R sbc
June 6th 2004
Sunday Night
Series: The Doctrine of Angels
Text: Heb 13:2
Intro: I would like tonight to reveiw some of the things that I have said about angels in the first two messages...
1. Angels are created for the purpose of Guarding the property of God in heaven and earth.
2. Angels are message bearers.
3. Angels were used in the annocing of Christ birth.
4. Angels ministered to Christ after his temptation and his agony of the garden.
5. Angels annouced his resurrection.
6. Angels attended him at his acension and will attend him at his second coming.
7. Angels are not the object of worship... Col 2:18
8. Angels are innumberable... Heb 12:22
9. Angels have tramendous power..Psa 103.20
10. Angels cannot die.. Luke 20:34-36
11. Angels have great wisdom.. 2 Samuel 14:20
12. Angels have patience and need no rest... Revelation 4:8
13. Angels travel at great speed.. Rev 8:13
14. Angels ascend and descend... Gen 28:12
In this message tonight I want to show some more of the duties of Angels. It is clear in the Bible that they do the pleasure of the Lord. Psalm 103:21 Bless ye the LORD, all [ye] his hosts; [ye] ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Oh that we as God’s redeemed and born again people might have for our own desire the pleasure of the Lord. The pleasure of the LORD is his will. From this verse we can see that he did not just create them to be idol...
I. ANGELS ARE CAPABLE OF OPERATING BOTH IN THE MATERIAL WORLD AND THE SPIRITUAL WORLD...
Revelation 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
In this wonderful picture that John saw, is the truth that Christ and his people are the winners. The angel Michael and his angels fought the devil and his. They were cast out of heaven. This happen a long time ago.
When Paul told us of the armour of the Christian warrior he said these words: Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
Page # 2
II... “ THEY DRIVE SPIRIT HORSES”...
When that great prophet Elijah was taken into heaven, it was Elisha that saw the Angels on their horses...
2 Kings 2:11-12 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw [it], and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
One of the first vision that Zechraiah saw was these horses...
Zechariah 1:7-11 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which [is] the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that [were] in the bottom; and behind him [were there] red horses, speckled, and white. 9 Then said I, O my lord, what [are] these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these [be]. 10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These [are they] whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. 11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
Again Zechriah saw more horses and chariots and angels:
Zechariah 6:1-6 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains [were] mountains of brass. 2 In the first chariot [were] red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; 3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. 4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What [are] these, my lord? 5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These [are] the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The black horses which [are] therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.
So it is evident that these spiritual beings drive these spiritual horses doing the pleasure of the LORD this is seen throughout the book of Revelation also.
III... “ THEY GUARD GATES”
In the first sermon we made mention of this fact but I wish speak to it farther... When Adam and Eve sinned against God he drove them out of the garden of Eden. Sin just because of it’s nature will drive men away from the LORD. It was at this particular seen that GOD selects one of his cheifest Angels to guard the entrance into the garden of Eden.
Page # 3
Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
It was not unusal for the men of God to see such a sight in their visions God allowed them to see. David and his men saw such a vision ...
1 Chronicles 21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
ADAM AND EVE HAD TO BE DRIVEN FROM THIS PARDISE THEY DIDN’T JUST WALK OUT. AND SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT AND COULD NOT GO BACK INTO THIS PARADISE THE ANGELS WERE PUT THERE TO SEE TO IT.
The gates of heaven:
Revelation 21:12 And had a wall great and high, [and] had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are [the names] of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
I am not so much concerned with the interpretation of this verse at this time as I am showing you that the work of angels still guarding those who enter into that celestial city of GOD. In Paul’s letter to the church at Thessolinica said that these same spiritual beings will attend the LORD at his coming and will do the Lord’s fighting...
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
IV... “ THE EXECUTE JUDGEMENT”
When the Lord was in preparation to destroy Sodom and Gomorah he sends angels in the form of men to annonce to Lot and assist in the judgement of this wicked city. The men of Sodom no doubt homosexual desire these men not knowing they were angels of the LORD. Note what they did to them.
Genesis 19:11 And they smote the men that [were] at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
Page # 4
The Lord Jesus in teaching the parables of the Kingdom, said that in the end he would send his angels to remove all that offends...
Matthew 13:41-43 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
It was an angel that smote Herod because he gave not glory to the LORD: Acts 12:21-23 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, [saying, It is] the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
V... “THE TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MINISTERING TO SAINTS”
The great prophet Elijah had just defeated the god of Baal and his prophets and Jezebal was after him and made it to a juniper tree and there he requested to die... it was then he fell asleep and God send his angel to feed him...
1 Kings 19:5-7 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise [and] eat.
6 And he looked, and, behold, [there was] a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise [and] eat; because the journey [is] too great for thee.
Does God do this today? Well he could and he might. I know that he still ministers to the saints of the LORD because angels are sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation Heb 1:14. God great plan and purpose is beyond the ability of men to comprehend it. Therefore it would be impossible to search out such a great subject to be fully satified in our minds and hearts as to all that GOD does with his heavenly host.
Let me quickly list some more things that I don’t have the time to go into tonight...
They rule nations: Daniel 10:13-21
They sing praises unto the LORD..Revelation 5:11
They strengthen in trail.. Luke 22:43
They minister before the Lord.. Revelation 8:1
They protect us.. Psa 34:7
Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
They witness confession:
Page # 5
Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
They will accompany us to heaven when we die:
Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Conclude : what is the purpose of a study of Angels:
1st. To show the greatest of GOD:
Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these [things], that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that [he is] strong in power; not one faileth.
Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
2nd. To show the greatest of his wisdom:
1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly [places] might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,