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Angels 7/11/99 There is hardly a week that goes by that we don't get an email about angels. I have read stories about angels doing miraculous feats saving little kids, adults and animals. These are real tearjerkers and inspiring, however, they don't always fit the biblical model for angels. How can we tell when a story about angels is inspiring us in the right direction? Only by understanding the role of angels in the Bible. In the Old Testament the word most often used for angel is mal'ak (mal-awk'); from an unused root meaning to dispatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher). Many times this word is used of people who deliver messages as well as angels. In the New Testament the word most often used for angel is aggelos (ang'-el-os); from aggello (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor. As in the Old Testament it is also used for a person who is sent to bring a message. The author of the book of Hebrews defines the beings we most often think of when we hear the word "angel". "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" (Heb 1:14) We also know that angels look over children and perhaps even when we are older. "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." (Matt 18:10). They may also be working in some way to help people come to salvation even though they do not bring the message of salvation anywhere in the Bible except one. "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10) The one case where an angel gets to proclaim the Gospel is in the end times. "Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth-- to every nation, tribe, language and people." (Rev 14:6) There is a ministry of angels that you won't find being spread over the Internet. It is their ministry that executes the wrath of God. "Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake." (Rev 8:5) Starting in Revelation, chapter 8, the angels start taking an active role in bringing God's wrath upon the earth and those who do not have a faith in Jesus. God also used angels to execute judgment in the Old Testament. The most remembered may be the angel that killed the first born males in Egypt who were not under the blood of the Passover lamb (looks like a parallel to the end times!). There is also the incident when David numbered the people of Israel against God's command. An angel inflicted the punishment. "When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, 'Enough! Withdraw your hand.' The angel of the LORD was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." (2 Sam 24:16) Unfortunately, there are fallen angels that would like to divert us from Jesus and work to that end to the same degree that the angels of God want us to follow Jesus. Satan is the chief and will appear as an angel to anyone who is susceptible to being diverted from the truth. "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." (2 Cor 11:14) Peter made it clear that some angels sinned and were imprisoned for their rebellion against God. "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment." (2 Pet 2:4) Not all are locked away but do Satan's bidding in the spiritual realm today. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph 6:12) In the future the demons will be restricted to the earth, but an important part of this next verse points out their relationship with Satan. "The great dragon was hurled down-- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him." (Rev 12:9) When we get those wonderful stories on the Internet or anywhere else, we need to be discerning to determine for whom the "angels" are working. The stories may be wonderful, but if they don't give glory to Jesus, they are not working for God. "I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, 'Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!'" (Rev 22:8-9) Many of the stories are glorifying angels. They want the attention to be drawn to themselves and not to God. Examine the stories closely. Do they, like one I read, ask you to spread the story about angels, or do they ask you to give God the glory? Do they inspire you to have a faith in God or faith in "faith" or the angels themselves? There are many people who think they are spiritual and have no need for salvation because they believe in angels or have even been visited by angels. "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (I Jn 4:1) Lord Jesus, forgive us for placing too high an emphasis on angels in this world today and diverting our worship from you. This week, let's give the glory to Jesus when we get a story about angels, whether or not the angels in the story give Him the glory.
In Jesus, Ray Ruppert I have heard stories about what heaven will be like as well as what the last judgment will be like. I remember one that told we would come before Jesus while a giant movie screen of our life was being played behind Him. Everyone in heaven would watch that movie. Everyone would be able to see everything that we had done and said in our life. If we belonged to Christ, we would be welcomed into eternity despite the things depicted in our lives. If this were to occur, I can't imagine how ashamed I would be. I know that this story was probably meant to encourage someone to understand his sinfulness and to admit that he needed a Savior, but the sad truth is that many Christians still imagine that they will have to go through some sort of experience like this. "His work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work." (1 Cor 3:13-14) I think this verse is probably the reason they believe it will occur. The result is that many of us go through our lives, knowing we are forgiven, but not looking forward to the time when we will meet Jesus because of our past. I don't buy it for a minute! I believe that when we stand before Jesus, all of worthless deeds will have already been burned up. If there were a movie of our lives, Jesus has already edited it by His shed blood on the cross. Only the things that have been done for Him and through Him and unto Him will be shown. We might be surprised that some things show up and that others didn't, but there will be nothing there that shames us because of our past. The things we could be ashamed of would be our sins and God has promised us that He has removed them. There is no reason for Him to bring them up again. "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." (Ps 103:11-12) "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 24-25) Not only will we not have to worry about our past sins, but we will be presented before our Glorious God and Father without fault. When we stand before Jesus, even though we know we are not worthy, He will see us without any blemishes of our sinful past or any sins that we have committed after coming to Christ. We will have great joy when we see Him. Even the knowledge that we are not worthy will vanish as we see Him who bought us by His blood and the Glory of the Father and the Son. "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." (Matt 19:29-30) It doesn't matter how much or little we have given for the cause of Jesus, we will receive many times over the things in eternity for each earthly thing we have given up or done for Jesus. Some of those things that we are surprised about not seeing will account for why some will be first and others last. Even if we are last, we will still have great joy. "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." (1 Peter 4:12-13) The knowledge of our future with Jesus will not prevent us from experiencing pain in this life, but will help us get through the trials and pain that comes to all people in this world. "The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away." (Isa 51:11) I think this verse will describe exactly the way we will feel when we come into the presence of our Lord. We will have everlasting joy. It won't be momentary are some mountain top experiences, it will continue forever! The sorrows and the sighing, depression and sadness will depart as we pass from this life to the next. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (Rom 8:1-2) We will be able to come to Him only because of what Jesus has done for us. He has taken all of our condemnation on Himself so that we will have absolutely nothing that can be held against us. "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it." (1 Thess 5:23-24) As we walk our life with Jesus, God makes us holy in our spirit, soul and body. We will be presented blameless when Jesus comes. Whether we are passing through death to meet Him or He comes to get us first, it doesn't matter. When we see Him, He sees us blameless. Even though we need to walk holy lives, it is God who enables us and He is faithful to keep this promise. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5) We have the assurance of His Word that our inheritance, our eternal life, will never be harmed in any way. It can't die, spoil, fade or get tarnished. God's power is keeping us, it isn't our power. "For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Rev 7:17) "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Rev 21:4) If there is any reason for us to cry in heaven, because we don't feel worthy or any other reason, Jesus will comfort us and wipe away our tears. When we are in that close of relationship with God Himself, any sadness will quickly disappear. There will be only the joy of the Lord that will last forever. May we put our past behind us and look forward to being with Jesus for all eternity. In Jesus, Ray Ruppert People have something in them that wants to know what will happen to them in the future. They seek guidance about what to do in the future from any and every source that promises special insight. From the earliest of times, people have been looking to the stars, divination and other things to discover this. Today, we can find personal astrologers, fortunetellers and mediums in every city. These people are eager to contact supernatural forces to sooth our curiosity, direct us and part us from our money. What are the forces behind these fortunetellers? Can they really tell the future? What is the real cost when we seek their advice? You might be surprised to find out what the Bible says. The Bible describes situations when people wanted to know the future. Sometimes people asked God and in other cases they went to other sources either because they were rebellious or because they didn't like the answer that God provided. In any situation, it is God who provides knowledge of the future, whether it is obtained from Him or from other sources. There are many that claim to know the future, but only accurate knowledge comes from the Lord. Sometimes He provides information through other spiritual forces that we should avoid. First comes the shocker. God uses evil spirits to provide inaccurate information to people to accomplish His will. "And the LORD said, `Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?' One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, `I will entice him.' `By what means?' the LORD asked. `I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said. `You will succeed in enticing him,' said the LORD. `Go and do it.'" (1 Kings 22:20-22) Isn't that a shocker? It makes sense that God would do this when you read about Ahab and his rebellion against the Lord. He was evil and would only listen to the prophets that said what he wanted to hear. He was steeped in idolatry and evil. Micaiah was one of four hundred prophets that Ahab consulted and the only one that told him the truth. All the others had been given a lying spirit to entice him to his death. In another instance, the Lord used the king of Babylon to punish His people. "For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver. Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp and to erect siege works." (Ezek 21:21-23) God used the very things that He had warned His people against to direct and guide the forces that would destroy and punish His people. The king received accurate counsel and may have thought his gods were directing him, but in reality, it was our sovereign Lord who was guiding him. If anyone thinks that these other gods or spiritual forces have the ability to affect the future outside of God's will, then this verse should clear up the misunderstanding. "Now then, listen, you wanton creature, lounging in your security and saying to yourself, `I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or suffer the loss of children.' Both of these will overtake you in a moment, on a single day: loss of children and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and all your potent spells." (Isa 47:8-9) God didn't frustrate only Jewish sorceries. "The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists. I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them," declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty." (Isa 19:3-4) "Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror. All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you." (Isa 47:12-13) The Lord uses those things that captivate us and draw us away from Himself as instruments of His correction. Buried in these warnings are little gems of truth that are easy to overlook. People put much labor into looking for the "truth" that they want to hear. This is so true of people who are using "religion" to find a way to peace and happiness, but not a living relationship with Jesus. The result is that they will only be worn out and they won't escape the calamity of hell without Jesus. There are going to be times in the future when people will see many signs that will convince them that they should follow ways other than Jesus. They will find what they want; fortunetellers that will provide accurate details and guidance. "Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling." (Acts 16:16-17) I think that the reason the slave owners made money is because these predictions were very accurate. Based on what God revealed to us in the passages above, He was letting this spirit have information about the future. "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time." (Matt 24:24-25) We need to remember that the Lord does let "miracles" happen that are not explicitly from Him. This occurred when Moses tried to gain the release of the Israel from Egypt. "So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land. But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt." (Ex 8:6-7) Again, these magicians were limited in their abilities. "But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not. And the gnats were on men and animals." (Ex 8:18) The Lord uses these signs and wonder to test us and to determine our discernment and our love of Him. "If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deut 13:1-4) God's desire is for us to go directly to Him when we need guidance or are afraid of the future. We need to always seek His face. "When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?" (Isa 8:19-20) If there is any fear of the future and what it brings, the following verse blesses me and helps me keep it all in perspective. "This is what the LORD says--your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself, who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense, who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers." (Isa 44:24-26) Is there any doubt that God is in control and that He cares for us? For those who are tempted to dabble in any kind of fortune telling, astrology or magic arts of the spiritual nature, there are many warnings against it. In the Old Testament, God brought horrible punishment on the people who participated in these things. "...all because of the wanton lust of a harlot, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft." (Nah 3:4) There is a gem in this verse that we need to notice. Fortune telling is only the start of something worse. Sorceries will come next and will enslave an individual and eventually a nation. Like other sins, a little isn't enough to satisfy and it becomes an obsession that can only be conquered by the power of our sovereign Lord. Like other sins, it has far reaching consequences beyond our own lives and affects our nation. "For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king." (1 Sam 15:23) "Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse." (1 Chron 10:13-14) Saul didn't follow the Lord with all of his heart. At the bottom of the problem was rebellion. He wanted to do things his own way, especially when God's way didn't fit his timing or plans. Eventually, his rebellion took one last step into the forbidden spiritual realm when he consulted a medium. Rebellion and delving into the dark side of the spiritual realm go hand in hand. I think that's why so much of the hard rock music is wrapped up in satanic overtones. When kids rebel, they are opening themselves up to a world that can very easily consume them. "I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people." (Lev 20:6) "A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads." (Lev 20:27-21:1) The Lord was very clear that any attempts to gain knowledge of the future or to let spiritists guide us are absolutely wrong and are to be dealt with severely. May the Lord bless you this week as you seek Him for guidance and trust Him for the future. In Jesus, Ray Ruppert If you would like to know how to surrender your life to Jesus, click on Eternal Net on the left.
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