THE MORNING STARS (PART #3)
by Pastor Jeromy John Visser
(Introduction:)
In scripture, the term "host of heaven" often applies to the innumerable company of angels and because of this God is often referred to as Yahweh, the God of hosts (or something similar). For example, Psalm 148:2 states; “Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts” and Psalm 33:6 testifies; “By the word of YHVH were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” This further explains why on the sixth day of creation; “the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them” (Genesis 2:1).
The angel that appeared to Joshua by Jericho to aid him in warfare appeared in the form of a man telling him “as captain of the host of Yahweh am I now come.” Like Abraham when he was visited by angels (Genesis 18:2), Joshua “fell on his face to the earth, and did worship” proving this wasn't a simple man. Moreover, similar to Moses with the angel at the burning bush (Exodus 3:2-5), “the captain of Yahweh's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy” (Joshua 5:13-15).
When the three magi were visited by an "angel of the Lord" and told about the birth of Jesus, “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Only after the angels had “gone away into heaven” did the wise men begin their journey towards Bethlehem to find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger (Luke 2:11-15). To put it bluntly, angels were present throughout the entire life of Christ.
Naturally, the opposite of Yahweh's blameless angels are Satan's own minions which will be covered in detail in an upcoming part of this series. Still, the prophet Enoch spent a great deal of time teaching about the fallen angels stating that the spirits of their vanquished Nephilim became devils or "unclean spirits" who are able to cause general mischief and torture mankind (2b). This teaching certainly aligns with Jesus' own dealings with demons in the New Testament explaining why He made them subject to His true believers (Luke 10:19).
In a sense, those who dismiss the reality of the spiritual realm also forfeit a portion of their own power through Yahweh's own guardian angels (3c). For example, the ark of the covenant had a mercy seat protected by two angels (Exodus 25:17-22 & Hebrews 9:5). This was placed under two greater angels in Solomon's temple which had numerous cherubim lining the walls in the form of plentiful carvings and tapestries (I Kings 6:29, 8:6 & II Chronicles 3:10-14). In short, Yahweh of hosts is generally found in the middle of His morning stars.
Yet after the crucifixion the “the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:51) meaning that man now had direct access to God Himself through Jesus' blood sacrifice. This is because after His resurrection the Messiah had “gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him” (I Peter 3:22). There is no access to the throne of Yahweh except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6) and no power given to man outside His precious name (Ephesians 1:20-23).
Paul taught in Acts 23:8 that; “the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit” and such pitiful creatures still exist today pushing their false doctrines. Most likely, it's because they're not indwelled with the Holy Spirit of Yahweh (for one reason or another) thus dogma against the spirit world or angels manifests itself through deceived and unclean men. Point and case - false prophets generally take the simple and make it more complex while the genuine teacher has the ability to make the complicated more clear-cut.
A common tactic among the modern "no-devil" crowd is to dismiss literal angels and demons by claiming Satan's name means “opponent” (Strong's #H7854) and angel only means “messenger” (Strong's #H7854). The fact that Christians can allow themselves to be seduced into this faulty logic is what's known as "mania" because it stems from maniacal men who seemingly can't read. The real meaning of Satan (at least according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance) is “Satan, the arch enemy of good” and that's exactly what he is (4d).
It's derogatory to Jesus Christ to suggest that the Devil and his angels aren't supernatural as He accepted and taught the doctrine of "heavenly hosts" verbatim from the Old Testament. After His temptation by Satan “angels came and ministered unto him” (Matthew 4:11 & Mark 1:13) and during His passion “there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him” (Luke 22:43). Wouldn't a false prophet desiring to be a god himself just love to teach that mere man could coach the Redeemer of Israel giving Him strength instead?
After the crucifixion, angels were present at the tomb of Jesus (Matthew 28:2-6) and they were also at the ascension (Acts 1:11). Paul taught that at the second dawn “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels” (II Thessalonians 1:7) further confirming the literal teachings of Christ about returning with His angelic host to sever the wicked from the land (Matthew 25:31 & Mark 8:38). This only makes sense because even the Law of Yahweh was given to Moses by the hand of angels (Exodus 3:2 & Acts 7:53).
At the great Judgment of Yahweh being a Sadducee that rejects literal angels, resurrection or the spirit world is a bad place to be. Jesus warned against them (Matthew 16:6-12) and John the Immerser rebuked them (Matthew 3:7-9 & Luke 3:7-9) because they all teach there's no life after death (Matthew 22:23-34, Mark 12:18-27 & Luke 20:27-40) while persecuting genuine Christian believers (Acts 4:1-3 & 5:17-33). Be on guard against those who create fictitious doctrines along these lines - nothing good can come from such teachings.
(Intention:)
Admitably, a pastor could preach indefinitely on the reality of angels as found in the scriptures. Their authenticity is so strong that throughout history there have even been numerous cults dedicated to the worship of angels causing Yahweh to strictly prohibit such activities in His Law. Certain men who've “crept in unawares” (Jude 1:4) have made it their position to discredit the established teachings of Christian Identity, the Bible and similar doctrines accepted by the Messiah Himself. Until they're silenced this series will continue.
It's practically laughable that some false prophets spend so much time attempting to discredit what's plainly written in the Word of God. It's almost like they wish to leave large volumes of literature that testifies to their own blindness and ignorance hoping that other misguided souls will follow suit. There are many mysteries in the Bible which can lead to a deeper understanding of the spirit world but perhaps no mystery so confusing as to why so-called Christians deny it's ability to save all of Israel even when taken at face value.
In the next part of this ongoing series we'll be examining the numerous Laws provided by Yahweh in both the Old and New Testaments that prohibit the worship of angels. We'll also study the appearance of archangels in the King James Apocrypha who appear over seventy-seven times even being called by their proper names like Raphael (5e) and Uriel (6f). It's my prayer that this sermon helps to establish God's Kingdom on earth and touches those who require assistance against the imposters working against us. War for Christ! Amen.
(+-alt-notes-+)
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(1a) Much like the archangel
Michael, Gabriel appears to Daniel having “the appearance of a man” (Daniel
8:15) with the ability to “fly swiftly” (Daniel 9:21). This was, of course,
about six hundred years before he made his declaration of the coming Messiah
to the virgin Mary thus it's impossible that Gabriel was a mortal man.
Furthermore, Jesus teaches that angels are immortal (Luke 20:36) further
obliterating any attempt by those who wish to claim the angelic host are
regular men. More information on angelic beings and evil spirits can be
found in
Tactics of the Lawless One (2005). (2b) When speaking about the creation of demons and their primary origins, Enoch taught; “Giants, who are produced from the spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling. Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men and from the holy Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; they shall be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called. [As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.] And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless hunger and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them” (Book of Enoch 15:8-12). (3c) Christ teaches the concept of "guardian angels" when He says; “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10). As Christians, we have the power to petition Yahweh in prayer for additional protection through his angels which have knowledge of earthly affairs (Luke 15:7-10, I Timothy 5:21 & I Peter 1:12). Still, this practice can often lead to the dangerous act of "angel veneration" that has practically engulfed the unholy Roman Catholick church. For further clarity read CPM's Beware of False Prophets (2005). (4d) Satan himself was once the protector of Yahweh's mercy seat which is why he usually twists and maligns the Law of God. Here's a quote from CPM's Anointed Cherub That Covereth that further proves this point; “Interesting of note is the fact that Satan had "tabrets and pipes" indwelled within his deity at creation. Through Cain's seed eventually comes Jubal, who is considered to be “the father of all such as handle the harp and organ” (Genesis 4:21). Lucifer's knowledge of Yahweh's Law is certainly unparalleled as he was once the protector of it and it's for this cause that he was initially created perfect, or "the full pattern." He is adorned with nine jewels all of which are found in the high priest’s breastplate (Exodus 28:17-20) yet strangely they're all disordered with the third row missing. Most likely seated directly across from Michael on the very mercy seat of God (Exodus 25:17-22), Satan was once “the anointed cherub that covers with overshadowing [wings].” Yahweh casts this angel from His presence at Sinai and another guardian cherub drives him from the “midst of the stones of fire” meaning the aforementioned jewels. This sense of "brightness" is also found in the very name of Lucifer which means “light-bearer” (Strong's #H1966). Ironically, this also makes Satan an inferior “father of lights” (James 1:17).” More information on Satan's fall from his initial state can be obtained by reading Anointed Cherub That Covereth (2007). (5e) For example, Tobit 12:15 states that Raphael is “one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints.” From the overall theme of the Apocrypha, he's also God's agent who heals and frees mankind from bondage even though it's not until the end of the book that this “man” reveals he's a mystical angel. Enoch states that “Raphael [is] one of the holy angels, who is over the spirits of men” (1 Enoch 20:3) and also “he who presides over every suffering and every wound of the sons of man [is] the holy Raphael” (1 Enoch 40:9). Raphael is one of four angels that will cast Satanel (named Azazyeel in this text) and his many minions “into a furnace of blazing fire, that the Lord of spirits may be avenged of them for their crimes” (1 Enoch 53:6). Oddly, it is claimed that according to the book of the War of the Sons of Light with the Sons of Darkness (from the Dead Sea Scrolls), the Sons of Light go into battle with the names of several angels, including Raphael, on their shields. (6f) According to the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras, the angel Uriel is Ezra's teacher, director and an interpreter of earthly mysteries. The prophet Enoch wrote that “Uriel [is] one of the holy angels who is over clamor (commotion) and terror” (1 Enoch 20:2). Uriel also appears in Milton's Paradise Lost where he is the “Regent of the Sun” and “sharpest-sighted spirit of all in heaven.” Furthermore, he is credited (alongside the archangel Michael) to have taught man to bury their dead for the reason that; “the angels Michael and Uriel buried Adam and Abel in the parts of Paradise, before the eyes of Seth and his mother and Michael and Uriel said Just as ye have seen, in like manner, bury your dead” (Book of Adam and Eve 48:6-7). |
[ Date:
Wednesday, June 6th, 2007 ]
(Last Page Update:
March 28, 2010)
Covenant People's Ministry
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