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Angelic ...all the way!!!
“The reason angels can fly is because they take themselves lightly” remarked a Biblical Scholar
insightfully bringing to light one of the remarkable characteristics’ (humility) of those ethereal ones’
serving their Creator faithfully on the other side of the Heavenly shores. Is humility only one of the
unique traits of the Angels...actually what has truthful Scripture to say of these faithful ones’ and hmmm...
some hitherto faithful but now fallen ones!!! Well...is not Biblical insight better than eyesight in seeing
(read understanding) about the “unseen” angels? Absolutely...
In this Essay, Yours Truly has attempted to present a close to 360 degree view about the Angels from the revealed Scriptures
(Deu 29:29)...firstly...
Creation...
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its
dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?-
Job 38:7
This verse from one of the Oldest Books’ of the Bible (Job) more than establishes the truth that Angels’ were in
existence before the physical earth as we see it was created. It can be said that they their creation was at the
point, when the Elohim God “created the Heavens and the Earth in the beginning”
(Gen 1:1).
Classification...
From the Scriptural accounts’ of seeing Angel Gabriel and Angel Michael being used for important missions
(from creation of Adam onwards-
Daniel 10:13,21),
it can be discerned that in the Eternity past after having created the Angels, the Almighty created hierarchical order in the
Heavens’ with some endowed with very paramount responsibilities. Of course, all the details about the Heavenly Hierarchy
is not completely revealed in the Scriptures as per His Sovereign will, so in this matter we have to be guided by the
Scriptural instruction enshrined in
Deu 29:29.
2 Kings 19:35-36
While that is about Heavenly “hierarchical” classification...it would not to be out of place to state here that one
needs to know about “Constitutional (read about Body) classification” vis-a-vis angels and men....Consider this Scripture...
“What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than
the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.” –
Psalms 8:4-5
Simply put, while the Almighty is supreme (at the top tier, so to speak), in performing tasks related to time and space, an
angel (in the middle tier, as it were) would easily outscore puny “bottom-placed” man. Ask a certain Sennacherib about the
“angelic capacity” (sic...
2 Kings 19:35-36)!!!
Relegation...
ISA 14:12-15
Can any message on the angels, be ever complete without a mention about this colossal, cosmic “angelic tragedy”???Can any message on the angels, be complete without a mention about this colossal, cosmic “angelic tragedy”???
It indeed is one of the most saddest ironies (thanks Shakespeare for the poetic licence...hmmm... “the most
unkindest cut” and all that) of the Creation history... when one angel obviously endowed with very high
responsibility bloated itself that it was relegated to the point of being condemned forever
(Isa 14:12-15/
Ezekiel 28:14-15).
Now this angel, had his cronies amongst the angelic clan and for them too was reserved the same judgment of
one day being condemned into the Hell-fire. Of the total angelic population,
it is said that 1/3rd of them tragically joined hands with the main conspirator
(Rev 12:4...
Stars of Heaven and Angels are always used in one breath in the Scripture...
Job 38:7/
Judges 5:20) and reaped a “bitter harvest”.
Following the spotless creation and the subsequent fall of hitherto sinless man into sin (originally designed to
rule this World)...the pristine World has since come under the grip of the Fallen one and his stooges as per
the Sovereign will of the Sovereign Holy God and would remain that way till the release would come to a
great extent during the Millennial reign and completely one day when the New Heavens and New Earth are created
(Rom 8:20-22/
Dan10:13/
John 14:30/
Rev 20,21).
Of these Fallen angels, some fell into deeper levels of sinning (of having sexual union with the women of the pre-Noahic times-
Gen 6:1-4…
and now I know what is written in
Matt 22:30…
will try and balance these 2 Scriptures some other time) and have been subsequently chained in a gloomy darkness for this act
(Jude 1:6),
unlike the others’ of their ilk (who had not committed such a sin) and have been Divinely-permitted to go around
(Luke 8:31)
a while before the Final day of condemnation arrives
(Rev 20:10).
The main conspirator with his stooges
(though having lost their original beauty) are still permitted to enter the Heavenly portals
(Job 1:6/
Job 2:1)
as per the Sovereign will of God till the day of their permanent exit from Heavenly realm would arrive
(Rev 12:7-8).
Now coming to the angelic functions....vis-a-vis firstly their Creator and then at His command
in relation to His Prized creation –Man- we can say that they are of...
Adoration...
Isaiah 6:1-3
of the worshipping angels portrays a clear picture of the Angel’s primary calling and that is of...Worship
(well it is ours too)!!! Before I take even a providential step let me state here that our Lord would of His
Sovereign wisdom has kept a “sense of discovery” in us and also the Angels! Remember the triumphant cry “Eureka”...
of Archimedes on discovering a “water-related secret” in his bathtub!!!
Now a devout friend of mine had a “legitimate” doubt...do not angels ever get “bored” shouting “Hallelujahs’
day –in and day-out for any monotonous activity would lead to boredom. To whom did he take his doubt?
The Lord Himself!!! Mind you, it is not a sin to have a doubt but once we get it we need to take it honestly to the
“Right Person”...a la Asaph and John the Baptist
(Psa 73:1/
Luke 7:19)!!!
And what was the Lord’s response??? “My Son” the Lord said taking my friend to his garden...(the dialogue proceeded
more or less on these lines) ”Do you know what it takes to keep these plants alive”. “No” was the candid answer of
my Pal. The next question was “Do you everything about how all your organs function to sustain your physical life”.
“No” again was the sincere response. “OK...said the Lord “Leave alone life on Earth, in my vast universe,
I have stored enough secrets about how this universe functions...each day I reveal some secrets and angels
respond spontaneously with Eurekas’...opps sorry...I mean Hallelujahs’”.
Dear friends, our Heavenly Father is simply “indescribable”...so much so the angelic worship on coming to know more
and more about His “goodness allied with greatness” can be described thus... opening their hearts to the love of God,
quickening their conscience to the Holiness of God, purging their imagination with the beauty of God,
filling their minds with the truth of omnipotent God and committing their purposes to the will of God”.
Our Worship too ought to be purpose-driven as that of the angels even as He opens our eyes “to see marvellous
truths in His written Word
(Psa 119:18)!!!
Hmmm...then in relation to man...
Protection...
Scripture portions such as
Psalm 34:7,
Matthew 18:10
leave none in doubt about the protective role of
the Angels’ in the lives of His precious, Chosen ones’ at the command of the Supreme One.
Any doubt? Then better listen to a certain Daniel...
My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before
him innocence was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.-
Dan 6:22
Provision...
Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.-
Matt 4:11
So you think the role of providing needed resources (read Ministering) of the Angels at God’s command ended
after Jesus’ ordeal in the Desert...then consider this testimony... better still view the video clipping
attached...
Many years ago, my elderly relative had quit a high-profile job in Central Government to take-up full-time Lord’s Work at the Lord’s
prompting. At a time, he was undergoing Seminary training in Canada, a letter arrived from his wife that their
daughter would not be allowed to attend her classes’ in School (in a week’s time) due to non-payment of fees. What
did my relative do...he simply placed that “warning” letter before the Bible and prayed-a La Hezekiah...
2 Kings 19:14-19
- if for Hezekiah the Lord sent a warring angel for subjugation of physical enemies, then for my relative the Lord sent an
“unknown” benefactor, who searched for him by name in his class the next day, placed the needed money in the hands of my
stunned relative and simply walked away...never to be seen again!!!
Communication...
Luke 1:26-33
Mark 16:5
Acts 1:9-11
Scripturally, if angels are found communicating messages from the Lord to His people right from OT Times
(Judges 6:12-24/
Judges 13:2-20),
well then in the life of our Saviour too angels’ have been communicating messages’. Oh yes,
from the time of Jesus birth...angels had been communicating messages. If it was concerning His birth to Virgin Mary
(Luke 1:26-33),
then it was about His resurrection to some ladies on the First Blessed Resurrection Day
(Mark 16:5
-I have reasons to desist myself from calling it Easter) and then finally about His Second coming to stunned
Disciples immediately post ascension of the Lord
(Acts 1:9-11).
Oh yes, an angel shall herald the Second Coming of the
Lord too by way of a loud trumpet blast
(1 Thess 4:16).
Confrontation and Expulsion...
Rev 12:7-9
It is indeed painful to notice some misguided souls taking “shelter” from the “Evil One” under the sacraments such as
“prayer oil” and “handkerchiefs” prayed over by some Charismatic Servants’ of God. While these sacraments may bring
deliverance to those outside the fold of the Church (
I Cor 14:22 -
for Signs are primarily meant for them), for those who are the already children of God it is simply their obedience
which would determine the presence of fiery fence of protection all around (
2 Kings 6:17/
1 John 4:4) from the “Murderer”
(John 8:44).
Now who is to tell the scripturally ignorant souls that Satan till the mid of 7 year tribulation point would right go up
to God’s throne itself (
Job 1:6/
Job 2:1)
to accuse all our brethren in the manner he faulted Job (
Job 1:9-11/
Job 2:4-5/
Rev 12:7-10).
Afterwards, He would be permanently evicted. By whom? No prizes for guessing....by the righteous angels who else...
Let the Scripture take over at this stage...
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back,
but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down,
that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the
earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.-
Rev 12:7-9
So while on the subject, would our petty acts of sprinkling prayer oil in our home or keeping prayed over handkerchiefs
under our pillows deter the Roaring Lion
(I Peter 5:8)
who presently walks right up to God’s throne from coming near us? No way! Only the right relationship with the Almighty
stemming from reverential obedience would I reiterate ensure the presence of fiery fence of Divine protection all
around us at all times.
So considering so many vital roles played by the angels in the physical and the metaphysical scheme of things,
do we have to revere angels to the point of petitioning them as some errant, gullible ones’ do
(1 Tim 1:3-4-TLB)
? NO WAY!!! Rather, let’s reserve our heart-felt Worship for only the ONE who has not only created the angels and thereby is
also far superior to them
(Col 1:16-17/
Heb 1:4)
and now coming to the best in the last…(you see in the spiritual scheme of things…the best is always reserved for the last-
John 2:10).
Now hold your breath…the good Lord one day would make us sit beside Him in His throne to rule and judge the angels
(Rev 3:21/
1 Cor 6:3)!!! HALLELUJAH!!! More loudly please…
Suresh Manoharan
An Unworthy Servant
Ps… All those whose heart the Lord is touching say this Prayer right where you are…”Father, I confess I am a Sinner.
Cloth me with Your Priceless Robes of Righteousness which Your Son Jesus Christ has purchased for me in the Cross.
Fill my heart with the joy of Your Spirit. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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