Angelic Conflict part 75: Angelology 102 – Luk 1:19, 26; 22:43; Mat 1:20; 2:13; Act 5:19; 8:26.

Title: Angelic Conflict part 75: Angelology 102 - LUK 1:19, 26; 22:43; MAT 1:20; 2:13; ACT 5:19; 8:26.

 

On Friday we completed Heb 1 and 2 which revealed to us the person of Christ as God and creator as well as one who was made for a little while lower than the angels because of us and what we lost, and as one who came in flesh and blood because He had to be made like His brethren in all things, He regained what we lost, and to reign over it forever; both He as King and we as kings.

 

We also realized that He is not just our King but He is also our merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, in fact our high priest, Jesus Christ, made the offering for us, which was Himself, and as He was doing that on the cross the word “King” was on a sign hanging above His head. As our high priest He has compassion, which is the meaning of the word merciful, referring to His action on our behalf when we are in need or in trouble. Faithful is all on Him. Even when we are faithless He remains faithful because He refused to deny His own brethren, for He is not ashamed to call us brethren, for He and every believer share a common Father. Our merciful and faithful high priest is also our King and the authority of the universe over all creatures and we are His kings in His royal family, in union with Him and seated with Him in heavenly places. Our position could not be any higher or any more advantageous.

 

Added to this is the fact that the elect angels are all ministering or serving spirits to each believer, or as HEB 1:14 puts it:

 

HEB 1:14

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

 

On Friday we saw a messenger angel that was sent out to render service to Daniel, but this messenger was held up by the demon rulers of the kingdom of Persia and he could not get to Daniel for 21 days. God then sent Michael, His fierce archangel, to assist the messenger angel and he made it through to Daniel and delivered the answer to Daniel’s prayer. Prayer delayed is not prayer denied. There are so many things going on around us, not just in the spirit world but also in the world of men that may motivate God to delay our needs or requests. The key question is not how long, but how patient we are? How deep into the fathoms of God’s love does your faith actually go? And it is only in the delays that we grope for that answer. And the answer may shock you. You might find that you had more or less faith then you thought, but so be it, even that answer is not as important as what you choose to do with that answer.

 

Elect angels do whatever God tells them to, but not so with the human race. Right now your volition, your free will is the most precious thing you have, for with it you can curse your Lord, ignore Him, gain apathy towards Him, or you can love Him, follow Him, endure with Him, and walk with Him. As the scripture puts in a thousand different ways, “I set before you life and death, and the choice is yours.” We saw Michael and the messenger fight against the kings of Persia and the kings of Greece, demon kings set in place by satan to influence their governments and their demon worship. This morning we look at God’s top messenger Gabriel. Like Michael there was a chance long ago for this angel to reveal his love, devotion, and gratitude towards God when the whole fall of satan and his rebellion hit the eternal fan. The choice to have faith in God’s plans and policies above and beyond the average believer never goes unrewarded.

 

Named angels: Gabriel

Meaning - God’s mighty one.

 

Titles: the man, DAN 9:21; Archangel, 1TH 4:16; Angel of God, ACT 10:3; 27:23; Angel of the Lord (of which there are ten appearances in the NT).

 

Activities:

He explains the vision of the ram and goat battle to Daniel in DAN 8:16.

 

And before we go through these I want to just propose a perhaps very real possibility that angels are still being used by God as messengers or agents to do His will in order to mold circumstances, if you will, in our world today, and all throughout the CA.

 

HEB 13:1-2

Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

 

We don’t see angels testing God’s people, but sure do see them ministering to God’s people, and perhaps that is the meaning behind this verse. We have seen that they take the form of men and could be anywhere, but always doing only what God tells them to, and even the fallen angels have limits. They are not free in the same sense that mankind is in free will. But please emblazon in your soul the phrase, “without knowing it,” for you are never going to know so don’t dwell on it, but be comforted that they are all around us and ministering to us at every turn.

 

He explains the seventy weeks to Daniel in DAN 9:21.

 

He announces the future birth of John the Baptist to Zacharias in LUK 1:19.

 

LUK 1:8 Now it came about, while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division,

 

LUK 1:9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

 

LUK 1:10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.

 

LUK 1:11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

 

LUK 1:12 And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear gripped him.

 

LUK 1:13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.

 

Zacharias’ prayer is herd and the great angel is dispatched. They do whatever God tells them to.

 

LUK 1:14 "And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

 

LUK 1:15 "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine or liquor; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, while yet in his mother's womb.

 

LUK 1:16 "And he will turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.

 

LUK 1:17 "And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

 

LUK 1:18 And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this for certain? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."

 

Though Zach lacks faith God still provides for him, though it would have been far more enjoyable for him to have faith.

 

LUK 1:19 And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.

 

Gabriel appeals to him through his own position before God and that God had sent him to communicate this truth, so why in the world would he refuse to believe it? Good question for all of us. So he is struck mute.

 

LUK 1:20 "And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their proper time."

 

LUK 1:21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple.

 

They knew the typical time for a priest to offer incense since it was a repetitious ritual, but Zach has been much longer. “So why were you in there so long?” Charades is all that he has.

 

LUK 1:22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute.

 

He predicts the birth of Jesus to Mary in LUK 1:26.

 

LUK 1:23 And it came about, when the days of his priestly service were ended, that he went back home.

 

LUK 1:24 And after these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant [deep principle: you don’t have to be able to talk to get your wife pregnant even in old age]; and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,

 

LUK 1:25 "This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men."

 

LUK 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth,

 

LUK 1:27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

 

LUK 1:28 And coming in, he said to her, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you."

 

LUK 1:29 But she was greatly troubled at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this might be.

 

LUK 1:30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.

 

LUK 1:31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.

 

LUK 1:32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;

 

LUK 1:33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end [take it back cause He is stronger than satan]."

 

LUK 1:34 And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"

 

LUK 1:35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.

 

LUK 1:36 "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.

 

LUK 1:37 "For nothing will be impossible with God."

 

Gabriel knows this by sight. God is asking the Church to believe this by faith.

 

LUK 1:38 And Mary said, "Behold, the bond slave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

 

Mary shows that she understands that even Gabriel is a slave of God, and so is she and so are we all, but in the case of the CA believer, which Mary will be, we are higher than angels simply by privilege and not because of anything we have done, for in the Church, from the least to the greatest, we are all one body that is in union with Him who reigns and we are seated with Him in heavenly places.

 

He assures Joseph of Mary’s purity in MAT 1:20.

 

MAT 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

 

MAT 1:19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly.

 

MAT 1:20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

 

MAT 1:21 "And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins."

 

MAT 1:22 Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying,

 

MAT 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us." [ISA 7:14]

 

MAT 1:24 And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife,

 

One must give Joseph a lot of credit here. He realized the reality of the dream and acted upon the commands immediately.

 

He could have just woke up and said, “Well that was a crazy dream.” And sure enough, Gabriel will appear to him in three more dreams. I imagine Joe got used to them.

 

MAT 1:25 and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

 

Joseph shows his honor as well as his faith. The prophecy says that the virgin will be with child and that the “virgin” shall bear a child.

 

Though fully and totally in love with Mary and now her husband he does not lay with her since the prophecy must be fulfilled. Honor and faith in a man stand or fall together. Lose faith and honor will depart right behind it.

 

He warns Joseph about the plot of Herod in MAT 2:13.

 

MAT 2:13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him."