Good morning,
Let's get back to learning about ministering angels sent to help us. We left off at Hebrews 13:2; "Do not forget or neglect or
refuse to extend hospitality to strangers [in the brotherhood—being
friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and
doing your part generously], for through it some have entertained angels
without knowing it." That
is an awesome thought. Let's see how easy it is for us to miss the
moment, when we are so preoccupied with all that is going on in our
lives. This example has to do with Jesus, and shows clearly show we can
miss these supernatural visitations in our "busy" lives. "And behold, that very day two of [the
disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, [which is] about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things that had occurred. And while they were conversing and discussing together, Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them. But their eyes were held, so that they did not recognize Him. And He said to them, What is this discussion that you are exchanging
(throwing back and forth) between yourselves as you walk along? And they
stood still, looking sad and downcast. Then one of them, named
Cleopas, answered Him, Do you alone dwell as a stranger in Jerusalem and
not know the things that have occurred there in these days?" (Luke
24:13-18) A
supernatural encounter was going on, where Jesus who had been crucified
and laid in the tomb, was alive and walking along with them and they
were none the wiser, because they were busy about
other things. Then Jesus begin to open their eyes; "But they urged and
insisted, saying to Him, Remain with us, for it is toward evening, and
the day is now far spent. So He went in to stay with them. And it
occurred that as He reclined at table with them, He took [a loaf of]
bread and praised [God] and gave thanks and asked a blessing, and then broke it and was giving it to them. When their eyes were [instantly] opened and they [clearly] recognized Him, and He vanished (departed invisibly). And they said to one another, Were not our hearts greatly moved and burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and as He opened and explained to us [the sense of] the Scriptures?" (Luke 24:29-32) My prayer is for our eyes to be opened to see with the eyes of our
spirit, those things that God has given to us. Now you remember the Old
Testament account where
the Elijah's assistants eyes were opened to see the angel army that
surrounded the city, ready to take the enemy army down. "When the servant of the man of God rose early and went out, behold an
army with horses and chariots was around the city. Elisha's servant said
to him, Alas, my master! What shall we do? [Elisha] answered, Fear not; for those with us are more than those with them. Then Elisha prayed,
Lord, I pray You, open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened
the young man’s eyes, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of
horses and chariots of fire round about
Elisha. And
when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, Smite
this people with blindness, I pray You. And God smote them with
blindness, as Elisha asked." (2 Kings 6:15-18). As the psalmist prayed, "Open My eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law." (Ps. 119:18) No doubt, that we are not to go looking for angels, nor worshiping angels, we worship God! But we will see that the ministry of angels have never ceased.
refuse to extend hospitality to strangers [in the brotherhood—being
friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and
doing your part generously], for through it some have entertained angels
without knowing it." That
is an awesome thought. Let's see how easy it is for us to miss the
moment, when we are so preoccupied with all that is going on in our
lives. This example has to do with Jesus, and shows clearly show we can
miss these supernatural visitations in our "busy" lives. "And behold, that very day two of [the
disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, [which is] about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things that had occurred. And while they were conversing and discussing together, Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them. But their eyes were held, so that they did not recognize Him. And He said to them, What is this discussion that you are exchanging
(throwing back and forth) between yourselves as you walk along? And they
stood still, looking sad and downcast. Then one of them, named
Cleopas, answered Him, Do you alone dwell as a stranger in Jerusalem and
not know the things that have occurred there in these days?" (Luke
24:13-18) A
supernatural encounter was going on, where Jesus who had been crucified
and laid in the tomb, was alive and walking along with them and they
were none the wiser, because they were busy about
other things. Then Jesus begin to open their eyes; "But they urged and
insisted, saying to Him, Remain with us, for it is toward evening, and
the day is now far spent. So He went in to stay with them. And it
occurred that as He reclined at table with them, He took [a loaf of]
bread and praised [God] and gave thanks and asked a blessing, and then broke it and was giving it to them. When their eyes were [instantly] opened and they [clearly] recognized Him, and He vanished (departed invisibly). And they said to one another, Were not our hearts greatly moved and burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and as He opened and explained to us [the sense of] the Scriptures?" (Luke 24:29-32) My prayer is for our eyes to be opened to see with the eyes of our
spirit, those things that God has given to us. Now you remember the Old
Testament account where
the Elijah's assistants eyes were opened to see the angel army that
surrounded the city, ready to take the enemy army down. "When the servant of the man of God rose early and went out, behold an
army with horses and chariots was around the city. Elisha's servant said
to him, Alas, my master! What shall we do? [Elisha] answered, Fear not; for those with us are more than those with them. Then Elisha prayed,
Lord, I pray You, open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened
the young man’s eyes, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of
horses and chariots of fire round about
Elisha. And
when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, Smite
this people with blindness, I pray You. And God smote them with
blindness, as Elisha asked." (2 Kings 6:15-18). As the psalmist prayed, "Open My eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law." (Ps. 119:18) No doubt, that we are not to go looking for angels, nor worshiping angels, we worship God! But we will see that the ministry of angels have never ceased.
We will look in both the Old and New Testament that angels are always there to assist and aid the heirs of
salvation, that is you and I, as well. Let's look at Abraham's life. Genesis 18: 1-2; "Now the Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks or terebinths of Mamre; as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day, He
lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood at a little
distance from him. He ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed
himself to the ground." Abraham
is about to encounter the Lord and two angels. They have come to assist
and aid Abraham. The Lord gives Abraham a message and the angels go on
to fulfill the command of the Lord. Let's take it up in verse 22; "Now the [two] men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood
before the Lord." The
angels are referred to as men, because they appeared as men. That is why
we are told to be kind to strangers, because we may have entertained
angels unawares. Let's skip to where we become sure that these two are
angels sent on an assignment to Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 19:1; "It
was evening when the two angels came to Sodom. Lot was sitting at
Sodom’s [city] gate. Seeing them, Lot rose up to meet them and bowed to
the ground." Angels have come to Sodom to save Lot and his family, heirs of salvation, and to destroy the city. Gen. 19:10-13; "But the men [the angels] reached out and pulled Lot into the house to them and shut the door after him. And they struck the men who were at the door of the house with
blindness [which dazzled them], from the youths to the old men, so that
they wearied themselves [groping] to find the door. And the [two] men
asked Lot, Have you any others here—sons-in-law or your sons or your
daughters? Whomever you have in the city, bring them out of this place,
For we will spoil and destroy [Sodom]; for the outcry and shriek against its people has grown great before the Lord, and He has sent us to destroy it." They are given charge [keep, observe, protect, preserve, to watch for and over]. Next time we
will see how vigilant angels are in their care for the children of
righteousness. We have more for us than ever could be against us, and
it is much better when we have knowledge of spiritual truths.
salvation, that is you and I, as well. Let's look at Abraham's life. Genesis 18: 1-2; "Now the Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks or terebinths of Mamre; as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day, He
lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood at a little
distance from him. He ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed
himself to the ground." Abraham
is about to encounter the Lord and two angels. They have come to assist
and aid Abraham. The Lord gives Abraham a message and the angels go on
to fulfill the command of the Lord. Let's take it up in verse 22; "Now the [two] men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood
before the Lord." The
angels are referred to as men, because they appeared as men. That is why
we are told to be kind to strangers, because we may have entertained
angels unawares. Let's skip to where we become sure that these two are
angels sent on an assignment to Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 19:1; "It
was evening when the two angels came to Sodom. Lot was sitting at
Sodom’s [city] gate. Seeing them, Lot rose up to meet them and bowed to
the ground." Angels have come to Sodom to save Lot and his family, heirs of salvation, and to destroy the city. Gen. 19:10-13; "But the men [the angels] reached out and pulled Lot into the house to them and shut the door after him. And they struck the men who were at the door of the house with
blindness [which dazzled them], from the youths to the old men, so that
they wearied themselves [groping] to find the door. And the [two] men
asked Lot, Have you any others here—sons-in-law or your sons or your
daughters? Whomever you have in the city, bring them out of this place,
For we will spoil and destroy [Sodom]; for the outcry and shriek against its people has grown great before the Lord, and He has sent us to destroy it." They are given charge [keep, observe, protect, preserve, to watch for and over]. Next time we
will see how vigilant angels are in their care for the children of
righteousness. We have more for us than ever could be against us, and
it is much better when we have knowledge of spiritual truths.
Love,
Pastor D.
Daughters of Z 