ANGELS
The fact of the existence and activity of Angels is
everywhere
assumed in the Scriptures. Both the Hebrew word mal'ah, and the
Greek
word angelos, translated "Angel," mean, literally,
"messenger."
Suggesting the idea of the office rather than the nature of the
celestial being. Over 230 times in the Bible record we find Angels
busily engaged in carrying out their office work. It is
interesting
to note that Angels were present at every crisis in the unfolding
Panorama of the Ages.
There is a great deal
revealed in the Bible about angels. They can
appear in human form, (Genesis 19:5, 10, 16) they spoke as men,
took
men by the hand, even ate men's food, (Genesis 18:8; 19:3, 16) are
capable of direct physical combat, (Death of the Firstborn in
Egypt,
Exodus 12; Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 19; 185,000 troops
slaughtered, 2 Kings 19:35) some are the principal forces behind
the
world powers. (Daniel 10) They don't marry (in Heaven - Matthew
22:30), but are capable of producing offspring. (Genesis 6:1-2; 2
Peter 2:4; Jude 6). They act as messengers of God (Genesis 16:7 -
10,
Matthew 1:20-24). They can remain invisible to us if they wish
(Numbers 22:22 - 35). They protect God's people (Psalm 34:7). They
can perform mighty works and wonders (Judges 6:21 - 22). The Bible
also reveals the startling fact that these unseen spiritual
intelligences are divided into two distinct and innumerable hosts.
The one, holy and active as "ministering spirits" of the
Almighty--
the other, servants of Satan, equally as active, but with evil
intent
to hinder and destroy that which is wrought of God in the world
(cosmos).
THE Creation OF ANGELS
God's Word clearly teaches that Angels were the first and highest
order of created things. It is assumed (Colossians 1:16-17;
Nehemiah
9:6; Psalm 148:1-5) that Angels were created simultaneously. That
is,
they constitute a created "host" in distinction from "a
race". Each
angel being a direct creation of God, not brought into being by
propagation as in the human family. As immortal, infinite, spirit
beings not subject to death or procreation, the angelic hosts,
created a perfect and complete company, will remain numerically
unchanged throughout their eternal existence.
While it is true that certain Angels violated the will of God and
the
purpose of their created existence, each one must, in the end,
give
account to his Creator for his own conduct (II Peter 2:4; Jude 6;
Matthew 25:41; Ezekiel 28: 14-16).
How long after
the creation of the celestial hosts God created the
material universe, we do not know, But this we do know that Angels
were present as heavenly choristers (Job 38:4-7) rejoicing at the
marvel of the divine works. We do not read of these celestial
spectators rejoicing over the creation of any other planet--Mars,
Jupiter, Saturn--but the Earth. Perhaps the great Creator revealed
to "the heavenly hosts" (who were to be so closely associated
with
this world) that this tiny planet was to be the center of the
whole
story of amazing Grace, the scene of their future and faithful
concern as they were " sent forth to minister for them who shall
be
heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:14).
THE FORM AND NATURE OF ANGELS
The most learned scholars are greatly divided on the subject of
the
embodiment or unembodiment of Angels. In other words, are Angels
purely spirit, absolutely immaterial (not consisting of matter)
and
incorporeal (having no substance or parts) , as God is purely
spirit?
Or are they clothed in an indescribably refined fabric of material
nature unknowable to us but suited to their being and purpose? The
Apostle Paul speaks of celestial "bodies" and terrestrial
"bodies.
The glorified saints upon their arrival in heaven, we understand,
will have "a spiritual body"; thus, it would appear that
"spirits"
have a determinate form which is adapted to the law of their
being.
When Jesus said "... a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see
me
have," He did not imply that spirits have no form at all, but
rather
that in whatever form they are enshrined it is different from the
form His disciples were then looking upon--His own glorified
humanity
(Luke 24 : 37-39).
Though Angels were often sent as "messengers of God" to
approach the
sphere of human life, these "appearances" in no way proved
the
material substance of their form, since they were occasioned by
God's
sovereign will and purpose--to make Angels visible and
understandable
to the senses of men.
DO ANGELS HAVE WINGS?
In the account of Daniel's supplication (Daniel 9: 21) it is
recorded
that an angel was "caused to fly swiftly," while other
passages
suggest the same idea of the flight of angels. The supposition
that
all angels have wings, as we think of wings, has been generally
accepted largely because angels have been "pictured" with
wings in
the Art and Literature of centuries.
It is true that Cherubim and Seraphim are described as having
wings,
and the swiftness of angels' movements in executing the commands
of "The Lord God of Hosts" is represented as
"flying" on their
missions. Because angels are unseen spirit-beings their means of
flight must remain a mystery. We cannot know by what means of
movement a "spirit" is dispatched upon its errand. Legions of
angels
would have descended from heaven to Gethsemane in an instant had
Jesus prayed the Father. Thus we see the possibility of angelic
activity far beyond our finite understanding.
THE NUMBER OF ANGELS
Such figures as "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands
of
thousands" (Revelation 5:11), "an innumerable company
[Greek,
knyriads']" (Hebrews 12:22), "thousand thousands and ten
thousand
times ten thousand" (Daniel 7:10), "a multitude"
(Luke
2:13), "legions" (Matthew 26:53), were not intended to give
a
definite or limited number of the heavenly hosts, but to convey a
sense of immensity beyond all finite computation.
THE ABODE OF ANGELS
It is generally understood that the throne of God and the abode of
angels is "in the heavens" (Psalm 103:19-21). In the
Scriptures,
however, the word "heaven" is used in so many ways that it is
often
difficult to visualize which Part of the heavenly sphere is
designated. In Genesis 1:1 we read, " God created the heaven and
the
earth." In the Hebrew, "heaven" is in the plural form,
"heavens,"
which somewhat clarifies the fact that at least three
"heavens" are
identified in the Scriptures. Paul tells us that he was caught up
into "the third heaven" (11 Corinthians 12:2), which
naturally
presupposes a first and a second.
The location of the heaven of which Paul speaks is not revealed,
but
is generally accepted as the "heaven of heavens", where
"He whom all
heavens can not contain" reveals His Glory. It is also the abode
of
angels who behold the unveiled Glory of the Lord God Of Hosts--the
heaven of the Redeemed, who will ever be with the Lord (Revelation
4:1-4).
Next, in descent, would be the starry, or
stellar heavens, identified
by such references as "the stars of heaven" (Genesis 26:4).
"··· he
made the stars also"--"... the firmament sheweth his handywork"
(Genesis 1:16; Psalm 19:1).
Next, the atmospheric
heavens of which such references are made
as "birds of the heaven" (Matthew 18:20), "the clouds of
heaven"
(Matthew 24: 30), "the windows of heaven" (Genesis
7:11).
These distinctions are important to our
study of Angelology. It is
clear, from the Scriptures, that all angels were created good,
clothed in form suited to their spirit-nature, and assigned to an
habitation, or first-state, particularly their own in God's
sovereign
purpose. It is also clear that a great multitude of the angelic
order
left their first estate, and "the heavenly places," or lower
heavens,
stand for the unseen spiritual realm in which these fallen spirits
now have temporary habitation.
THE Classification OF ANGELS
The Scriptures reveal various ranks or orders representing
governmental authority or supremacy among the angelic hosts, as
mentioned in Colossians 1:1-16, namely: Thrones (thronoi),
Dominions
(kuriotetes), Principalities (archai), Authorities (exousiai) and
Powers (dunameis).
The Bible revelation regarding angels and the heavenly sphere of
governmental rule and authority is greatly veiled, but even by the
yardstick of earthly realities we may rightfully assume these
denominations to be representative of great dignity and varying
degrees of rank and station.
CHERUBIM AND SERAPHIM
Another order of exalted celestial beings is mentioned, apart from
those of rank and authority listed above, namely: Cherubim and
Seraphim. Some learned scholars believe that these name-words are
merely symbols of God's attributes. The majority of expositors,
however, maintain that they refer to exalted spirit-beings of the
angelic order closely related to the throne and zealous of the
majesty, the holiness and the unceasing worship of the Lord of
Hosts.
Cherubim: We find the first appearance of cherubim in the Garden
of
Eden, where God had dispatched them to guard the way of "the Tree
of
Life" from fallen Adam (Genesis 3:24). Alexander Cruden
defines "cherub" as one of an order of angels. Plural,
properly "cherubim" ("cherubims" in the Authorized
Version, Exodus
25:18-22). Upon the ark of the covenant golden replicas of
cherubim
were cast in one piece with the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies,
where God dwelt in the midst of His people. Thus it is said, " .
.
thou that dwellest between the cherubims . . . (Psalm 80:1). The
curtains of the Tabernacle and the veil of the Temple were
embroidered with a pattern of cherubim (Exodus 26:1; II Chronicles
3:14). The walls, doors and the sanctuary were decorated with
Carved
cherubim overlaid with gold (I Kings 6:23-35).
The
symbolical significance of the cherubim "ever before the
people"
may justify the thinking of many Bible scholars; namely, that the
proper signification of the word "cherub" is "to cover,
guard,
protect." The cherubims "guarded" the way in Eden.
Lucifer was
appointed the "covering" cherub (evidently belonging to the
order of
cherubim). Their high and holy position, closely related to the
Throne of Jehovah--even as the carved symbols of their presence,
with
out- stretched wings, in the Holy of Holies--suggested attendance
and
readiness to be dispatched from the throne of God
as "guardians," "coverers," "defenders" of
His absolute Holiness.
The "Living
Creatures" mentioned in Ezekiel's visions of the Shekinah
Glory of the Lord (chapters 1 and 10), are identical with the
cherubim.
Seraphim: A plural word occurring only
in Isaiah 6:1-7: Isaiah's
vision of Jehovah. Like the cherubim, seraphim are seen attending
on
the Lord of Hosts as He is seated ". . . upon a throne, high
and
lifted up. . . ." The Hebrew word translated "burners" is
of
uncertain origin. Fire was often connected with the attendants of
deity among many peoples, and it is probable that "burning"
may lie
at the base of the idea. One of the seraphim is seen in the vision
as
an agent of burning, or purifying the lips of the penitent
Prophet,
possibly bespeaking a ministry of purification and unceasing
worship.
Thus, these glorious beings are expressive of that holiness which
demands "cleansing" before "serving." With what
reverence we Should
approach the Throne of Divine Majesty, when seraphim hide their
faces
and cover their feet in conscious humility and unceasing
praise.
LUCIFER-MICHAEL-GABRIEL
Three celestial princes are named in the Scriptures: Lucifer ("son
of
the morning")--Michael (Hebrew, "who is like
God")--Gabriel ("mighty
one").
Lucifer: The most exalted of the angels, by creation and
appointment,
occupies the place of prominence in the Scriptures, second only to
the Godhead. By his sin, the first created being to cross the
will,
the word and the purpose of the Creator, he became a devil--The
Devil
(ho diabolos). He appears about forty times throughout the
Scriptures
under different titles. (From the second panel of Chart No. 1 we
shall begin our study of "Satanology.")
Michael:
This distinguished angel is named five times (Daniel 10:13,
21; 12:1; Jude 9; Revelation 12:7). He is referred to as
"standing"
for Daniel's people, therefore he is regarded as the heavenly
patron
of Israel and the watchful guardian of God's people against both
earthly and satanic foes.
In Daniel 10:13, Michael
is called "one of the chief princes," a term
which presupposes other princes in the angelic hierarchy. In
Daniel
10 we find reference to "the prince of Persia" and "the
prince of
Grecia." These mighty angels, now fallen and corrupted, ap- pear
to
be subservient to Satan, who is called "the prince of demons,"
"the
prince of the power of the air " "prince of this world
[cosmos]. it
is Michael who opposes Satan in a dispute concerning the body of
Moses (Jude 9). It is Michael who leads the angelic army in heaven
against "that old serpent, called the Devil," and his
angels
(Revelation 12:7).
In Jude 9, Michael is called
"the archangel" (the Scriptures do not
speak of the plural, "archangels"). It is generally believed
that the
unnamed archangel whose voice will be heard when Christ descends
from
heaven to meet His raptured Saints--is Michael (I Thessalonians
4:16). Thus, the rank of archangel is mentioned only twice, and is
applied to the mighty prince of angels, Michael.
Gabriel:
Gabriel is named four times (Daniel 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19;
1:26). He is not identified as an archangel, although the meaning
of
his name is "the mighty one. While Michael appears to be the
messenger of Law and Judgment, Gabriel is the messenger of Mercy
and
Promise .
It was Gabriel who brought the message
to Zachariah; announcing the
birth of John the forerunner of the Messiah (Luke 1:19). It was
Gabriel who brought the annunciation of the Saviour's Birth to
Mary.
It was Gabriel who was dispatched by God with the answer to the
fervent prayers of Daniel, the bewildered, burdened Prophet. After
being delayed by a contest with Satan's emissary, Gabriel brought
a
revelation of the most momentous import to the praying Prophet,
disclosing to him a summary of all that was to come to his people,
in
the great prophecy of "The Seventy Weeks of Years" (Daniel
9:20-27).
When God became Man
Isaiah 720 BC, Psalms 1000 BC, Micah 620 BC......Twenty Prophecies
fulfilled in His First Coming
How do you know it is true??? Buried inside the Ancient
Hebrew
writings (Old Testament) written hundreds and some over a
thousand
years BC is the foretelling of what would take place when God
became
man. This is how you know it is true. The prophecies were
very
specific and told exactly when and where God would come to
earth.
The New Testament (written in Greek after the death of Christ)
confirms these truths.
He would be born in Bethlehem (Beit Lechem). (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:4-
6; John 7:42)
The exact time of His crucifixion was known (483 years from the
decree to build the temple, which was around 444 B.C.E.). (Daniel
9:25; Nehemiah 2:1-8; 5:14)
He would be born of a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-23;
Galatians 4:4; Genesis 3:15)
His name would be Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew), which means
"Savior"
or "Salvation." The word Yeshua in Hebrew means
"salvation." It is
derived from another Hebrew word, Yashah, which means "to
save,
deliver, preserve, bring salvation, get victory." (Matthew
1:21)
He would be the Son of G-d and G-d would be His Father.
(Psalm 89:26-27; 2 Samuel 7:8,12-14; 1 Chronicles 22:7-10; Hebrews
1:1-2,5; Mark 14:36; John 20:30-31)
He would go to Egypt and return to the land of Israel.(Hosea 11:1;
Matthew 2:13-15))
He would be preceded by a messenger (a type of Elijah [Eliyahu]
known
as John (Yochanan) the Immerser [Baptist]) who would prepare the
way
of the Lord. (Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:13,76; Matthew 11:7,10
He gave up the glory in Heaven for the poverty of earth. (Luke
9:58;
2 Corinthians 8:9)
He would ride into Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) on a donkey.
(Zechariah
9:9; Matthew 21:5)
He would be sold for 30 pieces of silver. (Zechariah 11:12;
Matthew
26:14-16)
He would be nailed to a tree. (Deuteronomy 21:22-23; Psalm 22:16;
John 19:18; 20:25)
He would die for our sins. (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1
Peter
2:24)
He would be spit upon. (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67, 27:30)
He would be given gall and vinegar to eat and drink. (Psalm 69:21;
Matthew 27:34,48)
Not one bone would be broken. (Psalm 34:20; John 19:33,36)
He would be pierced. (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34,37)
He is King of the Jews (and the world). (Psalm 2:6; John 18:33,37;
19:19-22)
His soul would not be left in hell. (Psalm 16:10; 49:15; 56:13;
Acts
2:27,31; 13:33-35)
He would rise from the dead. (Psalm 16:10; Luke 24:6,31,34; Acts 2:27-
31; 13:35)
He would rise the third day from the grave. (Jonah 1:17; 1
Corinthians 15:4; Luke 24:45-46; Matthew 12:40)
Websites
for your home studies....
Rapture study
http://www.ldolphin.org/raptpromise.html
A series of studies on
the book of
Daniel....end times, prophecies, etc.
http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/daniel/index.html
Studies
on Revelation....
http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/revelation/index.html
God
does not ask that people believe in Him without evidence....He
uses many
forms of knowledge to demonstrate who He is. One of these is
prophecy.
Thousands of years ago God spoke to the prophets of Israel to tell
them He
was coming to earth. He told them where and when and under
what
conditions
and that He would suffer and die so that man could be saved.
The
fact that
Jesus was a man is a historical fact. We know He lived, just as
we
know Nero
and Alexander the Great lived. The Bible is divided into two
parts...the Old
Testament and the New. The Old Testament was written in
Hebrew....the last
book was written approximately four hundred BC. The New
Testament
was
written in Greek from after Christ died primarily by eye
witnesses.
We know
the Old Testament existed long before Christ due to the discovery
of
the Dead
Sea Scrolls and the historical fact that the Jews built temples
and
taught
from the scrolls. Following are just a few of the prophecies
contained in
the Old Testament that Christ ( the Messiah, the Savior) was
coming.
The
entire Bible is the revelation of God, of Christ. Prophecy is
the
prediction
of a future event. It is given by God to prove who He is.
There are
literally hundreds of prophecies in the Bible, dealing with the
past
that has
proven correct but also future events yet to happen.
Zec 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of
Jerusalem:
behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he [is] just, and having
salvation; lowly,
and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
In
Zecariah (spelling)..the prophet foretold that Zion's (Israel)
King would
come riding an ass. I find this one of the most interesting
from
several
aspects. First, the King, would offer salvation, eternal
life.
Second,
notice that He will be riding the colt of an ass. No King in
history
rides a
donkey, it just doesn't happen. They always rode stallions.
Also
notice
that it is the colt of an ass. A colt has never been broken,
an
unbroken
horse will buck you off. Also notice that He will ride into
Jerusalem. Now
we know that Christ rode into Jersusalem on Palm Sunday before His
execution.
He was riding a colt of an ass. When He rode in many common
people
(but not
the religious leaders) yelled Hosanna (this means save us).
Zecariah
was
written hundreds of years before the event.
Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be little among
the
thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto me
[that is]
to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth [have been] from of old,
from
everlasting.
Micah is a very small book in the Old
Testament. Notice in this
prophecy
several things...first it tells where Christ will be
born....Bethlehem was a
tiny city...it says the King will come from this town...it also
says
something very interesting..His goings forth have been from old,
from
everlasting...why, becasue Christ is God, He existed before the
universe was
created. If you look in the New Testament Joseph and Mary had
to
travel to
Bethlehem before He was born.
'Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a
virgin
shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah
was written about 720 BC. This prophecy spells out that a
virgin
would give birth to a son. The name Immanuel in Hebrew means
"God
Amoung
You". The name Jesus is from Greek translation. In
Hebrew, Jesus's
name was
Yeshua which meant "Jehovah saves". There is a reason
God had to
come into
the world thru a virgin...not just as a miracle sign. Each man
is
born from
the "seed" of another man..the blood of that man transmits the
sin of
his
father....what we call original sin....it is in all of us...you
don't
have to
teach a child to lie.
Behold, my servant shall prosper,
he shall be exalted and lifted up,
and shall be very high.
As many were astonished at him --
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the sons of men --
so shall he startle many nations;
kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which has not been told them they shall see,
and that which they have not heard they shall understand. {Isa
52:13-15 RSV}
Again Isaiah...notice that God's servant, the
Christ, is foretold.
Notice it
says He will be lifted up...as Chirst was lifted up on the
Cross.
Notice
that He is foretold to be beaten to point that people are
astonished
and that
His face was to be beaten until you couldn't tell who He was.
Notice
that,
not the Jews, but the rest of the world will understand who He is.
Who
has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not. {Isa 53:1-3 RSV}
Isaiah
again...notice Christ was not a man people would think was
beautiful
or a King. It was foretold in 720 BC that He would be
rejected...that He
would see grief...that He would be despised.
.
Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt
thou
suffer
thine Holy One to see corruption.
The Psalms were
written in about 1000 BC. This prediction says that
God will
not leave Christ's soul in Hell....or see corruption..rot. His
body
would
not rot. Notice it says thine Holy One, the Savior. Now this
also
foretells
something else...that the Savior would have to die...as He
did......if you
study carefully in the New Testament you will see that Christ
"gave
up His
spirit". He was not killed as you and I think of being
killed...He
chose to
die...if He had wished...He could still be hanging there today.
Psa 22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have
inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the
inhabitants
of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they
shall look
upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one
mourneth
for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that
is in
bitterness for [his] firstborn.
These two prediction come
from Psalms and Zechariah...notice that
they
foretell a number of things which had to happen....first His hands
and feet
had to pierced..they were when nailed to the cross...notice also
that
the
Jews will someday (when He returns) see him and mourn for the one
they
pierced...this refers to the fact that Christ had a spear thrust
into
him on
the cross to make sure He was dead. Remember all these writings
are
hundreds
of years before Christ came.
Zec 11:12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give [me] my price;
and if
not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty [pieces] of
silver.
Zec 11:13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a
goodly price
that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty [pieces] of
silver, and
cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.
Back to
Zechariah...this foretells Christ being sold out for thirty
pieces of
silver. If you look in the New Testament you will see that
Judas
sold him
out to the Romans for exactly thirty pieces of silver and then the
money was
later thrown potter. Only God could foretell such a small detail
of
His
betrayal hundreds of years before it happened.
Websites for your
home studies....
Rapture and Return
http://www.ldolphin.org/kingdom/ch14.html
http://www.ldolphin.org/kingdom/ch4.html
http://www.ldolphin.org/Return.html
http://www.ldolphin.org/raptpromise.html
A series of studies on the book of
Daniel....end times, prophecies, etc.
http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/daniel/index.html
Studies on Revelation....
http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/revelation/index.html
God's Calendar
http://pbc.org/dp/stedman/leviticus/0520.html
The Jewish Wedding and the Bride of Christ
http://www.ariel.org/ff00113c.html
Olivet Discourse......
http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/olivet/index.html
Israel....birth pangs
http://www.ldolphin.org/odino.html
New World Order
http://www.ldolphin.org/kingdom/ch7.html
Genesis study
http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/genesis/index.html
Temple studies…
http://www.ldolphin.org/ezektmp.html
http://www.ldolphin.org/whytemp.html
http://www.ldolphin.org/kingdom/ch9.html
New Bodies
http://www.ldolphin.org/newbodies.html
Misc. study sites
http://www.pbc.org/
http://www.ldolphin.org/
http://www.geocities.com/his_emissary/
http://www.levitt.com/
http://www.direct.ca/trinity/king.html
http://www.blueletterbible.org/index.html
http://pbc.org/dp/stedman/adventure/0241.html http://www.prophecyinthenews.com/index.asp
Seventy Prophecies fulfilled in His First Coming
Ancient Hebrew writings (Old Testament) written hundreds and
some
over a thousand years BC. This is how you know it is true.
The
prophecies were very specific and told exactly when and where God
would come to earth. The New Testament (written in Greek after
the
death of Christ) confirms these truths.
He would be a descendent of Abraham (Avraham). (Genesis 12:1-3;
18:18; 22:18; Matthew 1:1-2,17; Galatians 3:8,16)
He would be from the tribe of Judah (Yehudah) . (Genesis 49:8-10;
Hebrews 7:14; Revelation 5:5)
He would be a descendent of David. (2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-13; 1
Chronicles 17:11-14; Psalm 132:11; Luke 1:32-33,67-69; Acts
2:29-30;
Matthew 1:17; Romans 1:3)
He would be born in Bethlehem (Beit Lechem). (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:4-
6; John 7:42)
He would be from Nazareth and be called a Nazarene. (Matthew 2:23;
Luke 1:26-27; John 1:45; Judges 13:5-7,24)
The exact time of His crucifixion was known (483 years from the
decree to build the temple, which was around 444 B.C.E.). (Daniel
9:25; Nehemiah 2:1-8; 5:14)
He would be born of a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-23;
Galatians 4:4; Genesis 3:15)
His name would be Immanuel. Immanuel in Hebrew means "G-d with
us."
(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23)
His name would be Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew), which means
"Savior"
or "Salvation." The word Yeshua in Hebrew means
"salvation." It is
derived from another Hebrew word, Yashah, which means "to
save,
deliver, preserve, bring salvation, get victory." (Matthew
1:21)
His name would be the Messiah. The word Christ in English comes
from
the Greek word Christos, which means "The Anointed One."
Christos in
Greek is the word Mashiach in Hebrew, which also means "The
Anointed
One." The word Mashiach means "Messiah," who is Yeshua.
(John 1:41)
He would be the only begotten Son of G-d. (Psalm 2:2,6-7; John
1:14;
Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:1-2,5)
He would be the Son of G-d and G-d would be His Father.
(Psalm 89:26-27; 2 Samuel 7:8,12-14; 1 Chronicles 22:7-10; Hebrews
1:1-2,5; Mark 14:36; John 20:30-31)
He would be circumcised the eighth day according to the law of
purification. (Luke 2:21-24; Leviticus 12:1-6)
He would go to Egypt and return to the land of Israel.(Hosea 11:1;
Matthew 2:13-15)
Young babies would die in an attempt to kill Yeshua at His birth.
(Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16-18)
He would be preceded by a messenger (a type of Elijah [Eliyahu]
known
as John (Yochanan) the Immerser [Baptist]) who would prepare the
way
of the Lord. (Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:13,76; Matthew 11:7,10)
The messenger, John (Yochanan) the Immerser (Baptist), would be
preaching in the wilderness. (Isaiah 40:3-5; Luke 1:13,80,3:2-6)
He would be a prophet like Moses (Moshe). (Deuteronomy 18:15; John
1:45; Acts 3:20-23)
He would be anointed of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh). (Isaiah
11:1-2; 42:1; Matthew 3:16)
He would preach and teach in the temple (Beit HaMikdash). (Malachi
3:1; Luke 4:16; Matthew 26:55; John 7:28; 8:1-2)
He came specifically to the house of Israel and not to the
Gentiles.
(Matthew 15:21-26)
Yeshua would be rejected by His own people Israel (corporately).
[Note: It should be pointed out that many, many individual Jews
were
believers in Messiah during the first century. This can be seen
very
clearly by carefully examining Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the
Book of Acts.(Psalm 69:8; 31:11; 88:8,18; Job 19:13; John 1:11;
7:3,5)] Yeshua is the stone that the builders rejected.(Psalm
118:22; Isaiah 3:10-12; Romans 9:11)
Yeshua would be received by the Gentiles (corporately). [Note: It
should be pointed out that many Gentiles are not believers in Yeshua
and many others are believers in name only and not true followers
with their hearts. The believers in Messiah are commanded to follow G-
d with all of their heart (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).] (Isaiah 11:10;
42:6;
49:6,22; 54:3; 60:3,5,11,16; 61:6,9; 62:2; 66:12,19; Malachi 1:11;
Luke 2:30-32; Acts 28:28)
He would speak in parables. (Psalm 78:2-4; Matthew 13:34-35)
The ministry of Yeshua would be in Galilee. (Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew
4:12-16,23)
His ministry would be to heal the sick, set the captives free, and
preach deliverance. This is known as the basar (gospel) in Hebrew.
(Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:16-21; Matthew 4:23; 9:34-35; Acts 2:22;
10:38)
Yeshua was to be the shepherd of Israel because Israel had no
shepherd. (Ezekiel 34:5-10; 1 Kings 22:17; Zechariah 10:2; Genesis
49:22,24; Psalm 23:1; 80:1; Isaiah 40:10-11; Ezekiel 34:23-24;
37:24;
John 10:11,14-15)
His message would not be believed. (Isaiah 53:1; John 12:37-38)
The meek would praise Him. (Psalm 8:1-2; Matthew 21:15-16)
Illegal merchandise trading would be done in the temple. (Psalm
69:9;
John 2:13-17; Isaiah 56:7; Matthew 21:12-13)
He would be hated. (Psalm 69:4; 35:19; 109:2-3; 119:161; John 15:24-
25)
He would be a reproach to the people. (Psalm 69:9; 89:50-51;
Romans
15:3)
He would not seek publicity. (Isaiah 42:1-2; Matthew 12:15-19;
9:30;
8:4)
He can be trusted and would be compassionate. (Isaiah 42:3;
Matthew
12:15,20-21)
No evil words would proceed from His mouth. (Isaiah 53:9; Luke
23:41;
1 Peter 2:21-22; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
His disciples would forsake Him. (Zechariah 13:7; Matthew 26:31-
35,56)
There was nothing physically beautiful in Him to be desired.
(Isaiah
53:2; Psalm 22:6; Mark 6:1-3; Philippians 2:7)
He gave up the glory in Heaven for the poverty of earth. (Luke
9:58;
2 Corinthians 8:9)
He would publicly enter Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) before the time
of
His crucifixion. (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1-5)
He would ride into Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) on a donkey.
(Zechariah
9:9; Matthew 21:5)
He would be sold for 30 pieces of silver. (Zechariah 11:12;
Matthew
26:14-16)
His betrayal price would be given for a potter's field. (Zechariah
11:13; Matthew 27:3,7-10)
He would be betrayed by a friend. (Psalm 41:9; John 13:18-21)
Both Jew and Gentile would conspire against Him. (Psalm 2:1-2;
Acts
4:27-28; Matthew 26:3; 27:1-2)
He would be nailed to a tree. (Deuteronomy 21:22-23; Psalm 22:16;
John 19:18; 20:25)
He would suffer for others. (Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 20:28)
He would die for our sins. (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1
Peter
2:24)
He would be mocked. (Psalm 22:7-8; Matthew 27:39-43)
He would die with the transgressors. (Isaiah 53: 12; Mark
15:27-28)
He would make intercession for His murderers. (Isaiah 53:12; Luke
23:34)
He would be smitten. (Micah 5:1; Isaiah 50:6; Lamentations 3:30;
Matthew 26:67; 27:30)
He would be spit upon. (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67, 27:30)
He would be forsaken by G-d. (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46)
He would be given gall and vinegar to eat and drink. (Psalm 69:21;
Matthew 27:34,48)
He opened not His mouth when accused. (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew
26:63-64;
27:12-14)
His garments would be parted. (Psalm 22:18; Matthew 27:35)
Not one bone would be broken. (Psalm 34:20; John 19:33,36)
He would be pierced. (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34,37)
He would be like a lamb going to the slaughter. (Isaiah 53:7; Acts
8:26-35)
He is King of the Jews (and the world). (Psalm 2:6; John 18:33,37;
19:19-22)
He would be buried with the rich. (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60)
He would die. (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:50)
His soul would not be left in hell. (Psalm 16:10; 49:15; 56:13;
Acts
2:27,31; 13:33-35)
He would rise from the dead. (Psalm 16:10; Luke 24:6,31,34; Acts 2:27-
31; 13:35)
Others would rise from the dead with Him. (Psalm 68:18; Ephesians
4:8; Matthew 27:52-53)
He would rise the third day from the grave. (Jonah 1:17; 1
Corinthians 15:4; Luke 24:45-46; Matthew 12:40)
He would ascend into Heaven. (Psalm 68:18; Acts 1:9; Luke
24:50-51)
He would sit at the right hand of G-d. (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews
1:2-3;
Ephesians 1:20-21; 1 Peter 3:22)
He would usher in a New Covenant (Brit Hadashah). (Jeremiah 31:31;
Luke 22:20)
He would be a sure foundation to all who believe. (Isaiah 28: 16;
Romans 10:11; 1 Peter 2:4-6)
by
Lambert Dolphin
Introduction
"It is important to recognize...that God doesn't just sit in
heaven
and push buttons on a control panel. He uses "messengers,"
better
known to us by the Greek word: angels. The Biblical view of the
universe is not the modern one of vast reaches of barren space
interrupted every couple of million miles or so by flying dead
boulders. The Biblical view of the universe is that it is teeming
and
throbbing with life everywhere. The cosmos is heavily populated
with "legions" and "myriads" of angelic beings, of
various ranks
(Colossians 1:16) and "species" (see, for instance, the
descriptions
in Ezekiel 1:5-25 and Revelation 4:6-8). Angels are associated
with
astronomical phenomena throughout the Bible (Judges 5:20; Job
38:7;
Isaiah 14:13; Matthew 24:29; Jude 13; Revelation 1:20; 8:10-12;
9:1;12:4) as well as with the activity of the weather: wind,
storms,
and lightning are spoken of in connection with the actions of God
and
the angels in both blessing and curse (Genesis 8:1; 41:27; Exodus
10:13,19; 14:21; 15:10; 19:16; Numbers 11:31; Psalm 18:10;
104:3,4;
107:25; 135:7; 147:18;148:8; Ezekiel 1:4ff; Matthew 24:31; John
3:8;
Acts 2:2; Revelation 7:1-3; 8:5,7; 16:8, 17, 18). Clearly, the
Biblical worldview does not attribute changes in weather to
impersonal "forces" or "processes,"
He makes
the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
He makes winds his messengers [angels],
flames of fire his servants. (Psalm 104:3, 4, NIV)
"God
controls the government of the universe," said Calvin. "No
wind
ever arises or increases except by God's express command."
Further, "since angels are the powers of God, it follows that
they
never cease from their office of working. For God never can rest:
he
sustains the world by his energy, he governs everything however
minute, so that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without his
decree (Matthew 10:29)...God works continually by angels...so that
all creatures are animated by angelic motion: not that there is a
conversion of the angel into an ox or a man, but because God
exerts
and diffuses his energy in a secret manner, so that no creature is
content with his own peculiar vigor, but is animated by angels
themselves." Martin Luther, as usual more pithy and direct,
took
seriously the psalmist's statement that the wind has wings. After
a
particularly severe and violent storm, he offered his opinions on
the
subject: "The devil provokes such storms, but good winds are
produced
by good angels. Winds are nothing but spirits, either good or
evil.
The devil sits there and snorts, and so do the angels when the
winds
are salubrious."
"The Biblical worldview is
uncompromising: God is running the world.
Every atom in the universe is under His command. His Word created
and
sustains in Him. That is why He can assert His power and authority
in
such absolute terms:
I form the light and create darkness,
I make peace and create calamity,
I, the LORD, do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7)
Who can
speak and have it happen
if the LORD has not decreed it?
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that both calamities and good things come?
(Lamentations 3:37, 38, NIV)"
(from Power in the
Blood, by David Chilton, p66-67, Wolgemuth and
Hyatt, Brentwood, TN, 1987)
Art work by Rodney rtreadway@e... (by permission)
The Creation of the Angels
The angels were created sometime during creation week, after
Genesis
1:1. They were not in existence prior to that. It is most likely
the
angels were created early-on, as they were apparently observers of
the work of creation.
Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the
heavens, praise him in the
heights! Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!
Praise
him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him,
you
highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise
the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created. And
he
established them for ever and ever; he fixed their bounds which
cannot be passed. Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters
and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind
fulfilling
his command! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of
the
earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young
men
and maidens together, old men and children! Let them praise the
name
of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above
earth
and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all
his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise
the
LORD! (Psalm 148)
The association of the angels with the stars
suggests that the angels
were created one by one, and each named, as the stars are all
named, "He determines the number of the stars, he gives to all
of
them their names." (Psalm 147:4)
God questioned Job about
his knowledge of the creation, "Where were
you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have
understanding. Who determined its measurements --surely you know!
Or
who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or
who
laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and
all
the sons of God [bene elohim, the angels] shouted for joy?" (Job
38:4-
7)
The angels belong to ranks and orders, but they are not
related to
one another, that is they are not a connected race as we are. The
Letter to the Hebrews tells us that salvation is not offered to
the
angels but is reserved for the human family, for the descendants
of
Adam.
...we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower
than the
angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of
death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every
one. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things
exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of
their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies
and
those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is
not
ashamed to call them brethren, saying, "I will proclaim thy name
to
my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise
thee."
And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Here
am I, and
the children God has given me." Since therefore the children share
in
flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature,
that
through death he might destroy him who has the power of death,
that
is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death
were
subject to lifelong bondage. For surely it is not with angels that
he
is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had
to
be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become
a
merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make
expiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has
suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are
tempted.
(Hebrews 2:9-18)
The Inhabitants Of The Spiritual Realm
Most of modern science pays little heed to anything that exists in
the spiritual realm. In the first place, the scientific method
limits
scientific investigation to the physical world. The prevailing
secular scientific world view today is that of naturalism, or
scientism. Naturalism holds that only the physical world is
relevant.
God if He exists at all, He plays no role in the day by day
running
of the universe. At most, God could be a "First Cause," but if
so, we
do not need God to explain anything to us after the Big Bang
begins.
Or, many say that the material world is all there is, so-called
spiritual truth either does not exist or has no relevance to the
world of science. These views are radically different in
comparison
to a Biblical world-view. The physical world is only half of the
creation, and the invisible half of creation is the more permanent
and substantial than the physical world. In many ways the material
world is a world of shadows. Not only did God design the universe,
He
constructed it in minute detail over a period of time and then set
it
all in motion. Furthermore, without His moment by moment
sustaining
power the very atoms themselves would fly apart and the universe
would go up in smoke. This is clear from statements such as
Hebrews
1:1-4.
Ultimately, all energy and power and life come into the
physical
world from the unseen spiritual world as the source, even though
we
do not know how to formulate scientific laws to describe the
interactions between these two realms. Since science is bounded by
many intrinsic limitations, the responsibility for our failure to
be
fully-informed and educated concerning the dual realms of creation
should probably be laid at the door of the church. God's people
are
given the task of explaining to the world those areas of knowledge
that depend upon divine revelation, subjects that are, by nature, out-
of-bounds for science.
"The amazing fact which the
Scripture clearly declares, but which
thousands of Christians have failed to see, is that God has
designed
that his church should be a kind of government on earth undergirding
visible governments. This would make possible a climate of
benevolent
law and order, the rule of justice and peace, and would hold in
restraint the wild forces of tyranny, anarchy and murder. (See
Matt.
5:13,14; Phil. 2:14,15; 1 Tim. 2:1,2.) Whenever the church has
approached the biblical pattern, righteous conditions have begun
to
prevail. And when it has turned from this divine pattern to rely
on
secondary forces it has become proud, rich and tyrannical, or
worldly, weak and despised by all." (Ray C. Stedman, Body Life).
According
to the Bible, there are two levels of creation: one
physical and one (the more important) spiritual. The two
realms---the
material and the spiritual---were "tightly coupled" before the
fall
and though there is still coupling between these realms it is less
than it was in former times. Both spiritual and material domains
of
reality have become flawed, subsequent to creation, and active
evil
is present in both realms. Scientific observations of the physical
world have been, are now, and will be, affected by happenings in
the
spiritual world. Although we may not see the causes, the effects
will
be there. The fall of man is accompanied by a "curse" on
nature
described in Genesis 3:
And to Adam he [God} said, "Because
you have listened to the voice of
your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you,
`You
shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in toil
you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles
it
shall bring forth to you; and you shall eat the plants of the
field.
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to
the
ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust
you
shall return.
The effect of the curse is to reduce the
fecundity, resilience and
vitality of nature allowing "opportunistic" thorns and
thistles and
weeds to compete more successfully with crops and fruits useful to
men and animals.
Additional "curses" which are
consequences of human evil are
described as the Biblical account unfolds. For example God spoke
to
Cain, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood
is
crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the
ground,
which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from
your
hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you
its
strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the
earth."
(Genesis 4:11-12)
Adam's sin cost him his position as Manager
and Steward over the
earth. God had granted this to Adam at the time of his creation,
Then
God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness;
and
let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the
birds
of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over
every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created
man
in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and
female
he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them,
"Be
fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have
dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air
and
over every living thing that moves upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26-28)
Man's
lost dominion is described in the opening chapters of Hebrews.
There Jesus Christ is presented as the Federal head of a new race
of
men who will place man back again in the position of dominion over
creation:
"For it was not to angels that God subjected the
world to come, of
which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, 'What is
man
that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou carest
for
him? Thou didst make him [man] for a little while lower than the
angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honor, putting
everything in subjection under his [man's] feet.' Now in putting
everything in subjection to him, [man] he left nothing outside his
control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to
him
[man]. But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower
than
the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering
of
death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every
one. For it was fitting that he, [Jesus] for whom and by whom all
things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the
pioneer
of their salvation perfect through suffering." (Hebrews 2:5-10).
Verse
five contains a hidden and important clue about who governs the
universe. The age which is to come is not ruled by the angels, the
author says. The implication is that the age we live in, is ruled
by
the angels (acting on God's behalf). On this important passage Ray
C.
Stedman says the following,
"Some fascinating themes are
introduced by this observation. It
raises immediately the question, What is meant by the world to
come?
It can mean (1) life after death, (2) the future kingdom of Christ
on
earth (the millennium) or (3) the new heavens and the new earth.
Since almost nothing is said in Hebrews about life after death
(9:27), (1) can be dismissed without further development for it is
obviously not what he refers to in the phrase about which we are
speaking. That limiting phrase probably looks back to 1:11-12
which
emphasizes the changes which the material creation will
experience.
Paul, in Ephesians 2:7, speaks of "coming ages," indicating
that at
least two more ages lie ahead. The two which Scripture continually
names are the restored Davidic kingdom (the millennium) and the
new
heavens and the new earth. In several places Scripture describes
the
new heavens and earth as lasting forever, intimating It would be
the
last age yet to come. But the word world (Gk okoumene) in 2:5
refers
not to the cosmos, but to the inhabited earth, and this would
strongly suggest the writer has in mind (2), the kingdom of Christ
on
earth. Hughes calls the world to come, "the age of the Messiah
in
which the messianic promises and prophecies of old find their
fulfillment." It is surely to this that Jesus refers in
Matthew
19:28, 'Truly, I say to you, in the new world
[palingenesia, 'restoration'], when the Son of man shall sit on
his
glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve
thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel' (RSV). Several
passages
in Hebrews (6:5 and 12:22-24) suggest that this kingdom is in some
sense already available to those who live by faith. Perhaps, we
should see this new age to come as spiritually arrived, yet
physically still to come.
"A reference to the new heavens
and new earth seems unlikely in view
of the mention of judgment in Matthew 19:28, for sin will have no
place in the new creation. Also Israel will not play a distinctive
role among the nations, for then 'the kingdoms of this world are
become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall
reign for ever and ever' (Rev 11:15 KJV).
"If as this
writer claims, the world to come has not been subjected
to angels, it raises the possibility that the present age is
subject
to angelic governance, F.F. Bruce supports this view citing the LXX
rendering of Deuteronomy 32:8:
When the Most High gave to the
nations their inheritance
When he separated the children of men,
He set the bounds of the peoples
According to the number of the angels of God.
"He further
quotes Daniel 10:20, which names angelic beings as 'the
prince of Persia' and 'the prince of Greece,' and Daniel 10:21 and
12:1 speak of Michael as 'the great prince' who champions the
people
of Israel. This concept would explain why the fallen angel called
Satan is referred to as 'the god of this world' and is permitted
his
control until the Lord returns and the new age begins and the
curse
is lifted from nature. Then, too, the devil will be bound and cast
into a bottomless pit for a thousand years (Rev 20:2-3).
"This
background seems to give special meaning to the quotation from
Psalm 8 which the writer of Hebrews now invokes. His vague
reference
to his source (Gk "Someone somewhere has testified") is not
due to
uncertainty but to a desire to stress Scripture as speaking, not a
mere human author (Bruce, Kistemaker and Hughes). David's psalm is
a
wondering reaction to the majesty of the night sky as it reveals
the
power and wisdom of God and forces the question, What part do puny
human beings play in such a universe? The answer is that we were
made
a little lower than the angels, but then crowned with glory and
honor, and everything has been put under our feet. This is a
direct
reference to Genesis 1:26:
Then God said, "Let us make man
in our image, in our likeness, and
let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air,
over
the livestock over all the earth, and over all the creatures that
move along the ground."
"Here is glory and honor (made
in the image and likeness of God) and
authority and power (ruling over all the earth). Some commentators
take the 'made a little lower than the angels' in a temporal
sense, 'made for a little while,' to imply that human existence in
this space-time continuum is only for a brief lifetime, and then
we
are freed to live the life of eternity. Whichever way the phrase
is
read, it is clear that our intended destiny was one of power and
authority over all the conditions and life of earth. If this was
our
commission from the moment of creation, what light it sheds on our
responsibility to care for this planet and its creatures! We were
not
given dominion so the earth and the animals should serve us;
rather,
we are given authority to develop them to the fullest extent
intended
by the fruitful mind of the Creator. We are to serve them by
thorough
knowledge and loving care, in the form of servant-leadership which
the Lord himself manifested when he came.
"Yet, says this
writer in what must be the understatement of the
ages, we do not see everything subject to him. No, there are many
things fallen humans cannot control: the weather, the seasons, the
instincts of animals, the tides, our own passions, international
events, natural disasters, and on and on. The increasing pollution
of
the planet, the spread of famines and wars, the toll taken by
drugs,
accidents and disease, all tell the story of a lost
destiny..."
(Hebrews by Ray C. Stedman, The IVCP New Testament Commentary
Series,
IVCP Press, Downers Grove IL, 1992)
Cherubim And Seraphim
In the hierarchy of the angels as revealed to us in Scripture, the
greatest and mightiest are known as the "cherubim," among whom
are
the "Four Living Creatures." The King James Version of the
Bible
calls them "the four beasts," but this is a poor translation
of the
Greek, zoon, which means "living beings." They are
remarkable
creatures, first described for us in detail by the prophet Ezekiel
at
the time of the Babylonian captivity of the Jews in July 593 BC
Isaiah
may have seen these same great angels earlier in his vision
recorded in Isaiah 6. The Hebrew word found in the latter passage
is
Seraphim, ("burning ones"), rather than Cherubim, thus many
Bible
scholars treat the Seraphim as a separate, but very high class of
angels. Our common notion of "cherubs," as childlike harmless
angels
with tiny fluttering wings is very unbiblical.
Cherubim with
whirling, flaming swords guarded the gate of access
back into Eden after Adam and Eve were expelled, to keep them from
eating of the Tree of Life in their fallen condition. In other
words,
they could not return to fellowship with God except by the way of
the
cross. Two figures of cherubim with outstretched arms covered the
mercy seat which sat on the top of the Ark of the Covenant in the
Tabernacle of Moses and later in the Temple of Solomon.
Visions, Dreams, And Revelations
Ezekiel had the clearest visions of God seen by all the prophets.
As
a young man in his twenties, he was carried into captivity to
Babylon
(along with Daniel) but was allowed to see the glory and splendor
of
the Holy One of Israel. He was given to know details about the
long
term future of the nation, and to foresee the last and greatest
temple the Jews would one day build under Messiah's personal
direction. Visions differ from dreams and hallucinations in the
Biblical record. God sometimes spoke audibly to individuals in the
Bible; at other times, He influenced men such as Joseph and Daniel
by
giving clear and specific guidance through dreams.
Today, now
that Scripture is complete, God's last word to man is
Jesus, as the opening verses of the letter to the Hebrews states.
Colossians admonishes us,
"Let no one pass judgment on you
in questions of food and drink or
with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath. These are
only
a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
Let
no one disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of
angels, taking his stand on visions, puffed up without reason by
his
sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the
whole
body, nourished and knit together through its joints and
ligaments,
grows with a growth that is from God. If with Christ you died to
the
elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still
belonged to the world?" (2:16-20)
The cultures of society,
human traditions, habit patterns, and
lifestyles are actually controlled to a large degree by angelic
forces operating behind the scenes of the world-system. We need
not,
and should not, rely on visions or experiences as reliable sources
of
information about the unseen world. When one becomes a Christian
he
or she is taken out from under the Satanic government of the world-
system and placed under the direct rulership of Jesus Christ.
He
has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us
to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)
Not all visions come
from God. The enemy is the great counterfeiter
and even has the power to accomplish signs and wonders and
miracles.
Hallucinations, such as those experienced by individuals on drugs,
or
under severe emotional stress, or deprived of sleep, are usually
heightened imaginations. Many false religions and cults base their
teachings on the visionary experiences of their founders. Islam
was
born because the "prophet" Mohammed received a vision from an
angel.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints (the Mormon
church)
was initiated by a supposedly divine revelation given to Joseph
Smith. Demons and evil spirits and Satan himself coming "as an
angel
of light" are capable of counterfeiting experiences so that
they
appear to be coming from God when they are not. Such visions have
most assuredly not come from the God who gave us the Bible.
"For
such men [i.e., false teachers] are false apostles, deceitful
workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no
wonder,
for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is
not
strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of
righteousness." (2 Corinthians 11:12-15)
Genuine visions,
such as those seen by Ezekiel, Daniel, the Apostle
John and other Biblical writers were experiences when the seer was
allowed to briefly look behind the veil into the invisible world,
(into the heavenly places). They saw into that more permanent
world
of the Spirit. Today, only if an experience can be confirmed by
direct words from scripture can the Christian be sure what is
happening is coming from God. The Christian faith is not
existential,
not based on experiences or emotion, but it is grounded in a
thorough
and complete body of knowledge given to us in the Bible. Biblical
events are historically true as well, not at all based upon myth,
folklore or tradition which form the backdrop of common world
religions. Peter says,
"For we did not follow cleverly
devised myths when we made known to
you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were
eyewitnesses of his majesty." (1 Peter 1:16)
Ezekiel's Vision
In regard to the Four Living Creatures, Ezekiel saw them in a
great
vision as standing around the chariot-throne of God. They must be
frightening and awesome creatures of great intelligence, with four
faces, four great wings, and they are constantly engaged in
ceaseless
energetic activity.
"As I looked, behold, a storm wind came
out of the north, and a great
cloud, with brightness around about it, and fire flashing forth
continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming
bronze. And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living
creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the form of
men,
but each had four faces, and each had four wings. Their legs were
straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a
calves
foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze. Under their wings
on
their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their
faces
and their wings thus: their wings touched one another; they went
everyone straight forward without turning as they went. As for the
likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man in front; the
four had the face of a lion on the right side; the four had the
face
of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle
at
the back. Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out
above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the
wings
of another, while two covered their bodies. And each went straight
forward, wherever the spirit would go they went, without turning
as
they went.
Ezekiel's "wheels" are not UFO's but
mysterious wheels within
wheels "full of eyes round about." They seem to symbolize the
great
multi-dimensional mobility of God's portable chariot throne.
"In
the midst of the living creatures there was something that looked
like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among
the
living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire
went
forth lightning. And the living creatures darted to and fro like a
flash of lightning. Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw
a
wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of
the
four of them. As for the appearance of the wheels and their
construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of a chrysolite;
and the four had the same likeness, their construction being as it
were a wheel within a wheel. When these went they went in any of
their four directions without turning as they went. The four
wheels
