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April
How We See Angels
Dear Friends,
Not long ago one of the young boys in our congregation approached me after a Sunday service and asked me whether I had ever seen an angel. I replied to him that I had seen many angels and that I was surprised to learn from him that he had never seen any angels. The boy, in turn, asked me why I should be surprised that he had never seen an angel. I responded that we both had been singing Psalm 91 that very morning and I reminded him of the words of vv.11,12 where we are told that the Lord gives His angels charge concerning us, to guard and uphold us. The boy replied that he did not see any angels just because we sang about them. This led me to the critical point, where I told the boy that we Christians do not walk by sight but by faith; that we see not so much with our eyes as we do with our ears, hearing and believing the Word of God. To my delight the boy with joy declared that he would thereafter believe God’s Word concerning the angels and all else that the Lord reveals in Scripture. I felt a bit like Elisha, who prayed for his servant’s eyes to be opened to behold the angelic hosts that were greater than the Syrian soldiers who had come to arrest the prophet (2 Kings 6:8ff).
In our day of scientific empiricism and philosophical materialism and hedonistic sensuality, it is common to find that many believers pay lip-service to the angels while practically denying them. Such believers follow an ancient path blazed by the Sadducees, who were the rationalistic opponents of Jesus. The Sadducees denied both the existence of angels as well as the possibility of the resurrection (Mt. 22:23). They and their followers—ancient and modern—fancy that by their superior understanding they have truer insight into the realities of life. Instead, they limit themselves to impoverished living and deny themselves the help and comforting blessing of the great and powerful celestial hosts who are deputed by our Lord to minister to us (Heb. 1:13,14), as they have ministered to the people of God through the ages, including our Savior’s parents (Lk. 1:26ff; Mt. 1:20ff; 2:13, 19ff) as well as our Savior Himself (Mt. 4:11). Just one of these angels is seen to be so gloriously majestic and awesomely powerful, that when John was allowed a vision of him the apostle fell down to worship him (Rev. 19:10; 22:8,9). A host of these angelic beings announced the birth of our Redeemer (Lk. 2:8-15). Legions of angels were held in abeyance at the crucifixion of our Lord, ready to execute His will, whether it was to destroy the opponents of Jesus or to watch in amazement as the King of glory humbled Himself to be tortured, mocked, and executed as though He were a criminal and a blasphemer. Angels served as attendants at the resurrection of Jesus (Mt. 28:5; Lk. 24:4,5), and they will accompany Jesus when He returns on the day of judgment (Mk. 8:38).
It will be a cause of shame, confusion, and dread when on the final day men behold the glorious angelic hosts whom they have denied. It will be a day of embarrassment to many Christians as well, when they who maintained a practical ignorance of the angels learn that they are supposed to judge them (1 Cor. 6:3).
Why would any Christian want to be in company with those who deny these great servants of the Lord and of us? We do well to read and heed the teaching of God’s Word regarding the angels. We shall find our fears vanquished and our afflictions comforted when we, by faith, reckon upon the reality of these angelic beings and rely upon the protecting service they render for us. We, of course, should not worship the angels as some have attempted and others still seek to do. Yet, the tendency of most believers today is to under-rate, not to over-rate, these holy messengers of God.
Let us, then, pray that the Lord would open the eyes of our hearts, so that we might like Jacob of old behold the angels of God, ascending to and descending from heaven, in order to receive their instructions from our heavenly Father and to carry them out according to His perfect and prevailing wisdom, love, and power (Gen. 28:12). If we know we walk in company with such glorious celestial servants we shall be less fearful, less presumptuously inclined to sin, less anxious, less frustrated and compromising, and we shall be more faithful, fearless, and fruitful in our witness and work for our Savior. We shall also know greater joy and be filled with more gratitude to God for these holy angelic ministers whom He has charged to serve for our welfare.
Yours in a great company of redeemed men and holy angels,
William Harrell
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Sunday
Morning Worship 10:30 AM
Evening Worship
6:30 PM
Wednesday
Christian Education
7:00 PM
Saturday
Congregational Prayer Meeting
7:00 PM |
