Unseen Realities: A Biblical Survey of the Spirit Realm Session 3 May 15, 2024

Angelic interaction with humanity and service to God

· Angels engage in cosmic and terrestrial spiritual warfare.
oDaniel and the angelic messenger (Daniel 10:2-18)
oMichael the Archangel intervenes against the Prince of Persia.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:12-13)

· Angels may engage in physical realm battles as well.
oHezekiah and Sennacherib (2 Kings 19)
o185,000 Assyrian soldiers were cut down by one angel during the night.
§Columbia - 139,698 (2022) = 76%
§Williams-Brice Capacity 77,559, less than half this number
§Let us live within the reality of 2 Chronicles 20:15; the battle belongs to the Lord!

· Angels are agents of divine protection over individuals and God’s people.
oDaniel in the lion’s den (Daniel 6:20-23)
oElisha and his servant at Dothan (2 Kings 6:16)
oNorth Burma Christian Mission-Russell and Gertrude Morse

· Angels aid in giving divine guidance.
oExamples of Philip and Cornelius previously mentioned
oJoseph instructed to take Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:20-21)
oJoseph’s warning to flee to Egypt ahead of Herod’s massacre (Matthew 2:13)
oPaul’s shipwreck (Acts 27:23-25)

· Angels minister deliverance and divine intervention
oMyrtle Beach, a personal story
oThe Apostles arrested by the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:19-20)
oSimon Peter awaiting trial before Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:5-10)
o Jesus may have affirmed the Jewish belief in guardian angels (Matthew 18:10)
§Rabbinic literature and the Talmud

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10)

· Angels participate in comforting, encouraging, and strengthening God’s people.
oElijah fleeing from Jezebel (I Kings 19:1-8)
oJesus following His wilderness temptation (Matthew 4:11)
oEunice Chitty’s story

· Angels release and minister strength
oAngelic ministry during Jesus’ travail in Gethsemane
And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. (Luke 22:43)

oEnischúo – Greek word means to empower and infuse someone with strength; to fill with vigor and renewed vitality.
oThis strengthening may be physical as well as spiritual.
o“In essence, it describes a person who may have been feeling exhausted and depleted but then suddenly receives a robust blast of energy that instantly recharges him.” (Rick Renner)

· Angels partner in the believer’s faith-proving and spiritual refinement.

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2)

oNear East hospitality involved hosting and caring for visitors
oMatthew in the Brown Chapel parking lot
oMom and Dad’s neighbor

· At times, angels may aid in our earthly worship.
oThis might involve an element of spiritual warfare.
oAngels may be commissioned with the release of specific blessings and anointings.
oIf we agree that worship involves spiritual warfare, the kingdom’s release, and hosting God’s manifest presence, then we may reasonably conclude angles are present and on assignment.

· Angels seem to serve as escorts for the righteous upon death.
oJesus mentioned the angels carrying Lazarus’ spirit to paradise upon death. (Luke 16:22)
oNumerous near-death experiences attest to angels being present.


Other angelic depictions, assignments, and activities in scripture

· Celestial beings, including angels, are described as innumerable.
oThe writer of Hebrews describes their number as “thousands upon thousands,” literally myriads upon myriads. (Hebrews 12:22)

Then I looked, and 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. (Revelation 5:11)

· Angels are powerful beings and excel in strength.
oTheir power may not be intrinsic, but granted for specific assignments instead.
oAngels can shut the mouths of lions. (Daniel 6:22)
oAn angel rolled the stone back from Jesus’ tomb revealing an empty tomb
(Matthew 28:1-8)
§There were at least three women.

And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. (Mark 16:3-4)
oAngels “are greater in power and might” than men. (2 Peter 2:11)
oA single angel will bind Satan in chains and cast him into the abyss for one thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-3)

· Angels may be involved in executing God’s judgements.
oAngels have been commissioned to judge individuals.
oHerod Agrippa I (Acts 12:20-23)
§Josephus confirms this account.

· Angels may participate in God’s judgement upon groups of people.
oThe destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was meted by angels. (Genesis19:1, 13, 24-25)

· Apocalyptic judgements will involve the angels.
oFour angels are sent to release judgment upon the earth and sea. (Revelation 7:1)
oSeven angels release seven judgments into the earth. (Revelation chapters 8-11)
oSeven angels pour judgment out of seven bowls onto the earth and its inhabitants. (Revelation chapters 15 and 16)

· Angels may be commissioned to control the elements of nature.
oFour angels withhold earth’s winds on land and sea. (Revelation 7:2-3)
oAn angel is given power to intensify the sun’s heat. (Revelation 16:8-9)
oAngels are commissioned to destroy vegetation, salt and fresh waters. (Revelation 8-9)

· Angels will participate in the final judgment. (Matthew 13:47-50; 25:31-32; 2 Thessalonians 1:6 9)

· Angels Minister in Worship

Then I looked, and 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,12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,to receive power and wealth and wisdom and mightand honor and glory and blessing!”13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lambbe blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:11-14)

· Song of the redeemed seems to exclude the angels.

And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scrolland to open it seals,for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for Godfrom every tribe and language and people and nation,10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God and they shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:10-11)
Angels will gather the elect at the second coming. (Matthew 24:31)

Angels will cast the wicked into hell at the final judgement. (Matthew 13:49-50)

The Angel of the Lord

mal’ak YHWH –

· This Old Testament entity is believed to be God himself manifested to his people.
oThese manifestations are sometimes physical, as well as spiritual.
§Gideon – (Judges 6:11-12)
§Samson’s parents (Judges 13)

· The angel of Yahweh is central to the Godhead concept. (Heiser)

· This angel received intercession from Abraham and is identified as the Lord
o Abraham interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:22-33)

· The Angel of the Lord bears God’s covenant name

“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.21 Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.22 “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. (Exodus 23:20-22)

· This angel has authority to withhold the forgiveness of sin.
oPharisees objection to Jesus – “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:7).

· God explains to Moses that His very presence is with this angel.
oHe represents the visible form of Yahweh Himself.
oThis angel is associated with the glory cloud in the wilderness.

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. (Exodus 13:20-21)

· The angel of YHWH received worship.

When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14 And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipedand said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. (Joshua 5:13-15)