Angels Submit To Jesus Christ
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Christ Jesus is the Lord of all creation. The angels submit to His authority, as the Bible states in Hebrews 1:6,13. It says that Jesus Christ, Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him .
Scripture also presents scenes of angels ministering to Jesus and accompanying Him upon His return , every single one of them in submission to His authority.
Fact #: Angels Are Not Defined By Us
Because they are real, angels are not defined by our notions about them. There are some popular ideas about angels that simply arent true.
Angels are commonly depicted as everything from chubby babies to demure, ivory-skinned women with wings. When someone dear to our hearts passes on, its not uncommon to hear a family member say, So-and-so is watching over us now. Or theyll say, We havent lost a person. Weve gained an angel. Let me tell you, you can search Scripture from cover to cover, and you will find no such description.
Do you realize that every time Scripture describes angels, it uses masculine terms?
And, if you recall our examination of Psalm 104, you will recollect that angels were created on a different day than humans, and they were created all at the same time. Heaven does not gain angels. Im sorry if it offends you, but angels are neither women nor babies nor departed loved ones they are nothing other than supernatural masculine warriors unlike anything known to us in our material world.
Angels Carry Out The Judgment Of God
And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
God is patient and long-suffering when it comes to peoples sins . However, sooner or later, He will show His disapproval for what people do that is offensive to Him .
The Bible tells us of some occasions when God orders angels to carry out His righteous judgment against sinners:
- An angel of God was sent to oppose Balaam and take his life .
- God sent an angel to punish Jerusalem .
- An angel of the Lord took King Herods life .
- Christ Jesus will send His angels to cast offenders into the furnace of fire .
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What Is An Angel’s Job
Serve God: Psalms 103:20-21.
Praise to God: Revelation 5:11-12 7:11-12 19:1-2.
Proclamation: Genesis 31:11-13 Judges 13:2-5 2 Kings 1:15 Matthew1:20-24 Luke 1:11-38.
Revealing God’s will or announcing key events: Genesis 19:1-22 Exodus 3:2-6 Judges 2:1-5 13:2-23 Acts 10:5 Revelation 1:1.
Protection, ensuring the well-being or survival of God’s people:Genesis 19:1-25 48:16 Exodus 14:19,20 1 Kings 19:1-8 2 Kings6:16 2 Kings 19:35 Psalms 34:7 Matthew 4:11 Acts 5:17-23 Acts 12:7-11.
Watches man: Daniel 4:13,17 12:1.
Punishment, enforcing the wrath of God on the wicked among theJews and the Gentiles: Genesis 19:12-13 Exodus 12:23,29 Exodus32:34: Numbers 22:22 2 Samuel 24:17 2 Kings 19:35 1 Chronicles21:15 2 Chronicles 32:21: Psalms 78:48-5 Isaiah 37:36 Acts12:21.
Chases our personal adversaries providing vengeance: Psalms 35:4-6 Romans 12:19.
Checks on what we say we will do: Ecclesiastes 5:4-6.
Writes: Revelation 19:9.
Reads: Revelation 1:20 2:1,8,12,18 3:1,7,14.
They Are Not To Be Worshipped
Revelation 22:8-9: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, Dont do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!
Colossians 2:18:Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.
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Role #: Angels Are Ministering Spirits
The role angels play as ministering spirits is perhaps the most comforting aspect of their nature.
Hebrews 1:14 explains their ministry this way, Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? Other passages of Scripture provide vivid examples of angelic ministry.
In 1 Kings 19:5, an angel appeared to Elijah when he was fleeing from Jezebel in great despair. The angel provided life-giving food and water that sustained him for forty days and nights. After Jesus Christ was tempted by the Devil in Matthew 4, Scripture states that angels came and ministered to Him. The Greek word translated ministered implies that they fed Him.
In Luke 16, Jesus tells a parable that introduces the idea of angels ministering to mankind by carrying Gods children home to heaven. Other passages are less descriptive but point to this truth with phrases including carried up into heaven, received up into heaven, and taken up .
As if the blessed assurance of our salvation werent enough, God provides angels to transport our loved ones home. Praise God for these ministering spirits!
Are Angels Still Active Today
We see angels are still active in the book of Acts, after Jesus resurrection. They are still active in the prophesies yet to be fulfilled. So yes, angels are still at work today.
In fact, the writer of Hebrews says, Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Not only do angels still serve those who shall inherit salvation, it is even possible that we could encounter one!
In fact many people today have had experiences of help from a stranger who suddenly vanishes. Have you had one one these experiences yourself? Id love for you to tell me in the comments.
This war will not continue forever. Satan has a time limit and we are getting closer every day. Jesus will return with his most powerful angels and defeat him forever!
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An Angel Comforts Jesus In Garden Of Gethsemane
The night before His death on the cross Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Jesus has foreknowledge that one of His disciples would betray Him later that evening resulting in Jesus being sentenced to die by crucifixion. Jesus knew what He must do, but still struggled with the anticipation of the pain He would have to face mentally, emotionally and physically on the cross. Jesus was tempted to abandon His plan and save Himself in order to avoid this pain. An angel, many believe to have been Archangel Chamuel, visited Jesus in the garden providing loving support and encouragement for Jesus to stick to the plan. The angel gave Jesus the strength to accept Gods will and prepared Jesus for the intense suffering that awaited Him at the crucifixion.
Even during our darkest moments God is there for us. When we turn to Him we will find the strength, love, comfort, support and encouragement we need to get through those dark times. We may not receive the answers we want. We may have to keep walking a path that is not what we desire, but we must trust that there is a greater plan and a purpose to what we are going through. No matter what challenges we face, God will be there walking through it with us, strengthening and supporting us.
Attribute #: Angels Are Spirit Beings
Angels are spirit beings who are often invisible, but their presence may be made manifest in human form, in dreams and visions, in their natural state, or audibly without a visible form.
To illustrate this point, its helpful to contrast Daniels angel encounter in Daniel 9 with his experience in Daniel 10. When Gabriel appears in Daniel 9:21, he is described as a man. Daniel goes on to have a pleasant conversation with Gabriel, and there is no indication that Daniel is at all intimidated by Gabriels presence. Its as if two peers are discussing the politics of the day, albeit one has profound prophetic insight.
Then, flipping forward to chapter 10, Daniel encounters an unnamed angel, trembles in his presence, and describes him in a way that is completely unlike any human. Here is his description:
Daniel 10:5-6
So, angels appear as humans and in their natural state. They have also been known to appear in visions. Genesis 28 and 31 record prophetic dreams the Lord gave to Jacob in which he saw angels.
In the New Testament, Marys husband, Joseph, repeatedly encountered angels who instructed him regarding Mary and Jesus while he was dreaming. It doesnt particularly matter whether these angels appeared in human or angelic form Jacob and Joseph clearly recognized them as angels.
Regardless of how angels may appear, the important point to remember is this: their presence is revealed selectively and strategically.
Spirits of Wind, Fire, and Stars
Are angels made of stardust?
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We Dont Know How Many Angels Exist
The Bible doesnt tell us how many angels God created. But apparently, there are a lot of them. Here are a few of the ways the Bible tells us how many angels there are:
- On Mount Sinai, God came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand .
- We also learn that, the chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands .
- When we come to worship, we come into the presence of innumerable angels .
- John says, I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands .
Every biblical reference to the total number of angels suggests that theyre beyond counting.
The Power Of The Angels
Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
Scripture tells us that the angels are very powerful . It says that they excel in strength . The prophet Daniel saw, in a vision, the angel Gabriel fly swiftly . In Isaiah 37:36 and 2 Kings 19:35, one single angel defeated an army of a hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrian soldiers.
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How Can Humans Win In Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual warfare is real and it does play out on earth, but people tend to do one of two things: 1) ignore it all together or 2) give Satan too much credit and think him more powerful than he is.
The key to successful spiritual warfare is finding the biblical balance. Jesus sometimes cast demons out of people other times He healed people with no mention of the demonic. The apostle Paul instructs Christians to wage war against the sin in themselves and warns us to oppose the schemes of the devil . GotQuestions.org
The Watchfulness Of Angels
The Fact of Their Watchfulness
Significantly, a number of passages speak of the angels as observers. Some are surprised by this truth, but the Bible teaches us that angels are spectators of Gods activities in the world and that they are especially keen on observing the unfolding of His plan of redemption. Since a number of passages specifically address the fact angels are spectators of what God does, we would be remiss to ignore this biblical truth for there is certainly a reason and a lesson to be learned from this .
The Objects of Their Watchfulness
As indicated previously, they observed Gods creation and rejoiced . At seeing the birth of Christ, the angels rejoiced in praise to God and they witnessed the entirety of Jesus life on earth . They also observe Gods joy when a sinner repents .37 Angels are keenly interested in mans salvation in Christ and carefully observe Gods manifold wisdom in the unfolding of His redemptive plan . In the statement, things into which the angels long to look,things are those things that belong to our salvation , and long to look is the same word used of the actions of John and Peter and Mary when they stooped down to peer into the empty tomb . The verb, parakuptw, to bend over, conveys the idea of bending over to see something more clearly or to look intently .
The Reasons for Their Watchfulness
The Two Kingdoms and the Angelic Conflict
Satans Characterization as the Slanderer
Satans Characterization of God
A Reason for Man
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What Are All The Names Of Angels In The Bible
Out of the hundreds of angelic references, only four have names that are shared, with one whose name is implied. We see that sometimes, the Angel of the LORD, is God, Himself Yahweh showing Himself in the Old Testament.
- Amy SwansonChristianity.com Contributing Writer
- 202028 Oct
Who are the angels of the Bible and what are their names? There is quite a bit we know about angels as they are referenced roughly 300 times from Genesis to Revelation, in various ways.
We see them called angels of God , sons of God , sons of the mighty , heavenly host , holy ones , holy watchers , rulers , and heavenly beings . Yet very few are ever called by name.
Are Angels Messengers
Yes: Genesis 22:11-12 Abraham told not to kill Isaac. Judges 13:13-14Manoah and his wife told of son to be born. Luke 1:8-19 Zachariastold about his son by Gabriel. Luke 1:26-38 Mary was given anangelic message. Matthew 1:18-24 Joseph had a message from anangel about Jesus. Luke 2:8-12 Shepherds all have message by angelsabout Jesus. Acts 8:26 Philip told to go to the desert. Acts 27:23-24Told Paul that they would be delivered from the storm at sea.
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What Do Angels Do
Angels praise God .
They worship God .
They rejoice in what God does .
They serve God .
They appear before God .
They are instruments of Gods judgments .
They carry out war against demonic forces .
They bring answers to prayer .
They aid in winning people to Christ .
They observe Christian order, work, and suffering .
They encourage in times of danger .
They care for the righteous at the time of death .
Where Are The Archangels Mentioned In The Bible
Today we celebrate the feast of the great Archangels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael. All three are in the Bible. Do you know where?
We really ought to be devoted to the angels. They guide us with their inspirations, guard us from physical and especially spiritual harm, and remind us of the primacy of heavenly things.
God has particularly given usas our heavenly companionsour guardian angels. He also introduced the three archangels to us through Sacred Scripture: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Lets delve into the Biblical episodes in which these archangels appear.
St. Michael
A warrior who is usually portrayed with a sword in his hand and Satan writhing under his feet, Michael is the leader of the good angels in the war against Satan and the fallen angels, as recounted in the book of Revelation, chapter 12. We also hear of him in the book of Daniel, chapter 10, where another angelic beinglikely St. Gabrielspeaks of how Michael came to assist him in doing battle with the Prince of Persia. St. Michael is mentioned again in Daniel, chapter 12, and in verse 9 of the single-chapter letter of St. Jude.
St. Gabriel
St. Raphael
The angels want to accompany us on our lifes journey, too! Get to know our heavenly helpers in the fascinating series Angels & the Supernatural, whereamong many other thingsyoull learn the truth about angels and demons, how to develop a relationship with your guardian angel, and the facts about purgatory.
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Role #: Angels Are Warriors
While the idea of angels ministering to our needs is deeply comforting, the thought of angels as supernatural warriors might be downright concerningunless you study it carefully. Our modern military protects the nation from invasion and is comprised of specialists who work together to strategically outwit aggressors. It is similar with angels.
Throughout Scripture, we find story after story of Gods people emerging victoriously from physical and spiritual battles as they face insurmountable odds. It was angelic visitors who ushered Lot out of Sodom before destroying it . It was angelic guards who went ahead of the Israelites, protecting them as they departed Egypt and entered Canaan . It was the Angel of the Lord who killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in 2 Kings 19. And when our risen Lord rides into the Battle of Armageddon, He will be followed by armies of angels .
Psalm 34:7 summarizes it this way, The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. I dont know about you, but Im sure glad we have these warriors on our side!
And on the story goes. In case Jacob has any doubts as to the mastermind behind this selective breeding program, Scripture tells us the Angel of God appeared in Jacobs dreams and confirmed Gods role . Gods people do not have to worry about outcomes they must only worry about obedience to Gods plans.As provisioners, angels equip Gods people for victory.
Angels Were Created By God
Angels are created beings just like everything else in nature. God alone is the only being that has existed since time began. Everything else was made by Him. Angels dwell in Heaven with God and serve Him.
1. Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
2. Job 38:1-7 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said, Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earths 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?
3. Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
4. Exodus 20:1 For the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.
5. John 1:4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
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