the Lord” does not, in any way
contradict the fact of his eternal Deity. He is both Jehovah and
Jehovah’s Messenger. In his eternal Deity, our Savior is God himself, over all
and blessed forever. In his mediatoral capacity, as our Surety and Substitute,
he is “the Angel of the Lord.”
As the
Angel of the Lord, “the Messenger of the
covenant,” the Son of God comes to men to reveal and fulfil all the
stipulations of the covenant of grace for us (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:6-13),
thereby securing our “eternal redemption”
(Heb. 9:12).
A.
Having
fulfilled all the requirements of the covenant as our Substitute, our Savior
now sits upon the throne of universal monarchy, ruling all things according to
the purpose of God, as our God-man Mediator, to give eternal life to his people
(John 17:2; Rev. 10:1-6).
As
thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to
as many as thou hast given him. (John
17:2)
1.
And
I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a
rainbow [was] upon his head, and his face [was] as it were the sun, and his
feet as pillars of fire:
2.
And he had in his hand a little book open:
and he set his right foot upon the sea, and [his] left [foot] on the earth,
3.
And cried with a loud voice, as [when] a
lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
4.
And when the seven thunders had uttered
their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto
me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
5.
And the angel which I saw stand upon the
sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
6.
And sware by him that liveth for ever and
ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and
the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein,
that there should be time no longer:
(Revelation 10:1-6)
B.
He,
and he alone, is able to fulfil the book of God’s decrees (Rev. 5:7).
1.
And
I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and
on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
2.
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with
a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3.
And no man in heaven, nor in earth,
neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
4.
And I wept much, because no man was found
worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
5.
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep
not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed
to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
6.
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the
throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as
it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven
Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
7.
And he came and took the book out of the
right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
(Revelation 5:1-7)
He who
rules the universe is God in human flesh, our Savior and Redeemer, “the Angel of the covenant.” Rejoice!
C.
Our
Lord Jesus Christ is pre-eminently the Angel of the Lord.
1.
He
is the Angel who came with a great chain of omnipotent power and bound Satan
(Rev. 20:1-3).
2.
He
is the Angel by whom all the earth shall be judged at last (Rev. 20:11-15).
3.
He
is the Angel who sits upon the throne and will, at last, bring all the universe
to its divinely ordained completion (“It
is done!” Rev. 21:6) ).
Now, turn to Revelation 1,
and let me talk to you briefly about some human angels.
II.
Faithful pastors are The Angels of The Churches.
The
mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven
golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and
the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:20)
Here in Revelation 1:20, and
in chapters two and three, the pastors of local churches are called “angels,” because faithful men, gifted
and called of God to the work of the ministry are God’s messengers to his
people. Not all pastors are designated “angels;”
but all who are truly God’s messengers to the souls of men are to be
esteemed as such. Why? Because God has ordained the salvation of his elect by
the hearing of the gospel (Rom. 1:16-17; 10:17; 1 Co. 1:21-24; James 1:18; 1
Pet. 1:23-25).
Let no
one despise or lightly esteem the ministry of the Word. Gospel preachers are essential to both the salvation of chosen,
redeemed sinners and the edification of his church (Eph. 4:11-16).
11.
And
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers;
12.
For
the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of
the body of Christ:
13.
Till we all come in the unity of the
faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14.
That we [henceforth] be no more children,
tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15.
But speaking the truth in love, may grow
up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:
16.
From whom the whole body fitly joined
together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the
effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body
unto the edifying of itself in love.
(Ephesians 4:11-16)
People often say, “I follow the Lord. I will not follow a
man.” Certainly, there is a sense in which this is right. Every man is
responsible for his own soul. Each one must search the Scriptures, and make
certain that the preachers he hears are true to the Word of God. God’s servants
are not inspired, infallible instructors to be blindly followed, or priests to
whom you trust your soul. Yet, if anyone follows Christ, he must hear, heed,
obey, and follow those men who are the angels of God to their souls (Heb. 13:7,
17).
Remember
them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God:
whose faith follow, considering the end of [their] conversation. (Hebrews 13:7)
Obey them that have the rule over you, and
submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give
account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is]
unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17)
These faithful
men are portrayed as “ beasts (living
creatures)” before the throne of God
(Rev. 4:6-11). By the gifts and grace of God the Holy Spirit, they are bold as
lions, strong as oxen, compassionate as men, and soar to heaven like eagles,
seeking a word from God for the souls of men.
Like the seraphs described in Isaiah 6, the are humble, conscious
of their unworthiness, but swift to do the will and work of God to which they
are called. With their eyes always fixed on the blood of the Lamb, they ever
set forth the glorious holiness of God.
By the unction of God’s Spirit, when God
speaks by his servants to the hearts of chosen sinners, they expose the sins of
men and bring the gospel like live coals from off the altar, and proclaim to
all who believe, “Thine iniquity is taken
away, and thy sin is purged!”
Gospel preachers, the angels of God to the
souls of men, lead sinners in the worship of God, giving “glory and honor and thanks to him sat on
the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever.” Blessed are
those people to whom God has sent a faithful man, as an angel of God, to
minister to their souls.
Now, turn to Hebrews 1:14. Here we are
told that…
III.
There is a special order of
heavenly, spirit beings called “the
angels of God,” who were specifically created to be Ministering Spirits To God’s Elect.
1.
God,
who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets,
2.
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by
[his] Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the
worlds;
3.
Who being the brightness of [his] glory,
and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of
his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand
of the Majesty on high;
4.
Being made so much better than the angels,
as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5.
For unto which of the angels said he at
any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be
to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
6.
And again, when he bringeth in the
firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship
him.
7.
And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his
angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
8.
But unto the Son [he saith], Thy throne, O
God, [is] for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness [is] the sceptre of thy
kingdom.
9.
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated
iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of
gladness above thy fellows.
10. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of
the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
11. They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax
old as doth a garment;
12. And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be
changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
13. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right
hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister
for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
(Hebrews 1:1-14)
These heavenly, ministering spirits, were created and sent
forth by our heavenly Father to minister to (serve the needs of) those who
shall be the heirs of salvation.
God
almighty has an elect people scattered through all the human race, through all
parts of the earth, who must and shall be saved.
A.
For
every chosen, redeemed sinner there is an appointed time of love when he must
be called by grace (Ezek. 16:6-8).
B.
It
is the work of the heavenly angels to preserve and protect chosen sinners until
the time of their calling.
C.
They
are instruments of God in prevenient grace, whereby the elect are kept,
provided for, and secretly directed, through all the days of their rebellion,
until they are brought at last to the feet of the Savior.
D.
The
angels’ ministry to God’s elect is not over, once the chosen are called.
The
superstitions regarding each person having a guardian angel is as foreign to the Scriptures as the idea that
babies who die in infancy become angels. God’s elect do not have a guardian
angel. All God’s angels are our guardians.
Because
thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the most High, thy
habitation; There shall no evil
befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over
thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
(Psalms 91:9-11)
None of
us will ever know, this side of eternity, what wonders the angels of God have
done to protect and care for us during the time of our sojourn on this earth.
E.
When
our pilgrimage here is over, the angels of God carry God’s Lazaruses away to
glory (Luke 16:22).
The
angels of God are highly intelligent spirits, excellent in wisdom and power,
are the secret servants of Emmanuel’s kingdom, ministering to all who shall be
heirs of God’s salvation. Could we see how they watch over us, how they guard
us from countless evils, did we but know how safely they keep us in the midst
of countless foes, we would like the prophet’s servant see the mountains around
us full of horses and chariots (2 Kings 6:17).
A single
angel destroyed seventy thousand at God’s command (2 Sam. 24:15) and a hundred
and eighty-five thousand Assyrians who came against Israel (2 Kings 19:35). How
safe God’s elect must be, who are protected by the angels of God, kept by the
power of God, and secure in the hands of our omnipotent Savior!
Only in
eternity will the heirs of salvation begin to discover what we owe to the
perpetual ministry of these ministering spirits! Well may the heirs of
salvation rejoice with such heavenly protectors surrounding them and
ministering to them with unceasing joy.
1.
It
was an angel who first announced the purpose of Christ’s coming (Matt. 1:21).
2.
It
was a chorus of angels who first sang the praise if the incarnate God.
3.
It
was an angel who first announced the resurrection of Christ our Redeemer.
4.
It
was an angel who sent men to fetch Peter to Cornelius that he might show him
the words whereby he must be saved.
5.
The
angels of God kept us all the days our rebellion.
6.
The
angels of God watch over us every hour.
7.
The
angels of God meet with us in the assembly of the saints.
8.
The
angels of God always behold our Father’s face in heaven (Matt. 18:10).
9.
The
angels of God will carry us home.
10.
There
is a far more intimate relationship between the saints of God and the angels of
God than any of us yet know (Heb. 12:22-24).
But
ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are
written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men
made perfect, And to Jesus the
mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh
better things than [that of] Abel.
(Hebrews 12:22-24)
Application: Let us ever give thanks to
our great God for the angels, the messengers of mercy, he has sent and
continually sends to us, to minister to and protect us.
1.
The
Angel of The Covenant – Christ, Our Faithful Savior.
2.
The
Angels of the Churches – Faithful Pastors.
3.
The
Heavenly Hosts – Ministering Spirits.
Are
they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be
heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14)
One question, and I am done. – Who are these who shall be the heirs of God’s alvation?
1.
God’s
Elect.
2.
All
The Redeemed.
3.
All
Who Are Called.
4.
All
Who Believe.
May God be pleased now to grant you faith in Christ and make you an heir of salvation in him, for Christ’s sake. AMEN.