A Divine Revelation of Angels (8 page)

This is a grave reminder to us of the consequences of sin, if even a cherub can have such an end. Yet it is also a reminder of Christ’s great sacrifice on our behalf that restores us to the very presence of God as if we had never sinned! As Hebrews 2:16 says, “For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.”

Seraphim

Seraphim or seraphs are mentioned directly in only one passage of the Bible. Isaiah vividly described these heavenly creatures:

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.(Isaiah 6:1–4)

(The angels we read about in Revelation 4:8 who surrounded the throne and cried continuously, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” may be either seraphim or cherubim since they seem to have features of both.)

Seraphim are closer than all the other angels to their Creator and Maker, hovering above the throne of God. These attendants at God’s throne seem to dwell in the midst of His holiness. The sight of God on His throne with the seraphim above Him filled Isaiah with a sense of his own sin and unworthiness, and one of the seraphs was sent by God to touch Isaiah’s mouth with a purifying live coal from the altar of heaven:

[Isaiah] said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.”(Isaiah 6:5–7)

Of the seraphim’s six wings, two pairs cover their faces and feet in the presence of God’s brilliant glory, while only one pair is used for flying. In the Hebrew, the word seraphim means “burning” or “fiery.” (See Strong’s #H8314.) In the visions and revelations I have received, when I see angels as spirits (rather than in a human form), they always look like fire to me. I believe this is because angels, and especially the seraphim, stand before the One of whom it is written, “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). In one of his visions, Daniel said, “[God’s] throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him” (Daniel 7:9–10). Moses reported that “the sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire” (Exodus 24:17). In Psalm 104:4, we read that “[God] makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.”

Seraphim are intelligent beings who celebrate the Holy One of Israel. They are aflame with love for God. Their devotion should inspire deep love for God in us, as well.

Angel of the Lord

I would like to say a brief word here about the term “angel of the Lord” or “Angel of the Lord,” which occurs frequently in Scripture. (See, for example, Genesis 16:7–11; Exodus 3:1–6; 2 Samuel 24:16; Zechariah 3:1–7; Acts 12:21–23.) At various times, this term may be referring to one of God’s angels, to God Himself, or to the Lord Jesus Christ in what is often called a pre-incarnate appearance. Either way, a reference to such an angel in Scripture clearly deserves our attention and respect.

Sent to Serve

We have seen that there are different types of angels who serve God, and that angels have various positions in His kingdom. All God’s angels reflect His greatness, power, and holiness. The amazing thing is that they work on our behalf! Again, Hebrews 1:14 says, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (niv).

In the next chapter, we will look at some of the specific roles that God’s angels fulfill.

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According to the Bible, angels have spheres of authority and certain duties to perform in the heavens and in the universe at large. While the earth is not their native habitat, they do conduct active operations here. Angels travel back and forth between heaven and earth as they do God’s will. Jacob saw a vision of a ladder reaching from heaven to earth on which angels ascended and descended (Genesis 28:12). In Part III, I will talk about what I have seen of the activity of angels through the visions and revelations God has given me. These revelations illustrate God’s continuing presence and work among His people today.

Yes, my dear friend, angels are in action around us all the time. Things are happening in the spiritual realm that our physical senses cannot detect; these things have to be spiritually discerned.

A story in 2 Kings 6 illustrates this truth. The king of Syria was puzzled and perplexed because the king of Israel always seemed to know his plans ahead of time. When he invaded Israel, God’s people were always able to defeat him. The Syrian king thought that there was a spy among his associates, but someone told him that there was a prophet in Israel, Elisha, who knew even “the words that you speak in your bedroom” (v. 12).

Therefore [the king of Syria] sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.(2 Kings 6:14–17)

With a whole universe of celestial beings, both seen and unseen, surrounding and helping us, we can be both comforted and strengthened. We should have respect for these agents of God, these created beings we call angels. God puts them in our lives to minister to our needs. Their works and their actions toward God’s people should inspire us to persevere in our daily walk with Him.

Worshipers of God

The primary role of all angels is to praise and exalt God and His Son, Jesus Christ. This is because everything God has created—angels, people, even nature—was created for the purpose of glorifying Him. The Scriptures tell us—

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights! Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you stars of light! Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.(Psalm 148:1–5)

When [God] again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him [Christ].”(Hebrews 1:6)

[John] heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”(Revelation 5:11–12)

All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”(Revelation 7:11–12)

When I had a revelation of heaven, the presence of the Lord was so awesome. No matter what activity the various angels there were engaged in, they were singing to the Lord and praising Him. Angels by the seeming millions continually worshiped Him. There were also, at intervals, times of silence, times of meditation.

The atmosphere around the throne of God is always filled with glories, honor, and amens. The writer of Hebrews said, “You have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly” (Hebrews 12:22 niv). The four living creatures at God’s throne (perhaps seraphim or cherubim) “do not rest day or night” because they are saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8).

There are endless reasons for the angels to praise and worship God. For example, when God created the world, the angels must have gazed with excitement and fascination on God’s mighty acts of creative genius. Job 38 says of that significant occasion that “the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy” (v. 7 niv). Through their worship of God, the angels inspire us to appreciate God’s beauty and majesty and the glory of His creation, as well as all His other wondrous works.

Ministers of God’s People

Angels not only worship God, but are also His willing servants. They are God’s active agents who do His will day and night as they minister to Him and His people.

Again, the first chapter of Hebrews tells us, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (v. 14 niv). Angels are servants of the kingdom of God, and they work for all of us who are heirs of God’s salvation, as they are directed to by the will and Word of God. If you are a child of God, angels have worked for you, whether you were aware of it or not. Angels will sometimes appear to believers during times of special need. Their protecting presence shows us how much God cares about us. Here are several of the ways in which angels minister to believers.

Bringing Messages from God

First, angels are couriers from God who bring special messages to His people. Let’s look at a few biblical examples of this. In Genesis 18:9–14, the angel of God’s presence announced to Abraham that his wife, Sarah, an elderly, barren woman, would become pregnant and give birth to a child. The angel of the Lord also reaffirmed to Abraham that through his lineage all the nations of the earth would be blessed. (See Genesis 22:11–18.)

An angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and told him that he would save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. (See Judges 6:11–14.)

As we saw earlier, the angel Gabriel announced to Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth would give birth to John the Baptist in her old age. (See Luke 1:11–17.) Gabriel also announced to Mary that she would conceive a child through the power of the Holy Spirit who would be the Messiah. (See verses 28–35.) An angel appeared to Mary’s fiancé, Joseph, in a dream, assuring him that the baby was conceived of the Holy Spirit and encouraging him to go ahead with his plan to take Mary as his wife. (See Matthew 1:20–21.)

On the night of the blessed Savior’s birth, a single angel appeared to the shepherds in nearby fields, bathing them in a glorious light and saying, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10). Then, as the angel announced the birth of Jesus,

suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”(vv. 13–14)

An angel appeared to Cornelius in a vision and told him to send for Peter so that Peter could preach the Gospel to him. (See Acts 10:1–6.) Philip was instructed by an angel to go to Gaza for the purpose of meeting an Ethiopian eunuch and explaining to him the message of salvation through Christ. (See Acts 8:26–39.)

We can see from these examples that angels bring important news to God’s people of His activity in their lives and His plan for the salvation of the world.

Delivering God’s Word

In a related role, angels deliver God’s Word to people and also help them to understand it. For instance, angels were involved when God gave the Ten Commandments and the sacred Law on Mt. Sinai:

The Lord came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes. Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction, the law that Moses gave us.(Deuteronomy 33:2–4 niv)

In his address before the Sanhedrin court in Acts 7, Stephen said that Israel had “received the law by the direction of angels” (v. 53). The New International Version reads, “The law...was put into effect through angels” (v. 53). Paul echoed this truth when he wrote:

What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come...and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.(Galatians 3:19)

Angels are always true to Scripture in word and in action. The angel in Daniel 10 stood for the truth of God’s Word. He told Daniel, “But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth” (v. 21). Paul told us, “But even if...an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). He knew that if an “angel” begins to tell you things contrary to God’s Word, he is not a holy angel from God, but a demon spirit who has disguised himself as one. Remember that Satan misquoted the Scripture to Jesus during the Temptation, and he still pretends to be an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14) in order to deceive people.

When God has shown me His angels in action, He has always pointed me to Scripture that confirms what I just saw. An angel from God will never give you instruction or guidance that deviates from what God has already said in His Word. I will talk more about the role of angels and God’s Word in chapter seven.

Bringing God’s Guidance

God’s angels also direct people’s steps and clear the path before them as they do His will. For example, in Genesis 24, Abraham told his servant that an angel would lead him to the young woman who would be the right wife for his son Isaac. “The Lord God of heaven...will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from [the land I came from]” (v. 7).

In Genesis 31, an angel told Jacob that it was time for him to return home after many years of running from God and his brother Esau. Jacob reported, “Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’ And He said,...Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family” (vv. 11–13).