Guardians & Gallant Warriors - Selected Scriptures

Which of the angels has he ever said sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet are they not all ministering spirits sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation again would be wonderful if you would take a paragraph and tells how and where and when were just not told, but we are never told in the Bible to pray to them, and certainly were never told to depend upon them. God simply uses angels to perform as well to have the believer when it reaches and how to interact with us as humans, have you ever wondered about that when it comes to the topic of angels, there's a good deal of confusion, something that can really help us is a clear understanding of what angels do and what they don't do what it interest you to know that that stay with us today on wisdom for the heart. Stephen deity is focusing on what angels do. What is their role. What assignments has God given them, and how does that relate to us for continuing through a series that Stevens calling angels, demons and other flying creatures. The title of the lesson you're about to hear is guardians and gallant warriors here Stephen with today's lesson from God's word. Let's take a look at several things the Bible does teach about the ministry of angels. That's really where we want to be number one. What we do learn from the Scripture is that the Angels obey the command of God. The word angel comes from the original word on the loss which simply means messenger often throughout Scripture. They are simply obeying the command of God by delivering the messages. Now the Old Testament, of course, angels were constantly arriving with messages and I believe prior to the closing of the canon of Scripture, there was a lot of activity. Even throughout the Gospels and in the early days of the church where with the closing of the canon of Scripture we had what God had said in completed form one of the most interesting to me is the account in Numbers 22 and for the second time will turn their will have eternal passage in a moment, but Numbers 22 or the angel was sent to stop bailing me remember that story of the prophet was willing to curse Israel if the price was right. He could be hired and so the angel now stood in the way of the donkey on which man was riding his bailing is going to possibly curse Israel and the angel is seen only by the donkey and so bailing begins to beat the donkey, which makes the donkey turn to another direction, and he goes between the wall and squishes bailing his foot against the wall, which really makes bailing angry and soy because the beat the donkey even more in the donkey turns to go another way the angel stands in front of them.

There bailing is meeting him even further until finally the poor donkey just lays down. Then the angel becomes visible at that moment to bail him who then at that moment becomes as spiritually discerning as is donkey now many have wrongly concluded here that the animals can see the spirit world. In fact, some artists enjoy painting pictures of angels and the dog by the bedside of the departing St. the families grieving to get the dogs over here looking at the Angels if they can see the spirit world part of God's judgment in the story of Salem was delivered in part by giving discernment to the donkey God delivered to that animal the ability to see at that moment into the spirit world and the implied message was this God can work through a donkey if he has to, but he would rather work through an obedient prophet bail him if you'd like to be that, would you course bail him got the message in the New Testament the activity of angels doesn't slow down. In fact, were angels are mentioned about 100 and 508 times in the Old Testament there mentioned 165 times in the New Testament, angels, as you know were probably never more busy than during the time of the incarnation. They appeared to Zachariah to tell him that his wife Elizabeth would have a son. Another angel delivered the message to Mary that she virgin would conceived by means of the Holy Spirit and she believe the messenger and unlike her relative, Zachariah was able to talk about an anonymous angel appeared in Joseph you remember in a dream and explain the details of Mary's pregnancy which had obviously troubled this young fiancé, an angel appeared in the heavenly glory. Remember, to a group of shepherds and it so terrified that the presence of this one Angel and then suddenly surrounding this one Angel was a host of perhaps tens of thousands of angels who began to chant about the Savior's birth. Another angel came to Joseph and warned and flee to Egypt and then still later another angel told Joseph that Herod was dead, and that he could return home now one of the frustrating things. By the way about studying angels in angelology is the fact that there's not a lot here about exactly what they do.

There's a little bit more. The describes some of their characteristics but were not given a lot about their activity and so you have to sort of put versus together and correctly interpret those verses are you'll end up in some of these are strange views you might turn to Psalm 103 verse 19 where David writes the Lord has established his throne in the heavens and his sovereignty rules over all verse 20.

Bless the Lord, you his angels mighty in strength to perform his word. In other words, they do the bidding of the sovereign God.

They perform the word of God.

This is not their word.

This is not there doing this is not their initiative they are performing his word. Verse 20 they are obeying the voice of his word. Bless the Lord. Verse 21, all you his hosts another word for angels you to serve him doing his will.

If that could be said of us would not be wonderful. We obey his word. We serve him. We do his will. So if I can summarize at this point. Ladies and gentlemen, I would say this.

What we need to remember is that angels are not summoned by the wishes of man they are sent by the will of God. Furthermore, angels do not come down by the special prayers of man they come down by the special purposes of God. So if you have found yourself praying sort of a prayer Lord send more angels.

There is no Scripture at all to back that up. There is Scripture. However, the tells us some of the wonderful truths and it separates truth from fiction.

They do more. Of course then perform a delivery service for the King of heaven. Secondly, they also deliver the judgment of God, you could flip over to Psalm 78 verse 43 talks about the plagues of Egypt prior to the Israelite exodus from slavery and lo and behold you discover the Angels are involved is when he performed the signs in Egypt and his marbles in the field of Zo and in turn their rivers. The blood in their streams.

They could not drink. He sent among them. Swarms of flies which devoured them and frogs which destroyed them. He gave also their crops to the grasshopper and the product of their labor to the locus, he destroyed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore trees with frost. He gave over their cattle also to the hailstones and their herds. The bolts of lightning verse 4090 sent upon them is burning anger, fury and indignation and trouble. A band of destroying angel I think one of the most graphic description of the intersection of an angel with a human being and delivering the judgment of God is found in the book of acts turn to acts chapter 12.

Look at verse 21 and on an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel took his seat on the rostrum and begin delivering an address to the people they need to understand before you pick ahead here. This is the same Herod, who recently put James to death. He is the enemy of the church. He hates the church but he more than I hates the church he loves the Jewish people and he so wants to increase his ratings and their poles that he will do anything for the Jews he not being a Jew is, he was part so when he put James to death. He knew that this please the Jews. He put to death the leader of this sect.

Following the supposed dead son of God who was in their view, a criminal who had only recently been executed on a cross and he had so pleased that many put James to death that he now has put Peter in prison and he's intending to do the same thing to him will look at that in the moment but notice the people responding to Herod's speech here. Verse 22. The people kept trying out the voice of a God and not of a man. The voice of God and not of a man. The tragedy is the audiences Jew. They have so denigrated their belief in monotheism.

They have so degraded their position and their theology that here they are simply given credence to a man that will do their wishes and stamp out among other people, their enemies, and so now they're saying this is the voice of a God. Now, obviously, Herod reveled in this treatment he didn't turn it off you and say all shucks not me know he took every bit of it in his pride and arrogance. This form of demagogue worship, but God had some other lessons to teach, of course, he also wanted to protect the church from further leaders being killed at this particular time was 23 and immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory. And he was eaten by worms and died but the word of the Lord continued to grow and be multiplied now.

He was killed perhaps by these intestinal roundworms which can grow to a length.

I have read of some 10 to 14 inches long.

Evidently, clusters of roundworms can obstruct the intestine and bring great pain and of course in this primitive date death of following Eric's death. The church in this hideous manner, which was gruesome. No doubt, but the church responded and God's word found receptive hearts everywhere and you cannot help but see the contrast here you have the growth on one hand, and multiplication of worms which brings death contrasted with the growth and multiplication of the word which brings life. King Herod became at this moment. A description of humanity worship itself and then suffers hell. Josephus, who lived in the first century Jewish historian, wrote these interesting words about this very event. He wrote that Herod Agrippa was quote overcome by intense pain exhausted after five days by the pain in the abdomen. He departed this life in the 54th year of his life. Now I don't want to mistakenly believe that this was the independent idea of this angel.

He didn't like what Herod was doing and he thought, I think I'll give this man a warm so that he will die know this was God's idea, and the angel however was given the power to deliver that form of judgment that was frightening as this account is it is equally comforting to know that while angels can be a terror to the enemies of God. They can also be protectors and servants of God's children and my third point then comes to this, the Angels assist the lives of believers. Now in this text just before Herod meets his death over a protracted period of time by worms.

You remember I told you that he had placed Peter in prison in an attempt to gain popularity go back to chapter 12 a look at verse five. The text says so Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God's were told that a prayer meeting is going on what Peter is imprisoned by the believers on the very night when Herod was about to bring them forward and others in a killing on this very night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison and, behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a light shown in the cell and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying get out quickly at a very nice way to wake up somebody by the legacy Peter here rubbing his side and rubbing his eyes at the same time wondering one of the world is going and his chains off his hands. Verse eight and the angel said to him yourself and put on your sandals. In other words, not just standard. Peter get dressed let's go when he did so he said to him, wrap your cloak around you and follow me. Verse nine and he went out of Ginny to follow and did not know that what was being done by the angel was real is still a fog to but thought he was seeing a vision when they had passed the first and second guard. They came to the iron gate that leads into the city which open for them by itself and they went out and went along one street and immediately the angel departed from him. When Peter came to himself area standing outside a prison gate to rubbing his eyes.

He said now I know for sure that the Lord has sent for this angel and rescued me. I can't help but say no, Peter, what was your first clue. I love this. Now I know for sure. I love it because we would've done that the very same thing that he's not the only one in the store and it's rather slow to catch on. While he's been sleeping in prison. The believers are dozing through a prayer meeting.

They are fervent and yet they are just mouthing words that they do not expect that answer verse 12 when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of Johnny was also called Mark where many were gathered together, and were praying when he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl name Rhoda Cano answer when she recognized Peter's voice because of her joy.

She did not open the gate. She just ran and then announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate and they said to her, God has answered our prayers.

Oh no.

They said to her you are out of your mind. I can just hear them saying listen were trying to pray for Peter's deliverance or interrupting us now where were we all.

Lord, please deliver Peter will she keeps insisting the verb tenses tell us that they're going back and forth. She keeps insisting that it was so. And they keep saying it is his angel.

But Peter continued knocking out there would somebody let me in place.

And when they open the door they saw him and were amazed. This is so encouraging. If you ever get caught up in the false teaching that God only answers the prayer that you pray with unwavering faith read this text, two or three times through. If you ever think that God really isn't listening to you because you haven't mastered the art of praying without doubting. Take a close look here. This permit they finally open the door only in an attempt to close wrote his mouth and once they open the door. There's Peter.

And they were amazed. What God answered our prayer so much like us a lot of speculation. Now back to her theme has been based on the fact that these believers had in the latter part of verse 15. It is his angel. Many would say this is proof that each believer has a singular angel regarding him, otherwise known as the guardian angel now follow me carefully. There is a big difference in the Bible as you study between what the Bible reports at times what the Bible teaches us to do or believe. In other words, there is a difference at times between what the Bible communicates just as a matter of fact, and what the Bible commands the Bible. Here is simply giving us their response doesn't comment on it. It just tells us what they said it doesn't say whether what they said was true or not. All you have to do is become a little historian again and discover that in Judaism around especially the first century it was commonly believed that a guardian angel was assigned or designated to each believer that in that assignment took the visible form of their assignment and also resembled their voice. So in other words, the guardian angel was sort of a twin for the believer.

This was Jewish superstition. What the Bible never tells us it's true, it it simply reports here that these believers thought it was true and you can still see how they're involved in superstition and they're involved in this emerging church. What about Psalm 9111 and he shall give his angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways. That's a wonderful verse by the way, that's a better one if you want to have a verse that encourages you with the fact that angels are guarding. You don't go to Peter's go to this one. It definitely tells us that angels are servants of God on behalf of guarding the believer were not told that we each have one.

In fact, in that text. It tells us that we have what we have all of them and he will give his angels charge over you singular angels plural were not told where were not told win but simply tells us that the host of heaven is devoted to seeing the will of God carried out on earth, and no demon, no events, no tragedy. No obstacle can keep the will of God from being performed in and through our lives and somehow the sovereign plan of God. He uses the hosts of heaven intersecting our lives here and there.

John Calvin, the reformer, I think put it rather succinctly when he said if a believer cannot take assurance that all the Angels are aiding in unseen ways the life of the believer. Certainly he will take no comfort in believing that only one angel is so assigned. So in other words, if you want to believe in a guardian angel you can have that all have all of them myself is another verse that indicates angelic collaboration with the triune God and serving the believer. Hebrews 113 but to which of the angels has he ever said sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet are they not all ministering spirits sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation again. It would be wonderful if you would take a paragraph and tell us how and where and when were just not told, but we are never told in the Bible to pray to them. In fact, were never even told to look for them and certainly were never told to depend upon them. God simply uses angels to perform as well on behalf of the believer and every chooses. I read in one commentary, the story of Corrie 10 boom was raised in Amsterdam. Many of you I'm sure know her story. Her family was sent to a concentration camp during Hitler's reign of terror for their service and hiding Jews in their own little more than a year ago I the privilege of touring her home in Amsterdam walking up those stairs in that narrow stairway up to her bedroom where they had knocked out the bottom of the linen closet where you could crawl to get in behind and then they had actually put a fake brick wall up in some of the guards would come along and tap for some kind of hidden Hollow wall. It would be brick, but behind that was another brick wall of the house making the narrow passageway in the Jews would clamber through that linen closet, and they had practiced five and six times a day under the direction of Corey's father who was very meticulous, they would practice going to that closet and then the closet linens being placed back in the hole in and they were never discovered. In fact there only discovered because guards found food ration and they knew that they were keeping other people will they were sent to Camp the receptive ravens Brook Corrie 10 boom wrote about it she wrote this. It was very cold. We Artie spent two days and nights outside where waiting in line to get into the administration building there. The Nazis were taking all the possessions, including our close and giving us only a thin dress and undershirt and a pair of wooden shoes.

We got into the building.

I had inspiration. She says Cory writes.

I instructed Betsy to take off her will and undergarments that she had arrived and roll them up and put them in a corner. She was afraid for Betsy because Betsy was already ill, she whispered to Betsy, the Lord is busy answering our prayers.

We shall not have to make the sacrifice of all her close and after they've been undressed, forced to shower and handed the Chevy close.

Cory writes I hid the role of underwear under my dress bulged out. Obviously, through my thin dress, but I pray the Lord surround me with angels so the guards cannot see me.

The guards checked everyone that a bulge escape their eyes. The woman just in front of me had hidden the wool invest under her dress and it was taken from her. They let me pass by. They obviously did not even see me Betsy right behind me was searched, but outside awaited another danger on each side of the door were women who looked everyone over for a second time they felt over the body of each one who passed.

I knew they would not see me. Therefore I was surrounded I was not even surprised when they didn't even notice me and they pass right by me, but with in me rose the jubilant cry. Oh Lord, if thou does so, answer prayer.

I can face ravens Brook you got the glory in that story who was the hero of that story, Almighty God, there's another verse that is so intriguing to me. It's found in Hebrews 13 verse two. Let love of the brother and continue do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this Psalm have entertained angels without knowing it to good reason have a lot of people over to your home they could be angels, but it's such an interesting motive to me for demonstrating love.

He says you might be demonstrating it to an angel who was taken by God's design a human form to receive from you is it were the proof of your salvation that his love for one another that the interesting phrase by the way, and this is sort how you peel off all the stories you've heard as probably myth or legend. This is the phrase here. The operative phrase without knowing it. The verb in the tents indicate the person never knew it happened during the encounter, and after never had a clue so wasn't like a second later and then I knew was an angel.

No never knew that they had intersected this one that it come to test their love for the St. ultimately forgot, so he in effect is saying. Demonstrate your love. You may even entertain angels without knowing at least until heaven. Then you will know and when to be fascinating to get to heaven and discovered then at the bema where we have intersected those who came to test our love for the same all right number four angels control the kingdom of Satan Revelation 12 72 great phrase and there was war in heaven that sounds at the beginning of a great novel and there was war in heaven.

Michael and his angels waging war with the Dragon the Dragon and his angels waged war in they were not strong enough. There was no longer a place found for them in heaven and the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old was called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Look at chapter 20 verse one then I saw an angel coming down from heaven here to singular angel, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand and he laid hold of the Dragon, the serpent of old who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. This is at the end of the tribulation. Just prior to the beginning of the millennial kingdom and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed after these things he must be released for short time. And of course than is engaged. The final battle by the way, how many angels will it take to throw Satan into the abyss at the end of the tribulation. How many angels got together to take on the old Dragon how many one one angel empowered by God, was sufficient to toss the deceiver into the abyss. One of we typically pictured in my it's gonna take hundreds of thousands of not just one, the theology of today is based on stories and fiction which seems to indicate that the Angels might lose fact, the angel seem to be outnumbered there rather weak believers must pray for them and we are in danger because there aren't enough around to help us not so says the record of Scripture when the history of the world comes to its culminating days.

It'll just take one angel. What I love about it is that it's an anonymous angel. It's as if God just selects out of 100 of millions of angels.

Hey, you wanted to go through the old Dragon in the abyss and some anonymous angel says absolutely fantastic.

I'm on my way and empowered by God changed him of all the hundreds of millions of angels and I say that because that's what John's on his vision just around the throne. 100 million angels of all of were only given the names of 4233 of them Lucifer, which is Satan, Michael and Gabriel. Michael is commonly seen as the warrior throughout Scripture as you read those texts. Gabriel is constantly showing up of messages at significant moments.

He is the one he gave the message to Daniel gave the one Zacharias and gave the one to teenage Mary three final thoughts number one there service is largely unseen by the Christian cannot pierce the veil with her eyes.

But if we could see we would see them here. Their obedience secondly is absolutely exemplary for the believer never had hesitation never an argument they simply perform the will of God. Third, their victory has been totally guaranteed by God were not on side hopes to win.

We are fighting from the vantage point victory already. The Angels declare his glory and do his bidding, and one day we will chance with them, the holy name of God and would be faithful to him this week joining us today here on some for the heart with Steve and Dave. Stephen is in a series called angels, demons and other flying creatures if it would help you to have a copy of this lesson on CD or if you'd like to learn more about the study guide for this series. Call us today at 86 648 Bible.

That's 866-482-4253 on Monday.

Stephen will shift gears and look at fallen Angels commonly known as demons. Have a great weekend and then join us for that lesson on Monday here on wisdom for the heart